Tuesday, March 31, 2009

A New Birdcage!

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As I mentioned yesterday, I went to the Santa Cruz Flea Market on Saturday and look what I found! A huge birdcage for my finches! The sign on the cage said "$40 or best offer" I offered $20 and we settled on $25! I was thrilled!
It didn't look like this when I found it though, it was black and not very pretty...


I painted it white and it looked so elegant and pretty that I didn't want to put those ugly plastic feeding cups in there so I crafted some holders for two beautiful bone dishes for food and water. I spent so much time on Sunday trying to figure out a way to make these holders. I finally ended up using some plastic plate stands, L-brackets and lot of hot glue, then I spray painted the whole thing to match the cage. I attached them to the cage and I can just remove the dish to feed them. I also put in a small silver coaster for a birdbath.
There is even a crystal chandelier. I used the fork chandelier I won from Linda and added two bobeches over it to cover the fork tines.
I still need to add some perches and of course the birds. The birds are going to be the hard part. Getting them out from the small cage and into this one may be my biggest challenge!

You may remember awhile back I made over another large cage very similar to this one. Here are both of them together. As you can see, the new one is much larger! I'm going to sell the smaller one because I really don't need it any longer. I'm sure I can get more than $25 for that so that makes this new cage free! I know I've said it before...I can justify just about any new purchase! I guess it helps that I only have to justify it to myself and not a husband!

I also made the little seed catcher for the bottom. I used an old piece of linen from a vintage tablecloth and just put in elastic at the top and bottom. It was something practical that I thought was going to make it look not as nice but I actually like how it looks! It softens it up a bit.
Update: I sold the small cage to a local blogger. I had requests from people out of state but I didn't want to hassle with shipping it. Sorry, I hope you all understand!

93 comments:

Jackie said...

You want to come do my home? lol.
Those birdies are going to love it. Cindy, it is so elegantly done and you are so creative!
Fantastic job.

Anonymous said...

Did you just hear me squeal in delight? I LOVE IT!!!!! I had one something like that, but it wasn't as long. I'm sorry I didn't keep it now. And I love all the little elegant touches you added with the chandelier and dishes. Too stinking cute, Cindy~!

Elma said...

BEAUTIFUL!!! I love the dishes and the chandelier. The birds are living in style:)

Arleen @ Seasons for All at Home said...

Oh how beautiful! I love that you put the chandelier inside! Wow, what a transformation. Your talent second only to your sense of style! ~Arleen

Molly Betsy @ Star Cottage said...

Wow, what a lovely home you have. I love cottage decor. So pretty. We have been transforming our home for the past 3 years, what a long haul. I will definately stop by again. Your blog is so lovely.

Shaam said...

That looks fantastic! I love how great it turned out! Your so talented Cindy!

All the best,
Allison

Carousel222 said...

This is just beautiful. Even your finches will have a shabby chic home. Love the use of the bone dishes and the chandelier. You are so creative. Makes me want a bird cage even without any birds.

~ ~ Ahrisha ~ ~ said...

So so Pretty Cindy! Your sweet little birds will feel like they are living in a palace. What fun.
~ ~Ahrisha~ ~

Claudia said...

Your finches are going to have the most elegant home! Love it - who said bird cages have to look messy? I think they are going to love the chandelier!

Monica said...

G*R*E*A*T! Both YOU and the birdcage!!!!
The chandelier is just divine!
Hope you had my emails- they always end up in your spam folder :(
Have a great week, Cindy!
Monica.

Glenda/MidSouth said...

Love it, and be sure your doors and windows are shut when you transfer the birds - just in case. :)
Glenda

Glenda said...

Now that's moving on up. Those bird will think they have died and gone to bird heaven when they finally get in there. That's a bird McMasion.

CIao

Linda's Blue Gate said...

I love the special touches for the dear little birds the dish and bird bath...... and the bobeches over the fork chandy makes it look GRAND...... did it just fit over the fork...... hummm.... I may have to get some those and make some Grand Fork Chandeliers....
Hugs
Linda
Thanks for the linky love
; - )

Joanne Kennedy said...

Oh don't sell that other cage. Put it outside and plant it with lovely flowers. Or you could even more birds in there. They do fine outside.

That cage is way to pretty to sell.

Love how you used little china pieces in the cage. That is a story for a magazine...hint hint. I think Romantic Homes would love that in an upcoming issue. I think you should submit that. It's pretty, romantic and most of all very different then what most people would even think of doing yet would love to copy after reading about it.

Hugs,
Joanne

The Vintage Vagablonde said...

That is so beautiful...it makes me want Finches again.....
I wanted to paint a little Vintage cage I had too.... but someone told me that the paint was not good if the birds digested it(pecking on cage). So I never did it.

My Mom has painted cages though and her birds were always fine....That cage was such a bargain.....if you ever parted with it...it would be worth big bucks!!!

The Vintage Vagablonde said...

Cindy...forgot to say......
I opened the door to my new cage and lined up the other ~open~ cage door.... so they were door to door and they eventually went in and inspected the "new" one.

Then I just removed the old cage and closed the door on the new one...Does that make sense~LOL

Esther Sunday said...

Just amazing. Really. The little chandelier cracked me up! OUTSTANDING!! If you can't get the birds in there, I am a small person and think I could just about squeeze myself in there. I would be a good renter!!!

Melinda said...

It is beautiful Cindy!! I love all of your bird cages!!

Melinda said...

It is beautiful Cindy!! I love all of your bird cages!!

Anonymous said...

How clever and elegant - blue and white dishes and even a crystal chandelier!!! Your birds will be living in the lap of luxury! Does Beau have blue and white china bowls too? I agree with Joanne about Romantic Homes magazine - your birdcage and your home, of course, should be featured. Well, I can't wait to see your next project!

Debbie V.

Elizabeth and Gary said...

Hi Cindy,
Very Creative!. The birdies are move'n on up!, I love the chandelier in the cage. I have always been afraid of birds, ever since I was a little girl and saw the movie "The Birds" by Alfred Hitchcock. I know I'm silly, but I just can't help it. The finches are cute little birds my Mother n law had them for years.
Enjoy your day,
Elizabeth

Four Paws and Co said...

So SWEET! Love it! ♥

Will they fly into their new home if you hold the cages with open doors facing each other? ☺ Diane

Colleen - the AmAzINg Mrs. B said...

That is the pretties birdcage I've ever seen! Now, I want birds, a pretty cage, your seed and water holders and the bottom "poof" thingy!
Great before & after photos:-)

Anonymous said...

Wow ~ you've been busy this weekend! The cage turned out beautifully and I love every gorgeous little detail you added to it! I would love to purchase your smaller cage in a heartbeat, but shipping it all the way to Michigan would present a problem...sorry I don't live within driving distance.
Oh and I really enjoyed the sweet picture of Beau yesterday ~ I've been missing him. He looks so content. Can't wait to see your finches in their luxurious new home!

Karin

Donna @ Party Wishes said...

WOW! Just gorgeous Cindy! Love the chandelier and the dishes. So creative! Of course, we expect nothing less :)

Anonymous said...

Hey it's me again. What color is the china cabinet beside the birdcage? I really like that a lot. It looks blueish or gray. I know colors on monitors are sometimes tricky.

Nancy Wyatt said...

Masterpiece! Great job as always! One day I'm going to fly from Texas to California just to go shopping with you! hehe

a girl can dream can't she!

southernbelle said...

Beautiful Cindy....you even made a
"ROMANTIC HOME" for your little
birds.How lucky are they!!!! I agree,this project is definitely
magazine material. Love all the
embellishments you used......Mimi

Ginger said...

Hi Cindy:
I love the top piece you put on the new birdcage. We'll have to start calling you McGuyver for figuring out things. lol. Will the birds be wanting to take a bath in their water dish? The cage sure looks better white than it did black. Great price too.
Ginger

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness that birdcage is beautiful! I want a little chandelier for my birdy's cage! hehehe! I love it!

Dream Mom said...

