10.21.2008

Out On A Limb

I've struggled for years with what to hang on the wall in my dining room. Thanks to Google Reader, I finally figured it out.

I love/hate Google Reader. It is a very convenient way to keep up with my favorite blogs, although right now it is a stark reminder of how far behind I am reading blogs. Yes, I currently have over 450 unread posts. Yikes! Another good/bad thing about Google Reader are the "Top Recommendations", a list of blogs you might like based on blogs you already like. Which is how I discovered the bird mobile from Spool a few months ago.

(Image borrowed from Spool sewing blog)

I immediately started making little birds from some of my favorite fabrics. So quick and easy, so satisfying, so cute. I knew, however, that my house would never accommodate a large mobile, or even a small one. You've no doubt met my son Aidan?

I decided to find a perch for the birds, and one day after a big storm, I found the perfect branch along the side of the road. I brought it home, dried it out, trimmed it a bit, and hung it up on the wall.

out on a limb

The birds are very happy with their new perch.

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And I am very happy with the birds in my dining room. They are surprisingly quiet and clean for birds.

If the birds decide to fly south for winter, perhaps snow flakes will take their place. Unless Google Reader suggests something better.

out on a limb

And to think I could have spent a small fortune on framed art for my dining room, when all along the solution was simply going out on a limb.

53 comments:

  1. So adorable! I am just loving this project...I do wonder how they get mobiles to be balanced, though. It's a modern mystery. :)

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  2. Oh. My. Gosh. I am in love and am trying to resist pulling out my scraps to make birds all day. Must make Halloween costumes. Want to make birds. Ack!

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  3. Gorgeous! Must.... do ..... this.

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  4. Had seen the Spool one but I love yours even more!

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  5. molly, I LOVE THIS!!!

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  6. OK, first...
    I was just thinking as I actually went to your blog (via google reader) that I didn't know you had that cute new blog banner and that's the problem with google reader. It's good and bad, I tell ya.
    second... those birds are so cute and even lifelike! just ask luke.

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  7. Wow, this is so lovely! You also just gave me an idea! for Christmas ornaments, since the little birds with the wire feet have always been my favorite!

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  8. Wow, that's truly beautiful. What a lovely idea.

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  9. Lovely, you gifted thing, you. My friend Jen made me a bird wall hanging similar to yours, but with papercut birds. Devastated in the hands of a little boy. Now I miss it terribly.

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  10. That's brilliant! I've been making those birds from the Spool pattern but hadn't figured out their perch yet. Now we just need a storm!

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  11. Ditto what studiopk wrote. I have been making the birds but the mobile seems to complex. How did you fasten them onto the branch?

    LOVE IT!

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  12. I saw the bird mobile a few months ago and loved it too. I love your take on it.

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  13. apple cyder - the birds are just resting on the branch. which is a bad thing if the branch gets knocked (or if i catch my ponytail on one of the limbs) - all the birds fall and i just have fun rearranging them. i thought about putting little wire feet on them to wrap around the branch, but didn't quite get that far.

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  14. oh molly these are so beautiful! I am going to have to make some for my new studio! what a perfect branch!

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  15. Stunning.
    Three dimensional, original, colorful, hand-crafted... I'm in love!

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  16. Excellent! What a great project - I've never seen anything like it!

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  17. That is AWESOME! I looove it! What fun!

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  18. oh so cute...what a wonderful idea...my mother in law made us little bird orniments for Christmas one year...the neat thing was...she made them out of the same material she made my husbands cumberbun(sp?) out of when we went to the prom...they were pretty cute :o) I love it that you made yours out of your fav material,can't go wrong with that!

    I hear ya when you talk about your love/hate with google reader...I don't have it...instead I have a file of my must reads of the day...the rest is in my "weekend" folder. I can not keep up with too many at once with out feeling guilty **sigh**

    I loved your post on being real...leaving a legacy. great read!

    ~simply~

    ~simply~

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  19. oh boy,

    i'm off to find a limb.

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  20. What a great idea! Must make little birds now...

