Outside Holiday Decorating : Cranberry Wreath Project for the Birds
With a few supplies from the craft aisle and the grocery store, you can craft an attractive harvest or holiday wreath in deep red colors that birds will flock to see (and eat). All you need is a bag of cranberries, a box of toothpicks, and a pre-made straw wreath base. A ten-inch straw wreath is an ideal size for this project. It takes one bag of cranberries and one box of toothpicks to cover a ten-inch wreath base. (NOTE: for craft purposes, foam bases will work as well, but a straw base is more environmentally and bird friendly. Not only can the birds eat the berries, but straw pulled from the wreath base can be used for nest building as well. Additionally, the straw form is more forgiving, as any exposed straw is equally attractive, decoratively speaking.) Though not strictly necessary, a pair of needle-nose pliers and wire nippers or sturdy scissors are helpful, too. Those sold for jewelry making and bead crafting work very well.
To begin, insert a toothpick into the straw wreath base. If necessary, trim a little from the top of the toothpick so that the cranberry fits firmly onto it but the toothpick does not poke all the way through the berry. Start with a row of three or four berries placed next to each other from the top inside edge to the outside top edge of the straw base. Position the next toothpick so that the cranberries will just touch on the wreath. To achieve the fullest look on the completed wreath, stagger the rows. In other words, when you begin the second and subsequent rows, do not simply line up cranberry after cranberry right next to the first row of berries. Many gaps are left in the wreath if you do. After the first row of three, position the next pick and berry a little lower than the first row, centered between the first and second berry. Insert the toothpick so that the berries fit tightly together, just touching each other.
It will not take long for you to get the hang of placing the picks and berries to achieve a full look. As you continue row after row you will need to make adjustments, but the project is very forgiving. Various sizes of berries will make it necessary to put more berries in some rows, and fewer in others.
To save your fingers from wear and tear, let your pliers do the work of pushing in the toothpicks. Use nippers or scissors to trim long toothpick ends.
Depending on the desired theme and time of year, gourds and ornaments can be added as embellishments. Pine cones, acorns, popcorn, and seed pods, can be added for interest and even more food for the birds. The rich red tones of the cranberries make this an ideal wreath to make for Christmas decorating and for gift giving for bird lovers. The completed wreath has a beautiful rustic look all on its own, or add a holiday or plaid ribbon to dress it up a little.
Once you have birds frequenting your yard, you will want to learn more about your visitors. Buy an inexpensive field guide to help identify the variety of wintering bird species around your yard and home. You will soon see familiar feathered faces returning time after time, and their antics can be a fun, free Wintertime source of entertainment.
An added benefit to feeding birds throughout the Winter months – many will stick around and nest near your yard in the Spring. With a healthy bird population, your lawn and gardens will benefit by having these natural predators control parasitic lawn and garden grubs and insects. Providing food for birds during lean months is an excellent way to encourage them to make your home theirs, and having decorative accents work double duty is an attractive and economical way to achieve this.
