DIY Cookie Cutter Birdseed Ornaments
These easy DIY birdseed ornaments make a perfect homemade gift at Christmas. They also make a nice ornament for your tree and serve a functional purpose by feeding hungry songbirds in winter. And all you to make them is a bit of birdseed, some gelatine and a little water.
A Fast and Frugal Homemade Gift Idea
I first tried making these birdseed ornaments for Christmas a couple years ago. The process was pretty easy and I ended up making half a dozen of them as gifts for people. But when I had finished making them, I put them in an airtight container to store them until Christmas. Big mistake.
The container trapped the moisture that remained in the gelatine mix and all of my ornaments went moldy! Needless to say I did not give them as Christmas gifts that year.
I decided to give them a go again last year, but I allowed them to cure in the open air for longer (about a week) and then I packaged them up in little gifts bags with “breathing” holes punched in them. This worked great! My mom still has the one I gave her and it’s like new.
I decided to make another small batch this year to gift to a couple of friends and (one to keep for ourselves). Ours is currently hanging on our Christmas tree:)
I picked up a 15 kg bag of birdseed from Costco for $11.99 (because it was cheaper than the 5 kg bag another local supermarket was selling for $17.99). I got a 12 pack of gelatine for around $6.00, and I already had some cookie cutters, so all in all this project cost me less than $20.00 and would yield at least 60 ornaments before I ran out of gelatin, with birdseed to spare. This makes this a super frugal handmade gift idea averaging around 30¢ an ornament. Box up a pack of 3 as a gift for friends, family, neighbours, co-workers, teachers and bird lovers in your life!
This project is also super quick and easy, and although I prefer to let my ornaments cure for at least a couple of days before I hang them, you could also make this the day before gifting it and it would be just fine. It only takes 3 ingredients (including water) and under 20 minutes to make and uses ingredients you can pick up at your local supermarket (if you don’t already have them on hand).
So if you find yourself a little late on your Christmas shopping or gift-making, these birdseed ornaments make a great last-minute homemade gift idea and don’t require any great level of skill to put together.
So break out your festive cookie cutters and get that list checked off! Or just make a few for the birds, and bring some life back into your own garden this winter. I don’t know about you, but by about February I’m more than ready for spring to make a return. A few songbirds hanging around in winter help me to remember that warmer, more bountiful days are just around the corner:)
Merry making!
P.S. If you love all things homemade and homestead-related, be sure to check out my Free Resource Library where I’ve got free downloadable e-books, guides, templates, checklists and printables to help you create a life you love, from scratch:)
DIY Cookie Cutter Birdseed Ornaments
Ingredients
- 2 cups mixed birdseed
- 2 packages powdered gelatine
- ½ cup of water
- Some cookie cutters in various shapes
To Hang the Ornaments:
- A few plastic straws cut into pieces (to form the holes for the ribbon)
- Some ribbon or twine (ribbon works best for hanging outdoors as twine is a more natural material that breaks down in the weather)
Instructions
- Bring ½ cup of water to a slow boil on the stove. Add in 2 packs of gelatine and stir well to combine. Stir until gelatine is dissolved and then remove from heat. Let cool for a minute or two.
- Add in 2 cups of birdseed and stir to mix well and coat all of the birdseed.
- Place cookie cutters of choice on parchment paper and scoop birdseed into the shapes, pressing down firmly with the back of the spoon. Fill the cookie cutter shape all the way to the top and then some, pressing firmly to pack tightly.
- Insert a straw wherever you'd like the hole for the ribbon to be. Then pack birdseed mixture around the straw as well as you can. Use a square of parchment paper to press birdseed into cookie cutter with your hands.
- Let moulds set for a couple of hours while they harden. You can put trays of them in the freezer to speed up this process. Then when they're ready, gently push them out of the cookie cutters and take the straws out. Make sure that the straws have punched a hole all the way through.
- Tie the ribbon or twine through the hole and then allow ornaments to cure in the open air for at least 24 hours before packaging them up in breathable packaging. This can be done sooner if it is a last-minute gift and you're in a hurry. But the longer you can leave them to cure for, the better:)
- Gift to someone special or hang them in your own backyard and enjoy the songbirds all winter long!
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I’m all about practical gifts; Gifts that will truly make life easier and contribute to my and my family’s wellbeing. And our family includes our animals!
One of the ways we make sure our chickens are taken care of is by letting them free range during the day, but making sure they’re locked up and safe from predators at night. But who wants to be up at the crack of dawn to open the coop, or wake up to a bloodbath because you forgot to close the coop the night before?
