This month, as one of Lowe’s Creative Ideas bloggers, we were issued the challenge of creating a bird retreat. Spring is definitely in the air here in Indiana, we have had 10 days of weather over 70 degrees. I am loving it! Plus the sun is shining and the daffodils are in full bloom. I hear the birds chirping so I thought why not lure them in with a birdseed wreath. These are so simple to make and would make great hostess or housewarming gifts.
Recipe:
4 cups of wild bird seed
1/2 cup of warm water
1 envelope of Knox gelatin
3/4 a cup of flour
bundt pan
nonstick spray
3 tbl. light corn syrup
whisk
wooden spoon
1. Spray your bundt pan with nonstick spray.
2. Mix your Knox gelatin with 1/2 cup of warm water, whisk until mixed. Then whisk in the flour and corn syrup.
3. Add your bird seed and stir coating the seed well with a wooden spoon. Then pour it into your greased bundt pan.
4. Next press it tightly with the back of a wooden spoon into the bundt pan. Use wet hands to press it more if you need to. Let it dry overnight.
5. Once completely hardened overnight it will come right out of the you pan.
6. I used some drop cloth fabric strips ripping it to tie a ribbon around it and add a bow. Hang it in an area that won’t be exposed to the rain.
Here are few other recipes to try:
That is so cute…it would last about a day at my house with all the squirrels.
If you have trees close to each other….put a small nail with a head 1/2 way into the tree and another one into the next tree. Wrap one end of wire (can be found at any home store) several times around the nail then pound in. Pull the wire taunt and wrap around the nail in the other tree. Pound that nail into the tree (doing this will tighten the wire as well). You can then place an S hook on the wire and hang your wreath or bird feeder. This works…we have tons on squirrels and they cannot get to the feeder because they cannot get on the wire. Squirrels are very smart but they can’t chew the ends of the wire either to drop the feeder.
Hi,
Thanks for sharing this great idea. I would like to share with you another hint I found on the web regarding squirrels. Mix red pepper flakes, ground cayenne pepper, chili powder, etc. in with the birdseed. The squirrels do not like hot spice.
Interesting! Thanks for the tip!
i love this idea! so fun for the birds, and i think my kids would enjoy doing it, too! pinning i love it so!
This is so cute! I wish we didn’t have a turkey population problem in our apartment complex so I could hang this. We have 12 that gather in the middle of the complex {right near our apartment} so hanging this would invite them closer. Rats!
I would love for you to link up and share: http://tutusandteaparties.blogspot.com/search/label/Link%20Party
I love it when the creativity goes together with educational or environmental purposes. This is a great idea!
What a fun project to do with the kids! It’d be a squirrel & chipmunk wreath at our house, but still fun for the kids to watch. Thanks for sharing.
Such a simple and cute idea that I can do with the kids. I am going to be putting this on my to do list die spring break. And I SO want to make that welcome mat, too. I fell in love with it as soon as I received the magazine.
I have a question, can this be made without corn syrup? I am not a fan of it and not sure it is good for the birds. Especially since they are now attributing corn syrup as a problem for human consumption.
Yes there are lots of recipes that just use the gelatin. Just google it and you will find tons of recipes with all sorts of ingredients.
AWESOME idea, Beckie! I plan to do this today with my kids:)
Let me know how it goes Christine!
love this! will definitely have to make one of these with my littles! xo
I think it would be fun to make small ones using day old bagels and maybe smearing with peanutbutter and then coating with bird seeds…
How do the bird feeder wreaths hold up in the rain? I would hate to give them out as gifts and they fall apart in the rain.
Good question I will let you know.
Ours fell apart in the rain yesterday… It was fun, though, watching the birds eat it! I will probably make another one and hang it under the tree to see if it will last longer there.
I love this idea. I have allot of bird feeders in my backyard and enjoy watcing the multitude of different tuype birds. I also have squirrels!!! Thank you to Ceci for the wire information. Have looked a solution to my squirrel problem. First one I have found that really works. Last year I used Vaseline on the poles, but I had to redo the poles about ever 3-4 days!
Love your blog too!!! Found it on Pinterest.
Hey,
I was wondering about the ingredients. With the Knox Gelatin, how much is a “package?” Is it 1 envelope, or 4 envelopes, or more? I tried this, and mine fell apart into four pieces. I’m thinking I did something wrong. . .How long do you let it sit in the pan for?
Thanks,
Sarah
It is one envelope. I let it sit overnight.
Okay. That’s where I messed up. Thanks, Miss Beckie!
Totally ready to try it again.
I LOVE this! I am so going to make one, thanks!
I absolutely love this idea. The bow really adds a special touch to a traditional project giving it a whole new life….lovely!
This looks great! I’ve wanted to make one of these after I saw it on the Martha Stewart show, I love yours!!!! Thanks for posting a tutorial on how to make one!
This is so pretty! Great idea!
