A gift for the birds

If you recall, my family can only give and receive homemade gifts at Christmas.

For my praise for homemade gifts, click here.

For my rant against non-homemade Christmas gifts, click here.

For this year’s gifts (so far), click here.

We set about making our homemade gifts right after Thanksgiving.  (Of course, we still have to brave some of the stores because the nephews still get Legos!)

So for the adults we have made  the following:

• Cool Suet Bird Feeders with suet molds and recipe
• Apple Pie Adult  Beverages
• Jam Gift Baskets
• Magnetized yeast stirrers (for the brother-in-law and his home brewing)
• Family Cookbooks

We created our designs for the suet bird feeders after some we saw at the local pet store for $15!!!!!

We made ours out of scrap wood from the greenhouse build.    We glued cedar 2 x 4s together, planed them, routered them, and drilled them.  (Yes, The Hubs has all the toys to make these.)

We added eye-hooks (large ones on the top and small ones on the bottom).    I couldn’t help it; I had to attach some bling (that I hope won’t scare the birds away).

My blinged-out bird feeders.

I will attach this recipe (based on one from Rhonda at The Kitchen Witch).

Homemade Suet

1 c.  shortening or lard
1 c. chunky peanut butter
2 c. coarse cornmeal
2 c. birdseed, nuts, dried fruit (or a combination of all three)
Suet mold or muffin tins

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the shortening and peanut butter, stirring occasionally until combined.  Add cornmeal and other ingredients.

Pour into molds or muffin tin and  freeze until set (about 3 hours).

Remove suet from molds.   Use immediately or freeze until needed.

You can also use this concoction to coat pine cones to hang in the trees.

This gift also includes suet molds and plungers to get out the suet once it is frozen.

Suet bird feeders, molds, and plungers.

Since these gifts are going to mom and sis, I hope that those cold Iowa birds enjoy the present.

Just a little retro-app action.

Stay tuned for one more homemade gift tomorrow:   sock monkey wine covers.