(The answer is obviously no one… No one wants that).
Automating our homesteading tasks as much as possible allows us to worry about other things and saves us a ton of time. Plus, it makes sure that things get taken care of, whether we remember or not.
Using an automatic chicken door has been a GAME CHANGER for us. It’s one of those lesser known homestead tools that can make all the difference, and I’m always recommending one to anyone who keeps chickens!
This chicken door from @chickcozy_ is so easy to install and use too, and right now you can get one for a steal during their Black Friday sale!
Save over $40 off an automatic chicken door, plus use my coupon code for an ADDITIONAL DISCOUNT!
Don’t forget to check out their chicken coop heaters too, which are also on sale right now:)
Whether you’re shopping for yourself or looking for the perfect gift for the chicken lover who has everything (which might also be yourself;) the @chickcozy_ automatic chicken door is one Christmas gift that won’t soon be forgotten!
Comment “Chicken” below for more info and to get my exclusive coupon code! 🐓
#chicken #chickens #chickendoor #chickcozyautodoor #chickcozy #chickensofinstagram #chickensofig #chickenlover #homesteadlife
Yes, you read that right…
Modern Homesteading Magazine is coming to an end.
This decision has not come easily, but there’s a season for everything, and more and more I’m feeling called to transition out of this season and into the next in both life and business.
And so this final farewell issue is bittersweet. On the one hand, it’s the first ever annual issue, with 100 pages packed with brand new content that celebrates the best of the past 32 issues!
And it’s the first issue I’ve ever offered in PRINT!
But on the other hand, it marks the end of an era, and of this publication that I’ve absolutely had the pleasure of creating and sharing with you.
If you’re a digital subscriber, you will not be charged a renewal fee going forward, and will continue to have access to the digital library until your subscription runs out. As part of your subscription, you’re able to download and/or print each issue of you like, so that you never lose access to the hundreds of articles and vast amount of information in each issue.
Rather than subscribing, you can now purchase an all-access pass for a one-time fee of just $20, which gives you access to our entire digital library of issues.
Plus, for a limited time, when you purchase an all-access pass you’ll also get a gift certificate for a second all-access pass to gift to someone else.
I’m also still taking preorders for the print version of this special edition issue, but only for a few more weeks!
When you preorder the print issue, you’ll also get a digital copy of the special edition issue (this issue only), and will receive a print copy in the mail later this year (hopefully by Christmas so long as there are no shipping delays!)
Click the link in my profile or visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com to check out the latest issue, purchase an all-access pass to the digital library and/or preorder the print issue today!
Thanks to everyone who has read the magazine over the past 4 years. I’m humbled and grateful for your support, and can’t wait to share whatever comes next:)
#modernhomesteading #homesteading #homesteadersofinstagram
It’s easy to romanticize homesteading, but the truth is that those homegrown vegetables, those freshly laid eggs, that loaf of bread rising on the counter, and that pantry full of home-canned food takes time, effort and dedication. It doesn’t “just happen” overnight!
But if you work on learning one new skill at a time and gain confidence in it before moving onto the next, one day you’ll be looking back and marvelling at how far you’ve come.
That’s where I’m at now. Life today looks a lot different than it did 10 years ago, when our homesteading and self-reliance journey was just beginning.
Back then we still lived in our city condo and were just beginning to dabble in all of this stuff. But my husband Ryan and I felt a sense urgency to start pursuing a more self-reliant lifestyle, and we committed to taking small steps, one day at a time to make that vision a reality.
Over the years we’ve continued to put one foot in front of the other, adding new skills and tackling new projects along the way that have helped us get to where we are today.
While there’s always more we want to learn and do, as I look around me right now, I’m so grateful that we took those first steps, especially considering what’s happened in the world over the past few years!
If you’re also feeling the urgency to take the first (or next) steps toward a more self-reliant life, this is your final reminder that today is the last day to join The Society of Self-Reliance and start levelling up your homesteading and self-sufficiency skills so that you’ve got what it takes to:
• Grow your own groceries
• Stock your pantry
• Create a natural home
• Get prepared
• Learn other important life skills like time management for homesteaders, goal setting and how to become your own handyman
And more!
If you’ve been feeling called to level up your self-reliance skills (because let’s be honest, we’re in for a wild ride these next few years with everything going on in the world), now is the time to heed that call.
