I would like to make a nature tree with bird's nests and birds. All those cardinal Craftpals Luci decorated my house with gave me the idea.



Soooo, I was thinking of different ways to make bird's nests.
You can just take moss and glue it in the shape of a bird's nest, or take a walnut half, add a little moss, maybe a twig or two. For little nests, acorn caps would work...of course those hairy looking acorn caps like Susie has would be perfect. If you have the teeny tiny pinecones, you could glue together in the shape of a nest and add some pine needles. If you are really ambitious, you could take bigger pinecones and use the pinecone petals, glue together to form a nest. Maybe even holly leaves with berries?? Then add little birds in the nests, on the branches of the tree. I was thinking little birdhouses would be cute too.
Anyone else have any other ideas for natural materials to make nests???

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Posted By: Angel Wings
Date: 2003/12/25 9:23 a.m.
You could use a small gourd..and make a gourd bird house to add to your tree...

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Posted By: Terry Bishop
Date: 2003/12/24 7:46 p.m.
You can take wood shavings, add flour water and white glue, Take a handfull of this mixture press and shape it over( I use a spray paint can lid,) leave on wax paper for about an hour, remove lid and bake nests in a warm oven until dry and solid. Gluing odd bits of moss here and there gives a great finish too.
Terry
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Posted By: luci ritchie (canada)
Date: 2003/12/23 1:06 p.m.
Margie;
Great idea!
Bird nests..you can use miniature wreaths for a base and cover it with moss. The wreath, you can make it out of any vine you see on your property. I use Virginia Creeper and grape vines because that's what I have, but you could use whatever you have and then spray it to whatever colour you like. I think that would make such a pretty tree.

luci
ps..in the spring and summer you can make wooden birds and bird houses for the outside trees....the birds will look after the nest part.

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Posted By: Country Roads Linda
Date: 2003/12/23 5:29 p.m.
I have lots of grape vines growing in the garden and back fields and they would make great little nests. Great idea Luci.

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Posted By: Norma
Date: 2003/12/23 12:41 p.m.
froggy I too love cardinals and think that is such a neat idea to do a whole tree in them! It would be orignal and colorful! Another thought I had while readying both yours and Linda's post was to take twigs with arms on them. (Make sense)

Then glue a bird into the crook of the branch and put snow on the branch around the bird. It would look like the branch is part of your tree! At least in my mind it would! You could take a very thick needle and put fishing line through to hang it from or you could use wire and make a curly wire around it and hang it from that. I still have wire from my kids coiled notebooks that I use a fair bit in crafting. Youngest graduated three years ago!

You get nearly nine yards of wire from these things and it's already curled up for you! I will try and keep thinking of other ideas! Hey if we come up with enough ideas maybe Luci will use that as here background next year too! ~normal

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Posted By: Country Roads Linda
Date: 2003/12/23 12:05 p.m.
I love the cardinal in your post Margie ... they are my very most favourite bird. I have several cardinal ornaments on my tree. They have been given to me by my special friends. I think your nest idea is great. In looking for something else I found a lot of half walnut shells that could be used. How about those little creamer containers ... you could glue natural grasses, twigs etc onto them inside and outside. You can even poke a couple of little holes in the container and add a bit of yarn to hang on the tree.

Of course if you want bigger nests, just look around in the spring after nesting season and you will find lots of them. I have some little birdhouses made from plastic canvas that hang on my tree. Then I have some bird feeders made from plastic canvas. ----------------------------------------------------------------


Linda, your bird feeder brought to mind the ones I make. I'm posting a picture here. I will have to make some of these for my tree. All the ones I've made, I have given away. Those little containers from cream is a good idea too. I have a bunch of them somewhere and a ready supply of free grasses, twigs and pine needles. Thanks for the ideas.



Posted By: Michigan Froggy
Date: 2003/12/24 11:52 a.m.
Linda, I covered a piece of cardboard with felt and then after putting the little cup on, I glued pinecone petals around. Did basically the same thing for the roof on most of them, gluing a hook in the middle, some I just added greenery and such to form the roof. Those cups I couldn't find anywhere around here. I heard they were called communion cups, so I even looked at religious stores to no avail. Thank goodness Angel found some and sent them to me.

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