Meet "The Birdhouse Lady", MARCIA LAMOUREUX, pictured here hard at work creating another sensational birdhouse available at her store in Geneva, IL at 109 S. First Street. See more of her creations below...
Birds, bees, and even charities all benefit from the exceptional handiwork of the very talented Birdhouse Lady, Marcia Lamoureux, and her husband, John, from their store and workshop.
Open Saturdays, 10 AM – 6 PM, and by appointment, visitors will be treated to an incredible array of hand-built birdhouses, bird feeders, and houses for Mason bees – important pollinators.
And, if you’re planning a charity fund-raiser, you can host the event at the shop with 90% of the total sale going directly to your charity! Local non-profit organizations that have recently benefitted from this partnership include Turning Pointe Autism Foundation, The Joshua Tree Community, CASA, and the Glen Ellyn Food Pantry.
Marcia has an interesting background that prepared her well for her current passion. Raised by builders, she became an avid rehabber of old houses. She’s also extremely artistic having worked in animation for ad agencies and as a medical illustrator. And she enjoyed editorial cartooning for the Fighting Illini newspaper while a student at University of Illinois.
Because of her product lines’ size and weight, shipping costs would be prohibitive. So, opening a store seemed the best solution for showcasing her work.
“My inspiration came from reading a birdhouse article in Fine Gardening magazine and discovered that readers didn’t know where to find them,” Marcia recalls. “I originally made them to be a silent auction item and a business grew from there.”
She designs the birdhouses in such a way that the interior is just the right size for the bird to feel comfortable, is easy to clean for the owner, and the bird entrance opening is reinforced with metal to protect from the gnawing of predators to access the eggs.
The birdhouses and bird feeders attract any bird that likes a house such as wrens, blue birds, finches, chickadees, owls and sparrows. Marcia also sells the poles the houses and feeders are mounted on. The Mason Bee houses are usually hung from a fence or a garage.
“Store-bought birdhouses are often the wrong size for a bird – they need to be at least six inches deep for the female. And, the commercial materials used such as plastic or metal actually bake the bird, which is why mine are constructed of solid wood,” Marcia explained.
She adds that commercially made products often can’t be cleaned. By unscrewing only two screws, Marcia’s design allows the roof to be completely lifted off for easily cleaning the interior. Additionally, the metal pan on her bird feeders allows for quick access and cleaning.
Prices range from $25 to $1,000. For more information visit: BirdhouseLady/birdhouses/birdfeeders/Geneva
Marcia enjoys incorporating such found items into her designs as these pewter touches -- spoon and bowl topped by a knob from an old dresser!
Bird feeders, like this, have an easy access dish for filling and cleaning, BUT require a BAFFLE on the pole to reduce visits from squirrels!!
Several of Marcia's designs feature a musical theme.
Here's a Mason Bee house currently under construction. Marcia explains that these important pollinators pollenate 95% of our food in six weeks!
Marcia's store offers a birdhouse or bird feeder for every taste and in a variety of sizes!