Bird Cookies

I found this idea on the Frugal Family Fun Blog here. These are very easy to make and very cute. They are great for little ones, because they get to do a lot of spreading and sprinkling. 

All you need is the following:

• cardboard (we used a left-over pizza box from dinner the night before)
• bird seed
• vegetable shortening
• scissors
• cookie cutters or stencils (optional)
• string or something to hang your cookie with (we used garbage ties because it kept the cookies from swinging once they were hung).

1. Trace around your cookie cutter or stencil or free-hand draw a shape onto the cardboard.
2. Cut out the shape and punch a hole at the top for threading your string later.
3. Spread the vegetable shortening all over once side of your cardboard cookie.
4. Sprinkle the birdseed on top and press it down.
5. Repeat the vegetable shortening and birdseed on the other side of the cookie.
6. Run the string through the hole and find a great branch outside to hang your bird cookie. 

We hung our cookies very close to the branch, because the birds like to sit on the branch from which it is hanging and bend forward/down to get the seeds.