English Robin in December Snow

I heard a bird sing 

In the dark of December 

A magical thing 

And sweet to remember. 

‘We are nearer to Spring Than we were in September,’ 

I heard a bird sing In the dark of December.“

‘I Heard a Bird Sing.’ by Oliver Herford.

British Robin Red breast, 

the National Bird of Great Britain.

via

Kitchen Sink View: Like a Painting

Best view from the kitchen sink, ever. via

My Homemade Fabric Face Masks

These are my home sewed masks that I have finally perfected after many attempts.

There are only 3 seams. I use a piece of 8-1/2" x 11" computer paper as my pattern. What could be simpler than that? If you are working with a printed fabric, you must place the pattern where you want the design on the front of the mask to be featured. You can make a pattern from a large gallon size zip-lock bag. The front of the mask will be at the bottom half. Cut your fabric and fold in half lengthwise, right sides together. Sew a bottom seam and turn right side out. Press. Fold over each side and sew a seam for the cording. I always insert my cording before sewing and don't catch the cording with any machine stitching. Raw edges are fine, nobody will be any the wiser, I have been working with 19" lengths of cording for each side. Now for the hardest part, the gathering. Pull the cording so both sides are equal before you start pulling. Gather the fabric as tightly as you possibly can and tie off with a knot on each side. Now fold the folded edge in half , gathered ends together, land make a small 1/8" tuck with about five locked stitches or so to mark the nose area. This is not a tapered dart, just a straight tuck. You can leave this part out if you like but it helps to have it. This is the most comfortable and breathable mask and I can wear mine for long periods without having to keep touching it because it stays in place. I just happened to have this cording in my stash of sewing and gift wrapping supplies. I think you could use bias tape that has been sewed shut too. Or any braided twine that would be comfortable over your ears. I have not tried elastic because I didn't have any.

I posted more photos on my Instagram for you to study. Just click on the arrows to see them all. Feel free to ask questions if I have not made the instructions clear. You can turn under the two sides before you start sewing if you want a finished underside rather than a raw edge but this just adds to the bulk. You could also overcast if you don't want a raw edge. You can whip these up in no time. 

They are tight to get on once you have your ends tied off but worth the effort. I use a square knot that says in place: Left over right and right over left. 

I don't know if hair ties would work. 

Winter Wonderland

This peek into the woods makes me so happy complete with the perfect amount of snow. I love the tall trees with branches all the way to the ground lining both sides of the road to the orange cottage. Who needs a yard when you can have this? I would love to see this same view in the summer, wouldn't you? 

Christmas Illustration by Thomas Nast

Christmas decor by Thomas Nast illustrating the poem 'Twas the Night before Christmas by Clement Moore. I have never seen this one and I love the mice not stirring in their cozy little beds. I but have often blogged about Nast and his famous Santa Claus illustration in my collection. I copied this delightful image from @maccullochhall on Instagram, a local house museum across the street from Thomas Nast's house in Morristown, NJ.

Chickadee and Downy Woodpecker at My Feeder

My birds, large and small, as illustrated by this Chickadee portrait. I have already featured the Red-bellied Woodpecker by himself. Chickadees are hard to capture because they don't stay on the perch very long. They just grab a seed and fly away very quickly.

The Downy Woodpecker is a frequent visitor but he has a much harder time latching on to a perch than the large woodpecker above who is quite the expert. Both of these woodpeckers feed from my balcony floor too when the smaller birds are hogging the feeder. I use my Nikon camera for bird photography because of the telephoto lense. Enjoy your Sunday.  xo

Male Cardinal: Bird Portrait

I get pairs of cardinals all the time but they mostly peck at the thrown seeds on the balcony floor and that's not a very good background for a portrait. I hardly ever see them on a perch at the feeder. I think the females are lovely too and one of these days I hope one will pose for me. I am trying to get a decent photo of all the birds that visit my feeder. See you tomorrow. xo

Sunkissed: Small Brick House

This reminds me of my grandparents' house in South Carolina. via It's a gray rainy Saturday morning here at my cottage with the promise of sun this afternoon, My birds have been fed and the balcony floor swept and I have my coffee by my side, so all is well. Enjoy the weekend and I'll see you later. xo