by Susan | Dec 8, 2024 | Bird Patterns, Odds and Ends, Projects
A few years ago, I turned my Joyful Owl into a tree topper that now sports a jaunty red scarf. This gray-colored owl looked sweet on past trees, but not this year’s Christmas tree, which has a more natural white, green, and brown theme. What to do? In October, I...
by Susan | Oct 27, 2024 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Owl and Raptor Patterns
Visiting Dad in Pennsylvania presents an opportunity for shopping–or, more accurately, window shopping–every day. I think there may be more stores per square mile in his town than in the entire state of Maine. I spied a snowy owl on a floral pick in the Christmas...
by Susan | Jun 3, 2024 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
Here’s another design from last fall languishing in my files: the Gregarious Bobolink. I found him a difficult one to get accurate in felt! Enjoy. Note: if you’re reading this in your email, click “Continue Reading” at the bottom to visit the...
by Susan | May 12, 2024 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Swift and Swallow Patterns
This Playful Purple Martin has been on my drawing board for ages. I finally finished him a couple of weeks ago. I struggled with just the right felt colors. I’d love to see what you use for yours. Enjoy! Purple MartinDownload Now!0 Downloads Note: if you are...
by Susan | Jan 30, 2024 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
The Brown-headed Cowbird is a fascinating songbird; they lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and let the other mamas do all the work. I’ve occasionally spotted them at our feeder and the edge of the woods. He’s on my list today because I happened to...
by Susan | Jan 26, 2024 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
The European Starling is a beautiful bird with glossy black feathers and a yellow beak. It’s a challenge to create a shiny feathered bird from felt. I designed this Starling while in Pennsylvania, spending time with Dad. This means that I’m not in the...
by Susan | Aug 13, 2023 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Shore and Wading Bird Patterns
I’ve had numerous requests for the Tufted Puffin from folks along the Pacific west coast and Alaska. He was on my to-do list, but so much in my life has gotten in the way of my to-do list in the last year. Recently, a friend who runs a boat charter business...
by Susan | Aug 7, 2023 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
I first saw a Gray Catbird when visiting with my parents in Pennsylvania this past spring – it was nesting in mom’s rose bushes. This summer, I recorded it on the Merlin app at home. We’ve got them in our woods, too – but I thought it was a fox...
by Susan | Jul 9, 2023 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
Yesterday, I enjoyed one of the first sunny days in weeks on the porch. Using the Merlin app, I recorded a great variety of birds in my little patch of woods, including a Crow, Overnbird, Hairy Woodpecker, American Robin, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Phoebe, Hermit...
by Susan | May 13, 2023 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
My creative mojo has been hard to find lately. Maybe starting with something relatively easy will help me get my groove back. A Nashville Warbler has been popping up in the sound recordings on my Merlin app this spring. Here he is in felt. I hope these pretty birds...
by Susan | Mar 4, 2023 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
Sitting here with my mom on a Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania, I started exploring birds common to the area. Most of them I have already designed. The Blackburnian Warbler caught my attention – a bird who visits Maine in the summer. Click below to download...
by Susan | Jan 1, 2023 | Bird Patterns, Collage, Felt Patterns
For Christmas, I received the book “Beguiled By The Wild” by Charley Harper from Hannah. About his style of painting, Charley Harper coined it “minimal realism.” He said, “Instead of trying to put everything in when I paint, I try to...
by Susan | Dec 11, 2022 | Bird Patterns, Christmas
It’s been a stressful year with mom’s health challenges, feeling overwhelmed with work, job changes, and Hannah moving home (exciting things on that front coming), to name a few. I’ve felt less spunky, less resilient than normal. For the first time...
by Susan | Oct 22, 2022 | Bird Patterns, Christmas, Collage, Felt Patterns
I had so much fun with my Birds on Branches last week that I had to make more. Last week I experimented with a lightly stuffed felt Blue Jay ornament and mixed media collage ornaments. This mourning dove, my favorite of the new designs, is finished flat. When I...
by Susan | Oct 15, 2022 | Bird Patterns, Christmas, Felt Patterns
This week, I’ve spent my evenings in front of the television playing with these Birds on Branches Christmas Ornaments. They are four-inch circle bird scenes. Because the birds are so small to fit in this space, I slightly simplified the designs from my bird...
by Susan | May 29, 2022 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
Some of my backyard birds you have to go searching the edges of the woods for; otherwise, you can only hear them. The Blue-headed Vireo is one that I’ve been recording daily on Merlin; I’ve yet to spot this guy. A challenging part of this bird is finding...
by Susan | May 20, 2022 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
The White-throated Sparrow may be the unsung hero of my backyard. Unassuming, always around either at the feeder or rustling around beneath the lilac bushes. I’m past due creating a felt pattern for this guy. Enjoy! If you are reading this post via email, click...
by Susan | May 12, 2022 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
Black-and-white Warblers have been singing and keeping me company from the edge of the woods these past few days. This design was a happy way to spend the afternoon on the porch. Enjoy! If you are reading this post via email, click Continue Reading at the bottom and...
by Susan | Feb 12, 2022 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
Struggling a bit to find my creative mojo again, I tackled this Yellow-headed Blackbird. He’s not something you’ll find in Maine, but the basic color pattern appealed to my desire for uncomplicated. You all west of the Mississippi are likely familiar with...
by Susan | Nov 20, 2021 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns
When the request for a Northern Shrike came in last week, I realized that I’d started the design for this fellow some time ago, but never finished the ornament. Here he is for your weekend crafting pleasure. Enjoy! Note: If you are reading this post via e-mail,...