The birds are returning, a sure sign of spring on the way. And not just outside, either!

As we patiently wait for warmer temperatures, I’ve been “springing” the house. 

I couldn’t resist these two “Birds Nest Art” prints from Pier 1. They’re quite large – about   24″ square, but they fit the space leading from our family room into the kitchen quite nicely. (why do contractors put light switches in such awkward places? I ask you…)

Please come through to the table!

A birds’ eye view shows four salad plates by Marc Lacaze for Williams Sonoma. This is the same talented artist who created Rooster Français. I was captivated by his work and began digging into what I could discover about him. Google is a wonderful thing; I came across this short video, describing how he began sketching and painting at an early age, and later folded in his love of travel by sketching scenes of the local surroundings on the back of envelopes to mail to friends. Then the collaboration with Williams Sonoma began…

The sepia toned framework of the branches, leaves and flowers is reminiscent of the writing on the envelopes in some of this other work.

It makes the colour on the birds really pop, doesn’t it?

At first, I thought I would use these in a fall theme, but gradually it dawned on me that the plates were actually quite spring-like, with the bare brown branches forming a backdrop to the colourful birds as they return.

I got to work setting a table. I went back and forth with the dinner plate, starting with rusty cinnamon coloured one and finally deciding on the soft clear yellow (Pier 1 Martillo Mango, now on clearance!)…

The Spice Striped napkins picked up the rusty red and muted green shades.  The grapevine napkin rings, and colourful red and yellow tulips in twig, moss and bark containers continued the natural elements.

These antique wheel cut wine and water glasses from Elise Abrams Antiques are covered with flora and fauna. It’s kind of hard to see the details in these pictures, but there is one particular element that eludes me.  I can never determine if it’s a large insect or a pineapple…

Do you see it on the glass on the right? What do you think? Bug or pineapple?

HomeGoods was a happy supplier of the bird houses. I had been looking for some to supplement the lonely little birdhouse hanging from the eave of the Kids’ Playhouse Under the Stairs and was lucky enough to find some.

I love the little white picket fence on this one.

The other one had a charming pressed tin roof, which you can see if you zoom in on it.

Small pewter bird salt & pepper shakers snuggle in next to the birdhouse.

Oh, I can’t wait for spring! In the meantime, we can enjoy the flowers. Aren’t we lucky that tulips tide us over?

We go to daylight savings time this weekend. Don’t forget to “spring forward” everyone!

I’m sharing this post with Between Naps on the Porch.