We were clearing the trash off our palm tree lot a couple of weeks ago, and among the items we removed were a couple of cool, (mostly) empty vodka bottles. They had interesting shapes and colors, so we decided to clean them up and turn them into bird feeders.
The bottles were rinsed out, washed, then soaked overnight in a bleach solution to get rid of the alcohol smell. After a final rinse, they were put outside to dry thoroughly. Meanwhile, I built a prototype from recycled cardboard, masking tape and a big rubber band. After a consultation between our "design" & "engineering" departments, we were ready to build the first feeder.
We chose redwood because it is durable, it doesn't need paint or sealer, and it will develop a natural patina over time. After some experimenting, Bruce came up with a way to hold the bottle snugly and without tipping. The first seed tray was too deep, and the smaller birds didn't seem comfortable using it. So we made it shallower for them, which also makes it easier to brush out any debris. Here's how the finished design turned out:
We are really happy with the results, so we'll be building more to have for sale in our booth at the upcoming Coachella Valley Wildflower Festival, in Palm Desert CA on March 3rd. They will also be available in our online Etsy shop.
So a big (air quote) thank you to our litterbug neighbor who enjoys imported flavored vodka.
We were able to turn your trash into a nifty treasure for the birds.
PS - We'll claim responsibility for the Corona...
"One man's Trash is another man's Treasure." ~ American proverb
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