{tutorial} Make a PAINTED or DECOUPAGED bird feeder from recycled cartons

Our Colorful Bird Feeders!

Alright, so my kids begged me to buy bird feeders all Summer and I kept saying we'll make them! ...Well, we made these about 3 weeks ago, the end of Summer! Too bad it snowed today, we had to take them down :( Poor kids!

Initially I found simple instructions to make a bird feeder @ allfreecrafts.com

Easy materials needed for a DIY Bird Feeder:

-milk carton (we used granola cartons)

- white paint

-knife

-skewer sticks

-acrylic paint, or to decoupage you need strips of fabric (I repurposed material)

-Mod Podge

-brush

-hole punch

-string/wire

My kids painted with window paint, Crayola Window Crayons, & oil pastels...

Easy photo DIY *tutorial*below:

1- Paint the carton white -creating a blank canvas. (We had three to paint- I love Sweet Home Granola- Yum! They make excellent bird feeders too.)

2- Draw the door in a house-like shape 1"+ from bottom of carton.

3- Cut out door with a knife and keep the cut out shape for a roof.

4- Cut a slit in the top of the roof shape and fold in three places (shown in the photo).

5- Decorate the bird feeder carton and roof shape.

6- Use a brush to apply a coat of Mod Podge to protect drawings. I used Mod Podge to adhere repurposed material (my friend A gave it to me) to my bird feeder.

7- Glue the roof shape to carton. 

8- Make holes for 2-3 skewers, evenly on the front and back of carton and push skewers through front and back.

9- Make a hole with a hole punch to hang with string or wire.

VOILA!

 

I hope you will make one too!

(It was another week before I went to the store to buy bird feed!)

Oh Happy Birdies!