!!!AUGUST!!! Give Away

"Magic"

AUGUST - my least favorite month.  As a child, the novelty of being out of school was waning and I wanted to see all my friends again.  As an adult its a month that seems to take summer just one month too long.  Its hot, its humid (very), the flowers are wilting, there's heat haze in the air and well -- you get the idea.

"Joy"

So let's find some fun to get me through this month! 

"Joy"

 
I'd like to offer a "Whisper" doll each Friday in August to one of you.  Come one, come all!  Each Friday I'll pick a name (from the comments at the bottom of this posting) and send out a doll.  That name will be removed from the pool.  You only need to apply once. 

"Fly"

If you'd like to read more about this "Whisper" series you'll find it back in February, where come to think of it I was probably complaining about the weather also *smile"

"Presents are made for the pleasure of who gives them, not the merits of who receives them." - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

"Flying Flutterby"

Whoosh!!!  Swoop!!! What was that?  That was the latest Flutterby stopping by.  "Flying Flutterby" is quite fun. However I'm finding it a bit difficult to conduct a conversation with her -- she just won't stand still... or even sit still.

Her wings are the envy of "Ribbon Tailed Flutterby" so I've had  to explain to my little percher that it takes a heck of a lot of energy to fly like that -- and in this warm weather, I think perching makes a lot more sense.

As for the "Flying Flutterby" there will be no perching for her.  After all you can't keep a high flyer down.   Whoops and off she goes!!

"I believe that if one always looked at the skies, one would end up with wings." - Gustave

Flaubert

Deep Within the Forest

Each summer, as I walk up the hill, I lose more and more of my 'view'.  I am hemmed in by trees and shrubs and while a patch of sky might show through - looking into the forest I only see a wall of green.

In past years this has disturbed me.  Being an 'open spaces' person, claustrophobia can sometimes set in.  This year, having had my 'desert fix' and the wide open spaces,  I'm finding the trees to be a solace.  This year they are sheltering me rather than holding me in their vast green grip.

Today as I walked I spotted the first of the berries that sometime appear and sometimes don't  They seem quite abundant this year, but very slow to ripen.  However I did end up with a small handful and I'll be walking with my little collecting bag for the next week or so.

"I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us right". - Henry David Thoreau

"Ribbon Tailed Flutterby"

Another little bird has come my way.  This one is perched - and for a very good reason.  She explained to me that her branch of the Flutterby's was never meant to fly.  Hmmm a non-flying bird.  But then I noticed how small her wings are so perhaps therein lies the answer.

Happily her 'musical wings' must mean that she can sing.  However, I have never heard 
her do that either.  Does she sing in the middle of the night when no one is around?  Does she long to fly as other Flutterby's are prone to do?  I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

"The reason birds can fly and we can't is simply because they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings." - J.M. Barrie

Loving Linen

These days I'm 'loving linen'.  Its not a fabric that I've used much before, always forgoing it for clothes since it wrinkles so easily.  BUT I have recently rediscovered it for crafting. Thanks to my favorite thrift store where I recently found a lovely 100% linen shirt, I've been on a linen quest.

In my searching I've found these four lovely linen garments, which have been washed, cut apart and folded -- waiting for my scissors and thread.  Finding linen in a fabric store in our area would be impossible and so  my linen hunt takes me from thrift shop to thrift
shop.  I send out a thank you to those who have donated these items.  I'm sure they never dreamed that their garment might one day become a bird or two.

What better fabric to use for making cloth birds than linen? Its all natural, coming from the Flax plant and has a lovely texture.  The colors are often quite natural -- earthy tones -- perfect for the basic body of a bird or two. 

"It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest.  It is the greatest source of so much of life that makes life worth living." - David Attenborough

"Rusty Toed Flutterby"

Look what appeared in my neighborhood recently.  Yes, its the elusive Rusty Toed Flutterby.  As far as I know, this is the only known sighting of this rare (and probably endangered) bird.

As unlikely as it may seem, this specimen seemed quite friendly.  I even invited her in for tea and she accepted.  I was able to snap this picture when she wasn't looking.

She told me that she is in search of other members of her clan and I promised to be on the look out.  Hope you'll help her by keeping your eyes open also.  Who knows what our bird watching will bring.

"Most discoveries even today are a combination of serendipity and of searching." - Siddhartha Mukherjee

Queen Anne's Lace

Walking up the hill every morning allows me to view each season of wild growth.  Summer brings Queen Anne's Lace.  Oh how I love to see these lacy plants growing along the side of the road - or in the little cove that I pass each day.

As a child I remember reading a book about a girl (of course) who lived near a field of Queen Anne's Lace.  I didn't know what in the world it was -- but just the name alone and the description of the lacy flower made me want to have some.

Its taken me many years to get to that point but I'm oh so delighted to share my summer with this beautiful plant.

Oh, and here are a few 'facts' about Queen Anne's Lace that I've gathered.  Its called a 'Wild Carrot'.  It is biennial in that it lives for two years.  It will spend the first year growing bigger and then bloom in the second year. I suppose this means that I won't see these beauties next year, if this is their second year.  Caterpillars of the Eastern Swallow Butterfly eat the leaves.  Bees and other insects drink the nectar.

"There are always flowers for those who want to see them." - Henri Matisse  

Finding My Wings?

Prior to our trip out west I made up three 'Quietude' dolls.  I needed to create calm and peace as we made all of our reservations and went through the whole thing of getting ready to be out of town for two weeks.  I definitely needed a bit of serenity in my life.
  

My idea after getting home was to complete at least two more and then perhaps something else would pop into my head.  That completion project died a quick death as I fumbled around trying to find embellishments that would work and getting less and less interested each day.

While out on the desert we saw birds that we don't see here -- lots of them.  Magpies, which have a bad reputation but I love seeing them soar.  Quail are all over and always busily walking their grounds.  Just as perky and cute as can be.  

Then I came home to all the birds we have here.  And the thought came over me that perhaps I might make up some cloth birds.  Uh-oh -- the moment that thought came to me, my mind started churning with ideas: shabby chic? muted and mild? embellishments? shape? printed fabric or plain or both? eyes? standing or hanging or sitting - or all three????

And so I'll lift my wings and see what fun I can have.  Perhaps my summer will be completely devoted to bird watching.

"It's impossible to explain creativity.  It's like asking a bird, 'How do you fly?'" - Eric Jerome Dickey

Sharing...

...Fiona Dempster.

"In different ways and in different places, you come across the idea that your voice or your making is precious and special because nobody else in the whole entire world is going to make what you make, in the way you make it, with the dreams you have dreamt of it, with what you bring to it, with the spirit you imbue in it and the experiences that have wrought it.  Nobody else can make your work and that is the gift you bring to the world." 

Words that make my heart sing, that give me purpose as I sit down with needle and thread, that inspire me to give the very best that is in me.  I hope they speak to you also. If you haven't seen Fiona's blog and/or her website you're in for a treat. Please visit Fiona at Paper Ponderings to see her blog and for fantastic visions of her book art work wander over to her website Fiona

With the weight of Fiona's words I'd better get back to sewing hadn't I?!