The Transformation of a Crappy Bird Feeder
The Transformation of a Crappy Bird Feeder
My guy brings home stuff. Some stuff he finds when he’s just out and about. Other stuff he buys when he sees a good deal. Like the five pound bags of quinoa and brown rice he brought home about four months ago. He doesn’t like rice. He’s never had quinoa. They’ve never been opened. But, they were a GREAT price!!!
We like to drop in at the salvage warehouse. We have two nearby that are fun to shop. One sells building materials. There are acres of building materials. I bought a Simplehuman stainless trashcan. Brand new and in the box. $40. Same one is $100 at the mall.
The other sells food stuff. Grocery store items, restaurant supply items. Overstocks, going-out-of-business, or out-of-date stuff. Some of it’s pretty good. Mostly, it’s just ok or not so good. But, we drop by to see what they have new. I bought some Rao’s EVOO for $4. Good date, good to go. $17 online. Turbinado sugar for a $1 a pound. It’s $3 a pound at my local grocery store.
He had his worker-guys refurbishing some houses. These houses were abandoned for a variety of reasons. The previous owners have left all sorts of things— from patio furniture, planters, or yard equipment to clothing, furniture, or dishes . . . just about anything.
He came home with this bird feeder. ‘You want this?’
‘Sure.’
I left it outside for a few months, then saw one just like it at Lowe’s for $12. I decided mine needed a little attention.
First, I washed it and removed the rotten rope. I had a can of gloss white appliance paint stored on my workbench. Have no idea where that came from. I covered a table outside with newspaper and sprayed the planter on all sides.
I had some turquoise paint from another project, so I dressed it up with a little trim.
Replacing the rope was the hardest thing. I wanted white cotton rope. No one carries cotton anymore. Not at Lowe’s. Or Home Depot. Or Ace Hardware. Or the little independent hardware store down the street. They only had nylon.
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My guy suggested Hobby Lobby. (How does he know about Hobby Lobby?) But, that’s where we found exactly what I wanted. In the sewing department.
The bottom is a metal mesh to hold the bird seed. I got to thinking– those birds would come eat and then, crap on my bird feeder that was no longer crappy.
Sorry birds, this one’s staying with me.
But, if I made it a planter, the mesh would let water drip to through.
Air Plants!! Only a little misting every few weeks. Voila!
I had the Spanish moss on hand. I had the paint on hand. The rope cost about $3. The air plants were about $5 each. It hangs in my laundry.
‘What’s quinoa?’ he asked.
‘Hippy rice,’ I said.
(Just for the record, it’s a seed.)
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Beautiful! Love it.
Thanks!