Nini Makes

18 days

Pair of House Martins 

It takes a pair of House Martins about 18 days to build a nest (only a few days to prepare their existing nest from the previous year). 18 days may not seem long for a new home, but consider that amount of time in bird years. They are amazing architects and so selfless. Imagine carrying mud in your mouth, back and forth from puddle to nest for 18 days, after having flown thousands of miles from equatorial Africa. Do you think their little chicks appreciate it? Probably ;)

Taking a peek; image taken around midday

I don't have a good view of my garden bird feeders in our new home but I've moved my computer to an upstairs location that just happens to be right underneath the eaves of our house where eight pairs of House Martins nest. At certain times of day their frantic activity is mesmerizing. I can't help but stop and watch their comings and goings when I hear the familiar screeching starting up. 

Off to catch more flies

I've been trying to capture them with my cameras for the past week but haven't had the best luck. I managed one shot with my good Canon and long lens yesterday afternoon (2nd image) and a couple with my little Lumix just before sunset. I wish you could see their silky blue/black feathers and sweet little faces better. Most mud nests here in Somerset are a reddish colour because of the red colour of the soil here. You see it a little better in second picture taken at midday.

::: Note – click images for a closer look :::

While I haven't been dashing out to try and photograph the birds I've been trying to meet deadlines this week. Now I must be off to finish another big one. Before I do I must mention a very important fundraising effort Margie is involved in. Margie and her family are taking part in the, 2012 Walk for Memories, a Canadian-based charity raising money to support individuals with Dementia. Learn more about this important cause and the devastating advance of this disease by visiting her current post, here.

Happy Wednesday!

Jx

Lots of chirping going on around here

Boot fair finds

Every year birds sneak into my holiday projects in one way or another. It actually started many years ago when I made an Easter tree with just small stuffed fabric birds hanging on white branches. Then they crept into Christmas decorations like this clay robin, and this gifted stitched humming bird. This year I didn't stop with the two new bird patterns, I've also been working on some very simple tweeters like the one in the bead wreath decoration below.

This bead wreath is in the latest Action Pack, you can check it out here. I just went through a proof copy of the latest issue and I can tell you it's full of fantastic stuff. And Kathreen is also offering a special price for a seven issue bundle – a great buy for loads of kid inspired creativity. 

Bead wreath making

My helper and I loved putting together these bead wreaths from necklaces picked up at boot fairs. Old jewellery, usually broken, is one of my favourite sources for supplies. I salvage great beads, charms, chains, clasps and closures.

Bird decorations & String Prints

We've been bird making in our little textiles class at school too. We concentrate on using repurposed materials and bits and pieces from my scrap bag. I encourage the children to attempt small projects that can be made in one or two sessions so I thought birds would be perfect. They like to take something new home with them every week so slow projects don't happen with this group. I sketched out a few different bird shapes for them to use as templates and let their imaginations run from there. 

I had these two from the class sitting next to a bag from my last Green Parent project which was about string printing and I realized these little tweeters would fit nicely in this simple bag for teacher gifts. I'm hoping Tristan and Gracie will like the idea too and get busy on more of them this weekend.

The children are already busy with projects for their Christmas fair on Saturday. Gracie is making a marble game and more Nanou flowers like last year and Tristan is finishing up a school newspaper he plans on selling. All the sales from the fair go to charity and the whole school takes part, it's a really fun event.

Off for a late walk with doggie now, she's giving me those woebegone eyes.

Have a happy Thursday,

Jx

PS, if anyone would like the bird templates I used with my class just let me know and I can put the sketched template into a PDF and email it off to you, nothing fancy, just a few bird shapes.

 

Fledging

While I was photographing shots for a new article a bundle of fluff dropped from the sky onto the step just outside the window. Then the bundle's mummy dropped in a short time later. Fluff (otherwise known as a chaffinch fledgling) hopped around the step waiting for his mum to return with tasty insects. I think he sensed us watching so he pushed himself into this corner of step and overgrown grass.

We like to narrate the conversation of local wildlife, this is what they said:

Fluff: I'll just wait back here in this corner where no one can see me.

Mama: I'm back; got a tasty one for you here. 

Mama: Open up. There, now make it last, it takes me at least five minutes to find another one.

Fluff: But I'm hungry NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWW!

Mama: Okay, I see a little something here. Have this snack, then I'm off for more big game.

Fluff: Hmmmm, something's watching me. I'll just hide behind these leaves.

Mama: What are you doing in there?
Fluff: I got s,s,s,s,s,scared. I thought I saw a huge dark eye watching me up there.

