So mortal fear aside, I do like to watch birds from the safety of my own kitchen window and so does the rest of the fam. Especially in winter, we like to fill our bird feeders and wait for the show to begin. I am no bird watching expert, but I do like chickadees in particular.
Up the ante a bit by having a bird feeder made out of recycled materials and now you've really got me. So that is the latest trash to treasure project that I have undertaken and I will be sharing it this Saturday, January 16th, at the Newmarket, NH Winter Farmers Market. After a heavenly time hosting my Barefoot Books booth at Decembers' Market, I will be back to craft, read and welcome children as part of the vital market community. If you are local, swing by the Stone Church in Newmarket between 9am and 1pm on Saturday and soak up some of the amazing Winter Market goings on.
I am mouth wateringly excited about Fleur de Sel or The Flower of Salt which will be present only at the January Market. This gourmet salt is harvested off the French Island of Isle de Re near the city of La Rochelle. This salt is appreciated for being rich in tradition, taste, iodine and mineral content. There will also be fresh native shrimp and lobster from The Yankee Fisherman's Cooperative, unbelievable baked goods from Sunflour Baking and a very surprising array of produce from local farms. Last month I got busy and didn't do nearly enough shopping so this time I vow to get my hands on some more goods.
If you live elsewhere or are going to be trapped under something heavy on Saturday and won't be able to make it, I have listed the directions for making your own Milk Carton Bird Feeders. I obtained my cartons just by calling up the local elementary school and asking to speak with the cafeteria director. She was more than happy to set some aside for me and even rinsed them out. Thanks Tammy!
How To Make Your Own Milk Carton Bird Feeders
(This one's for the little guys like my pal, the chickadee)
Materials and Equipment:
small milk carton
a scrap of string, yarn or raffia (about 18 inches or so)
a twig about 6-8 inches long
bird seed
Exacto knife
chopstick
stapler
1.Wash your bird carton well and let it dry.
2.Staple the drinking spout end closed.
3.On one of the wide sides make a vertical cut with your Exacto knife from the start if the side (where the slant meets the side) about 2/3 of the way down. You want to make sure you leave enough of a "tray" at the bottom to put your bird seed in.
4.Then make a horizontal cut across the top and bottom of the cut you just made so that you now have a set of "doors" that will open.
5.Now use your knife to make an X shaped slit a bit below your doors where you will put the twig through to make a perch. Put another slit on the opposite side of the carton where the twig will come out.
6.Next, carefully use the knife to poke a hole near the top of the carton to put your string through. You will need it to hang your feeder.
7.Take your string and, using a chopstick, poke it through the hole at the top and tie it to make the hanger.
8.Put your twig through the slits you made and have it extending a bit further on the side with the opening to make a little perch.
9.Pour birdseed in to fill the bottom and now you are ready to hang it!
10.Try to hang it in a sheltered spot where small birds will feel they have some protection. It make take a few days for them to discover it, but once they do keep it filled and they will come back!
I prepped this craft by doing Steps 1-6 in advance for my little ones. They need some assistance for the rest, but they really enjoyed it and big kids could probably do all but the Exacto cutting themselves. Give it a try. I am so not crafty and I really enjoyed this. Take some pictures and let me know how it goes. Just watch out the that Tippi Hedren isn't milling about when you go to hang it.
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