DIY Teacup Bird feeder... using a dollar store mug

Recently I was at a craft show where they were selling bird feeders made from tea cups, and I knew it would be simple and inexpensive to make my own. I used some dollar store supplies to create an adorable and charming teacup bird feeder, and today I am sharing all the DIY details.

All you need for this super-easy project is: a teacup, a spoon, a strong adhesive (like E-6000), twine, birdseed, and peanut butter or suet.

Then:

1) Use the adhesive to attach the spoon to the cup, and let dry according to package directions. My glue suggested a 48 hour drying time.

2) Tie a piece of twine around the handle.

3) Fill the mug with a mixture of birdseed and peanut butter or suet.

Isn't it a charming little bird feeder?

I've already had some black capped chickadees visiting my new teacup bird feeder. It's such a darling little feeder, and it was extremely simple to make. You could make a bunch for gifts, or you could craft them for your own use. Will you be making one for the birds in your backyard?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Backyard Birdwatching

Lately, my boys are totally into backyard birdwatching, so a couple of weeks ago I made us a new bird-feeder.  I took an old 2L pop bottle, cut some holes with an X-Acto knife, and stuck in a couple of wooden spoons.  {I also wrapped it in twine to make it a little fancier, but this step isn't really necessary.}

And, before long, we had a little visitor.  :-)

We started getting visits from a few varieties of birds, so we headed to the library for some books to help us identify our "new friends".  I highly recommend the two books we found:  A Kid's First Book of Birdwatching by Scott Weidensaul and Backyard Birds by Robert Bateman.

And, if you are looking for a special snack for your little birdwatchers, you could always whip up a batch of these bird nest cookies.  They are chocolate cookies with some leftover Easter Eggs on top. 

Fun, right?

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS (Don't miss out on any of the fun... if you haven't already "liked" me on facebook, you can do it here.)

Milk Carton Bird Houses

We had so much fun making bird feeders (a few weeks ago), we decided to make some houses for our feathered friends out of old milk cartons.  Don't you just love rescuing stuff from your recycling bin and turning it into a great project?

This project is sooooooooo easy.  (I didn't even paint the birdhouses because I didn't want the paint washing off when I put them outside.) 

Here's how you can make one:

1)  Cut a hole {door} at the bottom of the container.

2)  Cut a slit in the back of the milk carton, and poke a stir stick through {to be used as a perch}.  Secure with tape.

3)  Cut two small holes at the top (one on each side) of the milk carton, and thread a pipe cleaner through.  Wrap the ends together at the top.

4)  Put some peanut butter and bird seed inside the house.  My boys loved this part... it's the messy part.  :-)

That's it!  Hang it on a tree branch, and wait for the birds to come.

Happy Bird Watching!

♥ 

Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Make your own Bird Feeders

Recently, a good friend of mine told me about a cute bird feeder her daughter made at Preschool using a toilet paper roll, peanut butter (or shortening if you have nut allergies), and bird seed.  I thought it would be a fun activity to do with my boys... and it was!

In fact, it was such a success that we decided to make two other variations:  Cheerio bird feeders and bird feeders using pine cones we found in our yard. 

Here's how you can make three different kinds of bird feeders:

1)  Gather the supplies (pipe cleaners, pine cones, toilet paper rolls, string, bird seed, peanut butter, and Cheerios).

2)  To make the Cheerio feeders, all you need to do is bend one end of pipe cleaner (so the Cheerios don't fall off), and then thread the Cheerios on.  To finish, make a loop at the top to hang it on the tree.  {My two year old loved this one, and he was able to do it all by himself, which made him super-proud.}

3)  To make the Toilet Paper Roll feeder:

     a)  Use a hole punch to make two holes at the top of your toilet paper roll.  (This is where you will be attaching the pipe cleaner.)

     b)  Cover the toilet paper roll with peanut butter, and then roll it in bird seed until it is completely covered.  (This part is a bit messy.)

     c)  Attach a pipe cleaner, and you're done!

4)  To make the pine cone bird feeder, simply cover the pine cone in peanut butter, roll it in birdseed, and attach a string.  Easy!

We have already attracted a lot of birds with our bird feeders.  Let me know how it works for you.

♥ 

Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

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