Mama: Don't worry. Here, have a spider.
Fluff: Mmmmmm, yummy. Bring more please.

Fluff: Buzz off big eye.

Click the images for  a closer look.

Though male chaffinches are more colourful I love the delicate colouring and the tender faces of the females. Chaffinches normally have a clutch of five eggs and they continue to feed their young after the babes have left the nest. This little one might have been her last to fledge. We watched this scene for ages.

Cosy breakfast

Jill has been appearing at breakfasts around the world like here, here and here too. Thank you sweet Jill for keeping my egg cosy while I was toasting some special sourdough.

Our Internet connection has been off and on so much lately and it's extremely slow. One of the downsides of living in the country, but just look at that face in the first picture, must be the only downside :)

Happy Wednesday,

Jx

PS, Has it already been four years?! I'll try and be back soon with a birthday giveaway.  

Sketching, stitching and inspiration

 
My mom has fed hummingbirds for as long as I can remember and they love her for it. My parents live on a hill and this led to the name of a wine that they were able to produce this year with grapes offered to them from a vineyard of my aunt and uncle's. Though the wine was meant to keep for another year before drinking, many, many glasses were drunk over our holiday to the sound of my father saying "...in a year it will be even better." It's already very great but I did bring back a couple of bottles to store for next year.

Ruby Throated hummingbird. This hummingbird ended up being stitched on the go everywhere: on the plane, while visiting friends and cousins, even while the family opened Christmas gifts. I finally handed it to my parents (the recipients) as I climbed into the taxi taking us to the airport to return back to England. My mom photographed it for me because there was not even time for for me to click a single picture. It's actual size, so it's tiny, but I did a lot of stitching and unstitching so it took time. It's hard to see but the ruby throat is made with lots of very small loops made with detached chain stitches. Silk thread would have been nice, but I use what I have on hand these days.

The wine label and the embroidery both started life as the first in a series of sketches of three different types of hummingbirds, remember these? 

I'm loving sketching with stitches these days and have several small projects on the go at once. I'm also enjoying trying more painterly styles. Here are two artists who are inspiring me, one in oils the other in crewel.

This oil painting in progress of Rick Beerhorst's is already gorgeous and I want it. I also adore the crewel work portrait stitching of Cayce Zavaglia; her pieces are extraordinary.

Image from Cross Stitcher magazine

There's a great interview with this incredible stitch artist here at Cross Stitcher magazine online. The latest print issue also happens to feature fabulous Nicole at Follow the White Bunny. 

Where are your sketches taking you these days?

Finishing is good

Goldfinch Stitched

I had an enormous amount of fun stitching this guy. Often times while I should have been doing other things, like running baths or folding laundry. The pattern created for him will be included as one of four stitching motifs added to the new bag pattern available now!

Forager Bag Pattern e-booklet

I'm very excited about this pattern because I feel it's easy enough for sewists at beginner level to achieve a professional finish, I know that because I'm no professional. It's also easy enough to still knock-out a few in time for Christmas. I have two on the go at the moment for gifts - one for a child, the other for a grown-up.

You can read more about it on the very neglected Stitch Village blog, or go right to the shop here.

I had intended it to be part of another collection but a full e-book will have to wait until later in the year; this is in the form of an eight page pattern e-booklet instead.

I think most of our goldfinches are wintering in Spain, but the blue tits are so active it almost looks like spring outside my window, they fly in flocks this time of year. Also on the bird front, two mornings in a row I got to see a red kite swoop down low over one of my favourite walking paths and from my window I can see dozens of thrushes plucking holly berries from the trees.

Our cold weather has nearly kept me indoors this week, but instead it simply shortened my walks due to numb toes and a numb nose. I spotted the fellow below watching me, do you see him? 

Old Man of the forest

I must go now and prepare a belated Thanksgiving dinner. I'm giving thanks for healthy, happy family and friends and the wonderful people I've met right here. I'm also thankful for finishing, and for my parents instilling in me the desire to complete things even if it's hard (not that I'm interested in being an Everest climber or anything). I hope in the coming year I'll be dipping my toe into a pool of new activities and also doing more completing.

Happy Sunday to you! 

Beautiful stitches and flying friends

High Texture Embroidery of the Moon, by Rachel, Average Jane Crafter
Grey Wolf, by K, Fog and Swell
Slow Felt, by Pat, zencrafting 
Bird brooch, by Geninne, Geninne's Art Blog
Stitched Tit, by Margie, Resurrection Fern 
Goldfinch WIP, gift for my MIL

The past two wet and windy weeks have been less than inspiring for photo taking but I've seen a lot of inspiring stitches in the little blog reading time that I've had. Above are a few of my favourite projects and this post was inspired by the first image, found on Rachel's site. If you haven't already read the many posts about this project that have spread round the web, do so now. The beauty in this moon piece is a perfect example of how the best art stems from passion. She LOVES everything space related and every stitch tells that story.

