How to Make Birds Nests for a Ladies Brunch

I have found a new little obsession this spring.  (Remember last summer’s obsession?)  Maybe my new preoccupation is because I have desperately waited for spring to actually arrive.  Or possibly, it is simply because these things are plain old sweet.  But I cannot seem to get enough of birds nests, as both home decor and party fun.

Today, I’ll be showing you how to make birds nests for a ladies brunch.  It was a win-win because the nests looked beautiful on the table and they served as place cards and favors for my guests to take home.  And with all the ladies attending being my sisters in Christ, I wanted to attach a Bible verse to the nests to encourage us all.

But before we get any further, let me share some of the many ways the nests can be used:  ladies’ brunch (obviously), Mother’s Day lunch, a woodland themed or little bird baby shower, spring decor around your house, gifts for teachers . . . there are so many possibilities!

(This post contains my affiliate links for various products.)

Getting Started Making the Nests:

I used three kinds of moss:  Spanish Moss (top), Floral Moss (bottom left) and Sheet Moss (bottom right).  I thought the combination looked great together, but if there is something else you’d rather use, go for it!

The bulk of the nest is made with spanish moss.  Start by shaping the spanish moss into nest form.  For sizing reference, I made three nests from a 125 cubic feet bag of moss.

Spray the formed nest with spray adhesive.  After each new addition of moss, add more adhesive to keep your nest together.  It will remain pliable, but this will keep it from falling apart.

Next, add floral moss to the center of the nest and spray again.

{My favorite part!}  Tear apart pieces of sheet moss, spray the back with adhesive and put in the nest.  I thought it looked most natural with the moss peaking up and over the side of the nests.  Add three pieces of sheet moss to each nest.  Remember:  odd numbers are most appealing.

Add just a bit more floral moss on top and give it . . . yes, another spray of adhesive.

Grab some sticks from the yard and put them into your nest.

Continue to form the nest with your hands, creating a cavity for the eggs.

Don’t forget to flip your nests over and spray the bottom to help prevent the moss from falling everywhere.

I was hoping the spray adhesive would eventually dry out and not be tacky on the nest.  But no such luck.  You’ll need to add a coat of clear acrylic sealer over the entire nest (including the bottom).

Getting Started Making the Eggs Buying the Eggs:

I would like to tell you that I made the sweetest looking sparrow eggs for my little nests.  I even made salt dough (which became a quick fail – click here to see why).

Do you know how difficult it is to form dough into a consistent egg shape?  Nice round balls, sure I could probably do that.  Egg shape?  Another fail.

But in the hope that some off-white paint and brown speckles would magically make the eggs look . . . like eggs, I gave it a go.  After all, I have all the time in the world.  😉

Errrr!

So in desperation, I ordered cute plastic speckled eggs off Amazon.  They are perfectly shaped and look like little eggs.  Go figure.

Thank you, Prime, for 2-day shipping!

My other challenge in this project was to find sweet little feathers.  I was out of time, however for more shopping.  So I picked up a bag of white feathers, mixed a bit of brown acrylic paint with water and yes, painted my feathers.

Once they were dry, I gave them a little snip and tucked them into my nests.  Hopefully, you will have the chance to get to a craft store and buy a bag of cute feathers.

Making the Tags:

Your next task is to think about what you want to write on the tags.

I decided to create two tags.  One that read, “NAME, a Child of God,” that would serve as the place card.

The second tag would share this Bible verse:

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.  And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.  Matthew 10:29-31.

It is a precious verse to remind us how much we are loved by the Heavenly Father.  We are His children.  He knows the very details of our lives and promises to take care of us.

Once you have decided what you will put on the tags, print and cut them out.  I used my Cameo to cut the card stock into little flag-style tags.

Grab a marker or highlighter and begin to curl the paper.

I curled over in the center and then flipped the ends up.

With corsage pins, pierce your tags and stick into the nests.

I kept the table on the simple side.  No place mats.  Napkins tri-folded and draped over the table edge.  A bird cage centerpiece that echoed the sheet moss.

So, now you know how to make birds nests that look as good as the ones in the store.  How will you use them?