So, what are 40 birds in the hand worth?

I loved these sweet paper bird ornaments because they could be funky or classy depending on the paper I chose. So simple,too. The pattern comes from Better Homes and Garden. I couldn't find cute two-sided cardstock, so I glued two contrasting pieces together before cutting out the bird shapes (the wing on one side is the same pattern as the body on the other).


I also adapted the pattern for felt. I used the exact same stencil on felt, then I used a blanket stitch in contrasting thread to sew it up with just a little stuffing inside. Little black sequins for eyes complete the effect. I used a whip stitch to secure the wings, but left them partially free to move at will.

I really liked making them... so now I have about 40.

Who wouldn't let these guys join in their reindeer games?!

I declare these little Rudolphs totally cute and easy to make. All it took was some clothes pins, ribbon, spare felt, bells, puff balls, and googly eyes. Everything except the clothes pin and googly eyes came from my stash. I took my inspiration from two online sources (here and here), but the fun was in dressing them up just as I like them.