Hows this? (google is our friend indeed)
and daggone it, now I have something else I simply have to make for Christmas. I am going to wrap them in colored saran wrap and use them as package ties.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bird seed wreath

Thank you so much. I should have thought to look in google. I knew I had seen it here first and did a search here but it must have fallen off. Hope it gets printed before the electricty goes off again. We are in the middle of a blizzard. I really shouldn't even be on the computer but wanted to check in.
FOXY

I had posted that question, and AdellaBedella sent this link, which I am going to use. I have the geletin and the bird seed.....just need the get-up-and-go!

Here is a link that might be useful: bird seed wreath here

Phylis and AdellaBedella I used the instructions and made some today. I couldn't remember why I had that big bag of birdseed then someone posted about putting trinkets in a bottle and filling it with rice or birdseed. That's what I got the birdseed for and had it leftover.

Great idea! Thanks for sharing the link to the recipe.
We buy suet cakes when they are on sale. Just had a woodpecker drilling on my glass. I wonder if he is saying "let me in from the cold weather."

I made these with my mom from the Family Fun recipe - worked like a charm !

I saw the bird seed wreaths in our local paper this weekend (for lots of money!) and wanted to try to make them myself with my kids. I found this forum but have a few questions.

Does anyone know how long they last?
Once you make them, do you have to hang them outside immediately or can they be boxed for gifts?
If they can be kept, how do you store them (won't the gelatin melt)?

I want to make several for Christmas gifts (so I need to start now) but don't know if they will keep.

I bought the stuff to make this last Christmas. If I can find the birdseed we're making it. Thanks for the reminder.

Does anyone know how long they last?
Once you make them, can they be boxed for gifts? And how long do they keep. How do you store them (won't the gelatin melt)? Thanks

Help- I made the bird seed wreaths from the Familyfun.com recipe. Mine are very soft. Any suggestions?

I made these wreaths just before Christmas. I left them in my front porch for a couple of days where it's real cool and it took about a week for them to set up solid. There is still one out there and it has warmed up considerably, sometimes getting downright warm for winter, but it's still hard as can be. So, I think it just takes a while for them to set up. When I first checked them after one day, I thought, oh, these aren't going to turn out, so I left them and they hardened. I put some ribbon and some bells on one of them and gave it to my friend for a little Christmas present. She loved it!!! I kept my molds and bought some more seed. These are the neatest things!!! Also, you know what I used for molds? I couldn't find any small ones in the local stores here, so I bought some of those jello molds that came already made up full of jello and after we ate lots and lots of jello, I ended up with 4 molds. I'm keeping them. These are cute little easy gifts to make.

I made these before Christmas. I live in a warm, humid climate so left them in my air conditioned craft room for 3 days before bagging them as gifts.

Disaster! The wreaths started smelling and turned moldy. I have no idea why???? Needless to say, I threw them all away. I don't know if the newly purchased seed was bad or just what happened?

Maddielee, did you put them in some sort of plastic type bag? I bet that would promote molding. I think they would need to breath. Maybe it would do better wrapped in netting or paper.

We still haven't made ours. The birds here have been eating about a 20# bag of birdfeed each week. I still need to find a small wreath shaped mold for them. My cake pans are too big for what I want.

I have one that I like[will try to find]was made with birdseed and crisco[melted] and mixed then put into dixie cups to set up[put a paper clip at top for a hanger] I'll keep looking....
Found this ..interesting!!
Shortcut to: http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,home_made_bird_food,FF.html

I make mine with egg whites and birdseed. I think (it's been awhile) I whip 4 egg whites to the frothy stage and pour over 2 cups of birdseed. It looks slushy.

Pour into a ring mold that has been sprayed with Pam. Drop it a few inches over the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the top and break up the foam that forms at the ring's edge with a tooth pick.

Put it, uncovered, in the microwave and cook on high about 5 minutes. Let cool and check for firmness. Cook longer until it's hard enough to handle. I had to experiment with times for my microwave.

Once completely cool, unmold and decorate with ribbon and a bow. They last for months. The birdseed on the edges tends to chip off if you handle it a lot, but if you set it into a box surrounded by a bed of tissue paper, it should keep well as a gift.

Once hung outside it holds up well until the birds eat the part that's supported by the hanging ribbon, then it falls in pieces onto the ground. And if it rains, kiss it goodbye completely!

Here's another recipe I tried. I couldn't get the bells to hang straight and it made me crazy. I like the wreaths better.

BIRD SEED BELLS

Materials
small terracotta clay pots
microwave-safe plastic wrap or plastic oven bag
length of firm wire (coat-hanger type is fine)
birdseed of your choice (measure it dry in your chosen pots to gauge amount needed)
two egg whites per cup of birdseed (or thereabouts)
Method
Beat egg whites until white and fluffy, but still liquid - you're not making a meringue.
Prepare pots by lining them with microwave-safe wrap or oven bag. Bend the end of the wire that goes into the seed bell into a closed loop (so that birds, or leg rings can't get caught on it when most of the bell has been eaten).
Mix beaten egg whites and bird seed in a bowl until all seed is coated, then spoon the mix into the prepared pots, patting it down firmly. Push the uncoiled end of the wire through center of mix in pot then out of the drainage hole until looped end rests flat on top of the mixture, then push loop slightly into mixture. Place on an oven shelf set high enough to allow wire to hang free. Cook for approximately 60 to 90 minutes in a very cool oven or longer if pots are larger size. The important thing is not to burn the mixture and slow cooking is needed to set it firmly.
Cooked bells will slip easily from pots, peel away the plastic wrap while they're still warm but don't handle the wire until it has cooled. Using a pair of pliers, twist exposed wire end to form a hook for hanging in the aviary.
Sometimes if you use large seeds in your mixture, the widest part of the bell which is exposed during cooking will become slightly crumbly. This only happens for a half-inch or two, but if they are to be given away, and you want a less "rustic" appearance, just spoon the mixture into the pot as usual but mix another beaten egg white with seeds of last few inches and cook as instructed above. This extra "adhesive" keeps the top layer very firm.