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You are here: Home / Art / Art Projects + Ideas / Pinterest-Inspired DIY Recycled Bird Feeder. Sort of.

Pinterest-Inspired DIY Recycled Bird Feeder. Sort of.

June 10, 2013 By anotherjennifer 35 Comments

Last year, we dug up our small yard and made some big changes. We hired someone to install a big patio. We built a raised veggie bed next to our handmade sandbox. And we added gardens. Lots of gardens.

By the end of the summer, we were left with one small patch of grass and gave our lawnmower to our landscaper. We purchased a reel mower and put a snow blower where our lawn mower used to be in the garage.

This spring is the first time I’ve really been able to work in my new gardens. Being so early in the season, I’ve only just begun. In Maine, you really can’t plant anything until after Memorial Day due to frost. (I believe there was actually a frost warning the other day, but we won’t talk about that.)

While I was waiting to play in the dirt, I decided we’d have some fun and attempt to attract birds to our yard this year. My new gardens are away from my bird hating dogs’ reach, so we moved a bird house we’ve had for years over in the middle of the new garden. I swear I’ve never seen a bird in this bird house. I’m guessing it was because we had it too close to a busy sidewalk.

Well, the new location seemed to be ideal for the birds. Lots came by to perch and eat bird seed. (Can you tell I’m not really a bird person? I have no idea what kind of birds visit us.)

And then I got the idea to make our own bird feeder.

I turned to Pinterest for inspiration. Though I’m not a fan of Pinterest, I figured I would find something that would get the creative juices flowing.

Here’s what became my inspiration.

DIY Bird Feeder from Plum Adorable

DIY Bird Feeder from Plum Adorable

This bird feeder was a bit too cutesy for me, but I like the idea of using materials I had in the house to make something. I had just recycled some dog food cans, and I had plenty of acrylic paint. I also had nails that I would use for the perch instead of the wooden dowel shown in the inspiration picture. (I like industrial over cute any day.)

We painted our recycled tin cans and hot glued nails as perches for the birds.

We painted our recycled tin cans and hot glued nails as perches for the birds.

I wasn’t convinced that the can would actually balance itself properly with a ribbon. Plus the ribbon was too cutesy for me. My husband came up with the idea of screwing the painted cans to a wooden post in the garden.

birdfeeder

It was not easy to get the bird seed into the cans! (And, yes, we need to mulch.)

While it doesn’t look too bad in the garden, there we were a few problems.

The nails didn’t stay on the cans (and I can’t imagine the wooden dowel would’ve been much better).

The paint clumped up in the rain. Since I’ve use the same paint for other outdoor projects, I’m going to assume the paint just didn’t stick to the aluminum material well.

The bird seed was nearly impossible to get into the can without spilling all over the ground. That seed is also sprouting now, which has me weeding every single day.

I have yet to see a bird eat from inside the can. (They go for the seed on the ground that isn’t growing yet.)

Oh, and I cut myself on the top of the can while telling my kids how sharp the lid was.

What do you think? Was this a Pinterest fail? Or maybe just new garden art?

gardenbirdfeeder

You can see our new bird feeder / garden art on the right.

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Filed Under: Art Projects + Ideas, Life Tagged With: birding, Biz, DIY bird feeder, gardening, Pinterest fail, recycled bird feeder

Meet Jennifer

jennifer iacovelli barbour dugout canoe nicaragua

Jennifer Iacovelli is a blogger, copywriter, author, consultant, speaker, do-gooder, single mother, lefty, pie-hater, bacon-lover, Syracuse alum, Maine dweller and lover of life.Β  Read More…

Comments

  1. Ilene says

    June 10, 2013 at 5:51 am

    A pinterest fail! LOL! You should share this with the Doe girls if you haven’t already! I do have to say it looks pretty – but sorry you cut yourself! That’s why I don’t craft! It’s dangerous!
    Ilene recently posted..Never MindMy Profile

    Reply
    • anotherjennifer says

      June 13, 2013 at 8:53 pm

      Crafting can be very dangerous! I need to just stick to painting on canvas or sketching.
      anotherjennifer recently posted..New Perspectives: Allowing Ourselves to FeelMy Profile

      Reply
  2. thedoseofreality says

    June 10, 2013 at 9:40 am

    Crying with laughter! Honestly, I could totally see myself doing something like this…thinking I would be all crafty and having it completely be a failure! Love your honesty! Definite Pinterest fail!-Ashley
    thedoseofreality recently posted..The Revival Of The Yes DayMy Profile

