birds

Where Do Birds Live?

tina — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 20:00:00 +0000

There are few things in life better than large, hardcover, richly-illustrated children’s books. As a child, these were the books I most often pulled from the library shelves. Beautiful visuals invite the eye to stay for a while, while skilled writing engages and challenges the mind. Even today, I sheepishly browse the children’s sections of libraries and bookstores, in love with nearly everything in sight.

In Where Do Birds Live?, Claudia McGehee works as both writer and illustrator to inform and enchant us about the habitats of American birds. This large, hardcover book has full, two-page spreads dedicated to each bird featured. The left pages include: illustrations of the bird itself, basic information about its traits, habitat, life challenges, and how humans can help keep the particular bird from becoming endangered. The right pages feature a full page illustration of the bird’s habitat and neighbors. I must add that every illustration in the book is a scratchboard piece; a difficult medium to work with, but gorgeously performed by Claudia McGehee.

The birds represented in the book are limited to those that live in the United States. Common varieties such as hummingbirds, bluebirds, gulls, and ravens are presented, as well as less commonly noted birds such as tanagers, flycatchers, roadrunners, and oystercatchers. I was inspired to do research on my own after reading this book; I wanted to listen to bobolink prairie birds sing and see photos of the Pacific rain forest. Now I’m considering visiting that area someday, if possible.

People of all ages would appreciate and benefit from this book. The writing is informative and accessible and the illustrations were a labor of love. The entire book is inviting and engaging, with interesting tidbits on bird behavior and helpful advice on how humans can conserve bird habitats for years to come.

Written by: Jacquie Piasta, January 31st 2011

Birds of Paradise Earrings

admin — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 08:25:00 +0000

By Stars + Rocks

Not ever being one to splurge on jewelry, I’m often times frustrated by the cheap and mass produced items I find myself buying off racks in department stores. I am no stranger to a green finger, a necklace that breaks as I’m putting it on for the very first time, or an earring that manages to fall off in transit, which always provides for a few strange glances once I arrive at work. I have also suffered the mortification that comes when you realize someone is wearing exactly the same bracelet, in exactly the same color, from exactly the same place.

So I was both surprised and delighted to find the Birds of Paradise earrings made by jewelry designer Jazmine Bowe for her “urban gypsy” Stars + Rocks jewelry line. At an incredibly reasonable price, these handmade earrings are intricately detailed and visibly of quality. I love wearing large earrings, and these lightweight pieces don’t leave your ears feeling as if they’re hanging two inches lower after you wear them for a day.

These earrings are versatile enough to be worn during day or night. So far, I’ve sported them—and received compliments doing so—with a black strapless dress and a t-shirt and jeans. They have an ethnic vibe that goes well with many current trends, and their size is big enough to grab attention, but not so large that I would recommend those with smaller faces not wear them.

But the greatest part comes back to knowing I won’t go out and find myself surrounded with twenty other girls wearing forty of the same earrings. There’s a pride that comes from supporting an artist and getting to look good doing it. I’m excited to have found unique and beautiful jewelry that didn’t come at a price I couldn’t afford. I will most definitely be looking at Bowe’s inexpensive and creative creations for gifts, self-indulgences, and fashion sense, instead of chunks of plastic on the racks of a department store.

Written by: Melissa Ablett, August 30th 2009

Glass Bird Pendent Necklace

admin — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 09:26:00 +0000

By Leila Cools

I live in a city so overrun by crows that some days I am sure I'm stuck in some Hitchcockian nightmare. Every morning I wake up to the birds' cacophonous squawking, a sound that is now lodged in my psyche in the most obnoxious way. I don't have to set an alarm clock; by 6 a.m. I am sure to be awakened by the ubiquitous chorus of caw. You'd think the daily repetition would lend itself to becoming white noise, but the song of the crow is abrasive enough to prevent such a blessed adaptation from taking place.

When I heard on NPR that a recent scientific study confirms crows have the ability to recognize human faces, I felt this was exciting news. Apparently a survival strategy for the species, crows imprint one's visage in their tiny bird brains in order to discern who has an unfriendly face. The faces of those who effectively scare crows can be remembered for several years. "Good," I thought. "I want the suckers to know it's me wildly gesturing and loudly clapping every time I shoo them off my veranda."

Fortunately, my hatred of crows hasn't soured me on all things fowl. In fact I am quite impressed by The Glass Bird Pendant Necklace I received from Leila Cools. Perhaps my love of fused glass has something to do with this, but I'm also partial to Canadians—or their healthcare system anyway.

This one-of-a-kind sunny yellow pendent with a splash of cream in the center reminds me of a large, glossy Chiclet. Hanging from a sixteen-inch cream cotton cord, the pendent cozily rests in my sternal notch. The burgundy rendering of a bird on a branch provides a nice color contrast, though I'm a little unsure about the pixelated edges, which make the image appear blurry. If my necklace is going to look like a lustrous, over-sized piece of gum, I prefer a cleaner image to convey it's not—but this is a minor complaint.

For $25 Leila Cools' fused glass necklaces offer you a lot of choice; the option of multiple glass and cord colors, a wide variety of print designs, and many different shapes mean you can customize your jewelry to be exactly as you'd like it. Perhaps next time I'll choose a bicycle print. Those are much more useful than crows.

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, August 23rd 2009