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Estate Sale Bird Cage Becomes Backyard Planter

Did everyone have a marvelous weekend? I hope all the dads had a wonderful day with kids and/or grandkids.

You know that show on HGTV “I Brake for Yard Sales”? I could have invented that show. On Fridays and Saturdays I run errands just so I drive around looking for signs: estate sale, garage sale, moving sale ~ all make my heart beat faster. Sometimes I hit the jackpot and find several things I’d love to have, other times just one or 2 items peek our interest. Sometimes nothing is of interest.

The first Friday in June, I spotted an estate sale sign and braked, moved over 2 lanes (carefully looking in my side mirror), turned left and found a parking spot 1 block down from the estate sale house. It used to be that estate sale meant more expensive items, fine furniture, silver, crystal and art. It seems lately that estate sale means inside and garage sale means outside. Moving through rooms to the back of the house to the garage in back to where I found the good stuff.

Today I’m going to show you a piece I fell in love with at hello.

Estate Sale Bird Cage Becomes Backyard Planter

Estate Sale Bird Cage Becomes Backyard Planter

I thought, that’s the prettiest bird cage and I have to have it. $20. No haggling, no bargaining. It was Friday. No reductions until Saturday. I saw some other items, but decided I could wait until Saturday to see if they were still around. ( I did go back on Saturday and picked up 2 items ~ 50% off called to me ~ that I’ll share later.)

So the bird cage and I went home.

Love how the door opens.

And the bottom even flips up.

Estate Sale Bird Cage Becomes Backyard Planter

I knew exactly where I wanted the bird cage to be and what I wanted to do with it.

HINT: It did not include a bird.

no bird in a birdcage

Now if you know me, you know I love yellow (also pink, aqua, sage green, Old White, Paris Grey, French Linen, and Coco, I could go on and on), and this color was not fitting in my color palette.

It definitely had to be white. On Saturday afternoon, a trip to Lowe’s was required (never a bad thing).

I purchased Rust~Oleum Clean Metal Primer and Rust~Oleum Semi~Gloss Protective Enamel in White.

Using my whisk broom, I brushed off the little bit of cobwebs and wiped it down with a rag.

I placed my drop cloth on the garage floor. (Sweet Shark was out running errands ~somehow I don’t think he was braking for yard sales ~ and my car was in the drive way.) I placed the bird cage on an empty box, put on my paint project apron, and shook that primer really well.

birdcage before painting

Then I attached my Rust~Oleum Sprayer Attachment ~ a freebie in our swag bag last summer at Haven and worth the entire price of admission. This gadget has changed my spray painting habits. I will never spray paint without it.

Rust~Oleum Metal Primer

I sprayed the Primer all over the birdcage, let dry for 30 minutes and then turned it over and sprayed the other sides. Another 30 minutes of waiting. Tick tock. Since the Primer is white, it helped cover the yellow color.

painting a bird cage

Now it was time for the Rust~Oleum Semi~Gloss Enamel. Same procedure: paint, wait, turn, paint, wait.

Rust~Oleum semi-gloss enamel

painting a bird cage

I let the bird cage sit overnight just to make sure it was completely dry.

On Sunday, Sweet Shark and I made another trip to Lowe’s and bought an 12~inch long hanger and a plant.

Do you know where this is heading?

My birdcage became a hanging planter and I just love it. It’s hanging in our Japanese Maple outside our breakfast room window. We already had a Boston Fern hanging in the tree and I moved it over a few branches to make room for the birdcage. I purchased a variegated Swedish ivy to give some contrast with the green background. I placed the hanger in the tree, placed the birdcage on it, and then put the plant inside. (It was a hanging basket and I just removed the hanger.)

Estate Sale Bird Cage Becomes Backyard Planter

Granted, the plant was probably a little too big for the birdcage, but I carefully started pulling the vines through the wires all around until the basket fit. As the ivy grows, I think it will cover the black pot and be even prettier.

Estate Sale Bird Cage Becomes Backyard Planter

Before I could water the ivy, we got a torrential rain shower and I snapped these pictures. Pretty nice.

Estate Sale Bird Cage Becomes Backyard Planter

Estate Sale Bird Cage Becomes Backyard Planter

Now, as I sit typing this post, I just look to my right and I can see my beautiful bird cage that became a hanging planter.

Estate Sale Bird Cage Becomes Backyard Planter

I’m smiling.

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