The Next Bird

Bring Your Best Friend (paper) Flowers

2013-05-12T19:43:00.002-04:00

I was inspired to make paper flowers and had the perfect excuse to finally put them together. First, when I was down in Coast Rica, I bought this beautiful wooden vase that I filled with decorated sticks (see post). It really needed some "livening" up, and I saw a really great tutorial here about the type of flowers I wanted to make. We also just purchased a console for our stereo and books. On one end there is a larger space that needed something with some height, so I made a different kind of flower. Here is a tutorial for paper flowers, two ways.

First, gather your basic supplies. There are other things that you will use, but this varies depending on what type of flower you want to make. You can gather what those things are from the images.

Wire wrapped in paper
Floral tape
Wire Cutters

The Paper Wire is only so high, so if you want a taller flower, you can attach two wires with duct tape.

First I'll show you the tall flower stem with mini tissue paper flowers. I love these because their petite and little bursts of color. The more you make, the more fabulous they look.

Step 1: Cover the entire Paper Wire with Floral Tape. If you want the stem longer, cut and attach two wire pieces together with duct tape.

Step 2: Fold and cut the tissue paper in 1- 1.5 inch sections. I used an accordion style fold and then bunched and twisted while attaching.

Step 3: Use the floral tape to attach the tissue paper bunches. I did some that were almost overlapping and some that were further apart. The tape can come unravelled easily, so be sure to use longer pieces and wrap further down the stem than you would think.

I plan to make even more of these for a more full bouquet, but here is what I have for now. I love them, so cheery, so bright, so happy.

The next flower is much different, but equally as beautiful in a more simple, subtle, elegant way.

You'll start with the same basic supplies as the last flower. Here you'll use some heavier cotton paper. I found some at Michaels that had some other natural particles in it that I really liked.

Step 1: Rip your paper into "leafs" about 3 inches long, by 2 inches wide.

Step 2: Paint your leafs with watercolor. I used a combination of red, orange, and rust. I also brushed the edges with a deep purple and blue. You'll want to paint them darker on the narrow part of the leaf so when you put it together it gives the flower some depth.

Step 3: After the leafs are fully dry, create the center of the flower with either tissue paper, or other type of paper.

Step 4: Cut a 1" slit in the narrow part of the leaf.

Step 5: Wrap the leaf around the branch and use Floral Tape to attach the leaf.

Continue to layer the leafs until you have a nice round and natural looking shape.

The second flower is a bit harder to make, but I love the fullness of them. They're each perfect in their own space, I can't decide which one I like better. The best part is they'll stay in bloom forever.

Happy May Calendar

2013-05-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

I can't bring myself from writing "Happy" on all of these calendars. It wasn't my original intention, but I feel so optimistic about the upcoming month when I'm creating these. A simple reminder of the happiness and excitement that there are 31 entire days in May to be awesome!

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Giraffe Reduction Block Print

2013-04-19T18:54:00.000-04:00

I recently spent some time at the printing studio making a print for my sweet friend who is expecting her first baby boy. Although my true intention was to make something for this little newborn, I wanted to make something that could double as a cool deco art piece as well. This way it didn't have to go in the trash once the little one grew up. I also sent one to my world-traveling friend, cause who doesn't love a stripy-legged giraffe? I especially love the deep blue color that came out of it, looks so nice with the stark white contrast.

Happy April Desktop Calendar

2013-04-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

It's already April! Not that I mind, it's one of my favorite months. Here's to a Happy April!

To download this desktop/ipad/iphone calendar, click on the links below for your size.

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31 Days of Color +Theme: Day 31

2013-03-31T16:57:00.001-04:00

Know what you love to do, and do it

Love is something certainly indescribable and priceless. Something that is impossible to explain and felt at great depths. While we love many many things in different ways, people, food, object, pets, family etc. Doing what we love is a joy entirely on it's own. It's not something that we need to reciprocate, validate, or share with anyone. It's simply personal, an enjoying and choice of how we spend our numbered days. It's easy to get caught up in doing what we "should" do, or "why" we do things, making our time spent doing things that are just - meh. If you're not having fun, why are you doing it?

