Bathing Blue Jay

Every summer, I make a special effort to keep plenty of fresh water in my yard for the local wildlife.  I do have a bird bath which is frequently used, but I also keep a few small dishes with fresh water for any little creatures who might be thirsty.  I recently filled the dishes on my deck with water and seed, a songbird mixture containing sunflower seeds and peanuts (which blue jays find irresistible) .  As I was watching a blue jay feast on the peanuts, the water must have been so appealing that he decided to jump right in for a bath.  Luckily, I had my camera nearby so I was able to capture some photos of this little cutie cooling off on a warm summer day.

Here he is with a belly full of peanuts, cocking his head to the side as if he was pondering the pool of water next to his lunch.

I thought he was going to take a drink, but instead he hopped right in.

Splash!

And here he is, all fluffed up and squeaky clean! Pretty handsome little guy, isn't he?

Birds aren't the only creatures who take advantage of the water I provide on hot days.  For the Wildlife Feeding Stations I featured in my last post, I made sure to design them so that generous humans could offer food AND water to the critters in their region.  A little squirrel has started visiting the one I kept for my own yard, and he made sure to gulp up plenty of water after he filled up on sunflower seeds.  Here he is, sipping away!

If you're interested in attracting little animals to your home, here's a link to a post I wrote a few years ago with tips on how to turn your space into a woodland wonderland.  And even if feeding the animals is not a responsibility you'd like to take on, I'm sure a little bowl of fresh water on a hot day would be much appreciated by your local wildlife.  

For all of my readers who are in the midst of summer right now, I'm wishing you lots of sunny days, ripe watermelon chilled in the fridge (my favorite summertime treat), and maybe a snowcone or two before the season is over!

Gather in the Garden

After setting up as a vendor at the Edible Garden Tour last year, I had so much fun that I decided to go for it again.  This event is enjoyable to me because I get a chance to reach a whole different crowd.  And since I only bring my garden-themed items with me to the show, it inspires me and motivates me to think of fun things people might want for their gardens.  Once again, it proved to be an awesome time with lots of friendly faces and good conversation.  Here are a few shots of my setup, as well as the gorgeous gardens I discovered at the home where I was placed.

Along with all the lovely people who attended, I also had a few friendly critters to keep me company. There is a white squirrel who lives in the neighborhood, but the little rascal eluded most of my photos.

The homeowners had a few chickens too, and while they mostly spent their time in the shade of their coop, they were so cute when they eagerly ran to receive scraps from the garden.

I made sure to bring plenty of garden stakes and magic garden kits since they went over well last time, but I also debuted something brand new: bird feeders! 

These sweet little garden ornaments are beautiful AND functional! I kept one for myself and my resident birdies approve.

I hung mine right outside my window, and I get so much enjoyment from watching my feathered friends come to visit.  They fill their bellies with birdseed and take little sips of the water.  It's pretty adorable.  As an added bonus, these feeders can also be used to attract butterflies!  If the glass dishes are filled with fruit and sugar water, butterflies will show their gratitude by gracing you with their lovely presence.

I hope your summer is fluttering along nicely!

How Does Your (Urban) Garden Grow?

Want some guidance for your garden this year? Come out to the Schusterman-Benson Library for an awesome class led by a gardening expert (and a wonderful lady I'm lucky to know), Jenny from Ellaberry Gardens. This woman KNOWS gardens, and she'll be sharing some tips on growing your own food and even conducting a Q&A session. We'll also have a selection of garden-themed library books available to check out. This free class is open to the public so grab your straw hat and knee pads because after this class, you'll want to spend some serious time in the dirt!

I'll give you a little sneak preview of what to expect at this fun springtime event. These are some of the books we'll have available for checkout, plus many more.

Additionally, one person who attends will win a gardening gift basket containing 3 books, gloves, tools, and cilantro seed bombs!

Having taken one of Jenny's classes before, I'm very excited about this and I think it will be just the motivation I need to move beyond my current setup of potted flowers and herbs. Even though I haven't planted any vegetables yet, I've been enthusiastically observing the signs of the season.

This is all I really have to show when it comes to gardening at the moment, but hopefully that will change soon...  Happy Spring!

Speckled Eggs Tutorial

Hello and happy spring!  I am fully embracing the lovely weather and all the inspiration that comes fluttering to my craft desk as springtime draws near.  I've even caught myself naming spring as my favorite season, although I'm fully aware that I said the same thing about fall just a few short months ago.  To celebrate this lovely season, I've put together a fun tutorial for anyone who's feeling as crafty and inspired as I have.  This would be a great project for Easter weekend or a sunny afternoon when the birds are chirping outside. 

