Don't Pass That Swan Vase At The Thrift Store. Turn It Into An Upcycled Bird Feeder

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If you're a regular at your local thrift store, you've probably walked by some random-looking vases. There are thrift store vases that can turn out to be quite valuable for DIYs, including some of the quirkier ones. Take swan vases, for example. They're cute, but a bit kitschy for some people's taste, making them easy to pass up. Next time you spot one, however, you might actually want to take it. With a bit of DIY creativity and some simple supplies, you can turn it into an upcycled bird feeder. It's a unique and budget-friendly way to attract more birds to your yard, and who wouldn't want that?

The idea to upcycle a swan vase to make a garden addition that will attract birds comes from YouTube creator @upcycledstuff. For this DIY, she used three dishes: the swan vase, a decorative plate that the swan can fit onto, and a thin bud vase. You can find all of these at the thrift store, on eBay (look up words "vase" and "planter"), or even in your own cabinets. Swan vases are all different — some have small details with a face, others are blank, and some are colorful. Choose whichever model best suits your tastes and fits into your budget. 

To assemble the DIY, you'll also need a rod, either PVC or wood, which should fit inside of the bud vase. If it doesn't, find a vase with a wider neck. For these, visit your local hardware store, or look through your garage for leftovers from previous projects. You'll also need a tool to cut the rod, whether it's a saw or a PVC cutter tool, and some glue to attach the pieces, such as this Hohean Clear Silicone Sealant Caulk. 

To start the assembly, place the plate upside down on a flat surface. Then, use the adhesive to attach the bottom of the plate to the bottom of the bud vase, right at the center. You have two options when it comes to next steps. First, you can set this aside to cure and come back to it later (the cure time should be written on your adhesive bottle, but it may take one to two days). If you're not patient, let the adhesive set for 30 minutes to an hour, and then carefully flip the structure upside down and rest it on a larger vase so that no weight is put onto the bud vase yet. 

At that point, add adhesive to the bottom of the swan vase and lower it onto the center of the decorative plate. Let this cure for another few hours (or days). When that's done, stick your PVC or wooden rod into the ground. If the ground is hard and you can't get it at least a foot deep, use a mallet to help you. Inserting it deep enough is key to making sure the structure doesn't fall over. Then, place the bud vase onto the top of the rod, fill the swan with seeds, and you're done.

You can adapt this DIY with tons of other dishes. Use decorative bowls, plates, vases, and planters to create unique bird feeders. You can even leave the plate as is, without a vase on top, and fill it with water to create a shallow bird bath.