Spring is the perfect time to get outside to enjoy nature. These projects are easy and fun. They will fill your garden with handmade beauty while bringing it to life. They also make great gifts!

Colorful Bird Nest Helper  

Did you know that birds line their nests with more than sticks and fluff? This fun project will help your feathered friends find more bedding while bringing some extra color into your garden.

What you need:

• Natural ribbon, yarn, rags made from cotton, wool, hemp, linen, silk, etc. You can also use natural “fluff”—cotton, wool, bamboo, pet hair, etc.
• Scissors
• Ruler
• 1–2 containers with holes—2 berry baskets, mesh bag from fruit.
• Wire hanger or large piece of string to hang the nest helper.

What you do:

1. Cut your ribbons, string, yarn, or rags about 4–6 inches long. When using rags or ribbons, make sure they are not much more than a half-inch wide. That’s about as long as your hand from wrist to finger tips and as wide as your pointer finger.
2. After you have a nice sized pile of materials, add them to the container you’ve chosen. You can also add any “fluff” to the nest helper.  If you have a bag, tie it at the top. If you have a two berry baskets, turn one of them over and tie the edges of each side together.
3. When you’ve finished, pull a few ends out to get the birds started. Then bring your nest helper out and hang it or tie it into a bush or tree. This will give the birds a place to find the materials and keep them away from other animals.