DIY Birdseed Ornaments
DIY birdseed ornaments are a fun way to feed the birds and make great holiday gifts or homemade presents. An easy craft for kids and perfect for hanging outdoors.
Servings: 9 ornaments
Ingredients
- 2¾ cups wild finch blend
- 1 cup water divided
- 2 packets unflavored gelatin
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 9 cookie cutters any shape
- 3 (7-inch) paper cookie sticks cut into 2¼-inch pieces or 3 plastic drink straws, cut into 2¼-inch pieces
- 9 (14-inch) long cut pieces of jute, twine, hemp, or yarn for hanging the ornaments
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with either wax paper or parchment paper. Lay out the cookie cutters, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Set it aside.
- In a large heat-safe mixing bowl, add ½ cup cool water.
- In a small heat-safe bowl, add the other ½ cup water and microwave for 1 minute. Carefully remove the hot water and set it aside.
- Sprinkle the gelatin over the cool water and stir to dissolve it. While you are still stirring, carefully pour the hot water over the gelatin mixture. Stir to continue dissolving the gelatin.
- Continue stirring, and add in the light corn syrup and stir to combine completely.
- Immediately pour in the birdseed and stir with a large wooden spoon. Set the bowl in the refrigerator for 8-9 minutes to allow the gelatin mixture to be slightly absorbed by the seed.
- Spoon the seed mixture into the cookie cutters until they are full. Once you have your cookie cutters filled, use a small piece of wax paper or parchment paper to gently pack the seed mixture into the mold.
- Press the cut cookie sticks or cut drink straws about ½ to 1 inch from the top. Be sure to gently press down around the straw with the wax/parchment paper as well.
- Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours to dry. Overnight is best.
- Once the ornament is dried, carefully pull/push around the edges of the cookie cutter. Gently remove the stick/straw and thread the ornament with the pre-cut string. Tie a small knot in the string. Hang the ornaments outside.
Notes
Storage:
In temperatures 50°F and higher, this will keep for 7 days. In weather below 50°F, the Ornaments should keep for 10 - 14 days.
Tips:
- Honey is not a good substitute for the light corn syrup. If you don’t have any light corn syrup, you can skip the sweetener altogether.
- If the weather is below 45-50°F, you can add a teaspoon of orange or lemon zest.
- It is recommended to only offer gelatin feeders in the winter when cold temperatures prevent the gelatin from molding or melting.
- If you are making the ornaments in above 50°F weather, you can substitute 1 ½ tablespoons agar powder for the gelatin. It is completely vegetable-based and should not mold as quickly.
- Spray your cookie cutters with nonstick spray so that the ornaments don’t stick when you remove them.
- Make sure the hole is not set much closer to the edge of the shape than ½ inch, or the edge may not be thick enough to hold the ornament's weight.