Birdy Bedding

I think it's obvious by now that I like birds...especially owls. I'm sure it's a phase, but I've always been drawn to 60s and 70s decor, so maybe it may not pass anytime soon. With that said, I've been stuck on decorating ideas for my bedroom. I had one really great idea with black and white, but in the end, I think it is way too dramatic for me. So then I started to lean back on what I always do--whimsical, which led me to birdy bedding. I still don't know that I'm settled on anything, but I am really loving some of these. And one is on sale!

This is from West Elm. It's so pretty...and on sale!

Another view of the West Elm bedding.

And here is Garnet Hill's, which is a little more silly...making me love it more.

Here is a slightly closer look. It reminds me of a painting that Miss Jessica's now husband made for her of birds wearing winter hats.

And here is Alexandar Henry's Spotted Owl fabric that I could use to make my own duvet cover.

I don't know. Maybe birds don't even belong in my bedroom. Hmm....so hard.

Come Fly Away

Four days til I fly away, so today's post is about the birds. I've made these birds before, but this batch is extra special because they're for Jess's wedding! As an unofficial member of the Bridal Brigade, I offered to lend a helping hand by sewing some birds she needed for her ceremony. I just love all the colors together. So springy!

All sewn and ready to go.

Open noses, ready to be hand sewn.

Machine stitched and ready to be flipped and stuffed.

And speaking of birds, I'm on Twitter now. Come tweet with me!

Welcome to the World, Cade

Mandy had her baby a few weeks ago, and the owl sweater I knit for him now has the perfect model. Welcome, Cade. It's a scary world you've entered, but at least you've got your looks!

An Etsy Sneak Peek

As soon as I get a tad more motivated, I plan to add my latest creations to my Etsy shop: birds on a wire-d stick. I started made these fabric birds back in June, but never got around to doing anything with them. I finally got them finished and will be putting them in my Etsy shop, one bird per day (to help up my visibility on Etsy). Until that happens, here's a sneak peak.

Perfectly Perched

Shane and I came home last week to find a baby birdie sitting right outside our condo entrance door. As we got closer, we thought he (she?) would fly away, but he didn't. He just watched us walk up, let us stare at him for a while and then stayed there as we closed the door behind us. I was amazed at how still and calm he was. I came back to take pictures and he was still there. I could've reached out and pet him or picked him up and I don't think he would've move. I was very nervous that I was going to find him dead later, but I think his mama came to take him back to the nest. I know he's not crafty, but sometimes we all need a little inner peaceful break. Here's mine to offer.

Close.

Closer.

And for those who think that it was all a zoom trick, that's my foot purposely in the picture to show how close I could get. And, to make this post minutely crafty, I digitally freshened up my pedicure with photoshop. =)

Whooooooooooo's That Girl?

I'd been kicking around the idea of making a costumed toy, but wasn't quite sure how to go about it. After many sketches and researching of resources, I came up with the newest addition to my Etsy shop. I'm thinking about doing a whole line of different costumed kids. For now I'll start with this cutie.

The Confusing Reveal

The big reveal lunch took place yesterday. Below are my two crafting pals: Shelley (left) and Jessica. I call it the "confusing reveal" because despite taking a lot of heat for being so confused about the challenge initially, I was the only one to make two crafts to actually swap. Hmm...maybe I wasn't as dim as the other two bulbs that day. (KIDDING, of course!!!!) :)

Actually, it really came down to 1.) this was our first time--mistakes our bound to happen, and 2.) we had no clue what we were doing. So, with that said, below are pics from the Neighborhood-themed Craft Challenge. I made bracelets using Shrinky Dinks, colored pencils and jump rings. Each "charm" has a different drawn picture: a bird, a lemonade sale sign, a house, a mailbox, a tree, and a bag of sugar (think borrowing a cup from your neighbor).

Shelley made the bird paintings. They were a three-in-one series, that I believe she was calling "There goes the neighborhood." They were made with ink and water (Shelley, correct me if I got that wrong).

Jessica made the multi-sided house. The roof lifts off and can be turned to showcase a different house front on each side. It was made from wood, paper, and metal.

I really thought it was great to see how each of us came up with something completely different and really creative. I'll be assigning the next craft challenge in the coming week. I think we've worked out all the kinks now, but we're going to give it another trial run or two before we start opening it up to the masses. (Be thankful for that! =)

And now my own bird for Etsy . . .

The other day I knit this little blue bird to add to my Etsy shop. Obviously the spring/summer season has me drawn to crafts inspired by the outdoors. I named this sweet tweet "Grace" in honor of my sweet niece Hannah Grace who is turning 2 on Memorial Day.

Etsy Bird Art

Keeping in "ruffled feathers" theme, I thought I'd share some sweet bird paintings that I found from different artists on Etsy.

Little Chickadee Painting

Owl in Green

Lil’ Hootsie

Peacocks