Saturday 16 February 2013

owls from the UK


I'm very glad to own a little something from Suki of The Owl Club - I have been following along her crafty adventures and admiring her creativity and retro patterned cloth finds for a good while. I recommend her blog for thorough reading and idea-stalking, but if you check out just one thing from her recent creative posts, it should be this brilliant cat plushy she made!

I've signed up to the Craft It Forward 2013 challenge on her blog. She made me a little felt owl brooch which I feel like pinning to my favourite dress-down jersey. (By the way, I wonder if it's wrong to be so attached to a plain jersey and wanting to adorn it with brooches?) There was also a vintage cotton print button badge that she makes in the parcel - with my furry brooch in tow, I'm spoilt for choice!

Here's the owl brooch together with the furry brooch I thrifted recently, adorning said jersey, and also my vintage Wetherall alpaca coat. I was planning to take a picture of myself wearing the brooches with my fave tee, my hair trailing down romantically and snow all around, but while posing on the balcony I spotted a man on a balcony opposite keeping a close eye on my activities which prompted my shy self to scurry indoors quickly, with a cameraphone full of shaky blurred images... So instead, here are a couple of pictures of my modelling in front of the snow-coloured wallpaper...


I probably mentioned somewhere before that I love hand sewing. The maker's handwriting and personal touch is right there in the work, I don't believe it can get more signature-like than that in needle craft! I also received sweet retro patterned stickers and a playing card that has a very cool reverse with two owls beaming at each other wisely. This one is going on the wall in a frame!

And now a memory from many years ago:


Receiving an owly package from the UK has brought to memory the time I was gifted a day at a bird sanctuary in Kent. I had the opportunity to handle birds of prey, like this wonderful long-eared owl above called Mr. Cuddles. I also flew Harris hawks, and gazed at a fierce-looking buzzard real up close, while it was sitting on my gloved arm grabbing the thick leather with his terrifyingly huge claws. Despite the typical English weather, drizzling rain and toes freezing in wellington boots we had a super day, meeting wonderful animals and their friendly, knowledgeable handlers...

Suki, thank you ever so much for making this owl brooch for me bearing your very own hand-writing in those stitches! I will cherish it and it will surely be getting a tour of this little Finnish town while pinned onto jerseys and coats of mine!

Update on my progress with my own Craft It Forward packages - I have finally made my decision on what I'm making for each of you 5 people...! Good things come to those who wait, as they say.

14 comments:

  1. What a sweet plush owl (and real one, WOW)! Enjoy it! :) I like the idea of crafting it forward, very cool ... It's making me wish I could sew.

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    1. such a nice little brooch, it will be easy to enjoy, thanks!
      i say just try some free-style handstitching - a needle and thread and some felt - it's easy and you don't need much tuition, the materials and tools will guide you how to! x

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  2. Owls are fantastic, and lucky you that got to see a real one so close! Beautiful.

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    1. thank you Beatriz! I looked back at that picture and felt the same way!

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  3. what a cute owl brooch!
    and i saw the cat plushy too! adorable!

    i laughed with the story of the man
    at the opposite balcony :D

    nice to hear for the progress
    of the "craft it forward" packages!!!! ;)

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    1. i'll try to speed up the crafting process - uhm, just been writing some blogposts about my undecisiveness and procrastination when it comes to projects.. all to do with too much perfectionism :) but fear not when I'm committed to something, I always do it :)

      the entertaining possibilities of overlooked balconies :D

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  4. ohh, I love the owl! but also the furry one, real cool.

    thanx for your comment about my crocheting =))
    maybe you can ask someone who is really good at it to show you, that's what I did and it worked...
    I'm not good at knitting, just the basics...

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    1. hi Sjo, thank you also for your comments and for following! once I tried to learn from my mum's auntie and it went okay as long as she was there to help me. then I got confused again when I tried to carry on later alone. i'm determined that one day I'll crack it! :)

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  5. What a lovely post, thank you! I love your photos and seeing the owl brooch on your vintage coat, and seeing it with the amazing furry brooch too.

    And as for Mr Cuddles, well, he is just wonderful!

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    1. Hi Suki, I'm glad you enjoyed the post :)
      The furry brooch must have slipped a little during all that snowy balcony action, it wasn't meant to sit so much on your owl's head... but in a way, it reminds me of a totem pole like that :)

      I wonder if Mr Cuddles is still there at the Eagle Heights Bird Sanctuary? I hope so, he was magic!

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    2. And once again, thank you for your inspiring parcel! x

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  6. Wow you've been spoilt! Love that little owl brooch!
    Can't wait to see what will land in my letterbox. And I need to start thinking about what I'll be making too - just 10 months left!!

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    1. hihi, only 10 months :) I hope it won't take me that long.

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  7. Hey Aniko!

    Thank you for the lovely message on my blog, i do indeed have one of your owl's siblings!

    I know you have your 5 but as you said i would love to receive something from you so it's very kind of you to say you would.

    I will of course be making you a little something as you are one of my 5!

    Greetings form the UK! xx

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