BIRDS NESTS, FABRIC SCRAPS, AND RECYCLING

I was up hoppin' along the internet this AM following some links to the Artful Bag Challenge at Frosted Petunias and came across a posting at Ruby Moon Art. This lady has been involved in some very interesting swaps and challenges, but it was a post about fabric scraps and birds nests that really got me to thinking. Here is a link :  http://rubymoonart.blogspot.com/2011/03/spring-bunting-swap-sneek-peak.html  She discussed taking her fabric scraps that were too small to save or unusable, loading them up in a suet holder, poking a stick thru the holder and hanging it outside for the birds to take the fabric scraps for their nest. Such a cool practical idea !!  I know for a fact the birds would love it.  Here is a picture I borrowed from her blog (I added her name to it).

That set me to remembering when I had horses.  For about 20 yrs, I kept 3 horses (2 mares and a gelding) til they died of old age.  Cherokee (my gelding) would always put on a really heavy winter coat and every spring I would spend days and days til I got him completely brushed out when he started shedding.  We started noticing that a lot of the birds nests (we had 4 acres of trees, privet hedge and pasture) had white stuff in them.  When the babies had flown the nest, we took some of them down and guess what we found.  Cherokee's hair (he was a pinto with blue roan spots) was lining and worked into the sides and bottom of the nests.  Talk about recycling!! But the really neat nest was the one that had metal tags and wire worked into it.  My father had an aircraft salvage business and a lot of military aircraft bits and pieces would have these metal tags about the size of a postage stamp attached with safety wire.  Daddy would cut the wire to remove them and toss the wire and tags in barrels for scrap metal.  Apparently the birds wanted to add a little bling to their nests and would steal the stuff from the barrels. I wish I had pics of those nests.  We saved them for use at Vacation Bible School and the kids had a fit over them. I guess I lost them when I moved several years ago because I have no idea what happened to them. 
Being the pack rat that I am, I have alway saved fabric scraps.  I used to make string doll quilts with them to sell at craft shows and still have sacks of the stuff. Now I have a new use for those scraps. I will be hanging a couple of those holders out for the birds.
Thank you Amy for such a great idea.  I will be returning frequently to your beautiful blog. 
Have a great start to the holiday weekend and happy crafting.
God Bless all of you.
Mary