Make and hang a Valentine for your backyard friends!
Start by trying to think about what things you have at home that squirrels and birds might like to eat.
Some ideas:
Nuts, all kinds
Dried or frozen fruit like cranberries, raisins or blueberries
Seeds and grains like sunflower, flax, sesame, pumpkin
Birdseed
Suet
Materials Needed:
Cake pan, any shape. The demo uses a square 8”x 8” x 2” or 21cm x 21cm x 5cm
Styrofoam or non-porous foam for heart shape. 2” thick or layered to add up to 2”
Stretch kitchen wrap, for covering foam heart shape
Scrap of light cardboard or craft paper, to cut heart out of
Seeds etc. as mentioned above. At least ½ cup of large seeds and ¼ cup of small ones
Rope or cord for hanging. Length will vary depending on where and how high
Decorative extras optional: dogwood twigs, small pinecones, grain seed heads
Tools Needed:
Scissors
Pencil or pen
Exacto knife
A rock to use as a weight, a bit smaller than foam heart
This craft uses scissors and an Exacto knife. Ask an adult for help and supervision!
Instructions:
1. Draw heart shape onto craft paper, and cut out with scissors. Trace heart shape onto foam and cut out with scissors or Exacto knife. If your foam isn’t 2” thick like the depth of your cake pan, cut out another heart to pile on top of the first heart.
2. Wrap heart(s) together with plastic wrap, being careful to pull it tight so that there are no wrinkles and the point and the top “V” of heart keep their shape. Place heart in the middle of the cake pan and weigh it down with the rock so that it doesn’t move or float.
3. Distribute about half of your seeds etc. around the heart in the pan and fill about ½ full with water. Some of the seeds and berries will float and that is OK. Freeze till solid, at least 2 hours. You can put it in the freezer or if it’s cold enough put outside. This completes the first layer.
4. When the first layer is solid, repeat the process adding more berries, seeds then water for the second layer. Fill to 1cm below the pan edge. Freeze again.
5. Put the pan in the kitchen sink which has about 1 ½” of water in it. Wait a minute or so and the frozen Valentine will come out easily. To get the foam heart out push on it gently it may just push out. If not, just add a bit of tap water to loosen.
6. Fold your rope in half. Stick the loop through the heart shape. Next, stick the rope ends through the loop and tighten up securely.
7. Hang your Valentine, to your backyard friends, on a hook or tree branch that you can see from your window. Have fun watching them enjoy their snack especially on cold days.
Print the instructions: