Thrift Repurposing #2: Summer by Sadie Seasongoods

Crafters & artisans, amateurs & pros… lend me your ear!

This summer I had the privilege of meeting with several local experts in the DIY arena. Studio Bee Creations , Simply Country Life , The Grapevine Marketplace, and more. They gave very helpful feedback about thrifted materials, dos and don’ts of DIYers, and luckily for me, they imparted some of their original ideas and creative juices! 

Sarah of crafting/blogging fame is one such master of the art. She graciously agreed to put together one of her nifty thrifty projects using supplies from MH stores – then she shared the steps with me! So here’s some insight into the brilliant mind of one of Greenville’s own talented repurposing experts, as shared on her blog:

Sadie Seasongoods 

Bright Idea: Lamp Birdbath 

Adding birdbaths to our backyard has been on my to-do list for a while. I had purchased an antique concrete bird bath at a favorite shop but I needed another one. Obviously, I needed to try my hand at a DIY version!

So I hit a favorite thrift store, Miracle Hill, in search of two things: an old, funky lamp (to use as the base) and a shallow, glass dish (to use as the bowl- but nothing too deep). I scored both in one visit!

The first step was to de-electrify the lamp, which was a piece of cake- no tools required!

In order to get to that wide, flat “platform”, though, I needed to cut off the nipple. Dang, that’s a horrible thing to say, isn’t it?

Luckily for me, Jon was able to break out our Dremel tool and slice it off…WITH FIREWORKS! (Yes, we used safety gear!)

Once he finished and I gave it a good wipe-down, I gave it two coats of latex paint (of course). After the paint cured, I then gave it two coats of clear enamel (one coat right side up, one coat upside-down…to get in those curves and crevices). Since it’ll live outside in the warm months, I wanted to seal it as much as possible.

One more easy step left- time to attach the dish to the lamp! I didn’t want to use just any old adhesive…I needed something that could stand up to southern summers- sunshine and storms in equal measure. Enter GE Silicone II Window & Door Caulk! Bonus score- the clear kind comes in a smaller tube that doesn’t require a caulking gun.

I put a healthy amount on the flat lamp base, then positioned my dish on top. After that, I added a bead of caulk around the lamp just under the dish.

I let it hang out in the garage overnight to set/cure/dry and then excitedly placed it out back the next morning. A little water in the dish and it’s ready to go!

Isn’t it fantastic? How will I ever stop myself now from making more?

The right lamp is key. One that no longer functions but is still sturdy is ideal…and having a wide platform to perch your dish on top is beneficial, too. And an iridescent shell-shaped dish? Just dumb luck, thrift store-style.

Craft on!

I think the work of Sadie Seasongoods speaks for itself.

And here’s hoping that when you shop at MH Thrift Stores, you don’t always just see what’s in front of you, but rather possibilities and transformations. And that you’re inspired to create, renovate, innovate, and repurpose!

Keep following for more tips and ideas to use as a springboard for your own unique projects. And please share those projects with us as they evolve! #ThriftRepurpose 

Later, crafty thrifters! 🙂