How to Make Your Own Birdseed Ornaments
As the colder months settle in, we’re not the only ones feeling the chill! As food becomes scarcer, these birdseed ornaments are a great way to lend a helping hand to all the birds in your garden and make for lots of fun for little ones too. An easy afternoon activity, they’ll love making and shaping them, not to mention the hours they’ll spend watching for their favourite feathered companion to come and enjoy them.
You’ll need:
Makes roughly eight ornaments
2 cups of birdseed
2 packets of unflavoured gelatin
250 ml boiling water
String or ribbon
Greaseproof paper
Biscuit cutters (top tip: lightly grease them to make removing the finished ornaments easier)
Step One
Combine the gelatin and the water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Keep stirring until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
Step Two
Remove the pan from heat and allow the mixture to cool for one minute. Stir in the birdseed, until all the liquid is absorbed.
Step Three
Place the biscuit cutters on the greaseproof paper. Fill each ornament halfway with the birdseed mixture then put a piece of string or ribbon down the length of the biscuit cutter. This is so you can hang up the ornament later, if you don’t want to hang it up, skip the string.
Step Four
Fill the biscuit cutter to the top with remaining birdseed mixture, making sure to pack it down firmly. Use a small spoon or your fingers to make sure it’s properly packed and fills each corner of the biscuit cutter.
Step Five
Allow the ornaments to dry for several hours or overnight. Once completely dried, gently press the ornaments out of the cookie cutters.
Step Six
Hang outside for the birds to enjoy!
So there you have it; some pretty and practical ornaments that both you and your wildlife companions will love. Make sure to hang them near branches for perching and have those binoculars at the ready!
Don’t forget to share your pics with us on Instagram (#joules), we love seeing your creations!
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