Supplies:

- Black acrylic paint

- Polymer clay in white or light blue
- Headpins
- Paintbrush
- Jewelry pliers

Instructions:

1)  As with any polymer clay project, the first step is to condition the clay by rolling it in your hands, forming a sphere between your palms. 

 

2) To create an egg shape, roll the ball of clay on one side only with your hands slanted against a flat surface.

 

3) Once you've sculpted your clay into a nice egg shape, pierce it vertically with a headpin.  Smooth away any fingerprints by gently running your finger along the surface of the egg.

 

4) Place the clay in an oven-safe pan and bake according to the directions on the package of clay.

 

5) Allow the cured eggs to cool completely (about 5-10 minutes after removing them from the oven).  The next part of the project gets pretty messy, so you'll want to cover your work surface with something disposable such as old newspaper.  I used a sheet of parchment paper.  Pour a small puddle of black paint and dip your brush in water.

 

6) Once your brush has been thoroughly soaked with water, dip it in the black paint and begin flicking the paint toward the egg.  Acrylic paint washes off completely with soap and warm water if you wash your hands while it's still wet, so I just used my index finger to flick the paintbrush.

7) Lay the eggs on the disposable paper and allow the paint to dry.

 

8) Once the paint has dried, it's time to get out your pliers and wire wrap the headpin.  If you need help with this step, you're in luck!  I recently posted a wire-wrapping tutorial on my blog, which you can find here.  If wire-wrapping seems a little intimidating, you can always just bend the top of the headpin to create a loop. 

 

9) Continue the last step on any additional egg charms until they've all got a nice loop to dangle from.  You can add a coat of sealer or varnish if you're worried about your paint speckles chipping away. 

 

10) You may wish to attach your new charm to a chain to create a lovely nature-inspired necklace.

 

I had so much fun with this project, I decided to wear a colorful outfit to show off my new spring bling.

Additional Ideas:

- Instead of making these into charms, sculpt them without a hole and place them in a little nest or bowl to add a natural touch to your home.  You could create an egg for each family member! 

- These would be a great addition to your child's Easter basket.  Long after the chocolate has been eaten, these keepsakes will still be around to provide springtime memories.

- Thread these charms onto colorful string and use them as ornaments in your trees or plants.

- If you are doing this project with children, use it as a learning opportunity!  See if your local library has any nonfiction books about eggs.  A few suggestions are Guess What Is Growing Inside This Egg by Mia Posada and Eggs by Marilyn Singer.

- Go on a nature walk and see if you can spot any bird's nests.

I hope your spring is full of warm days, long walks, and all the beauty nature has to offer!

Fall is My Happy Place

Every single year, I eagerly observe the trees waiting for it to visit.  I walk through the grocery store with a grin on my face as soon as the pumpkins arrive. I plot which scary movies I'll watch on Halloween, and I get all giddy with anticipation when I fill a massive bowl with candy and flip on the porch light.  I brew extra coffee on chilly mornings.  I light cinnamon candles. I utilize both the heater and the air conditioner within a 12 hour span because the warm sunshine gives way to cool nights.  And, of course, I keep my camera close by so I can document the beauty of my favorite season (but don't get too sure of yourself, autumn, I'm known to say that about spring as well).

















Apparently I also take fall portraits of my dog because she's super cute lounging in the leaves and I can't help it. What's your favorite season?

Fairies Live Here

In an attempt to try something new at my craft desk and in the garden, I recently sculpted a few little accessories with a magical end result in mind...

I put together two fairy gardens!  This is a project I've been pondering for a while now.  Fairy gardening is defined as any space featuring flowers, herbs, shrubs, miniature furniture or facilities to make fairies feel welcome.  I'll give you a tour of these little potted wonderlands.

 

The first fairy garden contains a house made of twig walls and a hand-sculpted mushroom roof.  A sign on the entrance announces to fairies, frogs, gnomes, ladybugs, snails, and all other tiny visitors that they are welcome here.  A tiny pool offers a drink of water or a quick bath.

 

The second fairy garden features an acorn house, two tiny mushrooms, a few pebbles to perch on, and a set of glow-in-the-dark string lights to illuminate this pixie party spot.  As you can see, I got carried away in this little endeavor.  It was fun for me because I adore anything that makes me feel like a care-free little girl again, and these gardens had me wondering, if only for a brief moment, whether it might be possible for fairies to hang out in places like these when nobody was looking...

What gets your imagination going?