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  21. oh molly. this is making me weak in the knees. you KNOW what a bird house we are!!

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  22. This is utterly fantastic! I saw it on flickr and did a double take cause it's just so amazing! And what's even more awesome is that you can switch it up or not feel guilty if you should grow tired of it (not that I see that happening for a very long time, and if it does I'll send you my address!)

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  23. Molly,

    We're currently looking for fab new contributors for Blissfully Domestic's Creative Bliss channel and I wanted to invite you to join our team! If you're interested in hearing more details, email me at sylvia{at}blissfullydomestic{dot}com! Hope you'll join us! I'd be *thrilled* to have you onboard!

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  24. MOLLY!!!! This is so totally phenomenal! Yes, I'm freaking out a bit! I've had it on my "to do" list for about the same time (two peas, again)...but I had never imagined it could look so utterly, jaw-dropping gorgeous. I'm enthusiastic when I appreciate something, but this had me jumping out of my seat! The branch is really a work of art, in itself...each sweet bird is a perfect and totally unique fabric combination. I only hope I can do this half as well, when it's my turn. Love the snow-flake idea, too. Is it possible to have a crush on a branch? Okay...enough...my children need to be fed...but I might need to go look for branches...we just had a windy day!

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  25. Oh too cute! I'm itching to make birds now! Since Chris made me get rid of my bird cage and banned me from ever having birds inside again these would do the trick!!! Too cute!!!

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  26. eek!
    we were planning on something similar for jane's room. i may just have to tweak it now that i see this fabulous brance. love it!

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  27. And all across the land people will be hanging branches on their walls. Including me.

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  28. I absolutely love this! What a fantastic piece of artwork and to think you did yourself!!

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  29. Wow. This is beautiful and so original. I am so impressed!

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  30. love! it! yes. i remember bookmarking those birds and i had forgotten about them completely until i saw this. i sure like your fabric/branch selections. it's really beautiful.

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  31. LOVE.

    I've been wanting to make birds since I saw Ella Pederson's felt versions last Christmas. Now I feel the urge once again. Birds are always in style. This is so fun, Molly!

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  32. I love the Spool blog. Their fabric and project choices really draw me in.

    Your wall is great!

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  33. It's so beautiful!
    I wish I could sew...

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  34. oh, that is so so great! I love the branch!

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  35. That looks great!! I was recently thinking that I have a lot of bird things around my house, pictures, fabric. I guess I just love them!

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  36. Oh, Molly, this is an absolute masterpiece!! I saw that mobile awhile back, but I LOVE your interpretation! You've just brightened my day!

    Thanks!

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  37. I love it!!! What is it about birds lately! Seeing them everywhere and loving, loving them! Decided to add some to a quilt and want to make these little stuffed ones...must agree with Sarah above...just want to make birds all day!

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  38. really really cute idea!

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  39. So beautiful! Thanks for the inspiration...makes me want to start sewing little birds or maybe felting some.

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  40. That is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!!!

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  41. love it! love it! love it!
    how out on a limb of you to be cretive and use the idea to create something all your own!

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  42. I long to be this creative! So pretty!

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  43. Thanks for the explanation. Seems like a great solution to me!

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  44. gorgeous. i may need one of these.

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  45. so cute!

    I just jumped over from 2 Frog Home.

    I wanted to say Hi and nice Blog!

    Carolyn
    shelt28@yahoo.com

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  46. I LOVE THIS. I think that is one of my favorite wall decorations of all time.

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  47. I saw this awhile back, too, and even went so far as to print out the pattern. Thanks for the reminder.
    And, honestly, I like yours, each and every one of the birds, better than the originals!

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  48. It looks wonderful! I made a mobile, too, for a family member's 70th, and have sprinkled a few birds around the house in saved nests or on a branch here and there, but I love the wall-mount. I'd been wanting to see what others had done with the birds idea, but as you say, I've been overwhelmed by google reader, and life. Thanks for sharing this. Here's ours if you are interested: http://greenandpurplehouse.typepad.com/greenhouse/2008/08/answers.html

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