Link in profile to enroll before midnight tonight, or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society
#homesteading #selfreliance #selfsufficiency #homesteadingskills #preparedness
There are so many reasons to grow your own food at home:
💰 Saves you money at the grocery store
🍴 Healthier than conventionally grown food
🔑 increases your overall food security
🫙 Gives you an abundance to preserve and share
But perhaps the number one reason is because it just tastes better!
Not only does food taste better when it’s freshly picked or allowed to ripen on the vine, there’s something about putting in the work to grow something from a tiny seed and then getting to see it on your dinner plate that just makes it so much more satisfying than anything you’ll ever buy from the store.
Plus, having to wait all year for fresh tomatoes or strawberries or zucchinis to be in season makes that short period when they’re available just that much more exciting!
With the world spinning out of control and food prices continuing to rise, it’s no wonder more people are taking an interest in learning to grow their own food at home. But that also means changing our relationship with food and learning to appreciate the work that goes into producing it and the natural seasonality of organically grown fruits and vegetables.
(It also means learning to preserve it so you can make the most of it and enjoy homegrown food all year long).
In my online membership program, The Society of Self-Reliance, you’ll learn how to grow your own food, from seed to harvest, as well as how to preserve it so you can enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor all year long!
You’ll also learn how to grow and craft your own herbal medicine, detox your home, become your own handyman, and so much more (because self-reliance is about more than just the food that we eat… But that’s a pretty good place to start!)
The doors to the Society are now open for a limited time only. Click the link in my profile or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
#foodsecurity #homegrownfood #homesteading #selfreliance #selfsufficiency #homegrownfoodjusttastesbetter
If you’ve been watching events unfold over the past few years and you’re feeling called to start “cutting ties” with the system and begin reclaiming your independence, The Society of Self-Reliance was made for you!
When I first launched this online membership program last year, my goal was to create a one-stop resource where members could go to learn and practice every aspect of self-reliance, as well as a space to connect with other like-minded people pursuing the same goal. And that’s exactly what you’ll get when you join!
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn inside the Society:
🌱 Food Security and Self-Sufficiency: Learn the art of growing and preserving your own food, ensuring you and your loved ones have access to nutritious meals year-round.
🌿 Natural Living and Herbal Medicine Mastery: Discover the secrets to creating a low-tox home and and to growing, making and using herbal remedies to support your family’s health, naturally.
🔨 Essential Life Skills: Learn essential life skills like time management, effective goal setting and practical DIY skills to become more self-sufficient.
As a member, you’ll enjoy:
📚 Monthly Video Lessons: Gain access to our ever-growing library of video lessons, with fresh content added each month.
📞 Live Group Coaching Calls: Participate in our monthly live group coaching calls, where we deep dive into a different self-reliance topic every month, and do live demonstrations and Q&A’s.
🏡 Private Community: Join our private community forum where you can ask questions, share your progress, and connect with like-minded individuals.
I only open the doors to The Society once or twice each year, but right now, for one week only, you can become a member for just $20/month (or $200/year).
In today’s world, self-reliance is no longer a luxury, a “cute hobby,” it’s a necessity. Join us inside The Society of Self-Reliance and empower yourself with the skills you need to thrive in the new world!
Link in profile or visit thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
#selfreliance #selfreliant #selfsufficiency #selfsufficientliving #sustainableliving #modernhomesteading #homesteadingskills #preparedness
Got out for an early morning harvest today. Been up since 3am, contemplating life, the future and the past, the order of things…
There is a rumbling right now, not just in North America, but around the world. Many of us can feel it, and know we are on the precipice of something big.
I’d been hearing about this new song that’s become an overnight viral sensation, written by an (until now) unknown singer named Oliver Anthony. His new song Rich Men North of Richmond has had 14 million views on YouTube in the past week alone, so I decided to check it out.
I also saw a clip of him playing a Farmers Market last week, and anything that has to do with Farmers Markets always has my attention;)
I can’t tell you how many tears I’ve already cried listening to that song. If you’ve heard it already, you probably know what I’m talking about, and if you haven’t, I highly recommend giving it a listen. All I can say is it’s been a while since a song resonated so deeply with me, and in this strange new world, I know I’m not the only one.
One of the lines in Anthony’s song is “Livin’ in the new world, with an old soul,” and that’s something I think so many of us in the homesteading community can relate to.
Trying to cling to better days; To a simpler time; To the old ways, all while doing our best to get by in the new world.