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Update: This moonscape piece of Rachel's was entered in the Etsy, NASA craft contest. Though Rachel was originally told her embroidery didn't make it through the last round of voting, turns out errors were made and she has made it through. The voting is now open again. If you're an Etsy user and want to help Rachel along, vote for her here.

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The second image is of K's Grey wolf, I adore her creatures, the materials and textures she uses.

Next, Pat's Slow felt stitches. The colours and the textures here are so inspiring too. Though I'm still using lots of linen for stitching, autumn is the perfect time to bring out the wool. Pat's gorgeous piece and its colours remind me of that.

Geninne's Bird brooch. These tiny stitches and the sweet little face just make me smile, like all the other art Geninne makes.

Margie's Blue Tit. I love the birds Margie has ben stitching on hankies; her sparrow is amazing! But I was reminded of her Blue Tit because lots of these little friends have active in our garden this week, wanting me to fill up the feeders, so I have. Not only that but I came home the day before yesterday to find one in our bedroom. Actually, I thought it was one but soon discovered it was a pair of them. Luckily I ushered them safely back outside, but they did leave reminders of themselves throughout our bedroom.

Lastly, that goldfinch pattern I've been testing (from the series of our garden birds) I'm happy with. This one will become a Christmas present for my MIL, lucky she doesn't read NM much :) I've been using a very loose rice stitch here because I'm running out of time for gift making and thought it would be quick, turns out it hasn't been all that quick. We have decided to head to California for Christmas this year, that means less time for festive preparations.

For some reason, this goldfinch stitchery has been making me feel like breaking out the oil paints. My mind does wander, it's no wonder why I will always have piles of WIPs, but I'm okay with that.

The wet, windy, wild weather we've had the last couple of weeks hasn't kept me indoors too many days. The leaves are gone but there's till amazing colour to be found. Many trees are wearing socks of moss helped on by lots of rain.

So much busyness around here at the moment which I'm sure is the same with most of you this time of year. Work being done on the house we live in, project deadlines, school shows to attend, and finishing patterns. It really will be done this week (I know I said that last week, this time I mean it... I think ;)

Hope you're enjoying Sunday and your week ahead has only good surprises in store. What have you been enjoying this weekend?

Jx

P.S. I just saw this beautiful bit of stitching on Margie's Flickr, made by Sonia - more inspiration.

Bird Chronicles: The Dinner Party

A chaffinch having dinner with Mr and Mrs Pheasant

So much has been happening in the garden, but the birds keep stealing the show.

We have several pairs of chaffinches and a very handsome Mr and Mrs Pheasant, and they all enjoy dining together.

A chaffinch peering over the side of the feeder, looking down at the pheasants and the seed he's tossed

This feeder in the Forsythia bush is the favourite of all the birds, especially the chaffinches. And the chaffinches, I've discovered, are very generous birds. They sit on this feeder to eat, yet when Mr and Mrs Pheasant come underneath the feeder to peck up the spilt seed, the chaffinches purposely toss extra seed over the side of the feeder to the pheasants on the ground. They then hop down to the ground to dine with their pheasant friends. When the pheasants aren't around the little birds spill little seed and stay on the feeder to feed, the don't fly down to feed underneath it. Amazing avian cooperation, very entertaining to watch.

Also, a little owl is nesting nearby, and we've seen him several times because, lucky for us,  little owls come out during daylight hours.

We've also discovered a lot of little homes like this tiny nest made almost entirely from moss. 

Tiny nest of moss

The inhabitants have already flown away. I'm guessing they were great tits or wrens due to the size of the nest, it would be a squeeze to fit a golf ball inside.

And please indulge me with one last photo. 

Lonely fellow

This partridge just came to my window to have a chat; I think he's having lady troubles. He's by himself and has hung around for ages trying to get my attention, going from one window to the next watching me and clucking away. Lonely I suspect, I rarely see a partridge on its own.

Happy, happy birthday to Sonia for today, Margie on the 15th and a big happy 49th anniversary to my mom and dad also on the 15th!

I've been away so long, I have a lot to catch up with. I'll be back soon with WIP news and lots to share from our holiday. 

Bye for now.

PS, I'm truly sorry for all those in distress over the lack of air travel due to the volcano eruption, but pure blue skies with no jet streams sure are an amazing site aren't they?!