S-P-R-O-U-T

I'm back... I just can't STOP creating in green!!!

Just like last month's lucky green... this month's "Sprout" is all in green... it is my favorite color!

For Ornament Thursday this month we created our very best sprouting projects!

And after such a beautiful day yesterday in old New England, I'm feeling the spring!

And with an avid bird lover in my house, the choice was clear. When Addie picked up a cute little two-nester from AC Moore, I had to have her go back for one more for me...

The whole house is painted in the Folk Art Metallic Peridot paint. I LOVE that paint! It comes in all kinds of yummy colors (love the champagne, too.) Ranger should really make metallics in colors! (Are you listening?)

After the paint dried I covered parts of the house with Cosmo Cricket's Storytime: Pixie Dust paper, then added a little metal "flashing" with the Ranger Aluminum Inkssentials Memory Foil Tape.

For some added color and fun, I cut the berries off of the garland I bought at AC Moore and glue dotted them around the house and at the end of each perch.

Finishing touches with ribbons around the house and tied to the hanger, and Lime Green and Fruit Punch Stickles lining the bird doors and spread over the roofs make our little house sparkle!

And one last thing... the bird.

I hemmed and hawed and hemmed and hawed over that little thing.

I'm not going to let this become a therapy session here, but I have a love/hate relationship with birds. I'm not afraid of them or anything, but my nana really did a number on us with the old wivestale, "no birds in the house." (Goes along with no hats on the bed, no shoes on the table, no opening umbrellas in the house.)

Anyway... to bird or not to bird? That was the question...

I birded...

He was cute and matched and seemed right.

He is NOT, however adhered in so he CAN be removed at any time!

All projects above by Michelle K. McGee
Materials used:
Birdhouse, floral berries, bird: AC Moore
Adhesive, tape: Ranger
Paint: Plaid
Paper: Cosmo Cricket
Ribbons: Stampin' Up
Yarn: Lionbrand

But I MUST give credit where credit is due... so thanks to Addie who totally inspired me to purchase this birdhouse!

Here is what she did with hers:


Now, please go see what's sprouting up all over the place!!!

Alexa Westerfield - a.k.a. Swelldesigner
Now that's it's time for spring, ideas are "sprouting" all over the place. Alexa creates this eye-catching notebook to keep them in order.

Art Bead Scene
Some good karma is sprouting up at the Art Bead Scene with Heather's Lotus Flower Bracelet

Cindy Gimbrone aka The Lampwork Diva
The Brooklyn National Anthem sprouts every year when Cindy's in Spring mode. See what it inspired this year!

Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Melanie giggles and remembers a furry friend, brings back an old mold, and sprouts up a beaded LOLhammy ceramic ornament

Helen Bradley and Michelle Zimmerman at http design
It's spring and we're sprouting all sorts of wonderful art at http design. Michelle is toting her art to the market and Helen revisits a fun art school assignment for her inspiration.

Humblebeads
Humblebeads celebrates spring with a Berry Good bracelet inspired by some juicy disk beads.

Jennifer Heynen of Jangles
Jennifer has come up with a cute little necklace to remind you of spring.

Katie's Beading Blog
Create some spring flair of your own with this easy bead embroidery idea from Katie's book, Hip to Bead.

Kriss Cramer - Spring Is In The Air
Not much of a horticulturist? Me neither! But I love flowers and I enjoy growing these ones with some paper, paint, and rhinestones.

Linda and Tea at Make It Mine magazine
Tea decided to join the fun this month. Check out her quilt blocks and Linda's purse.

Melissa J. Lee - Strands of Beads
What do Korean playing cards have to do with a sprouting spring? Check out Melissa's blog to find out.

Savvy Crafter
Candie shares some happy spring memories with a cheerful felty flower idea!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean tells a touching, poignant tale of some beads who help one another, and after a small amount of sturm and drang they get it together and help each other! In fact, they prettify whatever YOU choose! Go see! It's fun!

Spring is Sprouting for Joolz by Lisa
Even without a green thumb, Lisa managed to "grow" a garden of sorts this month.

Sprouting Up with Beading Help Web
Lynn Kvigne's used wire and a lentil bead to create a "sprouting" pendant for wire workers who want a bit of a challenge!

The Goddess ROCKS!
Inspired by a river rock shaped like an ancient goddess statue, Hali paints, melts crayons and adds glitter to create a sparkley celebration of Spring.

The Impatient Blogger
How does your garden grow? With metal mesh, Czech glass beads and vintage French images all in a row! Margot just returned from Paris where she discovered a treasure trove of vintage paper. This scanned and sized postcard image fit the theme of sprout perfectly and the necklace was in search of a new home...add some teal metal mesh bows and accents and voila...a design sprouts forth!

Vintage Girl Teams Up With Her Vintage Momma!
What does a gal do when she finds herself far from her crafting supplies? Why, she raids her mom's basement and then puts dear old mama to work! Stop by and you'll see why mom's basement is fertile ground for things that sprout!
http://vintagegirlmodernworld.wordpress.com