In the past I’ve made no secret of the fact that birds sort of terrify me, what with my ongoing irrational belief that their primary objective in life is to swoop down out of the sky and yank a vein out of my neck.
I mean, have y’all ever read that short story called “The Birds”? And did you notice the fact that THEY DON’T MESS AROUND?
But ever since our last beach trip – the one where I took pictures of birds and lived to tell about it – I’ve grown a little more attached to birds. And I’ve especially grown more fond of products that feature birds, because when birds are inanimate they cannot in fact put me in any kind of grave physical danger, and quite frankly I appreciate the mental and emotional comfort that their lifelessness affords.
I’m sure that in some way my bird fascination is connected with a trend that I refer to as the decorative resurgence of the owl (a phrase that I’ve grown to adore and, I might add, overuse annoyingly). But owl accessories are everywhere, people. And they’re DARLIN’. So you can put that little tidbit in your pipe and just hooty-hoot-hoot all the way home.
(I just mixed about four different metaphors, by the way.)
(In case you’re keeping score at home.)
Anyway, over the last couple of weeks I’ve channeled my growing aviary affection into a couple of lively Etsy searches, and OH, the cuteness that I’ve discovered. In fact, a few days ago I thought that if I ever have another baby I might even decorate a nursery with a bird theme, despite my concern that I’d wander into the hypothetical nursery in a sleep-deprived state and somehow a sweet little robin in a mural would suddenly look more like a predatory hawk, and I don’t really think it’s comforting for a hypothetical infant to hear a hypothetically exhausted woman screaming at the top of her lungs in the middle of the night and then falling underneath a hypothetical crib in a completely spastic version of stop, drop and roll.
So let’s scratch that hypothetical bird-themed nursery idea. Let’s just focus on Etsy birdie cuteness instead:
- This wallet
- This purse
- This print
- This print (SO tempted to order this one for myself)
- This tote bag
See? Aren’t the birds adorable?
And by the way: did I mention that owls are in the midst of a decorative resurgence?
I seriously can’t get that phrase out of my head.
Now do have a lovely Tuesday.
{ 46 comments }
Love the prints. Owls are so beautiful. We actually have a family of owls that live in a tree behind my house. Only they aren’t so beautiful when they are squawking to each other at 3 AM.
I almost choked on my cookie laughing at the hooty hoot hoot. You are so funny. We, too, have an owl that lives nearby. A screech owl at that – I have to admit I have had LESS than charitable thought towards taht bird in the wee hours of the morning!
You know what? You are absolutely right about the resurgence of owls! My late aunt would be thrilled b/c she was a collector and her house was full of them. I have one of her little glass owls in my kitchen window right now.
But if mushrooms make their way back into the decor I’m gonna have to draw the line. Or drag out my Holly Hobbie stuff. I’m not sure.
And you know…you have a bird in your Christmas Tour button. Good for you!
I know it sold out…but I saw this necklace on Etsy and thought it was the cutest.thing.ever. But I didn’t get it, and now I’ve missed out on participating in the resurgence. Sad.
http://www.etsy.com:80/view_listing.php?ref=cat2_galley_2&listing_id=16644116
So cute! I bought one of those owl ornaments you posted about last week. I can’t wait to get it! :)
I am a huge bird fan. I have jewelry and artwork and photography and lots of other things. But this all started a long time ago. I am happy that birds are becoming more popular because the availability of products is greater. But the increasing popularity also means that all these things that were once unique and creative now just look like I’m participating in a fad. It devalues my love of the inanimate bird a little.
P.S. I was excited to see that your 2008 Christmas Tour of Homes graphic featured an awesome little birdie. Where did you get that, by the way?
Yup, the bird thing is cute. But I have to tell you, the bird on the wallet freaks me out a little. It’s his buggy button eye…
I too have a weird and unnatural “reluctance” about birds. All birds. For me, it’s the beady little eyes and the unpredictability of their actions. Plus, I’ve been p**ped on twice. Not endearing me to the feathered friends. And resurgence of owls? Heaven help me, my mom should have kept all her 70′s decor. Ugh.
Owls are in??!! I thought it was turkeys I was seeing everywhere…
Owls are cool. I spent my entire summer working at a summer camp for boys and at night all you could hear were screech owls and great horned owls.
I was hanging out with some of my fellow counselors one night outside near the ropes course and this HUGE great horned owl swooped down out of nowhere. I think he caught a mouse or something.
