A Quick Project

   I acquired this basket a couple of days ago, it was going to be thrown away.  What?  Who throws something usable away??

Nothing fancy.  just a brown basket.  I visualized dry brushing with some white paint. Adding some burlap as some lining, maybe a ribbon on the handle?  so I did just that:

 

I hot glued the burlap onto the rim of the basket (burning my fingers several times) and then made a music sheet ribbon by cutting a piece of Muslin and stamping with a music sheet stamp.

I added some book bundles (free of charge, I think I've mentioned I have a lot of books?  can you believe they sell book bundles?  what?  why buy when you can make yourself)

 

I put a total of 30 minutes or so into this.  I feel as though it's unfinished.  it just seems to need something.  I see myself adding a bird image or two.

 

I recently made  a little piece of art.  I purchased two 99cent store frames. Painted one, distressed and then added some twigs and then took the glass from this frame and the other frame and pressed some feathers between the two pieces of glass. I glued along the seems and then put the glass back in the frame.  there was just something missing, so I added a Discover definition sticker.  Project complete.  it was a little on the costly side, two whole dollars, but well worth it!

Louie

               I would like you to meet a new friend of mine.  I have named him Louie and we met back in July.

 

Louie is a Muscovy Duck.  I have only seen one other before, so when this rather large duck came running at me, I didn't know how to respond.  Did he want seed?  When I tried to offer him some seed he showed no interest. He just started to puff up and "charge" me.

 

His head feathers continued to raise and flow back and forth.  Was he angry? Did he want to attack me?  then I saw these:

 

those are some talons.  I was not afraid of him and did not feel threatened, but I just didn't understand his behavior. When I went to walk away he started to follow me.  Was he being territorial?  As I was leaving I ran into a lady I see every week.  I asked her about him and she said she thought he was lonely, that someone had dumped him there and he seemed to be looking for a friend.  This made me sad.  I almost wished he was vicious and not lonely.

 after a few weeks, I found out how Louie had arrived a Lindo Lake.  His former owner had brought him there because she lived in an apartment and he got too big for her to take care of.  Sure that makes a lot of sense. Take this domesticated animal, a pet and throw him into the wild. Great plan.  I am glad I have no idea who this woman is, if I did I would be tempted to push her in the lake for being so stupid!

Louie spent week after week chasing after people and practically begging someone to take him home with them.  then one day Louie was gone.  My heart sank.  Then I found out that Louie had been taken by a wildlife rescue group and while I would miss Louie, at least he wouldn't be surrounded by hundreds and but be all alone. 

                                                          And then yesterday this is what I saw:

 

Not only is Louie back, but he's got himself a friend.  As you can see by her wings, she appears to be a rescue/rehabbed duck as well.  She is a sweet little duck, just like Louie.  Louie is very protective of Lola. When I first walked up to them, he got up and stood in front of her and once he realized I was not going to hurt her, he stepped aside and Lola and I introduced ourselves.

 

of course I cannot have a trip to Lindo Lake without including a photograph of these lovelies:

 

This is Fritz & Fiore.  While they tend to be big bullies in the flock, how can I possibly hold that against them when they look this sweet?

Unfortunately the East Basin is empty again. While we had rain last week, we then had temps in the 80's and the little pools dried up again.  the time will come when this beauty fills back up, but not just yet.

 

I had to include this pictures of these beautiful little Starlings.  No words needed :)

 

An Early Halloween Craft

                                                      Several weeks ago I discovered a blog
                  http://lifeartcollide.blogspot.ca/2012/10/death-hath-ten-thousand-doors-altered.html

  I spent several hours looking at each post and just fell in love with everything.  it's like having Halloween Altered Art year round.  I was inspired to make the altered book below.  I downloaded the graphic and went from there. I Mod Podged a paper towel to the cover of the book, let dry and then painted black. Once dry i added two coats of Gloss Mod Podge. the end result gives a shiny leather look.  I smudged the edges and sides of the graphic with Tim Holtz walnut stain stamp pad. And of course i couldn't do a project without including a bit of nature, hence the twig frame.

 

normally when I alter a book I would glue EACH page and then wait to dry.  Thanks to this lovely blog, I learned a new method: Mod Podge all the pages together (as one) then clip them together, leave overnight and they are now one whole unit. for this i added some walnut ink to the Mod Podge to give it the aged look

 

and now, the inside:

 

 

after the inside was dry, I carved a opening with a utility knife. once the shelf was complete, I decoupaged the inside with script scrapbook paper and various skull images (from Google Images)

 

i knew I wanted to put a skull in the shelf, but I rusted him first and then wouldn't you know, he wouldn't fit, so I did what anyone would do....I cut his arms off.  This left too much space, so I added some Spanish moss, a little 'poison' bottle (graphic also from LifeArtCollide) and of course more skulls. To make the skulls more 'angry' and creepy i smudged black paint to give them more detail

 

 I did the same on the two back pages as the front, sans the shelf.

 

I did one more book and I will say I am NOT in love with it.  it was a first try and my next will blow it out of the water, but I guess since I spent a few hours on it, I must show it.  Not my best work, but here it is...

 

 

I love the texture, but the skull just did not turn out how I wanted.  he was supposed to look tortured, not like he is throwing his head back and laughing.  Oh well next time.  The good thing about both of these projects, they were free.  I have too many 'spare' books lying around and really who doesn't have a box full of skulls and skeletons?  What?  You don't?

