Chickadee Collection & Something New...

Springtime in the studio is great fun~
It's warmer.
It's sunny.
I hear the birds!
All day yesterday, several sweet Chickadees were
having a great time at the feeders~

Last night... to stay awake while we watched
American Idol as a family... I drew!
I couldn't stop at one or two...
I made five!
They're listed in my Etsy store~

I added something to three of them.
From the same fabric, I made a trim!
Can be used as a ribbon to make a shabby bow...
Could be stitched along the edge of a pillow or frame...
I LOVE antique buttons!
I hand stitched 10 onto each ribbon.

Behind each button is a small star.
If you choose to take the button off,
there will not be an empty space.

It is rare for anyone to see a needle & thread
in my hands... but these came out very cute!

The Etsy write up shares what the ribbons says...
Simple, but birdish! ha! ha!

It will travel to its new home wrapped
around a vintage clothespin...

Sweet, sweet garden friends!
These were a bit tough to part with~

Hope you're having a nice day!

Biology Class is a Little Bit Chickie...

Our daughter is not much of science buff...
However~ she's in LOVE with the latest project!
Baby Chicks!
With camera in hand she happily goes to biology...

Just hatched!

One little babe was alone for a day...
"Cheep! Cheep! Cheep!"
With company... the classroom is a little more quiet!

We shot down her wish for a chicken coop here at home...
Boring parents! ha! ha!

High school bio inspired me to make more
sweet spring chicks...
Listed these in my Etsy store~
Getting ready to list five Chickadee originals!

Thank you for ALL of your sweet comments!
I'm so THRILLED that you are so pleased with
your original sketches on fabric.
If you have a moment, please share how you have
decorated/crafted/shared with these!
I would love to blog about them~

Hope your day is perfect!

Dandelion Wishes Shares...

Look how SWEET this special birthday gift is!
Mimi from Dandelion Wishes
Sent me several photos of this beautiful framed
treasure she made for her mom!
I LOVE how she arranged and framed
three of my original illustrations...
Makes me smile!!!

Hope you'll stop by and visit her wonderful blog...
She has more photographs of her beautiful work~
Thank you for sharing, Mimi!

Ladybird, Ladybird... Fly Away Home...

Had a fun time with these little Ladies!
Just added a few more originals to my Etsy shop~

Having such a great time drawing this and that...

Love the vintage red buttons...
Red tulips will come in a few weeks!

Hope you have a nice evening~

Buttons Shared with a Friend... Family...

I am so thankful for people I meet along the way.
I met a kind woman when I was in college.
She was an antique dealer who dealt in lace,
paper, ephemera, buttons... well~ you know!
ALL those things we love so much!

My dear friend, now twenty years later...
Is having to downsize.

My sweet daughter and I are helping her organize,
clean, move, toss... restore... save.
It must be so difficult for her to know she can
only keep a smidgen of what she owns.

In a long, round about way, we have discovered
that this wonderful woman is related to my husband...
Therefore, our daughter.
It was amazing when she and this woman first met.
They liked the same things, laughed at the same jokes...
Who would have thought? One day, while we were busy
working away, my daughter picked up a photo
album from the mid, to late 1800's~ A family book...
She saw her great, great grandfathers name!
We travel to her home every now and then~
They connect for an hour or so...
Then we get to work!

Yesterday was buttons!
We have so many buttons I will NEVER in my
lifetime be able to use them...
But I can share!
We purchased a huge lot of more common ones.
I'll be adding them with my fabric illustration sales.

My friend shared, when money was tight, that women
would sew these buttons to muslin or scrap fabrics
to try to sell. Much like the chipboard, card stock pages.

She unearthed a small collection of mother of pearl...
They are my favorites!
Natural, remind me of watercolor washes~

I tried to capture the details to share with you...

Just fussing with these makes the day sweeter.
Thinking of the times these were used...
Who tucked them inside a button hole~
Where were they off to?
Some place in time~

Hope your day is relaxing~

More fabric originals coming soon!
Chickadees, acorns, ladybirds and Hummingbirds!

Where I Grew Up...

I remember roaming through pastures and muddy
dirt roads like it was yesterday.
I always had my pockets filled with treasures...
A bandanna of acorns, pine cones etc. knotted closed.

When I was a child...
I wanted to keep mushrooms as little canopies
for my critters... I tried to transplant some.
There was a dirt floor in part of our basement.
Water would collect and Newts would live there.
The mushrooms would dry up...
I tried several times with no success.

Fun to remember back and smile~
Hope a wonderful memory visits your heart today!

Storybook Collection Original Art...

Meet Muffin!
Sweet little Muffin is searching the forest floor
for wild strawberries...

There is a slight misty rain...
So she is finding a dry spot to enjoy her treats!

I will add these collectible originals, from my
Storybook Collection, every so often.
They take a little more time to plan and draw.
Once you put ink down... it's permanent!
I don't sketch in pencil first...
I like to keep the fabric clean and crisp.

You can find these three pieces of
Little Miss Muffin
in my Etsy store... hope you stop by!

Cheep... Cheep... Cheep...

A few new friends to share with you!

Our daughter comes home from Biology,
"No baby chicks yet...*sigh*"
They're anxious for the chicks to hatch!
She wants to hold them... I would love more pictures!

I just listed several of these little friends
in my Etsy store...

English Daisies will blossom in our lawn soon!
No matter how many times I plant them in
the flower gardens... they make their way to grass.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

My Bird Library Grows...

I went for a country drive Wednesday...
Needed to get away from the studio for an hour or two...
Found myself about 45 minutes from home at one
of my daughters favorite antique shops.
Want to share this wonderful find with you!
Birds of America
Copyright 1917 by The University Society, Inc.
Copyright 1936, By Doubleday & Company, Inc.

If you have a chance to borrow this from your
local library or find a used copy... it is a treasure!

Details of eggs, nests, songs etc.

Pretty plates...

Sample of text...

I love when bird books share nest details...

The song!

Wrens and Titmouse... my favorites!

Purple Finch...

So very easy to use... arranged for an artist!
A few examples~
Order of Diving Birds...
Order of Long-Winged Swimmers...
Order of Shore-Birds...
Order of Pigeons and doves...
Order of Goatsuckers, Swifts, Etc.
Order of Perching Birds...

Hope your Friday is off to a great start!
More sketches coming later today~

Artist Samples Arrived...

It is always fun when artist samples arrive!
This coverlet and pillow came this morning...
The manufactures give me the opportunity to comment,
share feedback on colors etc. before production.

Our kitties were all sitting around my feet when
I was taking the photograph...
Perhaps ready to jump up and snuggle in~
or... licking their chops at the sight of such
huge songbirds! ha! ha!

Indoor kitties that love to watch songbirds!
When the vibrant red Cardinals perch...
I think I can see their little snouts smile~

Hope your day is perfect!

Look What Just Flew In!

Baby birds!
All shapes and sizes!
Oh the fun I had drawing these...
Sketchbooks all over my studio!

I just added fourteen new pieces to my
Etsy shop!
Click here to take a peek~

I'm looking forward to sunny days...
These are not very good photographs to share with you.
Gray skies make for poor natural lighting.

We have a few bird feeders close to the house.
When the kids are in school... hubby is at work...
It is so very quiet~
All I hear are the birds happily feeding...
Calling to each other...
I'm sure there is a Blue Jay out there playing
traffic police, keeping feathered munchers in order!

I was in the mood for fluffy, chubby and tender babies...

Hope you have a wonderful evening!