Shutter Sisters

creature comforts

By

Through the years I have collected things here and there that make me feel happy inside. Little gifts from Mother Nature, significant bangles, handmade treasures and other various objects of affection surround me in my day to day life and serve as little reminders. My Superhero beads remind me of my power. My ‘relax’ candle gently beckons me to be still and breathe. My heart collection reminds me of how much love I have in my life. I could go on and on.

 Some of these items have been gifts given to me by exceptional people in my life, some are found objects while others are special purchases I have made for myself with because, darn it, I am worth it. There is something really exhilarating about buying something for yourself. Something that isn’t practical, or really needed. Something that makes you happy just because.

 

A few years ago I discovered Amy Ruppel. I don’t remember how I found her but ever since I stumbled upon her online home, I have had a love-affair with her artwork. It began by buying myself one of her delightful bird paintings –I picked one out for myself on an online sale she hosted. And then I was lucky enough to receive one as a gift from a dear friend. Then came a third (I had to get one for my 40th birthday). And just recently I treated myself to a pair of her newest, smallest offerings. That brings my total to 5 Amy Birds (the term of endearment my kids and I have given them).

 

I cherish my collection in a way that is indescribable. Each sweet bird sings to me of simple pleasures and joy reminding me that I deserve a little extra sometimes. Embracing that truth has been not only empowering but comforting as well. My birds share songs with me about the beauty in my life; about being grateful and content, about being curious and courageous and about remembering to fly.

 

Do you surround yourself with the magic reminders that make your heart sing? We’d love to hear about them.

 

 

We are fortunate enough to have Amy Ruppel giving away one of her lovely little works of art today in keeping with A Giveaway a Day here at Shutter Sisters. Thank you so much Amy! Just leave a comment here and you’ll be included in the random drawing. Good luck!

 

Congrats to the winner of yesterday’s Flash Bulb necklace giveaway Lilia (aka Pumpkinoodle) at Babymoon Photography who commented “Oh, dreamy hooray!”. Well said. 

Comments

  4. Those are unique and lovely. I like to keep my daughters’ artwork around. I have some favorites hanging around at work and of course at home. Some even get framed! Thierhandiwork are my treasures.

  8. You have given me the excuse I need to photograph my pottery collection. There are many local potters in this area, and when I was single, that’s pretty much what I spent my money on!! They delight me to this day. There’s nothing like drinking coffee out of a piece a of artwork. I’ll post the photos later after I take them.

  15. There is a shelf on my desk that holds all colours of sharpies and pencils in mason jars. They remind me to be creative. The other side holds a folk art image of St. Francis from my late brother-in-laws desk, he was a Franciscan Monk and it reminds me to laugh, because he had the best laugh. My house is filled with much loved trinkets.

  16. Hi, speaking of the flash bulb necklace. i added my name a few months ago to the post about it, and i was under the impression that i was putting myself on a list for it, as the post explained that everyone who added their names to the comment field would be contacted. i never was. does anyone know what happened with this necklace/waiting list?

  17. ànd i am also leaving a comment about the great artwork. i hate birds, usually, but she makes them fantastic!

  24. Good afternoon shuttersisters,
    Firstly, loving the bird!.

    Secondly… the things we collect around the house tend to be musical instruments because my other half is a musician and a luthier.

    we have violins http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickythomasphotography/2235655900/
    and doublebasses http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickythomasphotography/2444104488/
    but mainly i seem to be collecting children. http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickythomasphotography/3062392174/

    i like the kids best.

    have a lovely day folks.

    Nicky x

  35. I love those little birds, would look very lovely in my house (I don’t know if I could give this away for a christmas present)!

  40. Your collection is lovely. In recent years I’ve wanted to start a collection of something but haven’t really set my heart upon one particular type of item. My husband jokes that I collect paper and I suppose that’s true since I’m constantly buying little notebooks or journals so that I can write down anything and everything. There are tiny notebooks for my purse, my gearbag, my nightstand and larger versions that fill a set of shelves in my bedroom. I think it’s at the point of being called a paper fetish instead of a collection. 🙂

    Thank you for sharing Amy’s work! Have a great Tuesday.