The world has changed drastically in the last few years especially, and it’s set to change in immense ways over the next few years. Today I’m feeling thankful for people like @oliver_anthony_music_ who give a voice to what so many are feeling right now.
Know that if you’re feeling it too, you’re far from alone. And while the future may feel uncertain and even a little scary, remember that if we stand united, we the people are a force to be reckoned with.
(Continued in comments…)
Another garlic harvest in the books!
Garlic is easily one of my favourite crops to grow. It’s pretty much a “set if and forget it” crop. We plant in the fall and leave it to overwinter, fertilize a couple times in the spring, start watering only once the ground starts to dry out, and then harvest in the summer. We can even plant a fall succession crop after our garlic if we want so it really makes great use of garden space all year round.
Over the years we’ve managed to become completely self-sufficient with garlic. We now grow enough to eat all year (and then some!), plus we save our own seed garlic and usually have extra to sell or give away. And around here fresh, organic garlic ain’t cheap, so it’s a good cash crop for anyone who’s serious about selling it.
It took me a few years to really get the hang of garlic, but it’s one crop I’m now very confident with (knock on wood, because it’s always when we make statements like this that next year’s crop fails! Lol.)
A while back I compiled a comprehensive guide to growing, harvesting and using garlic both as an edible and medicinal crop. This is usually only available as part of a paid bundle (or in the fall 2022 issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine if you’re a subscriber;), but for a limited time I’m offering it for free, no strings attached!
Plus you’ll also get access to my step-by-step video lesson on planting garlic so you can set yourself up for success with your garlic crop this year.
Comment “Garlic” below or head to thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-guide to get your free copy!
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#garlic #garlicharvest #homesteading #selfsufficient #selfsufficiency #selfsufficientliving #selfreliance #homegrown #groworganic #growfoodnotlawns #gardenersofinstagram #homesteadersofinstagram
Going through photos and videos from our trip to the @modernhomesteadingconference and the vast majority are of our daughter having the time of her life!
Even if I personally got nothing else out of this gathering (which I most certainly did), watching her discover her own love of this lifestyle outside of what we do at home made my heart grow three sizes!
Homesteading is about so much more than homegrown food and self-reliance. It’s about passing on invaluable skills and an understanding of and respect for our connection to the land that provides for us to the next generation.
Being around so many other kids and families who are also pursuing a homesteading lifestyle helped show our little one that this is a movement that is so much bigger and greater than what our own family does on our little plot of land. This is a lifestyle worth pursuing, with a community unlike any other.
Glad to be back home and more excited than ever to involve my kids in everything we’re doing. But also, I think I speak for my whole family when I say we can’t wait to go back someday!
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#homesteading #modernhomesteading #raisinglittles
If you’re simply looking for ways to save a little extra cash this summer and live well for less, here are 12 tried and tested frugal living tips for summer that you can use to save money this season without sacrificing a thing.
Head over using the link in my bio!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/12-frugal-living-tips-summer/
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A brand new issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine just dropped!
In this issue:
🌱 How to forage and use five common edible and medicinal weeds
🏠 A sustainable, affordable alternative to traditional homes, greenhouses and more
👨👩👧👦 Tips for managing a homestead while raising a family (big or small!)
🫙 What to focus on when preserving food for true food security
🌹 How to grow and arrange your own cut flowers at home
🍓 The many ways to preserve summer berries (including 5 delicious recipes!)
💇How to make your own all-natural herbal hair care products at home
🧑🌾 Why “community sufficiency” is the new self-sufficiency
And more!
Visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com (or click the link in my bio) to subscribe or login to the library and read the latest issue.
Plus, be sure to check out all of our past issues as well! There’s a wealth of information in our library on everything from farming and gardening to cooking and canning to herbal medicine, natural living and so much more!
*** This will be the last quarterly issue! ***
This little magazine has grown so much over the past 4 years and 32 issues, and now it’s time for another exciting evolution.
I’m excited to announce that we will be moving to an even more robust annual publication with the intention of offering the first ever print edition this fall if there is enough demand.
I’m also excited to announce the brand new Modern Homesteading Magazine blog, which is currently under construction and will be launching soon. While we will still be maintaining digital subscriptions, the blog will be accessible to all, free of charge, so that more people might benefit from the empowering and increasingly important information that we cover in each issue.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this issue happen! @homesteadingfamily @oatsandhoneyhomestead @omnivore.culture @thetaylor.leigh @doeraydesign (and more who don’t have IG pages;)
And a HUGE thank you to everyone who has subscribed over the years. Modern Homesteading Magazine would never have become what it is today without each and every one of you.