Magnificent! Love the chandelier and bone china dishes in there. And the seed catcher looks really nice. I thought it was a pretty effect until I read your story. Great job!

Sandra said...

That cage is an awesome find! I love how you placed the flowers on top! You are very talented!

patricia@ReFind Home&Garden said...

Oh Cindy, How gorgeous! I love the seed catcher. What a creative way to make something so utilitarian so beautiful. Great Job!!! Hugs, Patricia

violetlady said...

Those are very lucky finches to have such an elegant new home!

Donna said...

Incredible, Cindy!! That is an awesome cage for sure and I can't believe all the detailing and 'shabbying' up you did to it!!

I still have a soft spot for the one you have on the stand in your dining room that looks like the cage my Nana used to have from the 50's! (Like the one in all the photos in my birdcage posts)... If you ever decide to sell that cage, let me know!!

Donna @ An Enchanted Cottage

xinex said...

What a pretty and elegant home for the bird! Besutiful! Probably the only bird cage with a chandy...Christine

Lou Cinda @ Tattered Hydrangeas said...

Shut up! This is so pretty I want to live in it! Do you think the finches would mind?? Love the chandy ~ so elegant! Love the birdbath and feed dish!!Great job!

Lou Cinda :)

Kathy's Red Door Welcome said...

I like what you did to this birdcage. Who's the elegant bird that will reside there? A bird chandelier, what will you think of next?

Andrea at Opulent Cottage said...

Cindy, you have raised the bar about as high as it can go! Those are some very lucky birds!! Someone really needs to publish that. My Lavender will definitely be getting an update to his birdie home now!!

Crystal Rose Cottage said...

You are just too clever! The bone dishes were such an inspiration but the chandelier was just the greatest!~Hugs, Patti

said...

That bird cage is stunning. That's some fine livin' those birds are going to be enjoying!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful! Cindy. The birds will have a little room for flying. Whenever I needed to transfer my birds to another cage (always larger than the last), I would take the cage they were in and bring the doors of both cages together, open them up to each other making sure the sides were blocked. Or try making a cardboard "doorway" to fit inside between the doors and they will get curious enough to go through it to check out the other cage. It works even better if you first take out their food and water from the old cage and they will instinctively find their way to the food and water in the new cage.

Karen at Nittany Inspirations said...

Cindy, you are the queen of decor to add a crystal chandelier in your bird cage. Love, love, love it.

Sutana said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sutana said...

I can´t undertend everithing you say, but I will try because your blog is so beatiful, I love to visit it....Nice to meet you and your blog .If you have some time, I invite you visit me. Will be a pleasure

ROSE VINE COTTAGE said...

OMG Cindy, I love it!! It looks so pretty and the chandelier and bone dish feeders, gosh it was like setting up house! I need the little one beside it so I can get some little birds (;
Hugs~Kelly

The Charm House said...

Cindy, your birdcage is so beautiful~ I seen one today and passed it up! Wow, do I feel awful now.... You have me wanting some little birdies and a birdcage! AND I have to ask the other half? LOL
Sometimes your wonderful ideas can get some of us in the worst of trouble. Keep on creating and getting me into trouble. Love it!
Yvette

The Stylish House said...

Cindy,
I am always impressed with your clever ideas, and I am sure all your loyal followers agree! Love, love, love how you incorporated the china, and that chandelier is over the top wonderful. Cathy~

Kathi said...

I am SO jealous of your little birdies! Love that chandlier and the dishes you made! There's a bit of hope for me though... A friend at work said she has a birdcage that she's going to put out at her yard sale this weekend.
I'm going to be the first one there! I might even camp in her driveway overnight!?!

Anne Marie said...

YOU MY DEAR are simply amazing!

lucky little birds...but I didn't see them! darn!

Pat @ My Tattered Elegance said...

Love you new bird cage, especially the chandelier and china feeders. I also agree that you should send that idea in to a magazine. It's to beautiful not to show it to everyone.
Smiles,
Pat

Recycled Rita said...

OMG! That is beautiful!I dont have any birds but I would still love it! What a find!
karen....
recycledrita.blogspot.com

A Southern Rose said...

Cindy,
This is the prettiest birdcage that I've ever seen! You are so creative! I love the little feeding dishes that you made for them. Leave it to you to use blue and white china! I love the bird bath idea too. So fancy!

Hugs,
Lee Laurie

A New England Life said...

Darned you are so good with that re-do stuff! No husband to justify it too probably makes you even more creative. I love it!

Anonymous said...

You did a beautiful job and I can't believe how you manged to create the china feeders. I wish you could show us exactly how they're attached to the cage.

~elaine~

ChristanP said...

I want to live in that deluxe bird cage! :) Great job!

Sharla said...

What a great deal!!! It looks so pretty.

Karen Deborah said...

NO pictures of Santa Cruz? The cage is pretty and identical to the other one? Finches don't like large spaces. When you painted did you get paint safe for them? They are bound to have a good time with their chandelier! Cadillac bird toys, a new trend?
There are advantages to being single sometimes like that; and you do have that little man. MR PERSONALITY in a dog suit! He is cute!

Sharon said...

The smaller cage is beautiful, but the larger one is AWESOME! Your creativity never ceases to amaze me. I use bone dishes as "glasses holders" when I take off my specs (in several places, cause never know where I'm going to ditch them!)but your using them as feed holders is genius! The crowning glory seriously is the extra blinged out fork chandelier - you're a marvel. Hugs, Sharon

Anonymous said...

Even your birds, will have a beautiful home. I love the feeding
dish and the chandelier. You are
something Cindy! I think this post
would be a awesome for a magazine! :)

Andrea

Debbie said...

Your home is beautiful. I've been following for a while, but this is the first time I left a comment. I figure it was about time. The bird cage is beautiful, and I love that its white now instead of black. Thanks for showing. Debbie

Mrs Peeks Farmhouse said...

You did it again! The finishing touches are just perfect.
There will be so much extra space ……. you did say your new birds are male and female,hmmmm..... this cage may be just in time for the babies??? He he he

Unknown said...

Just stunning! You did a fantastic job! And great work with selling the other one! I can't wait to hear about the birds loving their new HUGE home! Is there going to be those sweet homes in there...so they can perch and close their sweet eyes!

Unknown said...

What a lovely mansion you have for your little "tweets"! :)

Essential Oil Premier University said...

You are amazing how you fashioned those bird feeders for food and water out of plastic plate holders, china and L brackets. I adore it. What a great idea to add the seed catcher too. That's why I don't have a bird any longer. Too messy for my liking. But that's a great idea to help stop flying seeds and feathers.

Keep inspiring us Cindy. . . you make my days :)

Blessings,

Sher

shabby*vintage*dreams said...

AMAZING!!! LOVE IT!!!!

artis1111 said...

Oh, it is so beautiful. Kathy

debi said...

Wow Cindy, can I come live with your birds? I don't even have a chandelier yet! hehehe
You did a great job...it turned out beautiful!
Hugs, Debi

Mary said...

I love it! And those lucky birds are going to be dining in high style!! On fine china and under a crystal chandelier! Mary

Anonymous said...

Beautiful! What lucky birds!
Robin

Pia said...

That bird cage is GORGEOUS! I have 3 finches ("Sugar", a ghost finch; "Spice", a spice finch, and "E.V.Nice", a society finch) and I would LOVE to dress up their cage, could you please share with us the technique you used for painting your cage as I love the distressed look. I have been worried about painting my black cage for fear the paint will harm the birds so I am full of questions. Did you use a clear coat over rustoleum paint (Heirloom White?). And can you show a picture/tutorial of how you made your elegant feeders? Thank you for your daily inspiration!

Anonymous said...

That birdcage redo was the seriously the prettiest one I've ever seen!! What imagination you have - using bone dishes for water and feed!!! WOW!!! And the little "skirt" - ADORABLE!!! And the TOP with the bird and the flowers! Cindy, honestly, you are INCREDIBLY imaginative!! You inspire me!!!

Many blessings,
Trish (Tracey Buxton's friend)

Unknown said...

