Simple Little Houses and Some Trees

 

SIMPLE LITTLE HOUSES.

I wanted to talk about them tonight. 

I am a fool for them.

I mean, I LOVE them to the moon and back.

I dream about them at night.

So here's one simple house project I have made with my own two hands,

and

three houses which I purchased.

 I've shown this pincushion so often on this blog, I should probably be ashamed to do it again.  And, yet, here it is.  It's three inches square.  At least three people close to me have requested to receive it when I die.  In order to manage that...A.  I have to die and B. That's not happening yet, I hope. So, C.  Guess I'll have to make a couple more reasonable facsimiles.

 

Then, recently, I found this little hand-painted one.  It is two inches square and just adorable!

 The one on the right is about one of the tiniest prints I have ever seen.  It's adorable too.

The print is mounted on wood and has a tag on the back which says New View Gifts and Accessories.

 

Here, the one on the left is painted on a surface I can't identify and signed by a name I can't read. 

I also got it at the flea market.  

It is one and a half inches by four and a half inches. 

The landscape painting is an oil....signed A.M. and labeled Agnes M. Meyers Gift Shop, 

San Antonio, Texas.

I also bought it at the flea market quite a few years ago.  I knew it was Texas the very second I laid  eyes on it, because I am from Texas and I've seen many fields of Bluebonnets...

as they say - "back in the day."

This little painting is four by six inches.

And, dear.

By the way, I know these two paintings are not of Simple Little Houses,

but because they are also SMALL I chose to show them also.

 

 A close-up of the pincushion.

 

 A close-up of the tree.

  

 The Bluebonnets.

 The two tiny prints are so sweet.

 

  I couldn't resist them.

Simple Little Houses.

And there you have them.  

four of my favorites

 plus a tree and a Texas Landscape.

"ART IS LONG AND TIME IS FLEETING"

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 until next time

BE WELL

from 

Bird Nest Cottage

❤️❤️❤️

 

Are You a Wildflower?

 

 Are you a wildflower?  Do you find them wherever you go?  Do you take photos of them?  Draw them?  Press them in books?  Put them in tiny bottles or glasses hoping they will last for a few days?

If so, you probably are a hopelessly romantic Wildflower.  Me too.

A couple of years ago, I discovered this artist....a young person....who immediately became one of my favorites.  She's definitely a Wildflower!  I recently ordered her book...."How to be a Wildflower",  a field guide by Katie Daisy by Chronicle Books, San Francisco.   It is wonderful!!!

I got my copy from amazon.com, but you can also order it from Katie

HERE

 So, here are some pages from the book.  Two of my favorites.  And, one of my all time favorite quotes:  

"MY SOUL IS MADE OF MEADOW FLOWERS"

Indeed.

  

 Love these adorable birds.  There are more.

  

 I want to do this....."Walk down a dirt path at Sunset."  Well, okay....I don't know where that path is yet and I don't know who I would walk down it with...but, hey....a person can imagine such things, right?

  

 Now, you know I have trees behind my house....love this page!!! 

  

 This page isn't in it the book, but I saw it online....and boy....remember me telling you I had named the land behind me "Two Pines Park"?  

I have also been to the Muir Woods in California.  A not only beautiful, but also sacred place if you ask me.

  

 Here are the two pines.....do you see the doorway to a new world?  I think I do.......and so does Trixie, the grand-dog.  She loves to take her walk in Two Pines Park when she stays with me.  I enjoy it also. 

  

 And here is a photo of the section right behind my house....where I go every Spring to scope out the Bluets.

  

 And, here are some of the current blossoms.........there are also white and sometimes a pinkish color making an appearance too.  They are the sweetest, tiniest little flowers and I do love them so. 

At about a quarter of an inch wide....they aren't really visible unless you really look for them and I do.

Every Spring.  Yes....I am a Wildflower too....Katie truly is....and I bet you might be too!!!

until next time

from

Bird Nest Cottage

♥️♥️♥️

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

 FROM MY HOUSE TO YOURS:

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 and

 

  

 HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

MAY YOUR DAYS

 

 BE MERRY AND BRIGHT

 

and each filled

 

completely

 

  with

 

 PEACE,  JOY AND LOVE!

 FROM

Bird Nest Cottage

until

the New Year

❤️🎄❤️

 

Autumn Beauty

 

This photo was taken last November.  The tree is just over my back fence.  The colors were gorgeous.  Today, there is no color at all.  Just a drab brownish green, waiting for Autumn Beauty to take over.  It reminds me of life these days....just one sad thing after another....with all of us watching and waiting for something beautiful to come along.

 

These leaves look happy and festive....at the time, approaching Thanksgiving,  The year's last party before Winter sets in.

 

 It is beautiful, isn't it?

 

 Just look at those beautiful shades of orange with some red thrown in. 

 I'm hoping we get to see some of it before all the leaves are gone.

 

So, that was last year.  Nothing seems quite right this year, but we can always hope....and, we can still try to be happy, as this quote says:

"THINK OF ALL THE BEAUTY STILL AROUND YOU AND BE HAPPY." 

Anne Frank 

Surely, if Anne could inspire it, we should be able to do it. 

❤️

from

BIRD NEST COTTAGE

until next time 

♥♥♥

A Church, A Pin, A Dish and Some Crochet

 

 Once again, I am at a loss as to what to post....but, since I've been absent from the blog for so long, I thought you might forgive seeing something from a post or two from the past.  It seems as if blogs are falling along the wayside and I'm not really wanting this one to fade away with the rest, so hopefully, I'll be able to do a better job in whatever  time we have left of the very fleeting year of 2017!