    Reply
    • anotherjennifer says

      June 13, 2013 at 8:55 pm

      Ugh. There is no way that inspiration bird feeder worked. Can you imagine what that ribbon looked like after the first rain? And what bird can fit into a tin can?
      anotherjennifer recently posted..Wordless Wednesday: Take Me Out to the Ball GameMy Profile

      Reply
  3. Tracie says

    June 10, 2013 at 9:44 am

    It sounds exactly how it would turn out if I had tried to make it. So I won’t call it a Pinterest fail…just a Pinterest misstep, maybe?
    Tracie recently posted..My Own Little BelleMy Profile

    Reply
    • anotherjennifer says

      June 13, 2013 at 8:57 pm

      That’s a good spin. I like it!
      anotherjennifer recently posted..Philanthropy Friday: Food For Thought on Global NutritionMy Profile

      Reply
  4. Tamara says

    June 10, 2013 at 11:42 am

    Yeah, I wouldn’t call it a fail. However it’s hilarious. I am so un-crafty that nearly everything I do is a pinterest fail. I do happen to do all right with the baking recipes, though!
    Tamara recently posted..Break It Down Again.My Profile

    Reply
    • anotherjennifer says

      June 13, 2013 at 9:03 pm

      I’m artistic, but I’m not good with crafts. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I don’t see how any birds would be attracted to it!
      anotherjennifer recently posted..Which nonprofits do you support?My Profile

      Reply
  5. Cyndi says

    June 10, 2013 at 2:33 pm

    I won’t admit that I chuckled a few times and ur idea seemed better than the original Pinterest one. The cutesy stuff isn’t my thing, either. The seeds sprouting is priceless though heheh

    Reply
    • anotherjennifer says

      June 13, 2013 at 9:11 pm

      It has now rained for about 3 days. I have A LOT of weeding to do! Oh, and the paint is almost completely off. It was a good idea, I suppose….
      anotherjennifer recently posted..Wordless Wednesday: New Meadows River, Bath, MEMy Profile

      Reply
  6. Alexa says

    June 10, 2013 at 2:41 pm

    I definitely liked your idea better than the one from Pinterest (although I at first thought that was your finished product and I almost fell out of my chair cause it didn’t seem like you!!) – too bad it didn’t work as well as you would have hoped, but it looks really cool! The garden looks great too. You should still pin this on our Pin It! Tuesday!
    Alexa recently posted..18 MonthsMy Profile

    Reply
    • anotherjennifer says

      June 13, 2013 at 9:14 pm

      Ha! Yeah. That inspiration pic is definitely not my style! It was fun to have a post I could add to your Pin It Tuesday!
      anotherjennifer recently posted..BabbaCo Blinded Me With ScienceMy Profile

      Reply
  7. Chris Carter says

    June 10, 2013 at 5:43 pm

    Well considering I hate doing crafts- if I were you, I would be calling that a FAIL because of all the efforts you put into the darn thing and then it doesn’t even work well!!! Geesh. Well, at least it was something creative to do with the kiddos!! πŸ™‚
    Chris Carter recently posted..Devotional Diaries: Hope… Jeremiah 29:11My Profile

    Reply
    • anotherjennifer says

      June 13, 2013 at 9:21 pm

      We had some fun. Maybe we can find some other use for it. I’m seriously questioning what birds visit that inspiration bird feeder!
      anotherjennifer recently posted..Philanthropy Friday: Couch Rebel With a CauseMy Profile

      Reply
  8. Jennifer M. says

    June 10, 2013 at 8:48 pm

    After pulling weeds for 2 days straight, I have to say your garden looks great! The bird-feeder seems like it had good intentions, and is cute! But it would drive me crazy if it kept falling apart and the birds never actually ate from it! Sorry about your cut those edges are pretty sharp πŸ™
    Jennifer M. recently posted..Natural Parenting eBook BundleMy Profile

    Reply
    • anotherjennifer says

      June 13, 2013 at 9:25 pm

      Yeah. I’m trying to figure out an alternative use for it at this point. And my cut has healed. πŸ™‚
      anotherjennifer recently posted..Walking, Raising Money and Adding TomorrowsMy Profile

      Reply
  9. Pary Moppins says

    June 11, 2013 at 9:02 am

    Well, your bird feeder may have been a bust but your garden looks beautiful! πŸ™‚ Thanks for linking up at Pin It Tuesday!
    Pary Moppins recently posted..Madly In LoveMy Profile

    Reply
    • anotherjennifer says

      June 13, 2013 at 9:36 pm

      Thanks! That’s something, right?
      anotherjennifer recently posted..Wordless Wednesday: Memorial Day ParadeMy Profile

      Reply
  10. Michelle says

    June 11, 2013 at 9:22 am

    I wouldn’t call it a total fail. It’s cute. I can’t put bird feeders in my yard because I have 4 cats and one in particular who is very stealthy. It makes me so sad when she catches them. Sometimes she lets them go though…in the house. Might be a blog post.
    Michelle recently posted..Mom, We’re at the Wrong Field!My Profile

    Reply
    • anotherjennifer says

      June 13, 2013 at 9:39 pm

      Yikes! We have a few stray cats that come through our yard every now and then (when our dogs aren’t out). I think one was stalking our birds because I found a pile of feathers in the garden. Oops!

