You Will Need

• birdcage
• coarse brush
• household cleaner
• rust primer, rust paint and rusting agent
• paintbrush
• pot plants to fit inside the cage
• dried moss

To Make
1 Work outside and scrub the cage with a coarse brush and household cleaner. Rinse well and leave to dry.
2 Apply a coat of rust primer to the cage and plastic tray, carefully following the manufacturer’s instructions. Leave to dry, then apply a thick coat of rust paint. While the paint is still slightly wet and tacky, apply a layer of rusting agent. Leave to dry for a few hours for the rust effect to develop.
3 Place the pot plants inside the cage and arrange dried moss in between. You can also add a few other items, such as ceramic or terracotta pots, as extra decoration.

Good Idea

• If you don’t have a disused birdcage, look for one in second-hand shops. If it is already rusted, you don’t have to treat it with rust paint, or you could skip this step and simply leave it outside, letting the elements rust it for you.

Text and image: Ideas