Friday Faves 20 - Gardening

No matter who you are you probably enjoy a garden, whether it's your own or part of a park or even a neighbor's or church's. Gardens are all around us. Gardening can sometimes have a powerful call to us that we cannot resist. Maybe it goes back to the Garden of Eden, but there's just something in our DNA that tells us to get out there and grow something! Even if it's just a couple of potted plants by the front door.

Gardens are good for the body and the soul.

So with all of that in mind this week we're going to explore some Etsy shops with the right stuff to properly outfit a garden.

But first, a little mood music. This piece by Chopin (Prelude in D Flat Major Op. 28 No. 15, also known as the Raindrop Prelude) was inspired by Chopin's and George Sand's stay at the gardens at Valldemossa Monastery. The legend goes that Chopin wrote the Prelude while George and her two children were on a shopping trip and Chopin was alone at the Monastery where the wind and the rain had easy access into the monks' cells where they stayed. It is said that the constant dripping is what inspired him to create this particular Prelude. He wrote 24 Preludes while he was at Valldemossa, but this one is probably one of the most easily recognized. It was even used in Halo 3!

I hope you enjoy this version performed by Yiruma.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4Kt0VRJPB8

Now, let's, like George Sand and her children, do some shopping!

Gardening Shop Number 1

Shop name: PoFu (Pottery by Kersten Fuith)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PoFu?ref=seller_info

I don't know about you, but I love toads! They are excellent garden guards keeping your garden's insect problems down in a natural way that does not require harsh chemicals or poisons. Kersten Fuith creates some lovely little toad houses which you will find in the following link. In this particular package you also get a few hand made plant markers -- all made with her uber-fabulous pottery skills!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/71328810/witchs-house-gardeners-gift-a-toad-house

Gardening Shop Number 2

Shop name: Davita: Recycled Goddess

http://www.etsy.com/shop/davita?ref=seller_info

Perhaps you don't have time to garden, but you'd like to add a splash of natural color to your world. Here's just the thing from Davita: Recycled Goddess --

http://www.etsy.com/listing/67709241/rainbow-assortment-of-seed-bombs

I love seed bombs!

Gardening Shop Number 3

Shop name: Miss Missa Handcrafts

http://www.etsy.com/shop/MissMissaHandcrafts?ref=seller_info

Here's a great little apron for gardening (or anything else you could use an apron for). It's pretty and it has lots of pockets, too. You can't beat that!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/79246457/crafter-vendor-cooking-gardening-apron

Gardening Shop Number 4

Shop name: Quailady

http://www.etsy.com/shop/quailady?ref=seller_info

This next shop has pretty much everything you could want in a potting table -- it even has a secret birdhouse. Ultra charming and definitely all gardeny and very green by way of recycled redwood. I fell in love with it the moment I saw it!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/79440631/garden-potting-table

Gardening Shop Number 5

Shop name: Raggy Read

http://www.etsy.com/shop/RaggyRead?ref=seller_info

Now, we definitely need some tools to work with in our garden, so how about this beautiful set of hand-forged gardening tools? I love the twist in the handles! (Look through the photos to see the weeding tool.)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/74351252/hand-forged-pair-of-gardening-tools

Gardens are amazing and so are gardeners! I hope browsing these shops has helped to give you some great gardening ideas and shown you some things that you would like to fill out your gardening supplies with.

What are some of your favorite plants, gardening techniques or gardens? I'd love to read all about it in the comments!

Until next Friday when our theme will be Books, Journals and Writing Implements, have a great weekend and take care out there!

Friday Faves 19 - Bird Watching

One of my favorite things to do is to watch birds do what birds do. I love to see them flit from branch to branch, bounce along like wind up toys along the sidewalks and patios outside the restaurants and parks I frequent and of course I enjoy watching them do what they do best -- fly!

Birds come in so many varieties that there is definitely something for everyone to enjoy. From tweeting (the feathered kind) to screeching (the owl kind), I am fascinated by birds! It's interesting to watch their territorial displays, their nest-building techniques (and what they choose for nesting materials) and even tool using abilities.

My dad and I used to watch the birds in our back yard through the large windows in the dining room of our house. We would sit back drinking our coffee just relaxing enjoying all of the birds' activity. It was wonderful and peaceful.

Because birds are, in essence, such musical creatures, many people have been inspired by their songs, including, and probably the most famous musical birdsong innovator, Olivier Messiaen.

To get us started with this week's Friday Faves, let's listen to one of Messiean's beautiful bird inspired pieces La Merle Noir and Coro Yamaguchi's performance of Cranes in Their Nest, which was included on the golden Voyager Interstellar Record . Then, one from the band called The Byrds, just 'cause. ;-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhEHsGrRfyY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rat2vEMojeM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxdMqiKI08g

Now let's do some birdwatching!

Birdwatching Shop Number 1

Shop name: Rural Originals

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ruraloriginals?ref=seller_info

One of the best ways to draw wild birds to your yard is to put up some real estate for them. In other words, a bird house, and this one from Rural Originals really caught my eye (I love spoons!). The recycled materials are just great, too!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/77829371/spoon-birdhouse

Bird Watching Shop Number 2

Shop name: Andrew's Reclaimed

http://www.etsy.com/shop/andrewsreclaimed?ref=seller_info

And another great way to draw birds to your yard is to invite them to dinner! That's right! Who doesn't love a free meal? This feeder is built out of reclaimed cedar and is made to help draw woodpeckers to your yard. It's truly beautiful!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/77003390/woodpecker-feeder-from-reclaimed-wood

Bird Watching Shop Number 3

Shop name: Upstairs Attic

http://www.etsy.com/shop/UpstairsAttic?ref=seller_info

Field glasses really come in handy when out looking for birds that can sometimes be almost no bigger than your thumb, and for great close-up viewing of some of the more majestic birds, like hawks and eagles. These remind me of my dad's binoculars. We used them to view all sorts of fun stuff when I was growing up!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/71118648/vintage-united-binoculars-with-case

Bird Watching Shop Number 4

Shop name: Artaviva

http://www.etsy.com/shop/avivaschwarz?ref=seller_info

A shoulder bag would come in useful on our jaunt through the woods in search of that elusive bird that we have yet to check off our birdwatching list. We can pack a sandwich, a water bottle and field glasses inside this one! It is heavy-duty and can stand up to a little tree-climbing or whatever else we might have to do to get a close-up view of our rare bird.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/79102430/bag-tote-school-khaki-canvas-leather

Bird Watching Shop Number 5

Shop name: Drunken Cows

http://www.etsy.com/shop/RozArt?ref=seller_info

And for those inclement days when we can't get out to watch the birds, there's this beautiful painting to brighten the day and help lift our mood. It also has two of my favorite birds on it, so, naturally, I couldn't pass it up! ;-)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/66150044/birds-47-30x40-inch-original-oil

Well, that's all the shop-watching we have time for this week. Be sure to stop back by next week when our Friday Faves theme will be Gardening! From seed bombs to window boxes, we're going to take a peek at some special items made just for greening up, flowering up and empowering up our green spaces!

What is your favorite bird or birdwatching place? I would love to hear from you!

Have a great weekend everyone and take care out there!