Like a Phoenix Rising from the Ashes

A friend of mine sent me this photograph of a peacock flying. I never knew that peacocks could fly. Unfortunately I don't know who took this photo~hopefully it is in public domain. This is so magnificent that it almost looks photoshopped. Perhaps this is the bird represented by the Phoenix rising.

It makes you think about nature's reason for making the bird this way. It certainly has nothing to do with survival of the fittist!

Be sure to check out my African Grey and Cockatoo peacock feathers at

www.QuillnAros.etsy.com  

And This is the Extent of the Snow~Midwest Report

So instead of snow skiing (just kidding!) I will be listing 17 new set of feathers

New Au Naturale Parrot Feathers Listed in QuillnAros

New feather sets on the move! Check out www.QuillnAros.etsy.com/  and you will see new stuff, both  naturally molted feathers from employees one through 4, and new cockatoo and African Grey marbled feather sets.

Blue and Gold Macaws Recognize WHO They Own!

This is my bigbird Quill. In my previous blogging, I discussed my husband's relationship with our African Grey parrot, Sylvie. Now I will show you with just pictures and a few captions what Quill, the blue and gold macaw, thinks of my husband.

Ah Oh, is that Daddy approaching my cage?!!!!! HEAD FEATHERS UP!!!!!!!



SHARPEN BEAK!!!!!!!!!!




WING FLAPS UP!!!!




SHOW DADDY WHO THE BOSS IS............!



African Greys~They Recognize Their Own

One of the reasons I marble African Grey parrot feathers is because, by looking at these birds that are all gray, many people don't understand their vibrant neon personalities. Smart, mischievious, loyal, affectionate, Sylvie loves her daddy~even tho at the Rescue the sign on her cage said "hates men, loves women. It should have said "hates women, loves men" OOOOOps.! Here's the pics of Sylvie doin' her thang.

First she looks adorable so that daddy will bring her over to spend time with him on his lounge chair. Then she lulls him into complacency and checks out the territory to see what interesting things she can chew up. She steps on his face when she is sure he is dozing off and helps herself to the table where we keep the unread mail (of which at the moment there is none). When there is mail~I end up sending payments with chewed up envelopes. If there is a bird person who records payment receipts, I am sure they know that someone's bird chewed holes in the envelopes, no explanations needed! 

Birdie Quips~Braggin' Rights~What Do You Expect from a Proud Mama

Romeo is the cutest~He is a Wegler's Conure and naturally molts the beautiful green feathers I sell.

Yea, probably pet owners are a bit boring when they talk about their pets, and of course I include myself in that group, but isn't Romeo adorable?

Advertising with The Hat Academy

I've been following The Hat Academy Blog~http://www.hatacademy.com/. It's a place for hat lovers (me, me, me) and milliners to meet, share, learn and best of all to absorb all the creativity of the milliner's world.

I lived in New York City for many years and I would and DID feel perfectly free to wear whatever. In fact when I moved to NYC (from the Midwest) I was shocked to find that there were many people that were my height (5' 7") and under. Not the over 6' corn fed sturdy big guys (there aint nothin' wrong with that don't get me wrong!) and best of all~it was anything goes when it came to personal style. That to me was a revelation.

When I look at all these creative masterpieces that the milliners' picture on The Hat Academy blog~~I sure do wish I still lived in a big city (well maybe 50% of the time!) Check out my advertisement on the Hat Academy Blog. I hope soon to have my marbled and natural feathers part of these glorious creations.
To see what is new in my store fly over to www.QuillnAros.etsy.com/

     

Creations Using the Marbled Feathers~Diverse!

Noogal Creations has been using my marbled feathers for a while and always updates me when she lists a new piece. I love her sense of color and combinations she uses for her feather earrings. Striking! She also has been embedding the marbled feathers in resin jewelry. What a beautiful medium to use with feathers!

                                         You can visit her shop on Etsy at www.noogalcreations.etsy.com/

I am a member of the Hat Academy blog from Queensland Australia. This is a fabulous group of milliners~ beginners and experts~their blog is vibrant, interesting and everyone shows what they are doing, asks and answers whatever questions that may come up and most importantly they are interested in what everyone else is doing.  Elaine Mergard heads this lively group, gives lessons and interacts in all the discussions. If you ever need advice as to how to do something or find something or show what you've created, stop by at http://www.hatacademy.com/

Elaine Mergard, milliner and mentor extraordinaire, has been making hats since the 1960's~started teaching at the age of 20 and is still teaching at the Hat Academy and Queensland Museum and University of Southern Queensland at Toowoomba. One of the highlights of her successful career was being asked by Her Excellency Ms. Quentin Bryce, Governor of Queensland to make her hats while in office!

This is the hat that Elaine created and topped with my purple marbled cockatoo feathers. The feathers come alive in their new surroundings! Be sure to check out the blog at the Hat Academy. Beautiful hats to look at and purchase. And all sorts of great information.                       