So yeah. They are not just “cute”; they are AWESOME BEASTS OF NATURE.
I went to one of my fav shops for their special christmas evening and was horrified by the numbers of christmas decorations that were feather or bird related.
Swans, owls, and feather friends (or should that be enemies) all covered in glitter, and mostly in black, gold and bronze colours. I DO NOT like this trend, and was amazed by the fact people were actually buying these things.
Bring me back cute/country/felt/home-made looking/snuggly santas and snowmen.
you can go to the raptor center at auburn and see some beautiful owls. maybe your owl facination is left over from college – isn’t the owl a ChiO symbol?
You are hysterical! I love Etsy and plan to buy many Christmas gifts from those fabulous artists. Did you notice that your 2008 Christmas Tour of Homes button features a bird? I know you did, but that’s pretty funny considering your bird fears and all.
As a fellow person frightened by birds I’m shocked at your revelation.
However, the owls are cute. And owls have never bothered me so you may carry on. (As if you need permission from me?)
Still not seeing the charm in birds. Especially owls.
I told you your zoo specializes in birds, right? 80 different species of them.
I prefer giraffes. Elephants. Gorillas. Tigers.
So glad to know that Owls are making a resurgence. My mom has a whole decorative set from Home Interiors that hung in our house during the 70′s. I think it’s in her attic now, but I’ll tell her to get it out :)
My middle school mascot was the Owls. How’s that for fierce! It’s only intimidating if your playing a a team of Field Mice.
That being said I respect the Owl for it’s understanding of Tootsie Pops and how many licks it takes to get to the center…or was that an old turtle?
Sorry to comment again, but I have to correct my error…
“it’s understanding” should be “its understanding”.
I only corrected it because I know you are an English major and didn’t want to offend your grammarian sensibilities.
i love that you are getting all friendly with the birds…but owls? the fact that they can do a near 360 degree head turn is enough to still freak me out.
that, coupled with the fact that a blue jay once swooped down and attacked my dad’s head, will keep me away from the bird themes.
sure, he lived to tell about it, but he still has a scar and a little bald spot too!
I love love love birds! (I also can appreciate an owl or two on occasion!) I must say I think you sold me on that wallet!
I think what you really have is an addiction to the twitter bird. That’s what a lot of those prints looked like.
You don’t know how thrilled I am to see you write this: “owls are in the midst of a decorative resurgence” I have recently made a decorative owl purchase that has caused me to be laughed at, but I love it! So now I know I’m just on the cutting edge of a decorative resurgence…thank you very much!
@jenelle I found the bird in the Christmas button on istockphoto. I’m a little in love with it. Plus, since it has an ornament in its mouth, it may not be as tempted to yank a vein out of my neck.
I had never heard of Etsy so thanks for sharing. BTW, I did see The Birds when I was a kid (watched it thru the stair railing, unbeknownest to my parents) and I was terrifed to walk to school for weeks. In fact, I still think they know something that I don’t know (cats too).
That night, after watching the movie, my mom pulled back her pillow and there was a stuffed bird lying on it…courteousy of my father’s warped sense of humor, LOL!
All things “vintage” are cool again! The shops at Etsy are full of them!!!
Etsy is a great place to shop for Christmas, and YES, thank you for asking, I DO have a shop there!!! ;-)
Happy Shopping!
Alesha
(not even blushing at the shameless self-advertisement)
http://www.xanga.com/ObtainingMercy
aleshakay.etsy.com
I agree, those birdie accessories are too cute. But, lest you be led too far astray by the clever, creative marketing that has brought on the decorative resurgence of the owl, don’t forget that they do eat small, fuzzy animals. We have owls and hawks in our trees too, and not nearly as many squirrels since they moved in. I actually saw it happen one day. Ruined me forever. I don’t even eat as much chicken any more.
I am totally with you on the (living) bird anxiety. I’m a scrapbooker and owls have made a huge resurgence in that arena as well…some very cute stuff there!
I just wondered if you were aware that we need to be very afraid of foxes as well. Did you see the story about the woman who ran a mile with a rabid fox attached to her arm?
love that wallet. so cute.
okay,what is cyndi up there talking about? rabid foxes!!! holy smokes!!
