Like so many of my friends in the south, we’ve had a few snow days this year. But allow me to point out that when we have a snow day in Pennsylvania, it’s because we actually have SNOW. Lot’s of it! None of this shutting-down-the-city-for-a-week stuff because we got 3 inches of snow.
Oh, I suppose we’re better equipped for snow up here. What with our vast collections of snow tires, rock salt, plows and mittens. Much love to all my Snowy Southern Sisters.
While we were housebound, I was inspired by Emily at Saltwater Kids and we decided it was time to make some treats for our hardy feathered friends. At least the birds that didn’t fly south only to get stuck in a snowstorm in Atlanta.
These bird seed ornaments were easy (and cheep!) to make. I already had everything I needed in the house…except the Knox jello. And since I know how to drive in the snow, I ran to the store and bought some. 
Here is Emily’s recipe for Bird Seed Ornaments (with my commentary). But click over to her site because she took really pretty pictures and I didn’t.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup water
1 envelope unflavored (knox) jello
3 tbsp corn syrup
4 cups birdseed
You’ll also need:
Some kind of mold – I used muffin tins but you could use cookie cutters, jello molds or something else pretty.
Non-stick spray
Drinking straws cut into 2-3″ lengths
String or ribbon (to hang the ornaments from the trees)
Step 1: Mix the flour, water, corn syrup and gelatin together in a large bowl.
Step 2: Stir in the bird seed. Mix until it’s well-coated.
Step 3: Spray your muffin tins (or molds) with the non-stick spray.
Step 4: Fill your molds with the bird seed mixture. Pack it down well with your hands, a spoon or the bottom of a measuring cup.
Note: At this point, your mixture will seem too dry to hold together. That’s ok. Just go with it. It sticks together as it drys.
Step 5: Poke a hold in each ornament with a piece of drinking straw. Make sure it goes all the way through and leave the straw in place until the ornaments are dry.
Step 6: Allow the ornaments to dry in the molds for 2-3 hours.
Step 7: Remove the straws and gently remove the ornaments from the mold. You may be able to dump them out or you may need to use a sharp knife to GENTLY pry them out. Allow them to continue drying for a few more hours…or overnight.
Step 8: Put your ribbon or string through the holes and hang them up!
Step 9: Wait for the birds. Where are they anyway? Did they have a snow day too?
Have you had a snow days this winter? What did YOU do?
{ 25 comments }
Ppphhtt! We had 7 and half inches! In Alabama!
I did look out the window and think about the poor birds_great idea!! Thanks!
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So funny! It’s true–we Southerners do call a halt to pretty much everything when it snows! That’s okay, though–considering how few plows and salt trucks we have, we’re better off being “snowed in” with a few inches and staying off the roads than we would be if we tried to drive in it!
Actually, these bird feeders would be great in any kind of weather, but they’re particularly nice for the winter. Maybe some of your birds flew down here for the winter. Would that mean that they took a snow season?
I lived in L.A. for a couple of rainy months – which apparently is *unheard* of. Man, they had no idea how to drive.
Now here in Chicago, *we* know how to drive
cough,cough.
This post reminded me of something I hadn’t thought of in years!
When I was a kid we mad feeders by smearing PB on TP tubes and rolling in birdseed. I had totally forgotten that! Thanks for the memory
Dana @ Cookin’ at Cafe D´s last blog ..Pottery Barn Free Shipping And- Target- and Amazon
Oh, my goodness. We had a couple of the most ridiculous snow days ever. It was supposed to snow on a Sunday, so they pretty much cancelled church – just did a 30 minute service to get us all home before it got “bad.” By 3pm, they’d cancelled school for the next day. It still hadn’t snowed yet, just rain, but it was thinking about snowing. I think it only snowed for about half an hour at my house, so on Monday morning, there was maybe a little bit of ice on the road. But no school. Louisiana is crazy!
In the south, it should be called ‘ice days’. It is snow for all of two minutes then turns quickly to ice. I don’t care where you are from, you can’t drive on ice. (Just ask all the experienced truckers that jack-knifed all over the interstates last week) As for this GA girl, I’m glad we don’t sink tax dollars into winter weather machinery that will get used once every decade and sit idle the rest of the time. There are much better uses of our funds. I do get tired of northerners making fun of us, even if they pretend they are being cute and playful about it.
