It’s been bitterly cold here in Ottawa lately (cold enough to even freeze bubbles as evidenced on my blog recently) and it had us worrying about our feathered friends. So we put our heads together and decided to make a birdseed wreath. Not only does it make a pretty decoration for a winter garden that the birds and squirrels will love, but it’s very easy to make… especially with one or two little helpers.

Normally these kinds of wild bird treats are made with suet, but we didn’t have time (nor the desire) to go to the butcher and spend a few hours rendering the fat. We made it with gelatin instead, and it worked really well.

What you’ll need:

• Three cups of mixed birdseed, formulated for outdoor birds (available at bulk stores)
• Two packets of unflavoured gelatine (we used Knox brand)
• Cooking spray
• A mould (We used a plastic cake dome, the kind you often see in grocery store bakeries protecting the baked goods, but next time I will try this with a bundt pan or something a bit smaller to prevent the wreath from cracking when we take it out of the mould.)
• Decorative ribbon

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, prepare the gelatine as per directions on the package.

2. Add the bird seed and mix until it is thoroughly coated.

3. Spray the mould with cooking spray.

4. Add the seed mixture to the mould, patting it down as you go. Make sure you leave a hole in the middle so you can run your ribbon through it later. (We used a milk glass, but you can do this with anything you have lying around.)

5. Freeze for a 4–5 hours until it’s completely set.

6. Carefully remove the wreath from the mould. It should be totally solid. Hint: It helps to use a pastry knife to prevent it from breaking at this point.

You’re almost done! Loop the ribbon through the finished wreath and tie it up you can see it. We chose a fencepost that’s visible from our kitchen window.

Now all you need to do is step back and watch the wildlife flock to your door. Happy birdwatching!

Andrea Tomkins is a mother of two imps, and wife of one. She’s a freelance writer who is often found with camera in hand or scribbling madly in her notebook. She is passionate about arts and culture, travel and healthy living, and gets an extra big thrill out of helping parents and kids discover all the hidden treasures Ottawa has to offer. You can follow her adventures on her blog, a peek inside the fishbowl, where she’s been writing about family life since 1999. She’ll be sharing a great new craft idea here at CF.ca every Friday.