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A few years ago now, we made a really simple bird feeder using an upcycled tennis ball tube. This project is similar, but this time we’ve switched up the shapes of the containers to instead make a playful toadstool to add a pop of color to your yard. For the white mushroom stem, we used an empty container from toddler puffed rice snacks and a shallow plastic bowl that we painted red for the mushroom cap. Take a look in your recycling bin and see what shapes and sizes you find! Read the step-by-step instructions below or watch the video tutorial over on Instagram.
what you need:
- Red plastic bowl or container
- White plastic bottle or jar
- Craft knife
- Drill
- Jumbo popsicle stick
- String or cord
- White acrylic paint
- Paintbrush
how-to:
Step 1
Drill a hole through the center of the red bowl (note: if your bowl isn’t red, spray paint it red before beginning this step) using a drill bit that is about the same size as the string/cord you’ll be using. If the hole is too small to fit the string, make the hole larger with a larger drill bit.
Drill a hole through the center of the red bowl (note: if your bowl isn’t red, spray paint it red before beginning this step) using a drill bit that is about the same size as the string/cord you’ll be using. If the hole is too small to fit the string, make the hole larger with a larger drill bit.
Step 2
Dilute white acrylic paint with a little bit of water and use a brush to apply a spatter of white dots all over the outside of the red bowl. Set aside to dry completely.
Dilute white acrylic paint with a little bit of water and use a brush to apply a spatter of white dots all over the outside of the red bowl. Set aside to dry completely.
Step 3
Drill another hole, this time in the bottom of the white container (for the white container, this one is from toddler puffed rice snacks, but similarly shaped containers hold corn starch or baking soda – or use any similar size bottle/jar and spray paint it white if needed) again making sure the string will fit through.
Drill another hole, this time in the bottom of the white container (for the white container, this one is from toddler puffed rice snacks, but similarly shaped containers hold corn starch or baking soda – or use any similar size bottle/jar and spray paint it white if needed) again making sure the string will fit through.
Step 4
Use a craft knife to cut two slots into the sides of the white container. These should be wide enough so that the popsicle stick fits in snugly but cut extra away above to allow bird seed to fall through later. Insert the popsicle stick through both the slots.
Use a craft knife to cut two slots into the sides of the white container. These should be wide enough so that the popsicle stick fits in snugly but cut extra away above to allow bird seed to fall through later. Insert the popsicle stick through both the slots.
Step 5
Insert the end of a long piece of string/cord through the bottom of the white container. If you’re having trouble with this, you can wrap the end of the string with a piece of tape to help guide it through the hole and then pull it up through the container. Pull lots of string through (so that you have enough to tie to a tree branch, hook, etc later) and then tie a double or triple knot at the bottom, cutting off the excess string, so that the white container rests on top of the knot.
Insert the end of a long piece of string/cord through the bottom of the white container. If you’re having trouble with this, you can wrap the end of the string with a piece of tape to help guide it through the hole and then pull it up through the container. Pull lots of string through (so that you have enough to tie to a tree branch, hook, etc later) and then tie a double or triple knot at the bottom, cutting off the excess string, so that the white container rests on top of the knot.
Step 6
Fill the white container with bird seed.
Step 7
Insert the end of the string through the red bowl so that it rests on top of the white container, forming a mushroom shape. The red mushroom cap can be moved later to refill the seeds.
Insert the end of the string through the red bowl so that it rests on top of the white container, forming a mushroom shape. The red mushroom cap can be moved later to refill the seeds.
Step 8
Hang the mushroom in your yard, and trim away any extra string from the top after hanging securely.