With our past year's origami ornaments mysteriously missing (perhaps accidentally recycled!) I decided that the decorations of this year's tree should be a bit more durable. So when over the summer, my friend Anna purchased these strings of birds:
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ivRDSeXHgUg/TQi85JkLAEI/AAAAAAAAF3s/kLDoBvQ6WlI/s320/string%252Bof%252Bhens.jpg)
With a little internet research I found this lovely (and FREE) pattern from Spool and began to sew (by hand still because I am scared of my sewing machine). It made me quite happy. I used up leftover fabric from my computer case, wedding and old clothes--that bright red fabric with the white flower is from a 70's dress of my mother's!
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ivRDSeXHgUg/TQTpeJ1a20I/AAAAAAAAF3M/yicz_SZn2Y4/s320/me_birds.jpg)
I let Squatchie stuff the birds which is why they are so plump. I think some of them look like dolphins. But they still looked nice on the tree, don't you think?
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ivRDSeXHgUg/TQTpkq7jX8I/AAAAAAAAF3U/fCf8xNZXnhk/s320/birdtree.jpg)
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ivRDSeXHgUg/TQi8uSXVYwI/AAAAAAAAF3c/MCsLbFJkZLo/s320/bird_tree_close.jpg)
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ivRDSeXHgUg/TQi80QCoxUI/AAAAAAAAF3k/--ois9cgfv0/s320/tree.jpg)
fa la la la, la la la LA!