  47. Awesome! Those birds remind us to spread our wings and fly. I surround myself with good music and as much creative energy as possible.

  48. what sweet birdie designs! makes me think of Maya Angelou’s ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’. they are beautifully done and i love your sentiment behind your collection tracey.

    i don’t know how, but it started a long time ago with family trinkets, my collection of buddhas. some are old and passed down, and some are new that stand beside them. but they, are like your birds, they remind me of the joy that sometimes i’m too busy to see.

    xo.

  57. I think the word for Amy’s birds is clearly "sweet" in every way. They definitely belong in the meaningful object category!

  58. oooooooooh. I love little birds. My kids are both named after birds. Amelia NGAHUIA- that’s a bird in New Zealand (she’s part maori) and Owen CROWE. So, i think I really need this 😉

  61. Hi! What a nice giveaway–the birds are beautiful. After some work on our home, I am just beginning a little collection of birdhouse things, inspired by a salt and pepper shaker set and a print I bought at DC’s Crafty Bastards Fair… they remind me of coziness, and safety, and being with my little family.

  62. Thank you all so very much! Such a wonderful thing to wake up to, all of these kind words. I’m so glad you like them. I certainly like making them, and hope that they can bring a little spot of happiness in. You’ve inspired me to paint all day 😉 Enjoy!!

  68. Quirky little vintage things seem to collect in my home, and they make me very happy. Love the birdies!!

  79. I just love those little birdies. They are such delicate, but capable little creatures and remind us of many great qualities we’d like to foster in ourselves. I tried taking some pictures of a beautiful bird I saw this weekend, but I didn’t do her justice. I’ll keep practicing!

  86. love,love, love these little birds, so darling! they would match the birds in my daughters room so well…gonna check out amy’s site!

    thanks for sharing!

  89. Those birds are magic. I too surround myself with little treasures collected from nature – acorns, smooth stones, seashells, feathers… it helps to keep me grounded and connects me to something sacred.

  103. I surround myself with phtographs of those I love and special events. Every room in our house is full of pictures and looking at those moments in time and remembering the joy experienced can shake the blues or bad day away in an instant.

  106. Tracey, yes I do surround myself with things that make my heart sing. Unfortunately I’m working against a deadline and can’t upload any photos right now so I hope I can quickly just tell you about them.

    I’ve always love things that people have made for me and have kept them all — both in kind but especially deep within my heart. My mother died a year and a half ago and I still struggle with the grief. One thing I’ve finally been able to do is bring out a number of things she has given or made for me over the years. When I packed up and cleared out her house I also saved a few of her favourite things to take home with me. She collected frogs of all sizes and shapes and I have many of them. They sit inside her Christmas Cactus, a great big giant frog sits beside me in my home office as a daily touchstone to her, and so on. I treasure them as a connection deep in my heart to my dear mother. I miss her so.

    Diane
    (although it may be too late for this day’s post, I WILL add a few photos on my blog tonight or tomorrow morning.)

  107. OMG, seriously!??! I won?!? I never win anything!! Wow – I can’t say that anymore! 🙂 This site and the flickr group are both a total inspiration to me, and the necklace is gorgeous. Thank you so much, my sisters!!

    xoxo, Lilia

    (p.s.please don’t take this as an entry for today’s giveaway…I’m not greedy like that 😉

  109. I have been collecting graniteware for years and when I do shoots, I almost always find a way to include the beautiful pieces I have collected. It shows up in food shoots, cookbook shoots and my personal favoite, the puppy shoots. My post has a border collie puppuy and a yorkie puppy in my blue graniteware!
    http://pixels-n-pen.blogspot.com

  110. I have been collecting graniteware for years and when I do shoots, I almost always find a way to include the beautiful pieces I have collected. It shows up in food shoots, cookbook shoots and my personal favoite, the puppy shoots. My post has a border collie puppuy and a yorkie puppy in my blue graniteware!
    http://pixels-n-pen.blogspot.com

  111. sweet little birds 🙂

    i surround myself with books, spilling out of corners, photographs and artwork and painted rocks and a big heart rock found on my favourite coastline by my husband 🙂

  114. Fresh flowers and photos of my kids…..those are my creature comforts. Both make me smile 100% of the time !!
    LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the featured collection !
    PEACE !

