Textured bird bath

Hands-on time: About an hour.
Total time: Allow 24 hours for the decorative stone medium to dry, then 12 hours for the paint to dry. Allow 48 hours curing time after varnishing.
Skill: Easy.
Cost estimate: Less than $25.

Materials & Tools

• Terra-cotta planter (36 cm high)
• Newspapers
• A piece of duct tape
• Granular Texture stone (decorative textured paste by Loomis Art Store). Only one 650g can is needed.
• Spatula (3 to 5 cm wide) or a paintbrush (3 cm)
• A porous sponge
• A faux finishing comb (optional)
• 4 acrylic paint colours or Patio Paints by DecoArt (I used blue azure for the base, then turquoise, white and sage green for the glaze mixtures)
• Glaze medium
• Cups and stir sticks for each colour of glaze mixture
• Blotter paper
• Water spritzer
• Exterior varnish
• A clear glass dish to sit on top of planter
• Glass nuggets or garden rocks

Create a modern setting for the birds and enrich your garden with this shallow-style bird bath. Its textured stone finish is clearly different. The base of this project is a tall, slender unglazed terra-cotta planter that is turned upside down then covered with a decorative textured paste. Acrylic glaze mixtures are applied with a sponge to give the bath an authentic old-world finish even though bright colours are used. Adding swirls and lines to the base and the use of fun colours make this piece something to chirp about. A dish is placed on top of the planter for the basin. I chose a clear blue glass dish to complement the colourful textured stand.

Cover your work area with newspapers. Turn the planter upside down. Place a piece of duct tape to cover the hole at the bottom of the planter.

Using the spatula (or paintbrush), apply a layer of textured paste, about 2 mm thick, to one section of the exterior of the terra-cotta base at a time. With a damp sponge, go over the just-applied paste and spread it around further, creating a textured pattern. Continue this process until the whole planter is covered. Make patterns, such as swirls, in the textured stone medium using a pencil or stylus; add horizontal lines around the bottom and top of the base with a faux finishing comb. Wait 24 hours for the textured paste to dry completely.

Use a sponge to apply a coat of acrylic paint (I used blue azure) randomly around the surface of the textured base, leaving some areas exposed.

In cups, make three glaze-colour mixtures - one part acrylic paint and two parts glaze. Test the mixtures on blotter paper to make sure you like the colours.

Apply one colour of glaze at a time with a damp sponge, going randomly around the surface of the base. Don't wait for the colours to dry; repeat this step right away, layering each additional colour over the previous one. Spritz the surface of the base with water to give it an aged looked. Let it dry completely for approximately 12 hours.

Once the stone texture is completely dry, apply a coat or two of exterior varnish, letting it dry for about four hours between each coat. Wait 48 hours before exposing the project to moisture.

To complete the bird bath, I half filled my blue glass dish with water then added colourful accents, such as petals and glass nuggets. Decorative nuggets also add extra weight to help balance the dish on the stand. The dish can be glued to the base using clear silicone glue, but I like a removable dish because it is easier to clean and refill. For evening enjoyment, add floating candles, flower buds and petals.

Variations

• Children can make smaller versions of this project using small planters. Mosaic pieces can be included to adorn their projects. Use this technique to revive indoor or outdoor planters.
• Several terra-cotta shapes can be used together to create a taller or more elaborate bird bath. Simply glue assorted terra-cotta shapes together with clear silicone glue; once dry, apply the textured paste.