The idea came from volume two of the hippie-licious Family Creative Workshop books from the early '70's. The collection was given to us many years ago by a friend who thought they might be useful to a homeschooling family.
After all these years, they're a little worse for wear but still in circulation at our house. The youngest and I love to pull them out to see what may inspire. Anyway, that's where we found the how-to for making a cement birdbath.
After some research online, I still think this is the best method by far, even though this picture is not much help. Family Creative Workshop can still be found in some libraries. If you can't find it but you're interested in making one, let me know and I'll help you with the details.
So here we are in 1993 proudly displaying our mama-and-son project.
And here's the handsome fella all grown up with a baba of his own. Maybe they'll make one someday, beings that the grandbaby adores "tweet-tweets". Sheesh! Where does the time go? Thanks goodness I haven't aged much...*cough*
If you're still reading at this point, thank you. Feelings of nostalgia make me long-winded.
Oh, and one more thing - the stones decorating the birdbath rim belonged to my husband. He collected and polished them in a rock tumbler when he was a little boy.
Family Creative happy memories all around.
"And the seasons they go 'round and 'round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look behind
From where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game."
Joni Mitchell
31 comments:
This is so sweet... I love that you and your son made the birdbath together and that it has rocks from your husband's rock collection. What a treasure...
Thanks, Chels. :)
Precious!
And I had to snort at the "long winded" comment. Seriously? You are always so concise. You pack a big punch girl.
I'm going to have to look those books up. We have some cement bags hanging around in the garage...
JoAnn, I thought you were busy giving birth?! If you can't find the books, let me know. I'll give you the details. Believe me, it is so easy to make, and so worth it.
What a lovely treasure to remind you of those happy times when your son was small. I would love to make one with my little grandson, whose first word was "bird". If you don't mind sending the details, we could make one on his next visit.
Maureen
Jodi,
I love to read your not-at-all-long-winded posts!
A birdbath is, unfortunately, not a very good idea when you have a bird-loving cat.
Margaretha
who doesn't age
either - no coughs
necessary
Love the look back at you, your son and your birdbath, Jodi! Those look like great books, too. Have to see if I can find them. . .
!!!
I love this.
I love that you do the real stuff.
Every stitch of your life is precious.
Hi! I did not know you homeschooled your kids...that is so cool. I think about doing that sometimes. The birdbath is wonderful, and I love hippie 70s craft books. I have several. :) (replied to you on my blog too)
It's so pretty! and no, you haven't aged a bit.
Hippie-licious is my brand new favorite word. Then-and-now pictures of grown-up sons make me a little weepy. Sigh. Be as long-winded as you like. I'll always come back for more. Have fun playing with your bees.
What a lovely idea...I must remember this as a summer project for when my new grandson comes to visit...when he is old enough, of course. Now...can I store this memory for a few years and still find it afterwards?
I remember rock tumblers! My brother had one! I wonder if kids still use them to polish rocks? And how did I not know you homeschooled? Lucky kids, to have you for a teach...you were/are SO adorable. And your nostalgia made me a bit weepy for you... it's hard to be far away from your kids and grandkids, isn't it?
Maureen, I'll send you an email with details tonight. x
Leslie, I think I want a rock tumbler now! And in answer to your question, yes ma'am, it's hard. But bloggy friendships make it easier. :)
This is really neat, my kids say things like that is so 90's lol, I think where did the 90's go? I like your lyrical ending.
That's such a gorgeous birdbath! I love the stones surrounding it. Looks very Tolkien-ish :) I think your kids (and your bees) are very lucky.
Aww. This teared me up. I sure hope I'm making something lasting with my girls as we homeschool. It does go so fast. Wish I lived next door to you, creative lady of grand artistic and natural adventures! Bees and Bird Baths and grandBabies. Wow. Okay, now I'm smiling:)
sweet story jodi...love the bees, bath and the baba!
It's nice to have this birdbath to bring back the memories, as well as the birds and the bees! I almost remember that set of books, though I don't think I ever owned it....So many fun things we did with our kids. And now I try to do lots of things with my grandchildren....
Grown up sons, memories of yore when they were little, Joni Mitchell songs and hippie-licious projects...bees and birdbaths...you are making me nostalgic too! And I'm singing the song in my head now....
I so love practical crafty projects. Especially ones made by children. I'm collecting a whole lot of broken crockery to do a similar project. I've been looking for a base to stick them to. I think that you've just supplied the answer. Now just need the time.....
Love the birdbath! What an excellent project! I think I may try doing one with the boys this summer!
I love this!!!! What an awesome project and I love the connections to the past and present :-)
Hippie-licious is a great word! I will be looking for those books at my library tomorrow on my lunch break.
The value and job of a stay at home parent isn't mundane and repetitive. Little minds learn so much from daily repitition and the hour to hour routines they challenge. Little minds develop by daily interacting and watching and copying the manner in which things are done and undone and redone. The relationship and bonds that little hearts develop set children up for lives of stability and fulfillment.
It may seem like factory work to the stay at home parent, but you are weaving a masterful oriental rug with priceless yarns. That cannot be factory work. It requires mundane and repetitive attention to detail and thankless hours of discomfort to complete. Although it is a series of the same task performed over and over, a priceless artifact of undiscovered detail is being created piece by piece, minute by minute and hour by hour.
Without her stay at home parent, she might be a mass produced factory rug, created without the care, expertise and love of a skilled artist. Without the willingness to be dedicated to the tasks required to produce marsterful works of priceless art, skills, creativity, imagination, beauty would be worthless and unobtainable.
I thank Zac for being such a dedicated and wonderful husband and daddy, and that thanks is owed to his skilled, creative, imaginitive, beautiful mother and father who equipped him with the ability and willingness to weave a priceless oriental rug himself. Your value and job as a loving, stay at home family wasn't mundane and repetitive, it became a beautiful masterpiece and inspired subsequent artwork.
By the way, I have been nagging him to make us a bird bath for months. Perhaps when the baby is a bit older.
Thank you, Niamh. You're a pretty fine mom yourself. Zach and baby are blessed. I'll mail him the birdbath plans ;) xox
Such a sweet story. The birdbath looks totally professional, too!
ahhh jodes. this is so great. the bird bath has weathered nicely! so has its makers! :)))
thank you for the sweet comment on my new space....ive was thinking of you just yesterday beekeeper ! xoxooxxox
How time marches on... I can really relate Jodi. the Joni Mitchell song has been whirling around my head lately to.
Lovely post.
God bless the memories,
RuthV
The bird bath is beautiful on several levels. What a fantastic memory you made with your little boy, not only the time you spent making it, but the polished rocks that belonged to your husband. It's also a beautiful piece of art! I've been dwelling a lot on the past 3 years that we've homeschooled as we leave this part of our lives behind and feeling pretty nostalgic myself. The best art is art that is created with love and leaves behind sweet memories
Hi, Love this and it's just what I needed to get more ideas on concrete birdbaths. I found an idea in old book, but nothing on interent showed as well as your example! Thank you, love the old books and photos..so precious
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