I ran out of money decorating my garden this month, but decided to have a bird bath. So I came up with this quick and easy way to create a water feature with my gorgeous feather friends. From start to finish, it only took me 15 minutes to put everything together. The best part was all the pieces were less than $10. Here’s how you can make a beautiful bird bath for your garden this weekend.
• Look for deals
Depending on what you have, your bird bath could cost you less than $10, or it could even be free. That’s right – before you spend a penny, take a good look through your basement, attic, garage, closet and closet. Pick up a neighbor’s consignment or go on a scavenger hunt at mom’s house. All you need is a large lamp base and a large plate or bowl for a simple bird bath. And if you find a smaller plate to fit, you’ll get a clear glass sandwich between them, and you’ll have two rows of bird bath in a jiffy.
The parts of my bird bath came from a local Goodwill Thrift Shop. I paid $5.06 for a lamp, $2.06 for a large plate, $1.06 for a small plate and $1.06 for a sundae glass, completing the perfect connection between the two lines. I saw the parts arranged in different colors. Although I have seen some people buy mixed pieces and spray paint the bathroom once assembled, I am not keen on that. I was worried that the paint would hurt the birds, so I placed the matching one. It also saved me a lot of time because there was no end step.
• Guts of the Lamp
When you have all the pieces you need, cut the electrical cord and remove the guts from the lamp. Most lamps are disassembled very easily – just twist the cord from the base until it pops. Pitch the sockets and the assembly sockets – you just need a bottom piece for the base.
• Glue table
Next, a medium and large plate with glue to the base of the old lamp. I used Liquid nails – but, any heavy duty construction adhesive will do. Just read the label and do the work on ceramics. If you wanted a simple bird bath, you’re done!
But, if you want to take your bath to the next level, glue a small plate to a large plate with a small piece of glass in the middle as a joint. I used crazy glue to clean the bottom where the glue could be seen and added more liquid glue to the top plate. Congratulations – you just created a two-tiered bird bath.
• Dry overnight
The hardest part of this project is waiting for the glue to dry. That you hold a firm seal; Don’t touch your parts once you’ve put them together and let the unit set overnight.
That’s it – 15 minutes and $10 (or less) gets a bird bath for your garden and lots of compliments from friends and neighbors because it’s so creative. Now all you have to do is sit back and relax while you watch the birds wash your birds and play.
Enjoy more home decorating ideas Terry Mulligan:
10 Tips on Decorating Project Take Your Next By Top
Fabulous choices for Decorating with Throw Pillows
Budget-Friendly Dollar Store finds someone who can decorate
