MSED: Bird # 159 Symbiosis Dancer

Quick little Sharpie pen and water color loosely based on one of my sister's awesome photos,

 found here. Look hard Minnie!

Looong Over Due Amaryllis Update

Francine this one is for you, and for anyone else who was curious  but didn't ask. I took the first photo on January 25th and the last one on the 28th.

Just opening

view from the top

a day later

BaBam! look at the size!

The color of this thing was so beautiful! It really brightened up my January. After the bloom died I cut back the stalk and it grew some leaves. It now sits in the back yard being neglected for the summer once again. Oh, and it never did tip over.

MSED: Bird # 158 Longing For Spring

Oh I bet you thought I forgot about my bird puzzle!
Here in Michigan spring won't arrive for awhile. The calendar will say it will soon but don't believe it. I know it is finally here when I see my first robin.

In Other News 2/Amaryllis Update

30.5 inches! That's how tall this thing has gotten! The bud is starting to crack open and I bet that I will see a bloom within the next couple of days.

I think it wants to tip over

In Other News

Not my photo or amaryllis :)

 Two winters ago I bought an amaryllis bulb from the local grocery store. I love the big showy blooms that appear right when you need them - the dead of winter.
All I got out of that bulb was some impressively long leaves but not even a hint of a bud.
When summer arrived in Michigan I moved the bulb in it's little plastic container with peat moss dirt out into my backyard where it was totally forgotten and neglected. When Fall came I found the little amaryllis bulb tipped out from its pot laying on its side. I picked it up and to my surprise it still felt solid and alive though it had no leaves and really no sign of green. I brought it into my home and decided to give it another chance to do its thing.
I was really excited a couple of weeks later when I saw the bright green appear on the top of the bulb. I waited and watched, watched and waited. And once again all that appeared were really long leaves and no bud. By this time I had forgotten what color the bloom was supposed to be.
Summer came once again, and once again I put it out in the backyard and neglected it all season, a season that was unusually hot and dry. And once again, this past Fall, I found the bulb tipped out of its pot with no sign of life. But the bulb still felt solid and full of potential sooo, once again I brought the little pot back inside to see what would happen. This is what happened.

All bud and no leaves! With the sun shining through it the bud it looks half empty. And of course my husband is making fun of its slightly phallic nature, and of me for finding it blog worthy.
I love that man.

What do you think will happen? Will it bloom? Will it be deformed? What color will it be? And most importantly, do I need to get a life?

What I've Been Up to Lately

I have been knitting and using up all my scrap yarn! Well Okay, not all of it but now I will feel better about buying new yarn. It's a log cabin blanket! I got the free pattern for it here. Not only is the patten free but there are wonderful video tutorials for every step of the way. What's really cool about knitting this blanket is that I can remember all the projects I made with each yarn. The red is a sweater jacket, the blue on the right is a lace panel sweater and that little bit of pink is from a bag I made and felted for my daughter. I'll post more photos later.

Also I have been out walking with my dog and found these growing from one of our pines

Here they are with a quarter to show scale. They are pretty tiny as pinecones go and considering the size of the tree.

My question for you is what should I do with them? I was so excited when I found them. I grabbed them off the tree as fast as I could and stuffed them in my pocket. There are about 30 of them and there are about 10 more on the tree that I couldn't reach. But I would find a way if I had a reason to!

MSED: Bird #157 Kitchen Chalkboard Bird

If I am going to continue to post birds I must in all good conscience take the words "a day" off the title. it may take me 5 years to get my 365 birds done, but I am determined! One of my new year's resolutions - MAKE MORE BIRDS and be more creative in 2013!

This is my new (to me) kitchen chalkboard. It's one of those really large ones that you see in coffee houses with the menu on it. I believe it will always be a work in progress so maybe I'll post updates.
Happy New Year Everyone!

MSED: Bird a Day #156 Pin Cushion Bird

Well it has been quite a while since I posted a new bird. It seems the "bird a day" has flown out the window, but I have not completely given up making 365 birds. It might take me four years though. 

I made this pin cushion using a free pattern from the DIY Dish web site. I stuffed it with fiber fill and walnut litter to keep the pins sharp. I originally had two tiger eye beads sewn on for the eyes but I thought they made him look a bit goofy. I much prefer him without eyes.

This little guy is for my friend Karen who, with her husband Dave, so graciously taught me and helped me to sew my first quilt.

  She thought I was crazy to want to sew a queen sized quilt on my first try, but I think she thought I was even crazier with my fabric choices. I love my quilt! Thanks Karen!

What I Did on Summer Vacation

Or What I Did on My Lack of Summer Vacation

I completed my knitted blanket! Hurrah! 

If you would like to know more about this blanket check out my Ravelry page

 My camera broke early this summer and I am torn as what to replace it with. I want better pics than what I was getting with the point and shoot (the one that's shot) but I don't want to spend the money they want for DSL cameras. Does anyone have any advice?