      Reply
  11. Katie says

    June 11, 2013 at 10:40 am

    Ha! I love it fail or not! I’ve found Pinterest is best for inspiration, not so much exact replicating. Regardless, you got to spend some quality family time putting it together despite the injuries. Your garden is beautiful!
    Katie recently posted..Tutorial Tuesday: Watermark your online images using PowerPointMy Profile

    Reply
    • anotherjennifer says

      June 13, 2013 at 9:40 pm

      Good points. And thanks for the compliment on the garden. I have a lot of fun with it. Gardening is therapy to me!

      Reply
  12. Amanda @ the giraffe life says

    June 11, 2013 at 6:51 pm

    Ugh, that sucks. I hate when I put time and energy into a project that just flops. Maybe someone with a little more birding knowledge could figure out why the birds weren’t too fond of this setup?
    Amanda @ the giraffe life recently posted..Garden Update – June 10thMy Profile

    Reply
    • anotherjennifer says

      June 13, 2013 at 9:45 pm

      I think part of it is the fact that the can is too small for the birds to enjoy the bird seed. They seem to prefer the spillage on the ground. πŸ™‚

      Reply
  13. elissa says

    June 12, 2013 at 1:10 pm

    Tee hee. That’s totally something I would “try” to make. Wink. But now my little creative wheels are spinning! Plastic containers? Mesh? Organic (not smelly) paints? Hmm…
    elissa recently posted..(Nearly) Wordless WednesdayMy Profile

    Reply
    • anotherjennifer says

      June 13, 2013 at 9:54 pm

      Well, if you come up with a new project, come back and let me know. I will try it out!

      Reply
  14. joanne says

    June 12, 2013 at 2:38 pm

    It’s cute looking but I foresee squirrels cleaning it out pretty quickly.

    Reply
    • anotherjennifer says

      June 13, 2013 at 9:59 pm

      So far, I haven’t seen any squirrels. I wondered myself.

      Reply
  15. Marie Oliveira says

    June 12, 2013 at 11:31 pm

    It looks really great! Too bad it didn’t work out quite as planned. The squirrels around here would attack it! We have a bird feeder that is on a 15 ft. pole and I spray it with WD-40 so the squirrels won’t climb up it, but then they started launching themselves off the tree branches. Thanks for the laugh! And thanks so much for linking up with Pin It Tuesday! I hope you will come back and link up next week!
    Marie Oliveira recently posted..Sophia Waldorf DollMy Profile

    Reply
    • anotherjennifer says

      June 13, 2013 at 10:04 pm

      I haven’t seen the squirrels yet. They tend to stay near our bigger trees. That’s hilarious that you spay your bird feeder pole with WD-40!

      Reply
  16. Chris Carter says

    June 15, 2013 at 10:12 am

    So you were behind me at the sharefest!!! I had to come back and say- uh…. HI!!!!!!! LOL πŸ˜‰ Still think this bird feeder is kinda hilarious!
    Chris Carter recently posted..Old School Blog! (Take two…)My Profile

    Reply
    • anotherjennifer says

      June 15, 2013 at 5:42 pm

      Hi Chris! Thanks for stopping by again. πŸ™‚
      anotherjennifer recently posted..Philanthropy Friday: A Pearl of Fair Trade My Profile

      Reply
  17. Priya says

    May 6, 2014 at 11:25 pm

    I saw this and I thought I must try this!! Then I read further down and o-oh!! But it does look pretty. πŸ™‚
    Priya recently posted..Everyday Activities for Children During HolidaysMy Profile

    Reply
    • anotherjennifer says

      May 8, 2014 at 1:50 pm

      Ha! Thanks, Priya. It didn’t last long. The bird feeder has since gone in the trash.
      anotherjennifer recently posted..Wordless Wednesday: First Lacrosse GameMy Profile

      Reply
  18. Alexson@Dress The Yard says

    June 3, 2016 at 11:49 pm

    Another creative use of recycle things. Just saw in another post use of empty soda bottle as a bird feeder. And these inspiring ideas are totally cool as well.

    Reply

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