First, collect your supplies. I got the poles at the neighborhood Habitat for Humanity ReStore. They were $1 each. WooHoo!
I tried to find some that were square on one end and pointy on the other end and also were varying heights. By the way, these are stair railings, or spokes, or whatever you call them:)Next, the tea cups. Where can you get all different and super cheap tea cups and saucers? Well Goodwill of course!
I didn't pay more than $1 for any of these. My Goodwill didn't have a super great selection but hauling around a 2 year old to different stores just wasn't "my cup of tea"!For the adhesive, I picked up a tube of caulking while I was at the ReStore. This, too, was only $1. First, I glued the cup to the saucer using the caulking. After those were dry, I glued the saucer to the pole. Not too hard, huh?!
I had also planned to drill a hole at the bottom to drain the water. This turned out not to be so great an idea. My drill didn't penetrate the cup AT ALL! So if some rain gets in, the cup becomes a bird bath instead of a bird feeder: both very functional.
Check out my very own National Geographic Live!
Now, I know some people do everything they can to keep squirrels out of the bird feeders but I don't mind so much. Plus, I can't really help it. But, the birds are coming to visit too!!! 
These photos are little fuzzy because they're super zoomed in. I'm very happy with how they turned out. Total cost: $7. Awesome!
34 comments:
cute! my mom has made these before and used old tea cups that belonged to her grandmother.. it was neat. nice work. :)
How adorable! One day when I live in a house instead of an apartment I want to do this! I love it!
Found you at Someday Crafts.
Oh wow these are so sweet! Thanks for sharing it, I might have to try it for my backyard!
Oh, I LOVE these! I will have to make some! I love everything with tea cups!!!!
Oh, I L-O-V-E this! I linked your project under my Inspirational Projects section on my blog ... can't wait to do this around our Koi Pond.
Jaime
www.theclayfamilyblog.blogspot.com
These are SO cute! And I have a china cabinet full of teacups & saucers that I rarely use anymore! I see a project coming on...
Congrats! You've been featured.
http://www.bigklittlea.com/2011/06/my-favorite-things_17.html
~K
Cute. Did you know that the blue cup and saucer are from the Currier & Ives "The Old Grist Mill" set?
Did you use the caulk adhesive to put the cup/saucer onto the table leg?? I'm having the hardest time getting it to stay on there! Help!! LOL :)
I also used those cheap vases that flowers come in. Can find them at goodwill for 50 cents. Got some poles from Lowes and painted them. They work great and are really cute gift ideas!!!
Connie
Fantastic idea. I love it. That will have to be a project for me...I love the rehab store and Goodwill and I love each other! Thanks for sharing.
Fantastic idea. I love it. That will have to be a project for me...I love the rehab store and Goodwill and I love each other! Thanks for sharing.
Fantastic idea. I love it. That will have to be a project for me...I love the rehab store and Goodwill and I love each other! Thanks for sharing.
Just wanted to share that you've been featured on our SMITTEN: SPRING 2012 GUIDE!
http://limefishstudio.blogspot.com/2012/03/smitten-spring-2012-guide.html
Super cute!
I love these. I've got to make some for my yard! May I feature you on my blog http://blogtheblacksheep.wordpress.com? It's a blog about fiber art, but I can't resist this...maybe I can incorporate some fiber in there somewhere!?
Maybe you could glue velcro to the bottom of the saucer and top of the spindle, then they would be removeable for cleaning. Just a thought! Thanks for sharing - I'm going to make some of these!
Yes, these are very cute! I don't think charging $10 at the flea market was so bad though, after all, you said your total cost was $7, and your time is worth something, so the flea market vendors profit was only a $3 difference.....
Last week I bought some table legs from home depot for a table I made for our backyard from an old habitat door, and I have one extra leg. So My plan was to make one of these. Yours turned out cute! fun!
Awesome, I have to make some of these. Theya re fabulous and can be stored easily during bad weather.
I bought 10 stair rails at a yard sale years ago and I paid only $2.00 for them. I knew one day I would find a use for them! Thanks
I love this idea! Do you mind if I pin this on to one one of my Pinterest boards?
Kathy, of course I don't mind. Thanks!
Thanks Rockie! I have it pinned here: http://pinterest.com/KathyAustin/garden/
I think she meant $10 each a total of $30 for 3..
I love these! I am making them for my Mum for xmas. She loves tea cups and birds...so they are perfect! Thank you for the idea.
You can use a diamond bit to drill the china. And make sure you use a glue that is made for china and wood. Or your china will not stick to the wood and will fall off and break. I doubt that caulk is made to hold china and wood together. By drilling with a diamond bit through the cup and saucer, you could have then joined them with a screw and glue. If you are going to make something, do it right to last.
How would you keep the pigeons out? That's all I see around here...
These are adorable. I just made three of them from my Goodwill treasures. Thanks for the inspiration!
These are so cute. I thought at first that they were used to set your cup, etc. on in outdoor space. But, what a neat idea for bird/squirrel feeder. Love it! Thanks for sharing.
Must use marine waterproof glue, even as strong as that is , I've had them get wet and fall apart. I think the drill is the only real way to do it properly
Cute! I use E6000 glue on the things I make and it holds. Also, I would have to sink the spindle in a large can of concrete and then bury the can. I have squirrels that explore everything and would knock them over for sure. Thanks Judy
I glued the cup to the saucer using the caulking. After those were dry, I glued the saucer to the pole. Not too hard, huh?!powder green tea perth
I made these for my mom and mother-in-law for Mother's Day. Can't wait to give the feeders to them! I made them two each :)
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