Bird Nest Place Card Holder DIY (like Pottery Barn’s)
A month or two ago I spied these cuties in the Pottery Barn catalog:
I really liked them, but at $24 (plus shipping) for a set of 4, that was awfully steep.
Then I spotted some little 4 inch birds nests at a craft store for 99 cents each, and decided to make my own.
Here’s what you need: nest, wire, wire cutters, pliers, spool or dowel about 1 inch in diameter.
I began by making 4 loops in my wire, each about 4 inches long.
I then pinched the other ends of the loops and wrapped the wire tightly around them.
Next I measured about 20 inches from where I’d just wrapped and cut my wire. This left me a nice long piece to work with in securing the nest to the base and for making the paper holder.
Now push the end of the wire up through the bottom of the nest.
Push the nest down to where the loops are, and then decide how far above the bottom of the nest you want your loops for securing a place card to sit. Then, using your spool or dowel, wrap the wire tightly around the dowel to form a good circle. I wrapped mine 3 times.
Remove the dowel and twist the wire at the base of the loops to secure them together.
Now push the end of the wire back down through the bottom of the nest (in a different spot for better stability) toward the loops. If the nest seems a bit floppy when you hold it upright, then loop the wire back up through the bottom of the nest and down again to secure it. Then tightly wrap the end of your wire around the base near where you wrapped previously. Use your pliers to tuck the ends of the wire in.
Now decide on the height of your place card holder and carefully bend the ends of your loops to form the base.
My nest had some long pieces sticking out in random places. I chose to clip them so I could have a more compact piece that won’t catch on things when I use them.
Fiddle with the base until your nest stands without tipping.
Now squeeze your loops on top together and make sure they will hold a piece of paper.
I like it! Each of these holders took me 5-7 minutes to make, and because I had the black wire on hand, the entire project cost me $4.00. SO much better than $24 plus shipping. I have a feeling I’ll enjoy them even more because I made them.
Now to use them! These would be fun at an Easter dinner, but you could also use them to hold little trinkets.
Hope you’ll try it!
Posted at DIY Day , Transformation Thursday and Blue Cricket Design .
awesome! love it!
These are the cutest things I’ve seen yet! You did a great job!!
Very very cute – the link from Kimba’s didn’t work for some reason but I found your post anyway! I love working with wire and thought that the nest place card holders would be pretty easy – now you’ve inspired me! Thanks so much!
I thought those could be reproduced! Great job!
@Heather, thanks for the heads up. We have corrected the problem. Thanks for visiting!
linked up from Kimba’s….love those too!! Now I am inspired to make my own!! Thanks!!
Great project! Fun and easy…thank you for sharing!!
Those are so cute!! Thanks!!
Love those – too cute!
I saw these to at Pottery Barn and dreamt about them. However, my pocket book would not have it. So to see this is such a great surprise. Thank you so much, I will for sure be doing these for Easter.
OMG! Those are great!!
Tania
what gage wire did you use for the birds nest plaxce card holders??
I’m pretty sure I used 22 gauge wire, or something right around there. All I have on hand right now is 19 gauge, and it’s a bit stiff. I hope that helps! Good luck, and thanks for visiting.
Thank you SO much for this! I’m hosting my sister’s bridal shower, with the theme “love birds”, and was looking for something to put next to the food, saying what it was! This is perfect!!
Absolutely love this idea. However, I do not have the patience to make them but would buy them–ha,ha,ha.