The Christmas season is one of my favorite times of the year. There is just something about the crisp winter air, fuzzy socks, and a glowing fire. With all of this comes the decorating of Christmas trees. To add a touch of your love for gardening, try these homemade bird seed ornaments. They can be hung both inside and out. Dress up your landscape with a little treat for the birds of your area.
If you have young children, this is a perfect activity to have a great time together. Let them have a fun time forming the different shapes. As a child I loved activities like these! They can be customized to your preferred shapes and ribbon/twine colors, prints, etc. Make these all year long to support your local bird populations.
Try using wild bird seed mix for this fun DIY craft. For indoor pet birds we recommend using the Sprouting Bird Seed Mix.
Supplies Needed
- 3/4 to 1 cup of wild bird seed
- 1 packet (0.25 oz or 7g) of unflavored gelatin
- 1/4 cup boiling water
- Cookie cutters (lighty greased)
- Twine or Ribbon
- Parchment or wax paper
How to Make DIY Wild Bird Seed Ornaments
Step 1: Mix gelatin and water in a small pan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Stir constantly until the gelatin has completely dissolved.
Step 2: Remove from heat and allow the gelatin to cool for 1 minute.
Step 3: Stir in birdseed. Add extra if needed as all the liquid should be absorbed (no more than 1 cup total).
Step 4: Lightly grease cookie cutters and lay them out over parchment or waxed paper.
Step 5: Fill each cookie cutter half-way full. For shapes with hard to fill corners, we suggest using a small spoon, knife, or popsicle stick to get good compaction. Lay your string of twine down the center of your ornaments along the full length of the cookie cutters. Then, fill the second half of the cookie cutter so it is packed full with seed.
Step 6: Allow the ornaments to dry overnight. Then, gently press the seed out of the cookie cutter mold.
Step 7: These ornaments are now ready to hang on a tree. Add to indoor trees for a touch of nature, or hang outside as a treat for local birds. For long storage before use, we recommend freezing to prevent mold or sprouting.
