Homemade Bird Bath
By villageanne
@villageanne (8553)
United States
May 15, 2007 11:05am CST
My husband is so very talented. He began making these bird baths last fall. They are made of cement and he used a large rhubarb leaf as the pattern for the actural bird bath itself. If you look closely you can even see the veins from the leaf. He made me on and then everybody wanted one so he has made each household in our family one. He is now making one for our daughter who just purchased her first home. He dyes the cement to a light red color and it just looks beautiful. I have added a picture so you can see it up close. Just click on the picture and I think it will come up in a larger version.
15 people like this
32 responses
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
15 May 07
Well that is pretty cool! :) I bet it is interesting to watch him make it. :)
I wish my partner was more into making things instead of just wanting to buy them.
But he says he is just lazy. ha ha He has the idea that it would take less time to buy it than to make it. ha ha Which is true...but it does not hold the same pride.
There is a huge difference between buying and making a bird bath.
Congrats on the wonderful bird bath and the sweet husband.
4 people like this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
15 May 07
A trick that I learned is that everything that he makes,I brag on him and then share it with everyone and they brag on him. That seemed to help get the talent juices flowing. He made me a beautiful Purple Martain House and a beautiful wall calendar holder for Christmas. I just love them. I have posted pictures of both of them done up in a discussion.
He made alot of our Christmas Gifts and everyone just loved them. When they were bragging, he was just filled with pride, his entire face lit up. LOL
He is very talented but encouragement helped too :)
2 people like this
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
16 May 07
I would try the boost of bragging about him if he would at least try it. ha ha
I even tried making a big fuss over that bird house your husband made for you. Because we have ticks that he can't spray for until it stops raining...I used that as an excuse too. But he was off for a week and I couldn't even get him to fix the door! ha ha
*sigh* I guess I will just have to be patient until he does something for me to brag about. :) Congrats on being able to brag about your's. :D
2 people like this
@Angelwhispers (8978)
• United States
15 May 07
VillageAnne its beautiful. I have a couple of bird baths in my yard as well and I love watching the Mourning Doves feed and bath. I bet your husband can sell them if he is not already.
4 people like this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
15 May 07
We are going to take hers to her on saturday. She is having a grill out so everyone can go and see her new home. We are excited. We have already packed the horseshoes and crocket game along with volley ball and net. It is going to be so much fun
1 person likes this
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
15 May 07
Village, that birdbath is simply stunning, and so unique! You must be so very proud. A wonderful hubby you have, he is a keeper for sure. Yes, I can see the veins of the leaves. How on earth did he do that?
3 people like this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
15 May 07
He acturally poured the cement into the shape he wanted on a pile of sand. Then he took a large rhubarb leaf and placed on top of the cement and pressed it to get the design. I dont remember how long he left the leaf there but it worked wonderfully.
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
15 May 07
impressed, yet again, by not only your husband's talent in creating such beautiful workmanship but also in his ability to come up with such wonderful ideas.
Do you travel a craft circuit to sell his wares? or do you ever take some of these items to market with you?
I love the bird bath/feeder being placed amongst the rhubarb like that. It is very aesthetically appealing.
3 people like this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
15 May 07
No we dont usually sell them. We usually just give them away. He works alot and does not have much time for making things so when he does get some time, he like to make them for specific people. My poor girlfriend and her husband has bird thing galore that we have given them as gifts. He did sell a few bird houses just before Christmas to some of the guys that he works with but it is very uncommon for either of us to sell things to people.
Even though we sell rhubarb to the local market, we still give alot away to friends and family.
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
16 May 07
Yes, Birds do come and bath in the bird bath. Birds are so entertaining to watch. Sometimes they will "dust" themselves in the dirt. Other times they will clean themselves in the bird bath.
@loujac3 (1188)
• United States
16 May 07
Absolutely beautiful! So original and clevor! I was just reasing another discussion that reccommended using a few pennies in the bird bath to stop algae growth. Just be sure to clean it out with bleachand rinse well if is has algae growing it already. I love these ideas and they are not expensive like the stuff sold in the stores. Keep it natural!
