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Stained Glass & Mosaics

Bird bath

15 years ago

Here is a bird bath I have been working on I am real proud of it.I made it out of 2 lamp bases .I pured cement in side both of them .I put them to gether with a long steel rod and glued them together.The top is made out of one of those meatel mixing bowl .I coverd it in thin set inside and out .Then I mosaic it .The inside is sg .I made the iland out of cement and glued granetgravel so the birds has something to stand on the bowl is deep.

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Comments (11)

Calamity_J
15 years ago
way to reuse/recycle!!! Love it! And the island is Very Cool!!!
katishooked
15 years ago
Nana i love your bb. After covering the meal bowl in thinset, what did you use to adhere sg and dishes to it? I have a cool lamp I got at a gs just sitting waiting for inspiration

Kathy
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need some help with a bird bath
Q
Comments (11)
If you live in an area that freezes, you really need to bring the birdbath inside for the winter. No matter what you do, the tiles can pop off as the piece expands and contracts in the cold. That being said, I did a birdbath last spring and it is holding up great. I did mine on a terra cotta saucer, but the process should still be the same. I started with a 14" terra cotta saucer like the ones that go underneath clay pots. I rinsed it out and made sure it was free of debris. After it dried, I applied three coats of a penetrating sealer for tile and grout. The one I am using has a 5-year warranty and is a matte finish. There are many products on the market that have a 20-year warranty but they are much more expensive and since I am new to this, I didn't want to go to the extra expense right now. A couple of days after I applied the sealer I adhered the tiles with a pre-mixed concrete patch. Since I was working in the house I didn't want to try and mix my own mortar or thinset. I used the indirect method by designing it on contact paper first then laying it in the bottom of the saucer after I put a thin layer of the concrete patch on the bottom. I used vitreous glass tiles with some light blue glass nuggets in the center. I kept the design very simple as I was not in the mood to cut a bunch of tiles. After three days of letting the adhesive dry, I grouted it with a gray sanded grout using Admix as the liquid. I sealed it with the same matte finish penetrating sealer after the grout cured for several days. I think the most important thing is that the adhesive and the grout have sufficient time to set before use. Good luck with your project. Here is a link that might be useful:
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Bird Baths And Feeders Killing Native CA Birds
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Comments (1)
Californians called on to help study disease afflicting native pigeons "(Reuters) - California wildlife authorities are asking residents to take down bird baths and feeders if they spot sick or dead birds in their yards as experts closely monitor a disease afflicting the state's only native pigeon species. Increased mortality rates have been reported since mid-December among California's band-tailed pigeons, which are seen in flocks up to 200-strong during the winter in coastal areas from the San Francisco Bay Area south into Santa Barbara County and in the San Bernardino Mountains. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) blames the deaths on Avian Trichomonosis, a disease caused by a single-celled microscopic protozoan parasite transmitted to the band-tailed pigeons by non-native rock pigeons, also known as city pigeons, which were introduced to North America from Europe. CDFW environmental scientist Krysta Rogers said on Wednesday that the department's Wildlife Investigations Laboratory wants members of the public to be on the lookout for band-tailed pigeons this winter and go online to report any sick or dead bird species they see." This post was edited by claire on Thu, Feb 5, 15 at 13:10
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drip emitter for bird bath, anti siphon ideas
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Comments (1)
Have the bird bath have its own dedicated line not connected to other pots or have an air gap with the emitter always above the surface of the water on a mini tripod maybe. JMHO
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Bird bath with hollow base to hide well cover??
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Comments (16)
I had to raise my well according to NC regulations and it is in the driveway!!! I have cleared out a brushy area beside my existing driveway to expand and plan to make the area around the well head a landscaped "turn around" that I will encircle with pavers and plant a few boxwoods in. I have been on a mad search for something I can put over the well head and I want to thank Olychick for these fantastic pics of homemade bird baths. I am now excited to pick up a few big flower pots and a bird bath basin!
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texaswild
15 years ago
NANA: I hope I can find words enough to tell you how I love this project. I want you to know that in all the time of my membership, I've never saved a thing to "My Clippings". I've saved this so I can remember to try to mosaic one of the two BBs I have and try to emulate yours. This is the most ingenius and creative way I've seen in building/mosaicing a birdbath. Girl, this is B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L!!!!! My hat is in the air for your creativity. It is sooooo pretty.
texasfern
15 years ago
As I said in GJ this is just sooo cool.
I too saved this one Slow!
You are such a "cruiser" Nana, you just cruise along and BANG you come up with a masterpiece.
barbfrizzell1955
15 years ago
What a clever way to reuse the lamp bases and the birdbath looks fabulous Nana! I can understand why you are so proud of it. Awesome job!!!!
cindiloo
15 years ago
Awesome, indeed! What a beautiful way to recycle!!
I LOVE the island for the birds!
ladyronnie
15 years ago
NANA, I REALLY like your birdbath, especially the island (but the rest of it also :) My birdbath has nothing in the middle. On the next one I may try your idea. Great job!
gcpommom
15 years ago
This is really pretty. I love the overall shape of it; using the two different lamp bases gives it such a unique shape that is so pleasing! Great job!
daisyme
15 years ago
I love everything about your birdbath. How cheerful it is! What a wonderful shape it is too by using those three pieces. Great eye! I also love that you used the brown grout. It looks terrific. Your birds will love it, and be so happy you gave them a place to land too! Very fun!
Louisiana_greetings
15 years ago
the birds are gonna love that, it is really pretty, almost too pretty to put outside. love the way you did the rocks in the bath.
nanatricia
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you every one .I did work on this a while .Every thing was put on with thin set ,even the sfty glass I panted some of it and also panted my thins.I put about 2 layers of ths on the lamp base and3 on the meadle bowl.I glued the second layer of flowers with ge2 glue.
On to making the flowers and butterflys .I made my thinset real thick and used ts powder as a flour in cookies and made them just like you would cut o cookies .and reused the ts .I have some very small cookie cutters .They are for clay .I like this way you do not have to cook it .I is good for simple things .I dip them in primer and then pant them .I do hope you all understand what I have said. I did pant with out side pant .

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