  117. I love these birds! They remind me of the song by the Be Good Tanyas, The Littlest Birds. I surround myself with blue glass, unusual rocks, crystals, original art, prints by favorite artists, tiny signs, rocks with messages, funky scarves and wraps, and color. (I was a goth in college and stuck with the all-black clothing long after I stopped using excessive eyeliner, so this color thing is relatively new to me.) My newest acquisition is a holiday one: a Christmas-tree cone made of mirrorball bits. My daughter is SO delighted when the sun hits it on the breakfast table and it shines sparkles around the whole yellow-splashed kitchen.

  120. as a lover of anything bird i also randomly came upon amy’s beautiful bird artwork a few years ago. not only does her work spark your spirit and imagination but it always shows the love that amy puts into it making her one of my favorite artists to date!

  123. i just love knowing that every day this month i will not only get the chance to enter a giveaway but i’ll also be introduced to some cool new creators and their creations! these birdies are just so lovely.

  132. I love my Stangl plates. They are so cheerful and really make my heart sing. I use them every day.

    These were mass-produced, but each piece is hand-carved and hand-painted, and whenever I use them, I think of their designer, Kay Hackett (who wrote to me when I sent her a letter telling her how much I loved her work) and I also think of all the talented New Jersey artisans who worked on each piece.

  134. Those are charming birds!

    I love to have things around my house to remind me of my childhood, married life, or motherhood.

  149. Its kinda funny, i am seperating from my husband and moving across the country and i find the only things i want to keep are tiny momentos from 11 years past. A seashell, seaglass, the kids artwork, my favorite fuzzy socks, etc…

    He can have the big screen tv, the furniture, et al.
    But i would be broken if i lost my little momentos and collections!

  153. I surround myself with magical little pine cones. Photos of, baskets of, trees of… They remind me of fairy houses and magical beings and lands.

  157. I’ve been visiting this site on and off for several months, admiring the pictures others have taken and posted on this site. The artwork looks beautiful!

  160. i love the birds.
    i have a glass blue bird (called the blue bird of happiness i think) and i just love catching a glimpse of it throughout the day.

    i know i need to put out more gentle reminders to slow me down a bit.

  164. In this house we light a candle every night when we eat at the dinner table, to remind us that the simple things keep light in our lives. I also have a string of colored lights decorating my kitchen because it reminds me of my childhood, it lights up these dreary Seattle days, and there’s something quite magical about the way the tiny lights glow when everything else is dark.

    Thanks for the giveaways! It’s amazing to see how many people are here reading each day.

  176. Those are very cute. I don’t have any little collections like that (unless wine corks count), but I’d be happy to start one. 🙂

  189. Oh these birds are so sweet! I am a collector of "natural, found artifacts" as I like to call them. My house is always filling up with bits of weathered wood, beach glass, shells and shell fragments,rocks, bark and and leaves to name a few. They end up on windowsills, and side tables and occasionally find their way into my light box. Here is a favourite which is still gathering dust on my dresser.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/10751420@N07/2764218471/in/dateposted/

  190. Wow, I really like her owls.

    One of the things I love about blogs like this is all the fabulous artists shared. I have a vision of my (non-existent) retreat home decorated with some of the modern, fun art from folks like Amy and over at Etsy. It’s one of my happy places.

  196. Such sweetness….

    In the pocket of my favourite sweater I carry a paper clip my daughter bent into a heart, and Yogi Tea teabag tag that says "Love what is ahead by loving what has come before." Every time I feel them, I remember love and blessings and the rightness of life. Such rememberances make life sweet… I hope we all have some.

  198. Surrounding myself with things I love is my absolute decorating style. I can admire a room in Better Homes & Garden until the cows come home, but I love to fill my home with things that mean something to me.

  206. These are lovely! I have a calendar hanging in my office cubicle created by an artist that I admire – a daily reminder to be creative in the place I need it most!

  210. These birds are so YOU! I saw the picture and said to myself "I thought she only had one…?" I missed the new additions.

    For me, my rocks and stones from Cambria speak to me…they are earthy and full of beautiful nature and bring me a sense of calm when I think about sitting on Moonstone Beach collecting them. I think I need to give myself a road trip!