I had this brilliant idea: I'd invite a
professional art teacher, an artsy-crafty daughter, and a friend with an incredible sense of humor to an afternoon of creating. There was only one condition: Everyone was going to make paper birds--because that is what I wanted to make because $39 is way too much to pay for those darling little things I saw on Etsy. And since it was my house and my supplies and someone else's idea that I stole, I got to make that big decision. I did have a bit of an ulterior motive inviting the art teacher. Although the project did not look too difficult to me, I figured getting the pattern down accurately and quickly would not be too hard for her--the professional. If you're going to steal someone's idea, might as well do it up as good as you can, right? As it turned out, it was not as easy--for the professional--as it looked. Go figure! Seems she is an artist, not a seamstress. I didn't know that!
There were actually a few moments there when I felt like the day was going to be a total bust. Time was of the essence and Art Teacher's first attempt looked a lot like--not sure what it looked like--maybe a Valentine's Day craft. Yep, that's what it looked like. We laughed. It felt good--but I wanted a bird! It was then that I decided that anything I came up would at least be in the running with the love bird. I snipped and clipped and believe me, what happened next was nothing short of a miracle. A bird was definitely hatched.
Art Teacher thought it was a little too fat. Hey, at least it looked like a bird. So I pulled in its gut and made attempt number two. Comedienne thought it too skinny. I had to agree. But it also looked like a bird. It didn't take long for Artsy-Crafty to abandon ship and run home--to her side of the house--for fabric--much easier to work with. Of course, that was always an option--once we perfected the paper birds. Artsy-Crafty said that she always knew that those paper birds would be much more difficult to make than they looked. She said that probably everybody who ever bought one for $39 tried to make one first. Then she said that they were probably worth every penny of the $39. Phooey on her.
Right after Artsy-Crafty chose fabric instead of paper, Art Teacher decided to make something like paper snowflakes for her eleven family members instead of paper birds. Phooey on her too.
Comedienne will be invited back again because all she did was laugh and repeat numerous times that she was having a blast, birds or no birds. Love that girl.
After they all left, I made yet another pattern. It is now the right size, and I am very happy. I may end up making a whole flock of these. And I have already shared my pattern--free of charge--with two other friends who coveted my little paper birds.
Comedienne
Art Teacher
Artsy-Crafty
Fatso, Skinny-minny, and Perfect
You may notice that Perfect sports our
hometown on his tail!
Artsy-Crafty's fabric version,
One-and-Only
seasonal visit to Dollywood
Christmas Eve at the theater
calling Mike Jr. on Christmas morn
enjoying just a few more minutes of sleep
giving directions
glee at wii
brothers
don't-have-make-up-on photo
contemplative? maybe,
