Three Birds!

Design - "Sewing Bees" - Thimble Holder

Designer - Schoolroom Samplings

Fabric - 28 count natural linen

Fibers - DMC & Needle Necessities - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 23 June 2012

Completed - 23 June 2012

I promised you three birds.

Bird #1

A mature male Acorn Woodpecker

Bird #2- a female Acorn Woodpecker

And Bird #3

Also a male Acorn Woodpecker...but...

Mature birds have reddish/pinkish eyes. So look at those blue eyes!

It's a young bird (probably newly fledged).

So the Acorn Woodpecker population is growing and that's good news.

And as a surprise Bird #4

A female Downy Woodpecker

She's a very sweet little bird.

Sunday's Hummers

A female Rufous! 

Finally a female Rufous at the feeders again.

They've taken a long break - nesting perhaps.

Same with the female Anna's.

Welcome back ladies!

Saturday's Critters

Lots going on this week.

Doe eating fruit (plums?)

Doe hanging out with crows

BIG BEAR

A really big bear

And the best for last! 

Three baby skunks (kits).

Cannot top this cuteness!

Enjoy the weekend.

Bigger Guys

Design - "Bee Ye Humble"

Designer - Pine Mountain Designs

Fabric - 32 count Wichelt linen

Fibers - DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 4 June 2012

Completed - 7 June 2012

This kit came with a tuck pillow, creating an Instant Finish!  

Besides cross stitch, the design used Satin, Herringbone, and Double Leviathan stitches.

Bigger guys

Yep crows.

And Band-tailed Pigeons.

LOTS of them~

Best of all Flickers.

This pair was courting.

See his head is up-right and extended.

Lots of chattering going on before they flew off. 

Chickadees

Design - "Banded Bee Skep"

Designer - Arachne's Silken Web

Fabric - 32 count Vintage Nutmeg Lakeside linen

Fibers - DMC, Pearsell's Silks, and Gloriana Silks - 1 thread over 2 strands 

Started - 1 August 2012

Completed - 9 August 2012

This piece probably makes it into my Favorite Top 10 list of everything I've ever stitched.  I love the variegated silks and the color of the linen.  This was a challenge to stitch, using 8 or more different stitches for the different rows of the bee skep. It was charted so well and the instructions were so clear, that I had no trouble learning each of the new stitches.  

I think the Chickadee nesting box is empty and the babies fledged on Sunday.  

Still there's lots of -Chickadee activity.

I put this out for the Acorn Woodpeckers, but hey, everyone is welcome.

And some Chestnut-backed Chickadees hanging around too.