Beautiful. Those birdies live in a castle. Mishelle

Tanya said...

I just love your new cage and what a great deal!

Linda Q said...

Wonderful bird cage and you fixed it up so well! I have a thing for bird cages but not necessarily with the birds.
Linda

Lady Dorothy said...

That's elegant living, for sure! Very, very lovely! I admire how you figured out their dishes. Where there's a will, there's a way, eh?

Decor To Adore said...

You are such a clever, creative girl!

Sandy~Romantique Inspirations~ said...

One thing about having a painted cage, it could be very dangerous for the birds. Birds do have the tendency to nibble on things and the paint could very well cause harm to even death. I have passed up so many lovely cages myself, but I wouldn't take the chance. Anyways besides all that, the cage itself does look pretty and I especially like the bottom white catcher. Nice Job!

Anonymous said...

Wow! I want it what a steal and transformation!!
I would love to invite you to stop by my blog and sign up for a freebie..Bunny needs a home.Plus Polly of the French Cupboard and Porch Magazine posted her first article on my blog..you will not believe what she created out of Barbie!
Also..A Cape Cod shop is featured in her new issue of Porch Magazine..vintage goodies to die for!!
http://couturedepapier.blogspot.com

Tina said...

I'm a sucker for bird cages! Those are some pampered foul you have, Maam!

Shari R. said...

Leave it to the "Queen of Creative" to pimp out her birds' cage. I love it! Just so darn cute it makes me smile.

Anonymous said...

When purchasing paint to re-paint a cage, look on the back of the paint can and see if it is safe for a human baby. Often, there will be a picture of a mom holding a child's hand somewhere on the can. Do not use Rustoleum or similar paints.

Anonymous said...

Make sure you let it cure for a least 7 days before putting your bird in the cage.

Becky from Tennessee said...

Cindy, you are absolutely AMAZING!
The bird cage is beautiful...you
defintely are very creative. How
lucky your little finches are.
I love the idea of using your
plates for their food and water.
How clever! Is there anything
you can't do????
The fabric is pretty, too. I
can't get over you found the
slipper chairs on the side of the
road. I don't have that kind of
luck. Thanks for the tip about
the fabric site. I'm going there
right now. :)
Becky

Theresa @ Take A Sentimental Journey said...

Well I have got to say that those birds are living in style now !! The chandy ideal is so precious, I love it .

Nice and Easy Antiques said...

Love it! You can also use two tea cups for food/water attached by their handle with ribbons.

Anonymous said...

It's so lovely.And ----they will have pretty dishes and a chandy.how nice is that?all they need now is satin sheets.I am kidding,Cindy...Ann

Chris said...

That birdcage is wonderful. I love the chandelier and the dishes. Incredible

Annabelle said...

Cindy, Thanks for the laugh....the chandelier is too cute! What a lovely nest you have made those little fellows. Just adorable!!!
Hugs Annabelle

p.s. Need to find me a nice fairytale cage for my little vampire Bandit!!! He is a love bird that loves to bite and draw blood...go figure, maybe in need of a girlfriend or nicer abode or both?

Lady Dorothy said...

I just wanted to let you know that I linked to this post in my blog post regarding bobeches. Thank you for the link to Shoppe by Colour. This is at least the second thing I've bought after I've seen it on your blog!

Creations by Marie Antoinette and Edie Marie said...

So So beautiful.I love the birdcage.and by the way ,love your forks,but would love to know how you put the glass over them.I think that it just completed the fork chanderlier.XXOO Marie Antionette

Unknown said...

G'd day Cindy,
I've just discovered your wonderful blog by a link at Fitty's pink rose cottage and I'm so thrilled I have. YOur blog is absolutely fabulous and that bird cage is pure luxury. I'm not particularly fond of birdies but it makes me want to have some just for the pleasure of getting them a cage like yours. Your artistry is superb.
I love shabby chic, vintage, and nordic home decor. Love floral patterns, laces and old linens, antique tea sets, mismatched teacups and I adore roses.
Come and visit my blog at http://ritashabbychicrose.blogspot.com/
Until then, have a great week start!
rita

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