Leslie, It used to bug me too, but now I just laugh along and enjoy having fun playing in the few and far between snow days we do have while the rest of the country actually has to go to work on some of God’s most beautiful days:) I’m 55 and still get as giddy as a school girl on “snow days” – as long as I’m laughing,and having fun, I don’t care who is laughing at me:)
“And since I know how to drive in the snow, I ran to the store and bought some.”
aheahaheahaheah!
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I felt that dig all the way down in Mississippi!
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It is true in the South we panic when it snows…but it is due to the Blizzard we had in 93 (we got 18 inches of snow in 1-2 days) & most people weren’t prepared. With most of our winter weather, we get a lot of ice. With the most recent storm we got 3-4 inches of snow that was compacted by 1-2 inches of ice on top of that. We aren’t equipped to handle it & we have NO IDEA how to drive in it! There are only a few idiots who get out & drive in it, then have accidents. I am amazed at how y’all do it up there when you get so much snow.
We southern girls like to hole up in the house with a fire & cup of coffee…we get out & play for a little bit with the kids though as we need to make memories!
Fun post!! I still am not confident driving in the snow, which I recently realized was actually affecting how I was planning or NOT planning fun activities. Now that I realize that I have allowed fear to raise it’s ugly head, I better just head out and do it afraid. Maybe in a LARGE parking lot first! Have a great weekend.
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I’m like Dana, we used to do the peanut butter kind too. What fun!
Well, we homeschool, so snow days are just regular days to us.
No days off school for snow! I do know how to drive in it though. I love the bird feeder idea. It’s supposed to snow here again this week and we may whip some up for the poor little birdies.
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Okay, now listen. I have lived in the South my entire life…within 30 miles of any one place. BUT I can drive in the snow. I have done it before. I’m sure I’ll do it again. Do I DRIVE in the snow? NOT ON YOUR LIFE. Why? Because of all the crazies out there who do NOT know how to drive in the snow. I think it’s very funny that at this very moment it is snowing outside my window. And they are closing schools an hour early. There is NO accumulation. Sigh…no wonder y’all make fun of us. Don’t get me started on the grocery stores. Ugh.
As for the bird feeders, I love them. I have some friends who are bigger bird nerds than we are, so I will be making these for them (as well as us) soon. Thanks for the idea! I love the cookie cutter ones!
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Oh, those are so cute!! Last winter, snow days were just torture…my oldest didn’t go to preschool for weeks because we had several feet of snow at various times. :s This year, my kids are older, play better, and I don’t mind snow days.
We’re getting more snow here in WV even as I type so I just may give this a try this weekend. Thanks for sharing!
It’s something like -15F here this morning (could possibly be colder….my outside thermometer doesn’t register temps that low).
I tried making birdseed ornaments as gifts for Christmas- I tried two recipes….one of them turned out so crumbly the ornaments fell apart as I was getting them out of their molds. Does this recipe make a sturdy enough ornament?
Those are so cute! I should make some but you know birds and fish aren’t fairing so well in Arkansas these days – ha. And I love your fun pokes on Southern snow days – it’s all so true! Hope you have a wonderfully cozy weekend, friend!
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Great idea! Thanks I think I will make those with my kids this weekend
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Ha! You had me at “cheep”! Well, here we are in Colorado, waiting for a snowstorm worth talking about!!!! Of course, there is TONS of snow in the mountains, but down here? Let’s just say my kids were out jumping on the trampoline with short-sleeves today. Oh, how I want snow.
Anyway, we’ll have to give these a shot! My daughter has a peanut butter allergy which usually makes these feeders tough to make with her! Good to see one without using peanut butter. Thanks!
Love this idea. When we had our snow days I couldn’t figure out what to do so I smeared some peanut butter (all natural) on a paper plate and put some nuts and seeds on it. This is sooo much more attractive!
BTW- try 3 inches of ice – and because most of us don’t have the appropriate removal supplies – we were going at it with sledge hammers and pick axes – quite hilarious! But we Southerners do love a good excuse to hunker down and nest:) Even my Bostonian hubby doens’t want to get out in the ice.
My experience says all you need the first thing you need to have is rock salt.
Nice post.
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I love it! Thanks for the great idea~
The Cute Couponer
http://www.thecutecouponer.blogspot.com
I’m going to try these!
Thanks,
Val
http://www.lovingmyheartandhome.blogspot.com
live in hawaii and don’t miss the snow! well just one little snowfall a year i miss! we get rain!!
these are really cool, we used to put peanut butter on pine cones then roll them in birdseed and hang them on the trees, they really eat them. great kid activity!
I just totally love those cute bird feeder ornaments! I have now printed off your instructions to have a go with my son
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