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4.29.2014

Sweet Simple Nests

Years ago, I was bent on cleaning up some flower beds near my front entry.
I had endured the garish orange day lilies blooming there (planted by the owner of the house),
and now that they had finished, I was ready to eradicate them from my yard. 
I wielded cutters and rake, bringing them to their proverbial knees...

and quite by accident, I discovered a new material to create with:
DEAD foliage.

Deb has not gone 'round the bend here, I swear....

The dried, browned stringy leaves of the daylilies had landed in piles as I trimmed.
And those piles looked like something to me,
so I picked up a hunk of foliage and twisted it around in my palm, 
and Lo and Behold, a NEST emerged!

I created a whole bunch more, and decorated my home with them.
Then I made even  more, and sold them at vintage shows.
When those ran out, I found pots of dead daffodils at the nursery, 
and they GAVE THEM TO ME!
So I made more nests. With FREE STUFF. We ALL like that, right?!

So in case you'd like to try this, here's my SUPER SIMPLE method to
 turn dead leaves into nests in just three simple steps!


Prep:  Get a pair of scissors and some cotton string or hemp twine,
and cut it into a three-inch length for each nest you want to make.

Step 1:
If the foliage is still attached to the plant, in the ground or in a pot, make this easy on yourself...
grab the foliage just above the bulb area, and cut there.

Step 2:
Bunch the foliage into a long strip, and begin twirling it into a circle shape in your hand
by curling the cut ends around toward the strip. 
Twirl it once or twice or three times around, depending on the length of the foliage.

The uneven ends of the foliage should be on the outside of the nest,
giving a more natural appearance to it when done.

OPTIONAL STEP:
Add pieces of thread, ribbon, twine, etc. to the strip of foliage before creating the nest
to make it look more like a real one made by a bird.

 

Step 3:
Tie a piece of the string / twine around the foliage on the side where the cut ends of the foliage are -
just like threading a needle, feed one end of the string into the hole - and then tie a knot.
This will hold the nest together and keep it from unwinding.
Then cut the string ends off.

Add any charming little details you'd like to...
a tuft of moss, a fading gardenia bloom, rose petals, a precious found object.
I just sit mine in there because I like to change them,
but you can attach yours with glue if you'd like.

Then display your sweet nest as part of your Spring decor!
Here are two ways I displayed the nests I made:

An aqua glass candle holder lifts the nest up like sculpture,
while the galvanized lantern functions like a tiny house for a bird nest.

You can see more of my nest creations on HOMEWARDfound
 Here . Here . Here . Here

shared online:

Yesterday on Tuesday | Project Inspire{d}
(Malia Featured my sweet nests!)



1 comment:

  1. Deb-WELL, Aren't YOU the clever one? What a great idea. I have LOTS of next material here! I am going to copy cat that idea! xo Diana

    ReplyDelete