Feeding Our Backyard Birds

On December 14, the fairies left pine cones outside our fairy door with a note telling us to make bird feeders.


















We started by placing the pine cones in the oven to dry and open them. I put the peanut butter in as well to make it easier to spread.



She spread the peanut butter on the pine cones and then sprinkled on the bird seed.


Then I figured out the hard way that it's best to wrap the pipe cleaner on before covering the pine cone with peanut butter and bird seed! LOL!








She really enjoyed going outside and hanging them as well as making them. We were hoping to see the birds flock to the tree, but it took some time for them to find the food.

Pre-needle Felted Ornament

On the 13th day of Advent, the fairies left a note instructing us to use some wool roving to make a pre-needle felted animal ornament.

Girlie chose a reindeer cookie cutter and bright pink and purple roving for her ornament. We stuffed the wool into the cookie cutter and sprayed a little bit (less than you think) water mixed with a tiny bit of Dr. Bronner's peppermint liquid soap.

The next step is using a chopstick to mash it down into the cookie cutter and start working the fibers together. We've done this before as part of our Waldorf homeschool curriculum, and it feels like a soggy mess at first. We added a bit more wool to help soak up the moisture.

The cookie cutter will need to be turned over while keeping the wool inside. I simply placed my hand over the top of the cookie cutter and turned it over cutting board and all to keep it together. That way the chopstick can work the wool on both sides.

Continue turning and poking until the wool is dry and mostly together. In the couple of times we've done this, we had some wool that just wasn't sticking. Maybe we added the wool too late into the wetting and poking process. We tried using a fork, but to no avail. Both times, I simply touched it up with a felting needle to get the wool to stick.