babyhood / book reviews / home / link love / sewing projects / swaps

the birds and the bees

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The birds:
I made cutting boards for my family two years ago in this sparrow shape and I’ve been wanting to do something else with it ever since. So last week when I had my sewing machine out, I tried a swallow-shaped pillow. However, I don’t think they are going to work as a pillow. I haven’t stuffed them yet, but I think they’ll lose their shape and charm when stuffed. Now I’m thinking they’d make a great applique on a pillow….any other ideas?
P1010057

My purpose for having out the machine was to make two of these friendly little turtles–a favorite homemade toy in our home, who are now wrapped up and safely on their way to a very, very, VERY patient family.

The bees:
Melissa sent me an email this week, asking me to blog about a very important project. The Great Sunflower Project is an effort to attract and count honeybees in personal and community gardens. If you sign up for the project they will send you a free packet of sunflower seeds to plant in your garden (or even a pot on your deck). All you need to do in return is take two bee counts (according to their simple instructions) and send in or fill out their online count. The whole count will take less than 30 minutes. I’m going to do it as a school project with Emma and Mary. I hope you’ll join Melissa and me and be a part of this important project. (I’d love to know if you decide to join in!) Here is an article in the NYTimes about our honeybees in peril.

The birds and the bees:
P1010059


First of all, no. I am not pregnant. But that doesn’t stop me from getting inspiration from an amazing new book that April at Chronicle Books sent me last week. The book is called Nursery Style and it is by Serena Dugan and Lily Kanter of the California-based store, Serena and Lily. I love these kinds of books because I find so much inspiration and ideas packed into them. And I love paying attention to the little details–the artwork, the pillows, how the toys are put away, how an armoire is utilized, the curtains.
Mosaic9419819_2

1. image 1, 2. image 2, 3. image 3, 4. image 4

Even though the book is aimed at nursery design, there are still so many great ideas in this book for anyone decorating a home with and for children.(stefani, I thought about you with those silhouettes in image 3. Can you do that?! 🙂 So baby on the way or not, this book is full of beautifully designed living spaces, new ideas and fantastic tips and hints for decorating. And April, I want everything on page 74 and 75.

Happy Weekend everyone. Sign up for your bee count, read a good book and take it easy.
See you Monday.

P1010052

The birds:
I made cutting boards for my family two years ago in this sparrow shape and I’ve been wanting to do something else with it ever since. So last week when I had my sewing machine out, I tried a swallow-shaped pillow. However, I don’t think they are going to work as a pillow. I haven’t stuffed them yet, but I think they’ll lose their shape and charm when stuffed. Now I’m thinking they’d make a great applique on a pillow….any other ideas?
P1010057

My purpose for having out the machine was to make two of these friendly little turtles–a favorite homemade toy in our home, who are now wrapped up and safely on their way to a very, very, VERY patient family.

The bees:
Melissa sent me an email this week, asking me to blog about a very important project. The Great Sunflower Project is an effort to attract and count honeybees in personal and community gardens. If you sign up for the project they will send you a free packet of sunflower seeds to plant in your garden (or even a pot on your deck). All you need to do in return is take two bee counts (according to their simple instructions) and send in or fill out their online count. The whole count will take less than 30 minutes. I’m going to do it as a school project with Emma and Mary. I hope you’ll join Melissa and me and be a part of this important project. (I’d love to know if you decide to join in!) Here is an article in the NYTimes about our honeybees in peril.

The birds and the bees:
P1010059


First of all, no. I am not pregnant. But that doesn’t stop me from getting inspiration from an amazing new book that April at Chronicle Books sent me last week. The book is called Nursery Style and it is by Serena Dugan and Lily Kanter of the California-based store, Serena and Lily. I love these kinds of books because I find so much inspiration and ideas packed into them. And I love paying attention to the little details–the artwork, the pillows, how the toys are put away, how an armoire is utilized, the curtains.
Mosaic9419819_2

1. image 1, 2. image 2, 3. image 3, 4. image 4

Even though the book is aimed at nursery design, there are still so many great ideas in this book for anyone decorating a home with and for children.(stefani, I thought about you with those silhouettes in image 3. Can you do that?! 🙂 So baby on the way or not, this book is full of beautifully designed living spaces, new ideas and fantastic tips and hints for decorating. And April, I want everything on page 74 and 75.

Happy Weekend everyone. Sign up for your bee count, read a good book and take it easy.
See you Monday.

15 comments on “the birds and the bees”

  1. Oooh! can you feel the love for the birds and the turtles?Can’t wait to see what you do with the birds? I’d be tempted to stuff them..perhaps not stuffed full but stuffed! Bird pillows sound perfectly spring like.

  2. The turtles are great! Thank you for the bee info! My gals and I will trying this project out.Have a sunny weekend!

  3. I have to vote for the appliqu as well. I think they’d be gorgeous on a nice clean background. That nursery book is darling – I’ll be keeping an eye out for it. Have a great weekend!

  4. Lovely post. I like all that you shared. The book is sweet – I’ll have to find one and borrow it from a library once it’s available. I like the turtles, not snapping, but loving. Very cute. And those birds are wonderful; I’m very partial to black and white. Perhaps sewn onto a table runner or as part of a quilt? (Of course that’s time-consuming!)

    Thanks for the info too about the bees. We just joined. It sort of reminds me of Cornell’s Bird Project.

  5. The book looks absolutely amazing, I have baby fever big time, Thanks for the heads up!

    That bee project sounds right up our alley. Our family is really attached to our perennial garden’s honey bees. All winter Samuel kept asking when God was going to send the bees back. Thankfully they have made their return just this week!

    Hurray for those super cute birds and turtles, I vote for applique but then I want you to post about HOW to do it because every time I attempt it I fail miserably!Sorry for the novel…Hope you have a great weekend 🙂

  6. the birds would make great potholders, towel appliques or even trivets, even add some embroidery. i adore the bee and sunflower project. my two oldest little people grow sunflowers each summer to enter in the tallest sunflower contest at our local fair. our community is so small (an uninvolved) they are their own prime competition, at least we have fun.

  7. I enjoyed catching up with your blog!

    Your six-year-old sounds like mine. Makes homeschooling interesting. I try, too, to pull out my old, no-nonsense teacher self, and other tricks from my bag, but sometimes I find my voice just getting louder and louder. I know how to handle it right, but sometimes he is so exhausting I fail to connect with any creative thoughts I have.

  8. Lots and lots of honey bees are here on the Gulf Coast this spring! From my garden bench, I can hear their buzzing in the cherry tree and on the azaleas. I’ll join that count; be happy to help our bee friends!

  9. I am thinking that the GINORMOuS honey bee that was in my house last Thursday morning counts for like 3 dozen. She HAD to be heavy with bee-lings.

  10. we just got our swap package today and since I don’t have a flicker acct. yet I wanted to post photos right away so the whole unwrapping and then repackaging are up on our blog. Thank you so much for the package of treats. Huge hit!!!! Oh and thank you for the amazing “It’s A Big World” CD suggestion way back when.

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