Those Etsy birdies sure are cute! I agree with Lora Lynn, the wallet was bit too big-eyed for me but I loved everything else about it. And the purse was so darn cute… I even bookmarked it. Course, it would only take about 7.2 minutes of that purse being in my posession before it would get dirty. *sigh*
Aaacckk! Why did you have to bring up the “The Birds” though?! I’m still haunted by that movie… and I only caught a few moments of it as a child. I have no idea where my parents were but SOMEONE let me watch it. Crows/ravens/magpies disturb me to this day.
i’m in love with birds…my curtains have birds on them (from Target, actually they were fabric shower curtains that I hung as curtains in my kitchen instead. They turned out really cute, no one ever can tell they were shower curtains:)
here are some other Etsy sellers with cute bird stuff, this seller has several prints I really like!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17415847
absolutely love this seller’s stuff!
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5173361
very cute necklace!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_20&listing_id=17491184
i had one more seller in mind that i can’t find, I saw his work in a store in Franklin but he also sells on Etsy…he’s amazing.
i’ll get back to you if i can find him!
Etsy is awesome.
And yes, Owls are back.
I keep trying to think what animal could possibly be next?
Bunnies? Geckos? squirrels?
:)
I think Butterflies were in for a while already…
I had long blonde hair when I was a younger person living at home. One day I was outside playing and a bird got himself caught in ‘said’ hair. I screamed (probably the only time) for my dad. He did finally get the bird unlocked from my hair. Needless to say I am not real fond of birds either. I tolerate hearing them sing from my bedroom window in the morning. Nah I take that back. I usually say “Dang birds, shut up”. I am really happy (not) in the morning!!! :)
Hugs,
Marie
I noticed that you even continued the decorative resurgence of the bird on your Christmas Tour of Homes button…Way to go, Sophie…way to face your fear.
Remind me not to eat my lunch when reading your posts! I nearly spit out my tortilla soup when you said this, “falling underneath a hypothetical crib in a completely spastic version of stop, drop and roll.”
As for birds? I like ‘em! I am not a huge fan of the owl and have several real life owl stories. One is that a white owl swooped down in front of my grand am at night, when I was in college–with my Chris follwing me. I pressed the brakes so hard that the brake pedal was pressed beyond its coming back point. Talk about adrenaline. Thankfully my engineer husband can fix stuff.
Sounds like the only “birds” at your house should be the kind from Kentuky Fried Chicken. :0) Roxx
Have you pulled out all of your sorority stuff? Hootie, hoot, hoot!
You know that little Hitchcock movie “The Birds”. Umm, well while I was visiting the school where they filmed that little romantic comedy, I fell down a hill and BROKE MY ANKLE! Surgery – a plate, 6 screws and a wrapping of wire.
I’m witcha on the Bird thing…
owls have been on our scrapbook pages for a while too.
My bff’s and I even gave owls thier very own HOLIDAY. OCTOBER 5TH is the day we’ve deemed National Owl Day. Of course, we’ve yet to get anyone else on board…
I was laughing so hard at “stop, drop and roll” that I actually had to walk away and read this in two sittings. {*wiping laugh tears*}
And hey, wait, I just thought of this…aren’t you a ChiO? How terribly convenient for all those sorority girls. If dolphins ever make a decorative resurgence (and please Lord, no), I’ll be all set.
There is a lot of cool stuff out on Etsy:-) I love it:-)
You have such a talent with words!
Owls are SO cute, but I can imagine that a nursery theme having anything to do with things you’ve long loathed might be difficult in the long run. =)
My mom loves birds, and Mel and I even had to re-create a bird wall for her in her house from a Southern Living show house. Then when she moved we had to photograph said wall, so as to re-create it again. That’s all. Oh and she wanted me to do a bird nursery.
Birds, specifically owls, scare me! I think they’re nice to see in a cage at the zoo, or from afar, but I just don’t need to see one up close – or have them on any of my accessories. When we moved to Texas, my daughter was placed in the “Owl Class” in preschool (she was 3!). I was horrified that her class was named for a predatory bird – one that could probably swoop down from the sky and grab her by its talons and carry her away. When the lead teacher left, I joined the class and we became the (much less terrifying!) Rabbit Class.
Still, you’re hilarious. Even though 6:00 is way to stinkin’ early to be waking up and my daughter doesn’t seem to believe me, I’m glad I at least got a good laugh in! :)
I’m having a hard time convincing everyone that I like the cute Etsy birds while still being deathly afraid of real-life birds.
And the owls… oh my!
Loved the post! You are hilarious! :)
I have some owl statues that my mom painted many years ago (she liked owls)…does this mean I’m cool now for having these as part of my decor? LOL
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