The Logistics of a Natural Molt~Marblin' Momma's Observation

Recently I realized that many people don't know how  "logically"  parrots molt their feathers. Why? Well, before I acquired my first parrrot~I had no idea that certain sections of the bird molts and it goes from side to side, especially wing and tail feathers. It is interesting because it has to do with survival.

The big bird of ebigbird

For instance wing feathers (same for parrots and wild birds) Quill will molt one feather from one wing and then in a few days she will molt one feather from the opposite wing. This is because the birds can still fly and have control over their flight. Same with tail feathers. The tail of the bird acts like a rudder. It takes some time to molt tail feathers, but the molt is still one at a time, from side to side. If a predator catches a bird by the tail, most birds can release all their tail feathers to escape. Check out all my naturally molted feathers, from my Nandy conure to Sylvie the African Grey~from Quill to Coco to Romeo. My marbled feathers are unique and beautiful and I also sell sets of natural and marbled feathers.  All my birds have had tests up to the wazooo, all healthy companion birds. I don't bring domestic feathers into the household.

                                     www.QuillnAros.etsy.com/







Marblin' Momma's Black Friday Special

One day only!! Coupon special.  15% off all feather orders.  Enter BlackFridayFeathers and have some fun!

www.QuillnAros.etsy.com/

Romeo is in the Catbird Seat! Marblin' Momma is at the other End...

This is Romeo's usual place~between my hard drive and keyboard, (well he is sort of on my keyboard). The rest of the day when I am working on the computer, he is in his "la cave" holding his plastic hanging link toy across the back of his wings with one of the rungs of his chain held tight with his foot. He then watches "Say yes to the Dress" and when that is not on he watches Beverly Hills Housewives. He loves their long hair and I am sure he wishes he could hide underneath. 

Me, I just look at "pictures"! I have the sound turned low because in my "elderly!" years, I cannot concentrate on two things at once. And I am still slow at listing and photographing items in my vintage and feather store!

We wish everyone a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. I travel (15 minutes) to my sister's house and spend dinner with my family and my mate goes to his family. Works well! I am responsible for a huge butter lettuce salad with lots of other veggies and this year Wayne is excused from carving at his dinner. The 4 or 5 different birds (I do threaten my 4 parrots with Thankgiving if they are giving me a hard time!) will be carved by another family member that has a stronger back~and I am sure next year Wayne will be back in position.

I know holidays can be tough and I have been thru some really tough ones. My feeling is that as long as you have your health (mental AND physical) you can get through it and hope the next holiday is easier.

Surely the Snow will Fly!



"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if



I were a bird I would fly about the earth



seeking successive autumns."         George Eliot



Last Marbled Feather Notecard for 2012

So True!

Hot off the Press~2 Brand New Feather Note Cards!!

Then there were nine (blank notecards that is)

I am also showing the cockatoo feathers I used for these images and YES they are available in the store.

Marbled Feather Notecards~And More to Come

Each notecard, with matching envelope and cello sleeve, is $3.00 a piece. If you buy 5 of any combo~the cost is $13.00. I will be creating stickers, tags, labels and more marbled feather notecards. SO back to finding quotations that move me!



Check out all my feather notecards at www.QuillnAros.etsy.com/



Holiday Marble Feather Notecard

Spent some time listing my Season's Greetings blank note cards in my shop. I also listed five other notecards that have an image of my marbled feathers with a quote that has to do with feathers, birds, freedom and so on. I laid the real marbled feathers on my scanner, then I transfered the image to a notecard, keeping the inside blank. Check these out at www.QuillnAros.etsy.com/ . They are $3.00 per card.  





Marblin' Momma and the Great Outdoors

Armed with my hedge trimmer and motivated by woman power and the company of our moose, it is the fourth of 5 days for autumn garden cleanup. This year I am left to my own devices, my partner in crime has major back problems. I cut down some of my grasses and leave others for the birds. Food and shelter and a hiding place from the neighborhood cats. I trim bushes and and cover the roses. I cut down the giant marigolds and save the seeds for next year.

I feel like a samurai warrior~well not exactly, but the weather is beautiful and it is a welcome break from my beautiful marbled parrot feathers. Be sure to visit my feather store, the holidays are on the horizon~there are all sorts of ways to incorporate them into jewelry, millinery, headbands, haute couture' focal pieces, chic accessories. These marbled parrot feathers are one of a kind and only available here. www.QuillnAros.etsy.com/

Marblin' Momma is Re Organizing My Tiny Studio Balcony!

Welp there comes a time when you can't store things away because there ain't nowhere to store them!
So I am methodically eliminating the things that I haven't used in at least 10 years (oh brother, this is what happens when one get's aged).

