Create the Perfect Bird Feeder

Looking for a project to keep you busy this winter? Prepare for spring by constructing a bird feeder to welcome home backyard friends after a long winter down south. Not only do feeders provide food and a resting spot for birds, but they also add a decorative touch to your backyard. If you are not handy enough to construct a feeder from scratch, you can purchase a ready-made birdhouse from any home supply store. Follow these decorating suggestions to create the perfect feeder! Decorate with Ceramic Tiles or Buttons Dazzle a wooden birdhouse with a series of colorful buttons or small ceramic tiles to give the shelter an inviting atmosphere. Choose pieces of all shapes, sizes and colors to create a masterpiece that will bring life and variety to your garden. This is a great craft to do with children, as it is relatively mess free. (As long as the buttons or tiles are in a spill proof container.) Have an adult apply the pieces with a hot glue gun and hold down for a few seconds to secure. Add a Fresh Coat of Paint Nothing looks crisper than a freshly painted wooden birdhouse. Paint the feeder a solid color or add stripes, polka dots and other designs. Latex paint is recommended because it is both lead-free and water-soluble, which is completely safe for animals. Finish with a layer of polyurethane to prevent colors from weathering and fading. Use Recycled Goods If you do not want to use a traditional wooden birdhouse as your feeder, you can paint and use recycled products like coffee cans or plastic bottles. Rinse out a coffee can and remove both ends so that you can see through the cylinder. Feed a piece of colorful ribbon or string through the open center of the can so that it can be hung horizontally on its side. This open center will provide a place for food to sit and an area for small birds to gather. To use a plastic bottle, cut off the top so you can pour feed into the bottle half. Punch a hole in each side of the bottle so you can feed string through to hang. This is more of an open feeder, which is easier for larger birds to eat.