It’s spring in Florida! Well, to most it probably would feel like summer, but it’s our version of spring. Birds are out, flowers are blooming, wasps are back (ugh!), so I thought what better way to celebrate the return of spring than to make an upcycled bird feeder.
I’ve had a giant bag of birdseed sitting in my garage forever. I planned to make bird feeder favors for my son’s baptism (almost 2 years ago), but didn’t have the time. One morning after my usual coffee run (that green Siren just calls my name), I realized I forgot my reusable cup and was planning to recycle the plastic cup when I realized I could re-use it to make those bird feeders I never got around to making 2 years ago. I also thought my breakfast orange would make an adorable roof, so I got to work to feed our feathered friends.
Upcycled Bird Feeder
Here’s what you need:
- 1 plastic container (I used a tall Starbucks cup, but yogurt cups work nicely too)
- 1 unflavored gelatin packet
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 cup birdseed
- Yarn or twine (length depends on how and where you want to hang it)
- Dowel or stick (I had unused candy sticks, but chopsticks or even a twig would work)
- Scissors
- Half an orange
Step 1:
Put 1/3 cup water in small saucepan, add gelatin packet, and turn heat on.
Step 2:
When water/gelatin begins to simmer, remove from heat and stir in birdseed.
Step 3:
While mixture cools a little, put the string into the cup. I swirled it around on the bottom.
Step 4:
Add birdseed into container. Try to keep the string centered and pack the birdseed in.
Step 5:
Poke hole in cup and insert dowel/stick.
Step 6:
Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Step 7:
Scoop out (and eat) inside of half an orange. Bonus points for getting a navel orange because there’s already a nice hole in the top of it. If not, be sure to poke a hole at the top for the string to come through.
Step 8:
Cut container to get the bird feeder out.
Step 9:
Place orange “roof” on top and pass the string through the hole.
Step 10:
Hang and admire 🙂