Birds are beautiful creatures. Their meat and plumage has been enjoyed in a variety of ways over the years. Gamebirds and their feathers offer limitless decor and entertaining opportunities; not only are they appetising on the dinner plate, but look just as pretty surrounding the plate, on the table, on the mantle, bookcase or wreath. I wish to inspire you or your hunting partner to bring ALL the birds and feathers home from the field and into the house. DON’T THROW ANYTHING AWAY!
AND BRING THE WILD INSIDE!
photo: biancasnow.com
I save all the feathers, wings, bird bands and tail feathers. This year I am trying my hand at saving the whole pheasant for a hanging still life. Eldena Stearns at Santa Anna Hunting Preserve beautifully skinned 5 of my pheasants. I brought them home and prepared them for drying.
This is the look I am hoping for when my pheasants are ready. photo: scotslarder.blogspot.co.uk
MAKE A DISPLAY- BOOKCASE, MANTLE OR TABLE
I like to make theme related vignettes like on my mantle below. I have the perfect base for a bird theme, my Audubon print Mississippi Kites and my clock featuring huntress Diana with her gamebirds. Then I just started adding from there with color, texture and feathers, eggs, skulls and even a nest that recently blew down in a storm.
Add a little of the absurd in your vignette – the leaves, twigs and nest from outside with some sparkling crystal or shiny silver – worn leather books.
a nice contrast in texture & tone, yet keeping with the avian theme.How about feathers instead of candles? Pop in a little Oasis to steady pheasant feathers, moss, acorns & leaves. A found Blue Jay feather for accent.
TAXIDERMY TO THE TABLE
Bring your taxidermy to the table. photo: hydrangeahillcottage.blogspot.com
Blue & Brown, prints and pattern. photo: ladolfina.blogspot.comA shock of lime green with a nest and egg. photo: www.teawithbetty.wordpress.comAdd a pop of unexpected color like hot pink!
photo: thisivyhouse.tumblr.com An inspiration for sure, add bird taxidermy to your bookcases………Over the bookcase or …...over a clock…Add feathers to your favorite hat.
Would look nice on a ladies jacket too. photo: theknot.comphoto: craftsncoffee.com Feathers in fall wreaths
REPURPOSE THE HUNT – EAT THE MEAT & SAVE THE REST
Gold leaf antlers, dried pheasant, pine cones, feathers, oak leaves and acorns.…and arrangements – super feather, moss and mushrooms. photo: craftsncoffee.com
Vintage duck call hung over lamp finial and a great place to string those duck bands.
Easy & pretty on invitations & personal note cards.
Feathers, eggs, nests & bird taxidermy- be inspired – Save them and reuse them.
This time of year I turn my attention to cool streams, lazy lakes, sweet tea with mint and angling. There is always a way to bring the joy of the wild inside – so be it FISH and The Angling Lifestyle!
I collect.
I save (part of the Heritage thing).
I fish.
I come from a long line of ‘savers’ (some may have been hoarders, but I am glad they were!) Both sides of my family and my husband’s had places like farms and lake houses to save generations of goodies, and all sides loved the outdoors. I never turned down anything or any opportunity to scour an attic or barn and be gifted (often with laughter at ‘that ole thing’) my finds! I saved therefore, I collect.
To save and cherish items that family have touched is a Southern thang!
I love to fish, especially fly fish. My mate has made sure I have premier equipment- some of my favorites are my Sage 5 wt. and my San Miguel Reel.
You need not fish to enjoy it in your decor — if you have it use it – if you don’t, collect it! It is soothing decor and it need not be expensive.
Shop flea markets, estate sales, thrift stores and your partners tackle (with permission).
The lamp is new. The wicker shade makes a nice contrast with the rock wall and the scale of the net in the vintage fishing net, a gift from my best friend’s grandfather who used it in the 30’s & 40’s. I found this old duck call at an estate sale (yes we have family one’s too) and decided it needed to accent the lamp shade like a finial would. How about a colorful self hooking lure instead?
I collect.
I collect antique wooden ice fishing decoys. They are each tiny works of art as varied and individual as the carvers who made them: catfish with metal whiskers, a turtle and even a frog I have found. The aged paint and sometimes whimsical nature made me display them on our coffee table ‘swimming’ toward an antique English bait bucket. The lid is open and perfect for a green plant surrounded with spanish moss (please do a better job than I did covering the plastic pot!!)
We save.
Make an interesting display in your bookshelves, include family memorabilia and at least 3 fish related items. Here we have a framed fish etching I did long ago, fishing books, a vintage creel* and a carved wooden crappie I painted as a gift for my husband. You could also use a reel (doesn’t have to be old) and some colorful lures. The old metal trade sign, German figural beer steins and antique fireman’s hat are all family relics. *CREEL – If you recall my Post BRING THE WILD INSIDE – Christmas I filled a creel with red poinsettia and another with red berries, feathers and greenery. For summer try some silk or real yellow and white daisies for a picnic feel inside.
Don’t overlook the tops of cabinets for display space.
I think a bit of the outdoors makes the indoors more fun! How about this carved bass nestled with greenery and old duck decoys (use your current decoys-it is out of season) atop a cabinet filled with gleaming silver? Again, the contrast makes things interesting – like wearing denim and pearls! The bookcase is an early Texas piece by Otto Brinkman of Comfort, Tx. My grandmother saw it for sale in 1936 and purchased it for $45.00 and saved & loved it all these years – just as I do. (See where I get it?) How about a fishing trophy made out of paper? GirlHunter author & cook, Georgia Pelligrini told me about this new store on her blog. Red New and vintage China have an abundance of fishing themes in plates and platters that not only make a pretty dinner table, but make a wonderful display alone, on a stand in a bookcase or countertop or hanging on the wall!
Dinnerware by Portmerion and Red Cabin Pottery ( made in Texas!).
You always have room for a pillow or two – bring the wild inside with color and rich trims, velvets, and suedes. I handpaint each one on lambskin using different techniques and metallics – then I finish by hand sewing into pillows. Each one is unique. The fine leather gives a great texture that mimic the fish skins. These are available now and will be featured on my new updated website.
My hand painted tin rainbow by Stephanie Woolley of Tailwater Gallery and Flyshop in Taos, NM.I save, I collect……and I fish.
Here I sit on my vintage 60’s Water Wagon, originally made in Amarillo, Tx!
Be it old or new—–find it, fish it but by all means
I save all the feathers, wings, bird bands and tail feathers. This year I am trying my hand at saving the whole pheasant for a hanging still life. Eldena Stearns at Santa Anna Hunting Preserve beautifully skinned 5 of my pheasants. I brought them home and prepared them for drying.