2 people like this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
15 May 07
We would never be able to make any money. LOL We enjoy sharing our talent with others. LOL We are just too soft to sell them. He did sell some bird houses to some guys that he works with before Christmas but usually we just give things away. LOL
@chertsy (3798)
• United States
16 May 07
How much did he sell the birdhouses for? You can ebay the birdhouses. I would love to have a birdhouse, but never can find one. All I find are bird feeders. Wish I lived close to you, I would also pay for a birdbath, since those are hard to find as well.
I saw the picture of your birdhouse from a prior post and it was very beautiful. That's actually what I'm looking for. That birdbath is beautiful. You are one lucky woman to be married to such a special man.
2 people like this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
24 May 07
I have heard of that magazine but we dont get it. Seems like we may have at one time though
@hoghoney (3747)
• United States
16 May 07
That is so cool. I am right with you on the birds. I enjoy the birds and I have about 10 or so birdfeeders throught my yard and a few finch feeders also. I just finished my new flower bed around most of my feeders this year for the birds because some of them love the wild flowers and some for the hummingbirds. Your husband is very good maybe you should try to sell them. I am working on trying to market some windchimes that my boyfriend is making with bike frames they are really cool he is talented with stuff like your husband is, he can make a windchime just about out of anything he gets his hands on he just made one out of old keys it is so sharp. great job to your hubby.
1 person likes this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
16 May 07
Windchimbs should sell really well. I know around here they are very popular. I have many on both my back and front porch. I love to hear them when the wind blows. They just sound lovely. Good luck selling them. This should be a great time of year to sell them.
@hoghoney (3747)
• United States
17 May 07
yea I have 6 that hang on my deck. they are really cool looking though he takes the bike frame and cuts it into different sizes and then he will take the crank from the peddles and uses that for the top to hang the bars from and he breaks down the chain to make the hanger from and puts it togeather and then for the part that hits the bars he will use a big nut on it and then hangs a peddle from the middle down. we have sold a few I am working on some pictures of them. have a great day.
@buttons101 (325)
• United States
16 May 07
That is so cool.. Your hubby is so talented.. my hubby is too.. Never thought about the cement bird bath..
2 people like this
@pojoy1029 (11)
• United States
16 May 07
Kudos to your husband, VillageAnne. He is very imaginative and knows how to bring it to life. He will grow old gracefully, using his talent to entertain himself as well as others. We're told that Alzheimer's can be avoided by using our minds so he shouldn't worry that he'll get it. Give him lots of love along with the ego boost. He deserves it!
Joyce
2 people like this
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
15 May 07
OMG I answered your post from my email so I didn't get to see the photo untilafter I had filled out the tags, I think that is the most beautiful bird bath i have seen...
1 person likes this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
15 May 07
It is beautiful. We went out and refilled it today with water and the birds just love it. The entire thing is totally homemade.
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
16 May 07
Your husband is a very talented man as that is a very beautiful bird bath and bet that the birds love it and go for a dip very often. I just purchased a bird bath a few days ago and am waiting on its arrival. I could not find one locally so I had to order one from Amazon.com which looks really nice and has a shallow and deep end for small and larger birds. How long did it take your husband to make that one? Is it hard to clean? That is very nice of him to make one for your daughter. I am sure she will love it as well and will look nice outside her new home.
1 person likes this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
16 May 07
The "hands on" time spent on it is very short. It does however take about 3 to 4 days for the cement to set hard enough to set up and use.
@citygirl (1080)
• Canada
16 May 07
Village Ann Tell your husband that it is beautiful. He is very talented. Wow he should be selling those. He would be making a mint. Sure wish I had a talented guy like that in my life. Your a lucky women. Bet you are the envy of your neighbors right.
1 person likes this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
16 May 07
CityGirl, I am a lucky women for sure. He is not just talented but he is a good husband, father and man in general
@imadriscoll (2228)
• United States
21 May 07
Your husband seems to be almost as talented as his wife! That's so neat! What a great house warming idea too. I think your daughter will treasure the bird house made from her dad's own two hands rather then something purchased from a store!
1 person likes this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
22 May 07
LOL Thanks for the compliment but in reality, he is much more talented than I am.
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
22 May 07
These are great! He is very talented. My husband can make cherry pie...does that count?
1 person likes this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
16 May 07
There is very "little hands" on time involved. You do have to let it set a few days before you can install it in the ground.