 

I am also happy about discovering a new blog.  A blog that will provide me with hours of inspiration!

http://lifeartcollide.blogspot.ca/2012/10/death-hath-ten-thousand-doors-altered.html

 

 

An Early Rain

we had rain yesterday!  normally this time of year there might be 'showers' or 'sprinkling' or what I refer to it as, "Spittle from the sky"  But we actually received real rain. The first thing I thought of was Lindo Lake.  Would the East Basin have water in it now?

 

 

 

This morning I received my answer.  It's not full or even half full, but as you can see below there is a nice sized pool for the birds.

 

 

and of course my beloved Canada Geese took full advantage of this pool

 

they did leave the pool briefly because they saw the seed lady coming....

I can't imagine this water is too deep, but I think it's so sweet that they are swimming

and of course that is Theodore and Lucy flying over.  they are always so impatient :)

 

this is Ricky (aka 'the lone goose') I think he has forgiven me for holding him when he was trussed up with fishing line. Perhaps he knows I was helping him? Or perhaps the need for seed surpasses any fear or grudges?

 

the Grackles were in full effect this morning. While this picture only shows two there were about 30 in this one tree and they like the geese were taking full advantage of the newly formed pool.

 

 

 

 

Lindo Lake Friends

 

on Saturday as usual I went to Lindo Lake. this particular day I was not feeling well, but rain or shine, well or ill I always go and visit my avian friends.  the picture below is to show how far the Canada Geese were (hence the arrow)

 

 

normally it would take 3-4 minutes to walk over there, but since I didn't feel good, it may as well been 10 miles away.  I stood on the bank hoping they would see me and swim or fly over. after a minute or so, nothing. so I began my walk. then I heard it, the honk.  I looked over and two of the geese were looking over to me and they honked again. I went back to the bank and watched them form their line and begin their swim over to me.

 

while this picture isn't very clear, I had to keep it since Lucy and Theodore simply couldn't swim like the others and decided to fly over.

here they come...

they began their climb...

I don't think this guy could look more beautiful!  look at those wings

after the swim and the climb, they earned their seed

my little friend Enzo decided to fly over as well

 

 

of course after a meal, it's time to groom and preen.

 

and then, it's nap time.

 

 while I wasn't feeling good this day, just being surrounded by my beloved  Canada Geese made me feel a million times better.

 

 

Mandarin Ducks

 

there are a pair of Mandarin Ducks that winter at Lindo Lake.  they have arrived the last two years after a year absence and it is always so good to see them!  People drive from all around just to see and photograph them. Just take a look at Mogwai the male and you can see why.

 

they are beautiful little ducks!  But as you can see the males are extraordinary!  But the little females aren't too bad either:

 

Mogwai & Mandy

 

each year they arrive in the winter and leave right when spring arrives and the go, wherever it is that they live full time.  but this year they toyed with all the regulars.  We thought they were going to nest right here at Lindo Lake, they really seemed to be checking out the Wood Duck Boxes and the tree hollows:

 

 

but alas it was not meant to be, the left like they do every year.

 

about three weeks ago I was feeding the mallards and wood ducks when something caught my eye:

 

 

at a quick glance she could have been mistaken for a female wood duck:

(male and female wood ducks)

 

 

but no no!  This is a female Mandarin.  I immediately asked her where she came from (needless to say I received no response)  then I realized, she wouldn't be alone, so I asked her where her mate was (again no answer)  one quick look behind me and I saw this fellow:

 

 

a short feathered version, but who knew maybe they went through the same awkward (eclipse) phase as the male wood duck, then I noticed, this little guy wasn't banded (like Mogwai) perhaps this goofy little fellow was an offspring? and then I saw him:

 

there he is, that's Mogwai (with some shorter feathers, post molting perhaps?).  they had gone off  (to their full time home?), nested and produced offspring (there was also a smaller female with them, she was a little squirrely and I didn't get her picture) and they came back to Lindo Lake.  they spend their time with the large group of wood ducks and they seem completely at home.

 

 

 

 

 

Mt. Laguna

Sunrise at Mt Laguna.  Not a horrible view, if I do say so myself! 

When people think of San Diego, they don't think of this. In fact ten years ago I didn't even know this place existed. it's not right down the street from me, it's about 50 miles away, which in my world is not far, but for some people it's a world away.

the fact that there was still water in the pond and lake, shocked me.  there have been several thunderstorms that last month or so and I think that is responsible for these little pools of water.

Mountains, trees and meadows as far as the eye can see.  Mt Laguna is untouched and will most likely stay this way since it is part of the Cleveland National Forest.

I will say I had quite a few bird sightings , BUT with an area so vast it was nearly impossible to get any real pictures.  The birds out here are a little camera shy and keep their distance.  But sometimes it's better to just watch and enjoy, even if you don't get a picture.

I also stopped off at Lindo Lake this day to visit my friends. I discovered something.  This is "Sid Jr"  you cannot tell from this picture, but it seems that Sid is actually female.  Either that or her two brothers just happen to be HUGE for their age.  No matter, she is still Sid to me, I have just adjusted the spelling to "Syd".  She truly is her father's offspring.