I love this idea, what a fantastic way to bring a new spin on spring. I would love if you would like up this project on Wed at our WOW Us link party: acoupleofcraftaddicts.blogspot.com
I was so excited to make this tonight. I can’t wait to hang it up for all the birds in my backyard tomorrow! I have enough ingredients to make several more throughout the spring! Thanks for such a fun idea! I just love your blog, especially your “roadkill rescue.”
nice idea – I had never heard of using gelatin in this manner, easier to work with than lard, I should think!
Yay! i am glad you liked it Phaedra. One pack of birdseed makes a lot of wreaths, makes great gifts too. Have fun!
Such a great project Beckie! Love it!
I love that Beckie. And it’s so pretty too!!
xoxo
Jen
Ok, I don’t want to sound stupid but what is Knox gelatin? I’ve never heard of it. Is it like Jello gelatin? I have eery other ingrediant but that. Thanks.
It is like Jell-o but it is unflavored. It is the the same section as Jell-o
Thanks, I found it!!
I love this idea..great for the birds!
Thanks for sharing this! I have been wanting to do this but didnt know where to start. lol.
I would love for you to share this at my Flaunt It Friday link party. There are also TWO amazing giveaways this week! It closes Sunday at midnight.
http://www.dottedlinecrafts.com/2012/03/flaunt-it-friday.html
Looking forward to more posts,
Sarah@
http://www.dottedlinecrafts.com
Love this idea soooo much that I ra out and got all the materials, but didn’t have the patience to wait long enough for it to dry…round 2…lol
{gigglee} I hope it works better on round 2
I made this wreath and it is so cute! Thanks for the idea!
I do have a question, though… None of the birds in the area will eat it. They eat the same seed I have in my feeder, but they haven’t tried the wreath, yet. Did it take a while for your birds to take a bite? Just wondering if anyone else is having the same problem I am. Maybe it takes the birds a while to figure it out. Anyways, I will be making another one in the morning for a gift for my cousin who is hosting us for Easter dinner on Sunday.
Yes it took about a week for me to notice them on the wreath.
Thanks! I saw one flying around it last evening. He wasn’t sure what to do, yet.
Well., I made this wreath today after the kids found all of their Easter eggs and the roast was already in the oven. This was super easy to make and I hope to see some birds on mine. I haven’t decided yet where to hang it.
I am sooooo making this with the kids! It is easy and a really cute little outdoor decor element!
Just made a wreath yesterday! It was so easy and literally took 5 minutes. Turned out of pan with no problem and is adorable. It will be interesting to see how long it lasts between my birds and squirrels. I can’ t wait to make smaller versions for my bird-loving-friends!!!
LOVE IT!!!!
Does anyone know how to make this now?!
I got this recipe from a bird magazine and it is one of the better ones I’ve tried. With the Geliten and Corn Syrup it really holds it together nicely, but you do need to keep it out of the rain.. It might hold up in one rain but fall apart if you get alot. The recipe I used also had you bake it in the oven for I think 20 or 30 mins at a low temp of around 250 rather then having it dry over night.
Thank you for linking to our nature site.
You are welcome.
Do you ever look at the other pages in the Nature Inn?
Nope I haven’t
Hi Beckie; I also would like to not use corn syrup . My question is what is the corn syrup purpose ? Is it to sweeten or assist in solidifying the seed? I know honey is not recommended for humming birds so I am assuming honey would not work fot the wreath? Thank You Donna
Yes it helps to act as a glue. I am not sure what else you can use. You can look at the other resources i gave in the post to see if any of those recipes don’t contain corn syrup.
What a cool idea!! My daughter and I are anxiously awaiting our wreath to dry. I do have an inquiry. Any idea how long these will keep as far as gift giving goes? We are wanting to make several for Christmas gifts. Any concern about molding?
No they will stay forever really. No need to worry about mold unless it gets wet.
Nice bird wreath! Winter is a great time of the year to use them since they are energy-packed for the birds who need extra calories during the cold months. They also won’t be as susceptible to melting during the cold weather.
I made two of these today and I need to make three more! I bought a “chip and dip” server at the Dollar Tree to replace the bunt pan (because I couldn’t find any of those cheap) and am giving them as last-minute Christmas presents. Do you think putting them in the refrigerator or freezer to make them harden faster will effect the quality of it holding together? I hope not! Because I had to do that.
I am not sure, I hope not. Just make sure you keep them far away from the rain when they put them outside.
I made a wreath and added raisins and craisins for some color. I was told to refrigerate it for 2 hours then take it out and invert it which I did. I waited several hours, put some twine around it and hung it up and as soon as I hung it on my Shepherds Hook it broke. Any reasons why ?
We have a version on our blog – we used lard as that is able to be digested by the birds.
http://sistersplayinghouse.blogspot.com/2012/12/treats-for-your-feathered-friends.html
Beckie, this is a darling idea I am going to use. What a fun gift to give too. Thanks
This is so cool. I have a couple of bundt pans so definitely will try this!
Love this! I pinned this so I can make it for my mom for Mothers Day! She’ll love it! Thanks!
Awesome! I’d love to see it and hear what Momma thinks.