Let's make it simple. Let's do what we love to do, just for the sake of loving to do it. Let's do these things FIRST more often, and stop letting everything else get done before we enjoy what we love. Let's make it a priority to fill our days with doing what we love. Let's stop doing the things we don't love, or at least change our mind into making them enjoyable. The more we focus on knowing what we love to do, and DOING those things, the more full and deep we love our lives day to day. Our hearts will be full knowing we are spending our time doing what we love a majority of the time, not just knowing and dreaming about it.

31 Days of Color +Theme: Day 30

2013-03-30T11:35:00.000-04:00

31 Days of Color +Theme: Day 29

2013-03-29T20:28:00.002-04:00

"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people\exist, that is all." - Oscar Wilde

31 Days of Color +Theme: Day 28

2013-03-28T21:02:00.002-04:00

31 Days of Color +Theme: Day 27

2013-03-27T19:12:00.000-04:00

"I must be a mermaid. I have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living." - Anais Nin

31 Days of Color +Theme: Day 26

2013-03-26T22:05:00.001-04:00

"A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving" - Lao Tzu

31 Days of Color + Theme: Day 25

2013-03-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

Let your light shine

31 Days of Color + Theme: Day 24

2013-03-24T09:00:00.000-04:00

"Here are a few of the many adorable babies I've stumbled across throughout my life. Oddly, my own kitty isn't even here! The kittens you see are foster kitties from the humane society, the dogs are family/friend's pets, and the goats were a nice surprise at a bed and breakfast my mom and I stayed in. They were the sweetest! I hope these adorable furry friends will brighten your day!" - Zoe Burton

A sweet little guest post from the lovely Zoe Burton. Love her take on our furry little (best) friends. They really do show us an entirely new way to love and see the world, and for this we are eternally grateful.

Check out her website. She offers modern, clean, rustic inspiration that sometimes leaves you wanting to redecorate your entire house, in an entirely effortless way.
Lovely site, zoeburtondesign.com

31 Days of Color + Theme: Day 23

2013-03-23T09:00:00.000-04:00

There is something about orange that is simply refreshing and exciting.

31 Days of Color + Theme: Day 22

2013-03-22T09:00:00.000-04:00

Blue or Grey? Blue? Grey? 1,000 shades.

Go With The Flow!

2013-03-21T10:04:00.003-04:00

Going on a roadtrip. Time to let go and breathe fresh air. The little things...

31 Days of Color + Theme: Day 21

2013-03-21T09:00:00.000-04:00

A compilation of self reflections. How we see ourselves, where we see ourselves.

31 Days of Color + Theme: Day 20

2013-03-20T21:16:00.003-04:00

A method of how we give and receive. We take what they hope we'll take. We give what we want to give. And sometimes we get what we need.

31 Days of Color + Theme: Day 19

2013-03-19T19:40:00.001-04:00

Makes me want to say yes.

31 Days of Color + Theme: Day 18

2013-03-18T19:25:00.002-04:00

The unlikely gold.

31 Days of Color + Theme: Day 17

2013-03-17T20:23:00.002-04:00

The mysteriously natural bold and beautiful colors.

31 Days of Color + Theme: Day 16

2013-03-16T14:36:00.001-04:00

31 Days of Color + Theme: Day 15

2013-03-15T15:53:00.001-04:00

31 Days of Color + Theme: Day 14

2013-03-14T08:29:00.001-04:00

"You will naturally climb to the highest point around as soon as you are able, and then offer your brilliant color." - Hafiz

31 Days of Color + Theme: Day 13

2013-03-13T08:01:00.003-04:00

31 Days of Color + Theme: Day 12

2013-03-12T18:24:00.001-04:00