#homesteading #modernhomesteading #selfsufficiency
If you’ve ever grown your own garlic, you might have noticed the spiral-shaped shoots that suddenly pop up in the centre of the stem, usually about a month or so before the garlic bulbs themselves are ready to be harvested.
These are garlic scapes, and believe it or not- they make delicious pesto! Get the recipe through the link in my bio- https://thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-scape-pesto/
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#houseandhomestead
#homesteadmom
#homesteadmoments
#homesteadingskills
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#summeronthehomestead
#suburbanhomesteading
#lovemyfarm
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This honey and chive blossom vinaigrette is a frugal, easy and healthy homemade salad dressing that pairs beautifully with fresh garden salads all season long.
Get the recipe through the link in my bio.
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/chive-blossom-vinaigrette/
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#houseandhomestead
#herbalgarden
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#seasonalrecipes
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Hi, I am excited to do this as a family project for Christmas this year. Ornaments come in a variety of sizes. Would you share the size you utilized?
Hi Kathleen – Anna has used a wide variety of sizes of cookie cutters for this project, so feel free to use whatever you have on hand! -Ashley (Assistant)
Have you ever used Agar Agar in lieu of gelatin to make these?
I haven’t and I admit I’m unfamiliar with Agar Agar!
Thanks for your speedy response, I can’t seem to find powder gelatine here…have you made it with the sheets and if so what ratio did you use?
Hi am going to try this for sure. However I live in the Caribbean where it is 80F every day, 24/7/365. Would these stand up to the heat and not get moldy?
Hi Gina,
I can’t say for sure how these will hold up in the Caribbean as I’ve never attempted it! I would try a batch and see how it goes. The heat shouldn’t be so much of a problem as the humidity/moisture in the air, but since they’re for hanging in open air I’d assume they’d be okay. Let me know how it goes!
Someone already asked this but you didn’t really answer, about how many does your recipe make? Going to do this with grandkids and want to have enough for all. Thanks
I honestly am not sure as it depends on the shape and size of the cookie cutters. I’ve used a combination of small, medium and large stars and gingerbread man cookie cutters before but I haven’t made these in a few years now and can’t remember exactly how many I got.
I plan on making some and using them as wedding favors. How can I store them and for how long could I store them?
I would definitely make sure they are completely dried out before packaging them up, and to be safe I’d poke a few holes in the bag if you’re going to package them in plastic. (I’ve had some mold on me before when I packaged them up when they were still a bit moist). Otherwise they should last for quite a while. I wouldn’t make them months ahead, but a few weeks should be fine:)
I was wondering how much gelatin to use if I cannot find the same brand? How much is in each package? I couldn’t tell from the link on Amazon if 1 package is 1 oz or if the entire box of 4 packets is 1 oz total. I have some gelatin in bulk at home so this would be helpful, thank you!
Hi Christel,
There are approximately 2 1/2 tsp in one package of gelatin.
These are a great idea; thank you for posting. One thing about the gelatin – it needs to “bloom” in cold water first. This will prevent clumps. I do that in 1/4 cup cold water and once it’s stirred, I add in a 1/4 cup boiling water.
Hi Jean,
I haven’t noticed any problem with skipping the “blooming’ process so far but you make a good point. It is a good tip if someone is having any difficulties with the gelatin clumping at all.
Will these fall apart outside? Because I’m thinking of doing some of these for my cage feeders instead of constantly buying cakes.
Hi Magi,
These hold up surprisingly well outside! I’m sure if you had consistent stormy weather or something then they may not hold up for as long. But in my experience they’ve always held up for at least as long as it takes for the birds to eat them:)
Can you use the liquid gelatin instead of powder packets?
Hi Jamie,
Anna has never used liquid gelatin but doesn’t see any reason why it shouldn’t work. You would just need to figure out the conversion from powder to liquid to determine the amount you need for the recipe.
How many ornaments does this recipe make?
This depends on the size and shape of the ornaments/cookie cutters you choose.
Thank you for this! I’ve tried other recipes and this is the best. Plus my two year old could help!
We rolled aluminum foil and made our own shapes, it was easy and they came out great.
Worked really well. My chickens love them!
How much powdered gelatine is in 1 package?
I came to ask the same thing as I get it bulk! I think it is about 2.5 teaspoons if I recall.
The kids made these tonight! Super easy and perfect for young ones to do for indoor activity.