I am thrilled to bits with my latest bird bath design.  It came out of a recent contact on the off chance I might have something unwanted or even seconds to fit their purse for a special gift. I had been wondering about garden bowls without bases for a while but I didn't really expect to oblige. Nor had any rejects.  The possibility of putting something together very quickly that would still be good seemed unlikely. Then I remembered a left over seat base from a set. For speculative live sales, I price items individually, rather than fix a price on a whole set. Buyers can select amounts and favourites, or commission more.  Stools often sell individually as small tables. 

I make the seating and table surfaces and commission the iron work from a blacksmith ensuring a little surplus of bases ready for quick replacement. 

The spare stool base in question did not fit in with my next designs so I laid some off-cut slate sections from a table innards around the edge to show rim dimension and shape ...and emailed back the suggestion. 

The result below, is delightfully strong and simple, even Zen-like. The oval-ish form looks well on the ground, suggesting a little more than garden bowl - rather a tub. I'm looking forward to more after this style.  

Seems we did each other a good turn!

Bird Tub: 50 cm dia max in slate, cement board, concrete, stained glass, stainless steel bolts (re-forged heads for patina) and an oyster shell from Bournemouth beach.  The outer wall is built up in concrete to form a deep tub shape. It is for the ground but the three stainless steel bolts go right down through leaving a spare half inch protruding underneath for three very neat and discrete little feet. 

http://www.helen-nock.co.uk