Easy bird feeders

The kids made these super easy bird feeders this weekend. They have all been peeking out the window hoping some birds actually stop by for a nibble. 

Supplies:
Ice cream cones (flat bottom)
Pipe cleaners
Peanut Butter
Bird seed

1)Poke a small hole in the bottom of the ice cream cone.  We used a chop stick, but a pencil would work well, too.

2) Roll up one end of the pipe cleaner into a ball.  Feed the pipe cleaner  into the cone so that the ball is inside.

3) Cover it in peanut butter.

4) Lick fingers

5) Roll the cone in the bird seed.

6) Hang on a tree with the other end of the pipe cleaner.

Rainbow Crayons

I haven't posted anything on this site in a while, even though I've been crafting away!  After I made the snowflake doily I figured out how to make a few throw rugs.  Then I started in on Christmas gifts.  I'm making Christmas ornaments for my kids, plus a few other things that won't mention until the new year.

Today my kids plus two nephews recycled old crayons into new rainbow crayons.  Here are directions for how we did it.

This was a fun project for the kids to help with, plus they get new use out of their old crayons!

Collect all your broken crayons.
Peel off the paper.
Break them into smaller pieces, if needed.  They should be able to fit in the bottom of the muffin tin.
Arrange colors into cupcake papers, and place into an old muffin tin.
Bake at 250 until melted.  (I forgot to watch the clock, but I'm thinking it was about 20 minutes.)
Let cool completely, then pull off the paper.

The kids are watching the crayons melt, which according to Seth "stinks!" 

I tested a few out before the kids played with them.  They seem a little hard to start coloring, but then do fine, almost like there is a clear layer of wax that needs colored off first.