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Handmade Christmas – Pine cone Suet Bird feeder

November 11th, 2011 | Posted by admin in Craft Ideas | Handmade | Love for nature - (0 Comments)

This year I’ve told my family that they won’t be receiving knitted goods and that all the knitting I’m doing will be for myself. I know that sounds selfish but I have so many half finished projects and projects I’d like to make that when I knit for others I start to resent the time it takes  and knitting become undesirable. And I just can’t have that!

Thankfully my family is very ok with the decision and we’ve made plans to spend Christmas together at a local ski hill. Our gifts to each other this year will be yummy meals and good times together. There are still a few people on my list, however, that I would like to give something. Mainly co-workers and a few close friends. They will be receiving festive pine cone bird feeders. I’d never made them before and I took photos, here we go!

Beef suet I bought from the local butcher, melting on low heat in a small saucepan.

Pinecones collected from the yard. I tried to find ones that had nice, wide open scales.

I tied a piece of twine around the tops of the pine cones to that I have something to hang them with

I found a shoe box to put the finished products into

Roll the pine cone around in the melted suet, be sure to have your birdseed bag close as it may drip a little.

Transfer suet soaked cone into the bag of seed and pack the seed into the cone, like how you would pack a snowball.

packed cone

Finally, place your box of cones in the fridge or cold place (I put mine outside) so the suet completely solidifies again. Hang in trees and watch the birdies enjoy, or wrap up and give as gifts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Pinecone Wreaths

February 6th, 2010 | Posted by admin in Handmade - (0 Comments)

My in-laws all got Christmas wreaths this year. I’d made one for my parents last year and it was a fairly easy conquest, this year, however, was a different story. I had a really hard time finding nice pine cones.  The ones I was finding were all mildewy and even after a good wash and dry they would still mold in the box. Eventually I found the mother load of nice ones and had enough for three wreaths.

The process for prepping the cones can be long and pokey but it’s worth it. I soak the cones in my kitchen sink with really hot water and a form of detergent. This year I used Fantastic and bleach and it worked well. Soaking them in detergent helps to prevent mold and gets rid of all the creepy crawlies in the cones. Next, I cover cookie sheets with tin foil and lay the wet cones on the sheets with plenty of space between them to open up. I set the oven at about 200C and let the cones warm up. Pine cones operate with humidity so don’t fret if you’re looking for cones and they’re all closed up. It’s because the humidity in the air is too great and it’s not optimal conditions for the cones to release their seeds. Warming them up in the oven helps them open up as well as letting them sit out in your warm house for a few days. I find that in the oven the bottom scales will open right away but as you get close to the point it takes a little  more coaxing. There’s a reason patience and pine cones start with the same letter.


I rotate the cones ever couple of hours, be careful not to leave them in the oven too long because they will get a little black. The sent of sweet pine resin alone is worth the work.


The one I made for my parents was just plain cones, this year I decided to jazz them up a little and took a trip to my amazing local dollar store. I glued on all the cones first, if you like puzzles you will love this project. Try your best not to get any kind of pattern going, just fit them together as best as possible. Oh and lots for hot glue. With patience and perseverance you will get amazing holiday wreaths.


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