Last season from Vivienne’s workshop • In 11 active carts • 21 left
Vivienne's Small-Bird Ballerina Feeder
Vivienne's Small-Bird Ballerina Feeder
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Vivienne's Small-Bird Ballerina Feeder
Hand-cast for the smallest birds in an Asheville garage
Vivienne Ballard, 72, nursed 4,112 songbirds back to health in 31 years as a licensed bird rescuer in North Carolina. Since 2011 she has cast these little feeders for chickadees, finches and wrens. Arthritis in both thumbs has ended the work. These are her last 212.
“A chickadee weighs eleven grams. A grackle weighs a hundred and twenty. At a big feeder, the little ones don’t even get to land. I made this one so they finally can.”
Vivienne Ballard · Asheville, North Carolina
What comes in the box
Hand-finished resin, about 4.7 in across
With a clip hook at the top
Branch, porch hook or eave
Handwritten, with the birds to expect
What makes Vivienne’s feeder different
The wavy rim is narrow on purpose. Chickadees and finches hold on easily. Grackles and starlings can’t get a good grip.
Light dish, three thin chains. A heavy bird makes it tip and swing. Under an eleven-gram chickadee it hardly moves.
Holds about half a cup of seed — one day’s worth. The seed stays fresh instead of piling up and going moldy.
No walls, no roof. A bird can see all around while it eats and spots a hawk in time.
The little dancer comes from a 1962 photo of Vivienne in her first dance class. Her arms hold the space open for the smallest birds.
About 4.7 in across and 12 in tall with the chains. The size of a saucer — just right for two or three little birds at a time.
“At large feeders, the bigger and more aggressive species almost always eat first, and chickadees, wrens and finches are left waiting. A small, open dish with a narrow perch changes that: it simply isn’t comfortable for a heavy bird. Add a modest amount of fresh seed each morning and you get a feeding spot that works for the birds that need it most in winter. It’s a simple idea, and a sound one.”
Dr. Marian Okafor · Avian ecologist · Southern Appalachian bird research program
Perfect for
Why Vivienne’s feeder works
- Made for small birds. The narrow rim keeps the big ones from taking over.
- Weatherproof resin. Won’t rust, rot or crack in the cold.
- Three-point hanging. Hangs level and steady, with an easy clip hook.
- Easy to clean. Tip it out, rinse it off, done in a minute.
- Hand-finished. Every edge sanded and every hair bun painted by Vivienne.
Hang it, watch it for a few weeks. If the chickadees don’t come, one email to info@craft-folk.com is enough. Vivienne would rather have it back than have it sit in a drawer.
Tip from Vivienne: Hang it under a porch roof or a leafy branch, about five feet up and close to a shrub the birds can dart into. Fill it with a small handful of black-oil sunflower seed every morning, and tip out old seed after a rain. This is a small feeder on purpose — it is made for little birds, not for a whole flock. Every piece is finished by hand, so small differences are normal.
Product details
| Contents | 1 ballerina feeder dish with 3 gold-tone chains and clip hook |
| Material | Cast resin, hand-sanded and hand-painted; metal chains |
| Color | Ivory with brown hair bun and gold-tone chains |
| Size | Dish about 4.7 in (12 cm) across · figure 5.6 in (14.3 cm) tall · about 12 in (30 cm) with chains |
| Holds | About ½ cup of seed |
| Best for | Chickadees, finches, wrens, juncos and other small songbirds |
| Hanging | Outdoors from a branch, porch hook or eave — ideally under cover |
| Care | Rinse with warm water; tip out wet seed after rain |
| Made by | Vivienne Ballard, Asheville, North Carolina — last season, 212 remaining |
| Made so far | About 2,600 since 2011 |
The Last Season
The Last Season
A note from the workshop:
For 31 years, Vivienne Ballard was a licensed songbird rescuer near Asheville, North Carolina. She nursed 4,112 birds back to health in her sunroom — almost all of them small: chickadees, finches, wrens and juncos. Again and again she saw the same thing: at big feeders, grackles and starlings push the little birds away. So in 2011 she started casting a small feeder made only for them, in the old garage next to her house. The little dancer comes from a photo of her first dance class in 1962. Since this spring, arthritis in both thumbs no longer lets her sand the rims or paint the dancers. 212 feeders are left. When they are gone, there will be no more.
Free US Shipping
Free US Shipping
Free shipping across the United States
- Delivery time: 5–8 business days
- Every feeder is carefully packed and sent with tracking, with a handwritten card from Vivienne
- Size: dish about 4.7 in (12 cm) across, about 12 in (30 cm) tall with chains
- Holds about half a cup of seed — made for small songbirds
- Hand-finished resin, three gold-tone chains and clip hook
- 30-day money-back guarantee — just email info@craft-folk.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Email us anytime at info@craft-folk.com. We answer Monday–Friday 9am–5pm and Saturday 10am–3pm. Whether it’s about your order, where to hang your feeder, or just to say hello — a real person writes back.
Can I return it if it’s not for me?
Can I return it if it’s not for me?
Of course. 30-day money-back guarantee. Hang it, watch it for a few weeks, and if it isn’t right for you, email info@craft-folk.com within 30 days for a full refund. No questions asked.
How is it made?
How is it made?
Each feeder is cast in resin in Vivienne’s garage workshop and left to set for a full day. She sands every edge by hand, paints the dancer’s hair bun with a fine brush and hooks on the three chains herself. The narrow wavy rim is made for small birds like chickadees and finches. Small differences from piece to piece are part of it.