In my studio, I have the walls covered with drawings, closet doors covered, easel in use (nope, the bathroom walls are lovingly painted with four blended colors and they are NAKED)

and if I decide to jump, I would land on a huge bird cage on the first floor (and probably scare the crap out of Quill) where there are actually three huge bird cages.

Okay, enough fantasy.

Employee Update~Sylvie the African Grey

I have 3 employees in my crew (well only one of us marbles feathers). This is Sylvie the African Grey in her goody box.  Right now she is working on a roll of toilet paper that I have rejected for myself. It is so thin that when you wipe your tush you end up with only your hand. When I complained to my husband, he suggested that we add this bargain failure to Sylvie's goody box.

I make up a goody box for Sylvie and she chews everything down to a pile of paper every couple days or so.  This is to sharpen her foraging skills which are very important for many of the parrot species. It keeps them from becoming bored~which is even more important than sharpening her foraging skills!

I place all sorts of chewable popsickle sticks, loofah, pinecones, chew toys, in brown paper bags, egg cartons, little boxes and Sylvie loves her goody box! She even demolishes the box itself. The toy in the corner is how she commands my husband's attention. It is a BRAINY BABY toy and she punches the buttons and uses the gear shift to make the noises instead of using speech (thank god she doesn't speak) She reminds me of Harpo Marx except she doesn't play the harp!

2 Months of Feather Marbling and Then It's Fall!!

Weather has been weird~Marbling has been successful~Garden grasses grow to double their size amidst first the drought, then the rain. Fall arrives. Now preparing the garden for Winter, then next Spring. Listing and listing marbled feathers in the shop at www.QuillnAros.etsy.com/ . Hoping the feathers will be discovered in a big way though~ looking doubtful. Sharing a corner of the garden, already changing color.

Romeo and I have the same Expression!

Ah, just a time out. Here is Romeo and I with the same facial expression and hand gesture. But I am sure we are not thinking about the same things!

What Do Etsy Artists Do with Marbled Feathers?!

I love it and am so appreciative when I can see how my marbled feathers are being used. Every time I receive a photo I will post it so all can see.You can also visit the shops so you can see all their creative talent.

Created by www.artisticrenderings.etsy.com African Grey parrot feather earrings~GORGEOUS!

Bag and Tag Kitchen Studio Closed!

Matching companion feathers for the marbled feathers being listed today!  These are naturally molted from my companion birds. Check out www.QuillnAros.etsy.com/

Counting Feathers is like Counting Sheep

 Well can't sweep them under the rug so again the kitchen assumes another identity~clearing house for my natural parrot feathers. More bagging and tagging. First the marbled parrot feathers, now the naturally molted feathers from my pet parrots. Look for  these coordinating feathers in my shop at www.QuillnAros.etsy.com/

A Plant Only a Marblin' Mama Could Love!

I used to have many many plants when I was younger. My dad loved gardening, especially when my parents moved to Florida and he grew orchids and would take walks and carry his little nail scissors around (we all knew what he used that for!)

After moving around in my twenties, thirties and forties each move I would either kill my remaining plants or give them to a deserving home. When I lived in Greenpoint Brooklyn I had a studio in the Navy yard with an incredible amount of windows. I decided to purchase a few aloe plants and three years later I could have populated the whole building with huge aloe plants. Actually I was alittle sad about leaving them, but what I did take with me was weird only plants~cactus, pachypodium, succulents~drought resistant, strange looking and hardy! The plants I have now have been with me for 20 years. Actually some may be fossilized because they are such slow growers.  Only occasionally am I seduced enough to buy a plant and take it home.

Well I found an incredible plant that must have lost it's way from the Amazon Rain Forest! Home Depot of all places, this amazing carniverous plant called out to me, "Mommy mommy, I'm weird enough to be part of your household.

Marbled Feathers~Bag and Tag

Marbling session closing for a while. Now I have to bag and tag, photograph and edit photographs, add listings to the Store. This should keep me busy until the next Spring. This is the hard part~actually though when I think about all the steps there are a few that are hard and tedious. I had the privilege of working with naturally molted swan feathers.  I was surprised to realize that though the swan has a different lifestyle than the cockatoo, the swan's feathers have a few different characteristics because they live and survive in the wild. The bottom line is that that I think all these feathers are magical.

These feathers are 12" to 13"  long. I have a few left and I decided to leave them au naturale for a while.
And here is a preview of the different color groups~there is something for everyone! If you see something you are interested in ask me~it will take some time to list all these feathers. You can find me at  www.QuillnAros.etsy.com/

SWAN FEATHERS!!! Hand Marbled and I Never Thought It Would Work

I marbled my first swan feather (I only have 8!) and it worked. Shocked the crap out of me! These feathers are 13" long and collected by a friend of my husbands' who has swans on his property. These are so special and I have no idea whether I will ever see any more.