These homemade bird seed ornaments are easy to make, and they make a fun craft for kids or adults. Your kids will enjoy hanging them in a tree and watching the birds get a little treat in the winter. They also make cute handmade gifts that the kids can make and give to teachers.
Bird Seed Ornaments Recipe
Christmas time is full of fun family staples, and perhaps one of the most iconic staples is that of Christmas trees decorated with lots of ornaments.
However, what if you could make some ornaments that can be enjoyed by you and your birds?
Many families love watching the birds throughout the year, so why not give them the gift of some simple bird seed ornaments?
Learning how to make bird seed ornaments is a fun process, and can help you to feed your birds in the wintertime. Making bird seed ornaments not only gives you some fun outdoor Christmas decorations, but it also gives your birds some delicious snacks.
Following is everything you need to know to learn how to make bird seed ornaments.
For more outdoor DIY projects, check out these posts:
- How to Make Suet for Birds
- How to Make a Bird Seed Wreath
- How to Make a Mini Greenhouse From Recycled Materials
- How to Make a Mason Jar Bee Feeder
- How to Make a Mason Bee House With Bamboo
- DIY Herb Markers With Popsicle Sticks
- Hanging Bird Feeder DIY
Will Birds Eat Birdseed Ornaments?
Yes, birds will absolutely eat bird seed ornaments. Of course, only so long as they are made of bird-friendly ingredients.
This recipe will help you to make plenty of homemade bird seed ornaments that your birds will totally love!
How Do You Get Bird Seed To Stick Together?
No bird seed ornaments recipe is complete without a way to get the seed to stick together. Thankfully, this is something that is easy as you will learn how to make bird seed ornaments with gelatin.
There is an easy trick to make a safe way to get bird seed to stick together. All you have to do is simmer a small amount of water and gelatin to make a food-safe glue. This way, you can make your ornaments in whatever shape you want.
The amount of water and gelatin that you will need will largely depend on the recipe that you are using, and the amount of bird seed ornaments with gelatin that you wish to make.
You can use Knox brand unflavored gelatin or buy unflavored gelatin in bulk, which is usually cheaper.
Can You Make Bird Seed Ornaments Without Gelatin?
While making bird seed ornaments with gelatin is the most prevalent option, you can make bird seed ornaments without gelatin.
Many prefer to use agar-agar, which is a natural gelatin made from seaweed. It is used in a similar way, by boiling it on the stove along with water to activate its gelatinous properties.
Agar agar can be substituted 1:1 for gelatin. However, I have not tested it in these simple bird seed ornaments.
Can You Freeze Birdseed Ornaments?
If you want to make extra and store them, or make them ahead of time, birdseed ornaments can be frozen. Feel free to freeze them and thaw them out later for use. It is important that you give them time to set up before freezing them, however.
How Long Do Homemade Birdseed Ornaments Last?
If properly stored, birdseed ornaments are known to last anywhere from three to six months. It is important to store your ornaments in a sealed container or bag in a cool dry place. You can also, as previously mentioned, freeze them for later use as well.
Tips For Making A Bird Seed Ornaments Recipe
While this is an easy recipe, there are a few tips that are important to note before you begin.
- You may wish to use a plastic cookie coater or a thinner metal as they have more give to them and will make popping the ornament out easier.
- Avoid using ornaments that have small nooks in them when making bird seed ornaments because those small pieces can break off.
- It is important that when you add the straw that it goes all the way through the ornament so the hole can be used to make the loop later on.
- Make sure you give the ornament enough time to set before popping it out of the mold so as to ensure the best results possible.
How Do You Make An Easy Bird Seed Recipe
Now, for the bird seed ornaments recipe itself. Learning how to make bird seed ornaments is a great skill to have. Not only will learning how to make bird seed suet ornaments help you take care of your birds, but they are also super adorable as well.
This recipe will make around three to seven ornaments, depending on the size of the cookie cutters that you are using. This is one of the great things about making homemade bird seed ornaments, in that you can really get creative with the recipe.
Following are the materials you will need as well as the recipe itself to make easy bird seed ornaments.
What You Need To Make Homemade Bird Seed Ornaments
As we get into the recipe itself, it is important that you have all of the materials ready in advance. Following is everything that you will need to make these homemade bird seed ornaments.
- 2 cups birdseed
- 2 25-ounce packets of unflavored gelatin (or use 2.5 teaspoons of bulk gelatin per packet)
- ½ cup water
- Assorted cookie cutters
- Straws, cut to 1.5 inch lengths
- Twine (for hanging the ornaments)
Now, for the actual directions to help with making bird seed ornaments. By following these steps you too can make easy bird seed ornaments that look great and will be loved by your birds!
How to Make Homemade Bird Seed Ornaments
Step 1
To start, line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, arrange your preferred cookie cutters on the parchment paper so they can be used as a mold.
Step 2
Add your water to a small pot or saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Remove the pot from the heat and pour the gelatin into it. Stir the mixture until it is dissolved.
Step 3
Add in your birdseed and stir the mixture again until all of the birdseed is coated in the liquid gelatin mixture.
Step 6
Then, using a spoon or ice cream server, drop the birdseed mixture into the cookie cutters.
Step 7
Add a straw near the top of the ornaments, about half of an inch from the top.
Step 8
Use the back of your spoon to pack the bird seed into the cookie cutter. This is important as the shape must be right before it sets up for the best results.
Step 9
Now, wait for the mixture to set overnight, or for about eight hours.
Step 10
Carefully remove both the cookie cutters and the straws from the ornaments. With your twine, make a loop through the hole that the straw left behind and double knot it. Then, make an additional double not near the end of the twine to make a complete loop.
Now, simply hang the ornament from a desired tree or shrub and watch as the birds feast on it!
There you have it, a quick guide to help you learn how to make bird seed ornaments. With the tips on this guide, as well as the recipe itself, you can get to making bird seed ornaments with ease!
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How to Make Easy Bird Seed Ornaments
materials:
- 2 cups birdseed
- 2 25-ounce packets of unflavored gelatin (or use 2.5 teaspoons of bulk gelatin per packet)
- ½ cup water
- Assorted cookie cutters
- Straws, cut to 1.5 inch lengths
- Twine (for hanging the ornaments)
tools:
- Small pan
- Scissors
- Baking sheet
steps:
- To start, line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, arrange your preferred cookie cutters on the parchment paper so they can be used as a mold.
- Add your water to a small pot or saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Remove the pot from the heat and pour the gelatin into it. Stir the mixture until it is dissolved.
- Add in your birdseed and stir the mixture again until all of the birdseed is coated in the liquid gelatin mixture.
- Then, using a spoon or ice cream server, drop the birdseed mixture into the cookie cutters.
- Add a straw near the top of the ornaments, about half of an inch from the top.
- Use the back of your spoon to pack the bird seed into the cookie cutter. This is important as the shape must be right before it sets up for the best results.
- Now, wait for the mixture to set overnight, or for about eight hours.
- Carefully remove both the cookie cutters and the straws from the ornaments. With your twine, make a loop through the hole that the straw left behind and double knot it. Then, make an additional double not near the end of the twine to make a complete loop.
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