Friday, January 27, 2012

Gardening Tips: lets feed our feathered fancies

8:41 PM | Posted by Leslie Block | | Edit Post


Our fine feathered friends deserve a tea party in the yard, here is how to use some vintage tea cups for
bird feeders. This idea can also be used for luminaries at weddings or a fantastic little girl tea party!! I am going to make one just to put outside my dining room window and watch my friends have a feast.

credit for pictures and idea here Intimate Weddings website

found this idea on Pinterest


You will need:

  • 3 feet of 1/2 inch copper plumbing pipe per bird feeder (I paid $4 for three feet at a hardware store) try and recycle if you can with left overs found in the garage
  • copper cap
  • sand paper or sanding block
  • teacup (check out the goodwill, re- habitat stores, discount shops) recycle here!
  • epoxy
    (I used 5 minute epoxy. If you are making a bunch of these go for the slower drying epoxy.)
  • mixing tray and bamboo stick
  • Q-tip
  • birdseed
 
 Gather your vintage teacups. you can do more that one at a time if you want to make many for an event or even bridesmaids gifts, mothers day presents for moms and grandmoms. 
 
The Epoxy needs to be fast dry- 5 min. , for china, metal. ( don't know what that is, ask the guy at the hardware or crafting store to help you, epoxy is usually in the same area as most glues). It is a 2 step process with 2 separate channels in the plunger that don't mix until you are ready.
 
 Sand bottom of copper cap
 


 Sand bottom of cup, inside of saucer and bottom of saucer. This will help to make them adhere better.
Don't skip this step, sanding is very important, or it will not stick well.
 

 Mix Epoxy next, taking care to read the instructions, mix with a bamboo stick or paint stirrer. Use the Q-tip then to apply the epoxy. Wear gloves and take care of your hands. This is not the time to let the kids help.


Place epoxy on rim of cup and inside of saucer.
 
 Set cup on top of saucer and hold in place for a few seconds.
Let sit for half an hour. After it has set, turn it over and place a dab of epoxy on copper cap and back of saucer. Go make yourself a nice cup of hot tea while you are letting the epoxy set up, don't mind if I do.


 Let sit for half an hour. Meantime, sand copper pipe to bring out its sheen.


When set, place copper pipe inside the cap and poke into ground.
 
The copper pipe will turn a cool patina green color with age and add to the vintage look
You can use these as a bird bath, if you do place feed in the cup, make sure to keep clean and dry often, with no drainage in the cup if it gets wet, you will have a messy mess of slimy yuck and your feathered friends don't want to eat that

Have a Tweetful day!!


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1 comments:

flyingkitten said...

Cute idea for a pretty bird feeder. I love watching the birds in my yard. They love to take a bath in my fountains.

January 28, 2012 11:56 AM

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