Sunday, 18 November 2012
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Pine Cone Bird Feeder
One of my favorite fall crafts when I was a kid was making pine cone bird feeders. I remember doing these a couple of different ways, some with suet, most with peanut butter. Now is the perfect time of year to get outside with my own kids and get crafty.
Searching for the cones was part of the fun, most kids love to treasure hunt. We would look for the perfect pine cones: big enough and opened. Sometimes they can be pokey, so watch out little fingers! Get as many as you like, extra pine cones can even be used as decorations on your Christmas tree in a few weeks (give it a little glue, glitter, and a loop hook, and it's good to go).My favorite method of making the bird feeder is using peanut butter and birdseed. I have some chunky peanut butter that I'm going to use because my kids apparently hate the chunky variety. It's been sitting in my cabinet for a few months now, so this is a perfect way to get rid of it without just trashing it.Using a popsicle stick, scoop a generous amount of peanut butter and then simply smear it into the pine cone. Get it in there. I usually cover all but the top two tiers (because I'm going to tie the ribbon on it later).Pour the birdseed generously on a longish strip of wax paper (or paper plate). Then take your peanut-buttered cone and roll it around in the seed. Try to cover it evenly, but really, the birds won't care.When you're happy with your seed coverage, sit the pine cone up and loop a ribbon or string tightly around the 2nd tier from the top of the cone. It should be secure for hanging from that level. Then it's all about finding the perfect spot for birdwatching.Kids of all ages can do this craft, and it is inexpensive. Get outside and enjoy the fresh air!
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About the Author
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- From: sarahsmurfette@xanga
- About Me: Proud military wife. Mother of two.
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Comments (3)
I was reading through a magazine one time and it showed how to make one with a milk jug too. You can make a house, a bath, or a feeder. Cut a hole in all four sides. I used tape to make the edges not so sharp. I then painted them pretty colors. For the bath/drinking don't make it too deep of course but I made mine pretty deep for a house. Poke a couple of holes near the top. Put some twine in those holes and wrap around the neck part really tight (I did about four times) and string it to a tree. For the bath and houses, either set them in the tree with twine holding it still or tie it very close to a strong branch.
Wow!! Three pine trees in my tinny back yard and all I've been doing is raking up the mess every year! I have used them to decorate for Christmas, spray painting them many colors, using ribbon, and very pretty baskets to hold them, but that seems like child's play compared to what you just explained. When winter passes, I'm gonna do just what you suggested, because we'd also been making plans for making bird feeders in my hubby's shop. Thank you for the wonderful suggestion. And also thanks to the milk jug idea. That will be a fun thing to do with my 10 year old grand daughter this summer. You ladies just plain rock!
When I have kids, this will totally be our first project. =3 Or among the top 10, anyway.