Howdy friends! Have you ever come home from a week away to find something broke while you were gone? No, not something really horrible like a water line but something you treasured? When we left I had a cute rusty candelabra hanging on the back patio and when we came home it was on the ground. Thankfully it wasn’t made of glass or ceramic and gratefully I can still use it, just not in the place it was before. Since I need to move it I thought I’d show you what I did. I was feeling a little artsy and called it my rustic-meets-vintage-outdoor-candelabra-turned-Farmhouse-French-inspired-bird-feeder but that’s way to long so now it’s just a Farmhouse French Inspired Bird Feeder.
Farmhouse French Inspired Bird Feeder
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I purchased this iron hanging candelabra for a partio (that’s a party on the patio) about 15 years ago and I’ve used it once. I put it on a table with a pumpkin sitting inside and added votive candles to the stems. Yep, my fall table centerpiece was going to look amazing. Can you picture it – a brightly colored orange pumpkin with fall leaves elegantly wrapped around it with coordinating fall candles? Well, outdoor candelabra’s just don’t work if you have any wind at all. Not sure why I didn’t think of that and not sure why they even make outdoor candle holders but whatevs, I hung it up outside and it hasn’t moved again – until today. Oh yeah, and this was before battery operated candles.
I wasn’t as clever back then.
To help you understand why it never moved, here’s a little back story. I wasn’t as clever as I am now. I had 3 small kids, was a Room Mom for one of them, a copy mom for all of 5th grade, a sports/horseback riding lesson/cheerleading taxi and a full time Domestic CEO. So keeping things quick and easy was always the plan. I could have used the Dremel tool to cut off the sharp stems, then hot glued on glass votives and used tea lights but seriously those types of things never crossed my mind back then. Closest crafting I ever did was removing permanent marker from a bunch of field trip name tags.
I still like its charm!
I’ve decided to make it more noticeable and usable for little birdies that visit the front yard. A long time ago I had a bird feeder hanging on the same hook in the front bed but after watching the squirrels get all greedy leaving nothing for the birds and finally ruining the entire feeder, I threw it away. It wasn’t worth a new DIY project nor did I want to continue enticing the birds to the feeder only to see a fat squirrel chuckling at them from the trees.
So in honor of all birds craving their own perch at the feeder, I’ve repurposed that candelabra into the easiest bird feeder in the world. Seriously, it took me 5 minutes to create.
Supplies for a DIY Farmhouse French inspired Bird Feeder
Outdoor Candelabra (similar to mine found on Etsy)
Vintage or new clay pots with holes in bottom (Here’s how to age them by Craftberry Bush)
Pencil erasers ( I stole the tops out of our mechanical pencils)
Hot glue gun w/ protective fingertips – I love the extra tips!
4 Steps to Creating a Farmhouse French inspired Bird Feeder
Step 1: Hot glue moss onto base of candelabra
Step 2: Place vintage clay pots over (lethal) stems if you have them
Step 3: Add pencil eraser to iron stem inside clay pot – I didn’t want to poke out a birdie eye!
Step 4: Fill with birdseed and hang
If rain is expected, I’ll pull it inside because birds don’t like wet seed. By the way, I read that squirrels don’t care for Safflower or Nyjer Seeds so that’s what I chose. I’m told to mix in regular seed at first so the birds will get used to it and the squirrels will only visit a couple of times and then stop checking. I’m very excited to have a new way to help the wildlife around us. (Update: The birds are chowing down on the new seeds and the squirrels are happy with the acorns. The new seeds are working!)
But if the furry critters take over again (ugh), I’ll probably curse their name then plant flowers in the vintage pots and call it a day.
Cindy,
You are a genius! I love this!!!!! Trying to think if I have a place to put one of these….
Author
A genius?! Woo hoo – I’m going to tell that to the Mister today! I had to put it up already last night for some rain but will put it back out today for the little birdies. 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by.
That is so sweet! I love how you made something functional and pretty out of the candelabra! Best upcycling!
Author
Thank you Karen! I always forget the word upcycling and it’s always good to do that. Glad you liked it. I know the birdies are too!
That is seriously the cutest project ever!
What a fun idea and that chandelier is a keeper—even if it fell!
Happy day!
karianne
Author
It fell about 9 feet so I was glad it was still in one piece when I found it! It’s definitely a keeper now. Thanks for the encouragement KariAnne. 🙂
Love it Cindy! So stink’n easy and pretty. I don’t get the whole candle thing outside either. One puff if wind and out, another way for outdoor furniture suppliers to spend our $$$.
Cindy
Author
LOL, thanks Cindy. Stink’n easy is the best feeling! I was thinking I could get battery operated candles now but that’s another thing I’d never use. I like feeding the birds much better. Hope you have a great week!
This is so creative Cindy! I made a simple bird feeder with my niece but it didn’t last through the rain. So, I’m obviously needing inspiration for a new bird feeder. This is awesome.
Author
That sounds fun Amy. I’m not crafty but this was super easy and the wrought Iron and clay pots will last for like forever! 😄
This is super cute, i hope it makes happy singing birds. Squirrels are such stinkers and so destructive, i had to throw away a couple of feeders. Have a great week.
Author
I’ve heard of people having to throw away patio chair cushions because of squirrels. I’m glad they haven’t found ours yet. I think that would take the Mister over the edge! 😂 Glad you like it Marlene and thanks for the visit! Hope you have a great week as well!
I love the idea! Can you post a picture of the overall piece? Your photography is splendid and I would love to see the wholeStay strong! piece in one photograph. Isn’t it funny and fun how we evolve into DIY people from “somebody else do it for me” people!
Author
I’d still rather have someone else do it for me Cecilia! LOL. I’ll see about the full photo. I took some but thought they were all so busy and distracting because of the back ground. Glad you love the idea! Happy Spring!
What a brilliant idea! I’m sorry your chandy fell, but genius to turn it into a bird feeder, LOVE it!!!
Author
I was unhappy for about a day. But now I’ll be happy for many more days with this birdfeeder! Kinda glad it fell. 😉 Thanks for the visit today Jenna!
I love how you turned this disaster into such a lovely garden feature. Bet your birds love it!
Author
If they knew how lucky they were using my vintage French pots, they might be even happier! 😉 Thanks Jayne.
I love it! I hope you will share at Thursday Favorite Things tomorrow!
The birdies will be eating in style at your house!
Author
They certainly are Amber! I was a teeny bit jealous but then thought of how they live out in the heat and humidity and was over it. Will definitely share tomorrow! Thanks for the reminder. 🙂
Hello My Friend!
I not only love this project I love your story-telling and sense of humor! (I especially enjoyed the chuckle I got over the comment you left on my blog)
I am actually glad that you explained why none of us got the decorating or crafting done that we wanted to in our youth…it was the kids fault!
Well, we tried.
I know the birds are happy with this DIY project and it is also very, very adorable.
Happy Mother’s Day weekend!
Jemma
Author
LOL Jemma! Yes, it’s the kids fault! Glad you think my project is adorable. That means a lot coming from a craft queen! Hope you have a wonderful Mothers Day as well.