For my project, I will be creating a fountain birdbath. My goal is to emulate the cottagecore aesthetic for an outdoor/backyard space. I am trying to make this piece be a meaningful addition to my grandparent’s mountain cabin. For half of the year, during the summer months, my grandparents stay at a small, quaint cabin on Blue Mesa Reservoir right outside of Gunnison, Colorado. Here, the outdoor spaces truly make the place incredible. My grandparents have beautiful gardens, horseshoe pits, a swingset for my little cousins, and a firepit surrounded by trees. The view from the cabin deck overlooks the lake and stunning mountains, and this is where my grandma loves to feed hummingbirds. Aesthetically, the cabin, inside and out, is the very definition of cottagecore. I want this birdbath to further the aesthetic. This post’s featured image is from my grandparent’s cabin, and hopefully sets the cottagecore scene.

The following image is a reference photo by Fountainful[1] and provided me with further inspiration.

When thinking about alternative aesthetics that the birdbath could be modeled after, I actually was inspired to alter my initial design ideas. While the birdbath will contribute to an overall cottagecore environment, I have decided to make the birdbath itself slightly more Modernist in shape. Due to the birdbath’s intended concrete material, modernism already fits. Furthermore, in order to make the birdbath itself, I will need to pour the concrete into casts that already take the shape of the base and the bowl. I had planned to make the birdbath base extremely detailed with intricate curves, but piecing together a casting that fits this shape, I think, would turn out less aesthetically pleasing than desired. I want this birdbath to be clean and look professional. Therefore, I will be using a base and bowl shape that can be casted easily from inexpensive materials found at garden centers (see my list of materials later in the post). These more simple shapes also fit the modernism aesthetic. 

The following images are my birdbath design. I have included views of the overall product first and each main component (the base and the bowl).

As pictured above, the birdbath’s dynamic element will be a gentle fountain located at the center of the bowl. Due to the limitations of pouring concrete to make the birdbath base (i.e. I am unsure how I could realistically make the base hollow), instead of using a pump system for the fountain, as initially intended, I will be using a solar-powered fountain like the following[2].

My other concerns were cycling the water correctly so that the pump fountain would actually work. This birdbath, also, will be filled with water for the birds in the heat of the summer, so evaporation concerns would be at play, too. With the solar-powered fountain, one can simply refill the birdbath as needed and no battery power is required. 

Materials:

• Concrete Mix – Can purchase from The Home Depot[]
• Plastic pot (similar to the one below[3]) – will form the base of the birdbath

• Plastic saucers (similar to the one below[4]) – will form the bowl and “indentations” in the bowl

• Solar Fountain
• Aluminum wiring to form the decorative “perch”[5]

• Concrete adhesive to connect the base and the bowl
• Stones/Crystals to add into the bowl of the birdbath (this will also stabilize the solar fountain and make it look nicer)

Fabrication Process:

My fabrication process will begin with gathering all the necessary materials above, allotting time to purchase anything else that I have not thought of or discover that I need along the way. Then, I will give myself at least a week to learn how to mix, pour, and cast the concrete base and bowl. In case of error in this step, I will buy duplicate castings (the plastic pot and saucer), along with extra concrete mix. I will connect the two components in this stage, as well. Finally, I will add the fountain feature and aluminum decorative wiring. I want to begin fabrication as soon as I return from Spring Break, giving myself extra time to account for errors or apply helpful feedback that improves my project.

Timeline:

The following timeline shows my start and end dates for each major fabrication phase. I have made sure each phase has plenty of time to account for learning curves or errors/processes that I could not foresee. The final stretch of time gives me flexibility to further account for this. The timeline was made on Canva software[6].

Sources:

1. Fountainful, 2024, https://fountainful.com/products/campania-b135-cottage-garden-birdbath?currency=USD&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=83b1c171ae7e&tw_source=google&tw_adid=689106471243&tw_campaign=20209229659&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwncWvBhD_ARIsAEb2HW_qR9umIyBj5xIeRegGdNkHdWWTywcOFRveFDAHNcpTc2aKCgyY1GoaAjEWEALw_wcB
2. Mademax, Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/Mademax-Fountain-Upgrade-Standing-Floating/dp/B085C5LQN3/ref=asc_df_B085C5LQN3/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=416905619953&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12967156986410111814&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1014448&hvtargid=pla-896808419699&psc=1&mcid=40fa563d58ba334ca81667c496ff69b2&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=92049667897&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=416905619953&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12967156986410111814&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1014448&hvtargid=pla-896808419699&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-r-vBhC-ARIsAGgUO2D08qRKHXfY74m-iQDktbJUfxtSkCbd60TF4CZeUHWdVJmkhjBUEmgaAjeaEALw_wcB
3. BangQiao, Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/BangQiao-Plastic-Nursery-Seedling-Transplant/dp/B07TBZRJ8N/ref=asc_df_B07TBZRJ8N/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=642135999115&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10613896155927376563&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1014448&hvtargid=pla-1417597990316&mcid=a30756c8f11d3b479bc433eba3441988&th=1
4.  McGuckin Hardware, 2024, https://www.mcguckin.com/2772167/product/CurtisWagnerPlastics-CW-800N?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-r-vBhC-ARIsAGgUO2DkKIJkjG7fAbOJqHi-pw6ZegQw2C_lDtewaSgiElxBeY7hJI46JKMaAgksEALw_wcB
5. Luxiv, Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/Aluminum-Luxiv-Silver-Crafting-Copper/dp/B08914BG6D/ref=asc_df_B08914BG6D/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459612409569&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9362073259306068322&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1014448&hvtargid=pla-945251483985&mcid=61ba1f7440773fe28b01fcdb95104271&gclid=CjwKCAjw17qvBhBrEiwA1rU9w2S9lM_GmoWh1n6HfVrQAqDAY8ShZdq-Q0jGqlKesVr-Q69ldPMRbBoCHwQQAvD_BwE&th=1

      6. Canva, https://www.canva.com/