Thrift-glass Bird Bath

[jeannej]

I thought I'd share something I created between crochet projects: My thrift-glass birdbath. It measures 25" tall and consists of 10 pieces of various vases, plates, and such that can easily be found at Goodwill and local thrift shops, or perhaps even within your own cupboards. It's my first attempt in this medium and I am surprisingly pleased with how it turned out. It was a fun project and I'm already keeping my eye out for pieces to create another for my SIL. It's presently perched on a stool in my backroom as it still has a few more days of curing before I'll place it out in my garden. Here's hoping that it's bird-worthy! Thank you for looking.

 

Edited to add: Caught sight of one of my beloved chickadees perched on its rim, second day out; he hung around for quite some time, quenching his thirst -Yay!! It's birdworthy! (I'm sure he'll tell all of his dee-friends, who'll tell the goldfinches, who'll surely bump into the robins...)= : D

[Peggy85225]

It's beautiful and much more then bird worthy! what kind of glue do you use to put such things together?

[jeannej]

It's beautiful and much more then bird worthy! what kind of glue do you use to put such things together?

 

Thank you, Peggy! It really was a fun project. The adhesive that I used and that has been highly recommended for adhering these glass on glass totems is GE Silicone II, Clear. I was told to be sure that it was the one for window and door, not the one for kitchen and bath.

[Threecats]

Nice bird bath. I love clear glass. It will great in your garden.

[kittyloverdeb]

How beautiful! That would look beautiful in my garden!

[Momcrochets]

Gorgeous!! I love it. Very inspiring. I want one now

(My ornithologist hubby tells me that baths are most popular when the birds can see the water in them (usually b/c of a difference in shading or coloring of the basin) I don;t know how that would work with glass...some birds will come anyway I am sure) I want a glass birdbath, either way. (eta:Sadly, we don't actually have any kind of birdbath right now. feeders, yes...)

[eurolyons]

I absolutely love it! Just beautiful!

[jeannej]

Thank you very much! This was so easy to make; do give it a go for your own gardens.

 

Momcrochets, thank you for the heads-up from your bird hubby. I hadn't thought of that, but it makes sense that the birds will have to have some visual sense that there's water in there...I'll have to play around, by perhaps adding a colored plate to the bottom of the tray or even a pretty rock(s) to add some dimension. A concern of mine, raised by my son when he saw the bath, is if the glass might be too slick of a surface for solid footing for the birds, again, perhaps something a well placed rock will help with (the contrast might be neat). Ah well, I have two other baths that the birds adore, this one may just end up being a decorative totem in one of the beds.

[Afghaniac]

What a cool way to recycle glass items. The idea of a glass birdbath is something I never heard of, but I'd think the birds would like it. And, thanks for telling us the kind of glue you used. I was just looking at some cake stands someone on etsy.com made by gluing vintage plates to glass candlesticks and wondering what could be used to glue them.

[Mellrb702]

Wow, it is beautiful. You did a really nice job on it. What a really cool idea.

[kittyloverdeb]

You could add some of those colored glass stones that you find at craft stores...you know what I mean? They come in a bag and all different colors. That would add color to the bowl and be quite pretty too!

[Momcrochets]

I bet the rock idea would work. Some pretty river rocks (craft store) or something...pretty stones found outside...after all, rocks change color when wet. I've seen Mr. RedWinged Blackbird "stand" on the vertical pole holding our feeders (It's one of those metal shepherds hooks), so I think the glass would be okay and not too slippery. And since you already have feeders, I'm sure they'll figure it out rather quickly

 

Again, you've created a gorgeous piece. I love it! Maybe now I'll find the pieces and make one of my own for our place. now that you've shown the way.

[jeannej]

Great suggestions! I think, if I do go by way of a rock, it will be a single flat piece for ease of cleaning; hopefully I won't need one. Someone shared on a garden forum of how birds took splashingly to their glass bath without a care about slipping and sliding -That's what I'm hoping for!

 

Momcrochets, do be sure to show your bath should you put one together for your own garden...and you should! lol -I've already picked up some pieces for another for someone's yard and the first piece above the base plate will be a light green, which will add a very nice touch to the piece, I think. Whether you go clear, colored, or a combination of both (or all ceramic) you can't go wrong -Have fun!

 

P.S. Look for a heavy piece for the base plate. I used the revolving glass tray from my recently replaced microwave (death by stormy powersurge) and I've also seen heavy glass pie-plates used for bases.

[DebraKay]

How pretty and what a great recyle project! Very creative -- I am sure the birds will thank you! When we first moved to the house I live in now (in the country) we put up a bird bath and bird feeder. One morning my husband said, "There's a peacock drinking from the bird bath." I thought he was kidding or mis-speaking meaning some other breed of bird. Nope, it was a full grown peacock standing flat-footed and drinking out of the bird bath. The peacock was a frequent visitor for years and we found out that he was a pet from down the road. I think of that peacock everytime I see a bird bath.

[Momcrochets]

Jeanne, thanks for the tips! And if/when I get one made, I will be sure to show px. Now I have a new thing to look for at thrift stores (as if I needed that!) they always seem to have lots of large vases...I'll look for thicker ones though.

Thanks for the reminder for finding a heavy base. And if birds love it with out a rock, so much the better!

How tall is your bath, by the way?

[jeannej]

Jeanne, thanks for the tips! And if/when I get one made, I will be sure to show px. Now I have a new thing to look for at thrift stores (as if I needed that!) they always seem to have lots of large vases...I'll look for thicker ones though.

Thanks for the reminder for finding a heavy base. And if birds love it with out a rock, so much the better!

How tall is your bath, by the way?

 

You're welcome, Momcrochets! Another tip that was given and that I heeded was to thoroughly wash and dry (don't want condensation within) each item and then wiping whatever edges you'll be adhering w/rubbing alcohol in order to help ensure a more secure (grease-less) bond. Oh, and also, if an item is concave, consider how it will work turned over on the totem so that it won't be able to collect water (except for your top, of course). You may be able to see that in my photo where I have an inverted dinner plate atop the base and an inverted candle dish (for a pillar candle) between the two vases.

 

Oops, forgot to add, my birdbath happens to be about 25" tall, but in playing with the pieces before gluing, a collection half that size looked pretty sharp as well and would work nicely in the front of a border or wherever it won't be overtaken by plantings.

 

@ DebraKay, I would love (and freak) to find a flat-footed peacock in my birdbath! lol I'm hoping that my robins, goldfinch and chickadees make use of mine in my urban garden, but hey, never say never, right? *readies camera*

[Momcrochets]

Thanks for all the tips. thrift-glass definitely gets a thorough cleaning.

Going to show DH, now.

[Monique39]

Beautiful!