Homemade Birdseed Ornaments

I love seeing birds in our backyard, especially the cardinals. We have several bird feeders and suet bird feeders but these birdseed ornaments are the perfect activity to do with your kiddos and will encourage more birds to hang out in your yard.

At first I was a little skeptical about whether or not these birdseed ornaments would hold up to the weather, but I have to say I am pleasantly surprised. They did great in warmer temperatures (up to 55 degrees) and weren’t completely destroyed by the rain.

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How to Make Birdseed Ornaments

Ingredients-

2.5 cups Birdseed
2 Packages Unflavoured Gelatin
2 Tablespoons Corn Syrup
1 cup Water (divided)
12 Cookie Cutters
Drinking Straws cut into 2″ inch pieces
Twine

Directions-

Follow the instructions on the packet of Gelatin. Since I used two packets of gelatin, I added 1/2 cup of cold water into a bowl, then I poured the two packets of gelatin on top of the water.
Next I added 1/2 cup of boiling water to the mixture and stirred it until it was dissolved.
Once the gelatin was dissolved I added the corn syrup and stirred until it was dissolved as well.
Finally, I added the birdseed to the gelatin mixture.
It’s a little watery at first so you’ll need to place the bowl in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes or so, or until it firms up enough that the liquid won’t seep out from under the cookie cutters.
Set your cookie cutters out onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
Then spoon the mixture into each of the cookie cutters, and press it down firmly so that the cookie cutter is completely filled.
I filled my cookie cutters right to the very top with the birdseed mixture.
Next, you’ll want to take some drinking straws and cut them into 2″ long pieces.
Press a straw into the birdseed (before it’s set) so that you have a nice neat hole for the twine to go through afterwards. Don’t place the straws too close to the edge of the cookie cutters.
The ornaments where the hole was a good 1/2″ from the edge seemed to be much stronger, and even with strong winds, they still stayed in one piece.
Once you’ve added the straws, place the ornaments in the refrigerator overnight to solidify. Gently pull the edges of the cookie cutter away from the shape to help separate things. And then gently push out the shape.
Remove the straws, thread some twine through the holes and tie a knot.
Then hang them from your trees and shrubs and wait for the birds to come! Hang the birdseed ornaments from tree branches, leaving room nearby for the birds to perch on while eating.