I'm feeling guilty for not posting but I hope you'll understand – the book deadline is looming! But I did want to share this with you…

I've been stuffing bird pin cushions. Do you remember the bird Christmas ornaments I made last year? These pin cushions are made from the same pattern with a wider base – and they will be in the new book! I'm filling my pin cushions with lizard litter, AKA crushed walnut shells.

I learned about this stuff from my friends at the Quilt Asylum in McKinney. You can buy it at some feed stores, I found mine at Petco. It's a big bag and if you don't want this much lizard litter you can buy it in small quantities from the Quilt Asylum. It's a little messy, but worth the effort. If you do use it, you need to really pack it in to make a firm pincushion.

Here are a few of the birds I'm making, perched on one of my bird baths. They don't have their eyes yet, or any other embellishments, but I'm loving them!