Here are the 2 kinds of out houses I have been making. The first one is what I call a square one. I use fence planks from Menards..Single pieces of 6 inch wide 6 feet tall green treated. It's about 20 pieces if you want a porch. I didn't have a picture with the door open but yep..there is a poo hole... I mean a hole for your flower pot! Ya that's what I ment. I wrap them with grape vines,,they are kinda falling off now. I hung some old horse harness on the side. The lamp is a solar lamp. It can't get enough light under the porch's roof so I take it out during the day and hang it on a hook stuck in the yard next to the outhouse.. In the evening I rehang the lamp under the porch roof and it looks so cute. This one is stained with a redish water proof stain.
Now these I LOVE to make I don't really measure a thing when I make these cept maybe the roof pieces so they are all the same length. I use what ever scrap wood I can find for this style. I have even made these with one side of the roof longer than the other side! The curve is decided by the amount of curve I free hand draw on the scrap wood. I do have to make sure the peak is the same front and back, as well as the curve matches from side to the same side ,front and back. The roof left to right side, can be different lenghts and curves. The porch can be on either side, or neither side, or Both sides. The outhouse can be different widths also as long as they match on the opposite side, to make a square or rectangle. They are all skrewed together so they can be moved without twisting apart. This one is not stained. It was made with rough cut lumber and it is very heavy.
Now these I LOVE to make I don't really measure a thing when I make these cept maybe the roof pieces so they are all the same length. I use what ever scrap wood I can find for this style. I have even made these with one side of the roof longer than the other side! The curve is decided by the amount of curve I free hand draw on the scrap wood. I do have to make sure the peak is the same front and back, as well as the curve matches from side to the same side ,front and back. The roof left to right side, can be different lenghts and curves. The porch can be on either side, or neither side, or Both sides. The outhouse can be different widths also as long as they match on the opposite side, to make a square or rectangle. They are all skrewed together so they can be moved without twisting apart. This one is not stained. It was made with rough cut lumber and it is very heavy.
Here ya can see inside and yep..there's the "flower pot " hole! Oh, and I see a corn cob and newspaper too! The orange cord is to the light I have inside so it lights up and you can see the cresent moon Everynight! I had these at a shop down the road from where I used to live. They had $185.00 on them and I was making one everyweek last summer! This year they retired so I don't have a place to sell them anymore and I kept this one. The curvey roof ones have real shingles and a "vent" pipe.
PEEK!!! 
Cut out your pattern piece and lay it on the wood.. Trace around the pattern. Make sure that slot is the same width as the piece of wood you are using.
Cut out the star pieces.
Sand them on a belt sander or just use a piece of 100 grit paper.
Bang those edges for a more worn look.
Check to see if they will fit together. If not, go back and trim a bit out of the slot, and fit again. After you paint them they will be tighter so if they are a bit on the sloppy side now that's a good thing. Here I also rounded the tips of the smaller star so they don't point over the edges of the bigger star. Check to see if your star sets even on all 4 points.. If it doesn't, cut one of the slots a bit deeper..don't go too much.
Check to see the size of the dowl your flag is on. Pick a drill bit one size smaller. Now if you have a drill press Whoorrraa! It will save you some swearing. I took a chip out of the middle of the point of the star so I could start the drill better. I used a pair of old wire cutters to nip a chunk out, to make the starting drill hole area, flatter so the bit wouldn't slip off to the side.. Be careful you don't chip the edged of your star..if you do save the piece and white glue it back on..let it dry and try again. Start with a smaller drill bit.. when you have the hole done, change one size bigger drill bit, use the one that is the same size as the dowel the flag is on. Check to see if the flag dowel will fit in the hole..if not go to the next size bigger.. By starting with a smaller drill bit, it's easier to start the hole..less swearing.
Here I jumped ahead a bit.. I have the star painted white and sanded.. You can do what you want here.. You can pound some dents in the star to make it look older. Use the sides of bolts and edges of nuts, lay them on the wood and gently tap them till they make a dent in the wood. Use the round hammer head to make a few dings too. You can paint it black first then white... so when you sand it the black shows thru..... what I did and I am sure it's toxic...but... I goobed the white paint on, then while it was still wet (and I layed it on thick).... I took it out side and with a heat gun, I cooked the paint till it blistered. I did this so when I sanded the wood I would have round blistered, paint chips that the stain would get caught in.. Now don't be smelling the cooking paint...do this outside inthe fresh air if you are going to try this method. Sand thru to the raw wood in places too.
Apply your stain with a brush..Leave it on for a min then wipe it off with a rag.
AWWW here it is, It fits and it's ready for the flag... I also stained the dowel the flag was on and I even stained the flag too. It you really want to age it even some more.. Take a little black paint and dip a stiff bristle brush in just a bit of it... and flick the brush over something like a used popsicle stick..flick the paint so it spatters on the star.. There..now you have fly specks!
And there you are. I made 6 of them for the shop. The orginal is 12 inches tall. Just make sure you have the same size slot as the woods thickness so they fit together good. I don't glue mine.. they can be taken apart for storage..but then...mine sit out all year long.....I hope I explained this good enough.. Hugs Rene
