Design Release - Superb Fairywren

Today I am pleased to release a new design of one of Australia's cutest little birds - the Superb Fairywren - sometimes also known as the Superb Blue-wren or Blue Wren. Commonly found across south-eastern Australia, there are six sub-species groups recognised with three larger and darker forms from Tasmania, Flinders and King Island and three smaller and paler forms from mainland Australia and Kangaroo Island.  Their habitat consists of dense undergrowth for shelter in grasslands, woodlands, heaths and moderately thick forests but have, however, adapted to urban environments and can also be found in domestic gardens across Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.

What is most spectacular about this pretty little bird is the male's bright blue almost iridescent blue plumage during mating season in order to attract a partner for breeding.  All other non-breeding males and females have brown/grey colouring.  Their height is approximately 14cm (5 1/2") from tip of claw to tip of tail with the tail alone being approximately 5.9cm (2 1/3").  With the Superb Fairywren's food source of mainly insects and seeds on the ground making them vulnerable to larger and more aggressive birds as their predators, they tend to forage in small groups under cover for protection and in winter when their food source is scare, ants make up the most of their diet.

My cross stitch design consists of eleven (11) colours with the finished sewn size being 40 x 85mm (1.6 x 3.4in) or 22 x 47 stitches and is available through my website in kit, chart or PDF format.  It would be an ideal design for any fauna enthusiast.

I really can't finish this entry without a story which 'tickled my fancy' a couple of years ago. My family and I were in Hobart at the famous Salamanca Markets in Salamanca Place. This view below is looking back up Salamanca Place with Mt. Wellington in the background.

Amongst all the craft stalls there I came across one of an Australian graphic artist featuring her beautiful work on postcards, greeting cards, magnets, etc.  At that particular time, the artist was absent from the stall and her husband was 'holding the fort'.  Her work really interested me and after checking what might be suitable to buy I came across a couple of small-sized flat compact/purse mirrors that featured artwork on the front and the mirror on the back.  But I had to decide which one (always an issue for a Libran!) and it was only when her husband mentioned that they lived at the base of Mt. Wellington and had little Superb Fairywrens in their backyard that I knew that that was the design I would choose. But then went on to say - in typical male Aussie style - that '...well they look a little bit scruffy right now but they'll soon get their act together when they need to look for a breeding partner'.  It just made me realise that all male Aussies - no matter what species - are all the same!!!

Anyhow, here is the compact/purse mirror which incidentally I use a lot.  By placing a couple of skeins of thread it gives an indication of how small the mirror is and how neat the artist's work is.

Ros

'Life if really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.' - Confucius

After The Storm

Serendipity is a wonderful, wonderful thing.  It had been on my mind for a week or so now that I needed to write a new post on my blog and whilst there were topics to speculate on or finished projects that I've worked on to show and share, the right descriptive words just weren't forming. Sometimes I take that as an omen to hold off until a subject presents itself clearly and never has that been so obvious than about half an hour ago ... something that I just had to share with everyone because it excited me so much and not just the topic but the timing. 

You see here in Brisbane we have entered the summer storm season with us experiencing a severe storm last night and yet another one at lunch time today.  I had eaten my lunch on our back deck overlooking a view of gum trees and bushland, picked up some rubbish to take downstairs and place in the bin with full intentions of then going to my workroom/office to write a new blogpost.  As I opened the screen door to take the rubbish to the bin, I was pleasantly greeted by a kookaburra sitting on our clothesline drying himself off after the storm.  So ... as you do ... I carefully retraced my steps, grabbed the camera and in order not to frighten him away, quietly started snapping photos.

This little fellow knew he was on display and in typical form, tilted his/her head from one side to the other for complimentary angle shots.

It was quite a tame kookaburra because I couldn't believe it when I was allowed to walk behind him/her and take this back view without the kookaburra ruffling even one little feather ... mind you the beady eyes were watching me very closely indeed.  And then while I was admiring the colours and size of this awesome iconic Australian bird, he then spotted a tasty bite to eat somewhere on our grass, flew to it, grabbed it in his powerful beak and flew to the nearby garden shed to swallow it in one giant gulp.

The kookaburra is one of my earlier designs (consisting of 13 colours) which can be found on the website - www.gumleafstitchdesigns.com.au - and for obvious reasons, quite a popular one.  

Although we have regular visits from kookaburras in the area with their reputable laughing call (which some people take to mean a sign of rain), it's not very often one pays us a visit in our backyard and on the clothesline.  Now, just how Aussie is that!!

Ros

'Sometimes serendipity is just intention unmasked' - Elizabeth Berg