What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Something To Crow About

I hope everyone had a nice Valentine's Day. I was the proud recipient of these lovely hot pink tulips from DH:

And a nice pot of red tulips from The Bean. They are big and opening f-a-s-t. They will lose their petals soon and need to be transplanted outside.
On the crafty front - I've been making felt birds for awhile now - I free form cut them and make each one in about the time it takes to watch a movie. I've gifted and swapped quite a few of them. It occurred to me the other night that I could make the pattern a bit bigger and make a crow.


And, so I did. I found some textured felt that I thought would make interesting textured wings and the beak. The body is basic black felt. I thought he turned out pretty cute, but really just looked more like a blackbird than a crow.
So, I made the pattern even bigger....
And came up with this funny guy. He's big - nearly a foot tall. Pretty much life-sized. I toyed around with pipe cleaner legs and bamboo skewer legs, but I knew he needed kkobby gnarled feet. So, I went out to the ditch that has sticks piled ten feet high and found some knobby crow feet.
I love the buds on the sticks look like claws. I just cut the sticks and hot glued them together to look like bird legs and bird feet.

He makes me happy and I suppose that is all that matters. And, The Bean has deemed him, "Cool."
It's time to take down the Valentine's decorations. What to do, what to do? It's too early to put out Easter since it's nearly two months away. Although, it won't be long before I am ready to put out my glittery chicks and bunnies. I do so love my Easter things. *Sigh* Maybe it's not too early after all.......

17 comments:

  1. Oh, your crow is wonderful--LOVE those feet!

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  2. Anonymous11:18 PM

    Hi, I've only commented once before (on a quilt you found), but had to dive in to compliment you on these. I love birds, and especially blackbirds/crows, so this is one of my favorite of your posts, including things you've bought. They're really charming; thanks for sharing!

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  3. That crow is great! Do you make the birds to sell? I'm going to be throwing a bird/nest theme baby shower and would love to have you make me a blue bird. Any size would due. If you do sell them please let me know what the charge would be.

    Your flowers are so pretty. Lucky lady you are!

    Hugs,
    Joanne

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  4. Oh I got so excited over your bird that I forgot to say...St. Patrick's Day is coming up in March. You can always decorate for that. I have already gotten my things up. I don't have a lot but my little collection is growing.

    Hugs,
    Joanne

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  5. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  6. Good Monday morning, Shara... I love your crow, blackbird...whatever he wants to be...and those gnarly twiggy feet are just what he needed! Have a great week...especially Wednesday??!!?? LOL *elaine*

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  7. the crow is adorable!!!!!!!!!

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  8. His feet are PERFECT!

    PS--Maren loves the new cupcake background. I do too! :)

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  9. Anonymous12:39 PM

    What a wonderful job on the crow. You are just too artsy fartsy.
    Aunt Dodo

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  10. The "This post has been removed by a blog administrator" was just a double post - Nothing bad. Just so you know....

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  11. Phew...that's good to know, cause if anybody said something that was not nice on your blog, I'd have to come over and beat em' up! :o} LOL *elaine*

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  12. First of all, I absolutely love your bird with the stick legs! Very clever! Second of all, why dont you decorate for St. Patty's day or just decorate for SPRING and then let that transform into Easter!
    I still have to get your "little something" in the mail. I just haven't wanted to get out in the rain.

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  13. There is nothing left to say about your crows that hasn't already been said! They are awesome!!

    HEY - Don't skip over St. Patrick's Day ~ Mardi Gras & 'Tropical Spring Break' on your way to the Easter grass!!!

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  14. Love Mr. Crow! Great idea for the legs. I think you should create a crow for every holiday. An Easter crow could be pretty funny!
    Peace,
    Ki

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  15. Anonymous11:00 AM

    I love the crow! Good job ... and I like the stick feet .. they look really good, too!

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  16. Anonymous5:05 PM

    Awesome crow. The feet are fabulous, they look just like my little english game hen's gnarled feet.

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  17. Shara, I love him! I think the one with the key is my favorite. Something about corws I guess . . .

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