I think I last showed this little quilt in 2008.  It now lives at my youngest brother's house.  It is 17 1/2 inches x 23 1/2 inches, hand appliqued, quilted and embroidered.  And, you'll notice one of my favorite things there......a tree!  Love making those!  Also....there are French Knots, another favorite.
Do you see the city in the background?    And, the little church....I've used that church to make several pieces, long gone to other homes.  Maybe I'll do another one someday. 

 

 Those knots!  And, there are little strips of fabric made into a border.  Leftovers from a Log Cabin quilt.

 

 A close-up of the church and tree.  I seem to remember using one strand each of three greens to make the leaves.

 

 Now here are three things I could not and did not make!  That teeny little crocheted pincushion is just dear (and OLD), the petit point basket is dear also and how sweet is that tiny dish...a gift.

 Just beautiful!

 

 I found this pin at a flea market years ago.  Such tiny stitching!  It was love at first sight!

 

 

And, once again, that pin!  One of my favorite motifs in stitching is a basket like this one filled with flowers.  I never tire of finding them!

And, so....a new post.  Not the most original I have done....but, it's a post!!

(I'm not pushing my capabilities at this point.)  Hoping you are well and enjoying your summer....❤️

from

BIRD NEST COTTAGE

until next time

                              ♥♥♥

What I See

 

The first three photos in today's post were gathered TODAY from the internet.  They are beautiful!
Had I seen these in the past, I could say they may have inspired me to create a piece of work, but since I just saw them today....all I can say is they ARE an INSPIRATION!  Normally, I might SEE a tree or a house or a flower here on my own little bit of the planet that might possibly get me enthused about stitching a new design based upon those particular sights.  Sometimes, I just IMAGINE these things into existence.  So, I want to share these three with you and let you know what they made me think of today.

First, that beautiful pink tree!  OH, MY!  French Knots!  When I see blooming trees, I always want to embroider some French Knots into a little tree...set in some simple scene. 

 

Then, more trees!  This scene is quite beautiful too.  Years ago, while teaching a class, I said that trees in 'silhouette' - like these -  have convinced me that "trees are Nature's version of lace."  If you've ever driven down a country road just before dark, you have seen trees like this....yes, all lacy against the darkening sky.  More inspiration, for sure.

 

Look at what is left of this very old, old house!  I can imagine the stories that whirl in and out of it through the missing windows and doors.  I wish it could be saved.  It is beautiful to me.  (There is one not far from me...I've shown in on the blog before....fading away into oblivion.  I need to go photograph it again before it's gone.  I am inspired by these places to create tiny little houses made of applique and embroidery.  Mine is a poor version of such a sweet old place.  Just a memory, really, of a place I never actually experienced.  Maybe a quilter/embroiderer lived there, stitching her creations - not like I do...for pleasure, but to keep herself and the family warm.  I like to think of things like that.

 

So, those three photographs are inspiring, for sure, but what I create never looks anything like what inspires me to stitch.  It's funny how that works.  Then, too, I haven't the talent to stitch anything that looks realistic. There's that.  I guess I can stitch a 'reminder' of a real thing or place though.  And, I have to keep it simple as basic stitching is what I'm best at.

 

This little framed piece (2"x3") is one of my favorite pieces.  I could never let it go as it is one of the first tiny scenes I made.  Maybe someone will think enough of it to save it when I'm gone. 

 

Another scene.  A pincushion.  Just a tad over three inches square.  A friend said it would be difficult to actually stick a pin in it.  Seriously?  It's made of hundreds of stitches actually.  With a needle making each and every one.  How many holes would that be?  Maybe you can see I've got some heart pins sticking in the top.  They make me smile.

 

And, a close-up of that barn.  It's 4 1/2" x 6 1/2."  I made it...then the Old Navy Man said the barn  would never have power hooked up to it as it didn't have any power lines to supply it.  So, I felt obligated to stitch those...adding a tiny transformer!  He loved that.  And, of course, that made me happy.  (Sorry about the reflections on the glass!)

More trees, a tiny house.......wild flowers.  Oh yes, "my soul is made of wildflowers."  That's a quote from an artist named Katie Daisy.    I agree, as I think mine is too.  This piece was made way before I'd ever heard of Katie's work....but it would have inspired me had I seen it then.  You can see her work at katiedaisy.com

This piece consists of a painted canvas with a piece of painted and embroidered quilt batting added on top.  I loved making it.   (Do you see the swing in the tree?)

 

I've made several bird pincushions......about six inches square.  All with beaded edgings.  Sold all of them.  Maybe one day I'll make myself one....???  This bird is about 1 1/2" long.

 

This one is tiny too...but the whole pincushion is only six or so inches, so it's all small.  FUN, but hard work too.  I think I like tedious work to be honest.  (Those eggs are tiny beads.)

 

Lastly, more birds.  I painted the fabric, then embroidered the birds, etc.  

So...did any of this make sense?  Inspired by the photos of others seen on the Internet, by scenes from my daily life, or scenes as "Anne of Green Gables" might say..."within the scope of my imagination," I am hoping to create again in the near future.  I've been in a slump, but working my way out of it.  I'll be spending some time with some of my favorite 'peeps' in the next few weeks, but hope to return sometime in June with a thing to two to talk about.

Do take care out there!

from

Bird Nest Cottage

until next time

♥️♥️♥️