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I am lucky enough to have been invited to two birthday parties in the month of May, and although money’s tight (thanks, broken camera!) I wanted to give my friends something both useful and adorable. My friend Melynda, who made her internet debut by playing Pachabel’s Canon on a cat piano, particularly loves birds, and although they are all the rage now, she has been rocking the bird trend since she was a kid. When I found this package of two birds for a couple bucks at my local craft store, I knew I could use it for something Melynda-related.

When I got home I noticed that these little birds were attached to tiny alligator clips, and that’s when I had the idea of gluing magnets to their butts and making them into recipe holders for the fridge. Call me old fashioned, but I still tend to print out recipes I want to make again. I also inherited stacks of recipes on note cards from my grandparents so I’m always looking for safe a place to put them while cooking.

It just so happens I have two friends with birthdays and two birds, so Lupe and Melynda, if you are reading this, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I totally just ruined your surprise! No worries, though, because I have some vintage goodness for each of you. Your birthday is saved!

These were oh-so-simple to put together. I didn’t even have to wait until Isobel was visiting a grandparent to start this project like I normally do. I had these magnets and the glue gun on hand already, so these two crafty gifts cost under five bucks. After heating up the glue gun I glued the magnet to the curved part of the clip and let it set for an hour. The metal in the clip helped the magnet set really securely. So simple, so cheap, so easy. Like somebody’s mom!

Ta-da! They are adorable and I’m thinking of heading to the craft store for more birds. I could use one of these in my life.

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