Before and After: Parrot Pin Cushion

My mother has my dream job -- she volunteers in a thrift store one afternoon a week, which has merely whetted her appetite for yard sales on the weekends. The things she finds are simply amazing, and they represent the best form of recycling. Never-worn clothes and high end kitchenware top the list, although she and I share a fascination in the truly bizarre items. I think it's a by-product of our annual "Worst Christmas Ever" competition...

When she came for a visit last month, she brought me two incredible pieces: First, a white baby head vase, oddly reminiscent of Maxim Velčovský's pricey and fashionable Little Joseph candle holder, which debuted in decor magazines last year. Second, a wonderful (and wonderfully worn out, in a Velveteen Rabbit-y kind of way) wind-up tiger toy, which perfectly matches a lion I found at an estate sale a few years ago.

Sometimes, however, mama misses the mark.

Take the super-weird resin parrot pin cushion, which she brought for my birthday back in January.

It looks like something liberated from a pirate tailor's stash, although it was most likely unearthed in some horrid faux decorating store.

During her childhood, my mama lived in the Venezuelan jungle with a pet parrot named Pedro, whose legacy looms large in our family lore, so I loved the sentiment behind it, but couldn't quite size up a spot for the guy in my sewing room.

Then I decided to give my newfound feathered friend a makeover. I hit the box stores looking for turquoise spray paint but ultimately settled on red. Two coats later, and I was done. I also recovered his pin cushion using a scrap of Alexander Henry fabric.

Now he's ready to perch on my worktable and help me sew!

For another recent Before-and-After, go here.