 Meanwhile I'm not totally without a camera. I just don't like the quality of photos I'm getting.

 But I love my blanket!

I have also started a sewn quilt. Pics to follow. But no new birds as of yet.

MSED: Bird a Day #155 Blending In Loudly

Water color and Pen, I love to play with you! 

All my pens are running dry. Time to make a trip to the art supply store.

MSED: Bird a Day #154 Untitled

Here is a piece I did a while back. I really didn't know what to call it maybe "abstract bird" 

 I used a technique I found at Art Is Fun by Thaneeya McArdle. She teaches all kinds of techniques on her site and it's free! So much fun! go check it out.

Water color and water color pencil

MSED: Bird a Day #153 Lunch Time

The grackles have taken over my yard. 

I used to think they were lovely birds when they first appeared, I mean just look at those beautiful iridescent feathers, but now they have called all their aunts and uncles and cousins to come and take part of the buffet of seed that I have laid before them. It didn't take long for them to eat all the food at my feeders and run off the song birds. They have a loud irritating call especially at 5:30 in the morning when they love to wake up and "sing" outside my bedroom window. The babies are starting to arrive and this seems to make them extra voice-y. I wish they would find another place to be. I'm starting to feel like I live in the movie "The Birds".

Here is a puzzle piece I did inspired by the Common Grackle

My Noro Clapotis

or That Bright Shawl Thingy I Knit to Throw Over the Back of My Couch

There has been knitting, lots of knitting. Here is one of the projects  I finished (yeah!) instead of bird-art-making. (I also started a sweater)

Noro is the Yarn I used, it comes from Japan the pattern is French, or at least it has a French name, meaning, to the best of knowledge, lapping up of water or maybe just lapping.

MSED: Bird a Day #152 Little Spring Chick

Well this was going to be "Little Easter Chick" but my timing was a little off. Doesn't he look joyous! I hope everyone had a blessed Easter.

MSED: Bird a Day #151 Blue Sketch

Bird doodle in the sketchbook. I am really liking the one color pencil effect. I might try some more. This one was Prismacolor Ultramarine.

MSED: Bird a Day #150 Untitled

Here's the latest spread for the Sketchbook Project. This sketch worked on me like knitting does. Once the set up was done it was very meditative to fill in all the feathers. Usually I begin to know what the title will be as I am drawing but nothing came to me.

 I used a Prismacolor Dark Umber pencil.

MSED: Bird a Day #149 Sketchbook Cover

I'm not sure I am going to make the April 30th dead line on this sketchbook project as I have hit a creative road block. I have sat down several times in the past month to post this and a few other birds that I have stored up and can't seem to get the gumption up to do very much posting or art. I am posting this by shear force of will hoping that it will "un-stick" me. I've been praying...

Watercolor and pen on watercolor paper, glued to the cover.
Click the image to see it larger.

Liebster Award

Wow! I have been nominated three times for the Liebster Blog award.

First from Linda Wilks Lindyloo Makes 

(sorry Linda, I didn't understand it at first and didn't know what to do).

Then two nominations one right after the other! the first was from 

Yasna at 365 Words. 365 Days. 365 Opportunities. What a beautiful site she has!

Then  Yvonne from 365 Freestyle Zentangles gave me the nod. We share a common love for Zentangles.

Here are the 5 blogs I am nominating for the Liebster Blog award

Mary Katherine's Musings This woman is an amazing writer, mother and friend. Do yourself a favor and head over to her site for some inspirational reading. You'll see what I mean.

Whee Gina's Blog Whee Gina's quirky sence of humor and creativeness make her "Fan a Day Project" blog site a joy to read. Rock on Gina!

GrubbyGrrrl's 365 Days of Cats Kudos to another 365'er! Grubby Grrrrl's cats are so clever and cute. Keep 'em coming GG.

Quirkiecraft Is a fellow Michigander and a fine arts student. Her art is original and inspiring. You should see her knitted barnacles. Yes, I said knitted barnacles, so cool! It seems to me that she should be teaching the classes instead of taking them.

Strange Place I found Cindy on Redbubble and instantly became a fan of her work. I love her imaginary creatures and strange birds.

The Three Rules of Liebster:

1. Choose FIVE UP AND COMING blogs with less than 200 followers to pass the award onto.

2. Show a BIG THANKS to the blogger who gave the award to you by linking back to them.

3. Post the AWARD on your blog. List the bloggers you are giving the award to with links to their site.

MSED: Bird a Day #148 Framed Bird Sketch

Another pencil sketch for the sketchbook project. I just cleaned off my work area and reorganized my supplies and I'm ready to create again!

MSED: Bird a Day #147 The Age Old Question

Okay, maybe not as mysterious as the question of which came first, the chicken or the egg, but still, feathers are a pretty cool phenomenon.