Orange Bowl Bird Feeder

June 6, 2019/0 Comments/in Crafts, DIY and Holidays /by Carrie Groneman

Natural Bird Feeder

It’s time to feed the birds and this is a great bird feeder that is natural, uses the peel we usually don’t eat, and gives the birds a complete treat to eat.

This Orange Bowl Bird Feeder is easy and so fun for kids and also for adults.

A grand child making this with a grand parent
A family doing this with an elderly neighbor
Time spent with someone who is disabled and not able to get out on their own.
Those staying in an assisted living center.
These wonderful people and more would all benefit greatly from a project like this because of the attraction of the birds giving beauty to watch and new opportunities of birds to look forward to from the window, or if able to go a short distance outside.

If you’re looking for a few more ideas, try this ICE CREAM CONE FEEDER or these TWO SUMMER FEEDERS and DIY BINOCULARS

So let’s get started!

ORANGE BOWL BIRD FEEDER

Supplies:

Orange – look for a nice thick skinned one without blemishes that would affect this project, such as mold, soft spots, ect.

BBQ, Kitchen or Craft Skewers. I used 12″ wooden ones like THESE (but look at a pack of 100, unless you need 300)

Bird seed

Twine, string, yarn, or whatever you’d like to use to hang the ORANGE BOWL BIRD FEEDER with

Directions:

Start by scooping out and using the oranges as you talk to the kids about healthy eating and why oranges are so yummy and good for our body’s.

More options for using the orange segments:

Substitute your fresh orange for the canned mandarins in this refreshing STRAWBERRY ORANGE and SPINACH SALAD

Serve them on a purchased pound cake with whipped cream

Let’s make it

Now it’s time to start the ORANGE BOWL BIRD FEEDER fun using ingredients usually put to waste?

Begin by scooping out all of the pulp. The kids can do this with adult supervision using a heavy duty plastic spoon.

After most of the pulp was out, giving space for the bird seed, I found it was easier to place the skewers in, cross-wise about mid way from the top to the bottom of the orange at this point before putting in the side. Placing the skewers in this position as shown in the picture, gives balance when the seeds give the orange bowl some weight.

Time to hang it up

Put the seeds into a small cup and let the kids, or adults, pour the seeds into the ORANGE BOWL BIRD FEEDER, shaking the orange a bit to help get the seeds under the skewers.

Now cut the lengths of the twine, yarn or whatever you are using to tie onto the skewers to hang the feeder. If you’re not sure where, or how they will hang, it’s best to go longer and cut or tie up shorter when adjusting on the tree, fence, post, etc, than having to start over on this part.

Because it is a bowl, it can tip, so two are better than one on this to hang, in my opinion anyway:)

One to hold in place of the length and place of where it is desired to hang, and the other person to adjust the length of the strings.

There you have a wonderful way to watch the birds with your fully used-up ORANGE BOWL BIRD FEEDER!

Copyright Carrie Groneman, A Mother’s Shadow, 2019
Recognize a blessing and be a blessing today.

Easy Ice Cream Cone Bird Feeder

June 6, 2019/0 Comments/in Crafts, DIY and Holidays /by Carrie Groneman

Easy to make bird feeder with supplies on hand

What a great bird feeder for the kids to make!

This Easy Ice Cream Cone Bird Feeder is a fun hand and eye coordination activity for the younger kids. It is interesting for the older kids, and the supplies are easily found in your pantry.

Try this one for a family fun night, or activity to kill summer boredom.

As the birds come to snack, you can talk about what types they are, and help your kids appreciate the beauty each bird brings to our world.

For more ideas, try this ORANGE BOWL FEEDER and these TWO FEEDERS and DIY BINOCULARS are terrific for little ones.

Supplies:

Sugar Ice Cream Cones

Peanut Butter

Bird Seed

Paper plate, plastic knife or something to spread the peanut butter with such as a craft stick.

Directions:

Cut off the tip of the end of the sugar cone using a sharp knife. *This part is for an adult to do.

Put a tablespoon or two of peanut butter on a plate.

If the child is old enough to safely use a plastic knife, give them one to spread with. If not, a craft stick would work well.

And the sugar cone without the very tip, so there is an opening for the twine, string, etc. to hang the bird feeder with.

Have them spread the peanut butter all over the sugar cone.

Scrap off any excess peanut butter from the plate that wasn’t used.

Pour a 1/3 cup or so of bird seed onto the plate and have them roll and press the bird seed onto the peanut butter covered ice cream cone. Add more bird seed to the plate as needed; this will help control the mess:)

If the child is old enough, have them do this step also. If not, take the twine, string, or yarn and push it through both ends of the covered ice cream cone to form a long loop to hang the bird feeder from, giving yourself plenty of length. It’s easier to shorten it then to have to start over and add more length.

Hang the Easy Ice Cream Cone Bird Feeder from a branch, post, fence or wherever works best in your yard and area.

Now enjoy the birds coming to visit as they snack.

Copyright Carrie Groneman, A Mother’s Shadow, 2019
Recognize a blessing and be a blessing today.

Cute monsters from toilet paper rolls or tubes

Kids Halloween Craft T.P Scary Monsters

October 11, 2013/2 Comments/in Uncategorized /by Carrie Groneman

Halloween Kids Craft Monsters from Toilet Paper Rolls

These Kids Halloween Craft T.P Scary Monsters are so easy, inexpensive and a great way for kids to make their own Halloween decoration, or homemade toys to play with.

It’s a perfect way to help encourage imagination and creativity.

So simple, while a fun way to spend time together.

Let the kids make a bunch of them for their own grundle of monsters!

Kids Halloween Craft T.P Scary Monsters

Supplies:

click on titles/names to easily go straight to the items

Empty toilet paper rolls or cut empty paper towel roll into sections

Washable paints or markers

Foam brushes or other paint brushes

Foam plates

Striped Pipe cleaners OR Metallic Pipe Cleaners

Wiggly eyes

Self adhesive sticky dots

Directions: