Ceramic Bird Arrangement On Bedroom Wall — Playing Around With Options
It’s been a slow week around here. I went from feeling completely deflated about the wallpaper situation to being in holiday mode two days early. 😀 You know how that is, right? It’s the week of Thanksgiving, which really kicks off the holiday season for most people. And while Thanksgiving isn’t until Thursday, we’re at the end of the year, and that holiday mindset always wants to creep in a few days early. That’s where I’ve been for the last couple of days.
I think to myself, “Oh, I should start sewing my draperies!” and the thought immediately follows, “Nah, I’ll start after Thanksgiving.” And then I think, “I should buy everything to make the headboard!” and immediately my mind goes to, “But it’s Thanksgiving, so I’ll wait.” 🤣
Yes, it’s an excuse for procrastination (not that I ever really need an excuse), but it seems to hit me around this time each year as we wind down the year and start heading into Thanksgiving and the whole holiday season. Once we’re past Thanksgiving, I’ll gear up for that final three-week push before I take my end-of-the-year break heading into the new year. But this year, I find myself feeling more tired and burned out than usual. Perhaps it’s just because of the bad timing of Matt’s hospital stay and the wallpaper issue. But regardless of the actual cause(es), that’s just how I’m feeling as we head towards the end of 2025.
I am continuing to make small steps forward, though. Yesterday, I took the new frame and the chapel picture to Hobby Lobby to have them cut a new double mat and put the whole thing together for me with a new piece of museum glass. It won’t be ready until Saturday, though, so I didn’t get my immediate gratification that I was hoping for.
And then I came home and started playing around with some mockups for the ceramic bird arrangement for the long wall in the bedroom. I want to have a mockup in hand before I start putting nails in the wall so that I don’t end up with lots of extra holes in the wallpaper.
I tried out several different mockups, but they were all in two specific categories. The first category was an organic arrangement, and the second category was a very structured arrangement. If you’ve been around here long, you know that I have an incessant need for structure and symmetry, so I was actually surprised that I liked the more organic arrangement more.
Of the organic arrangements, this one was my favorite. This is the mockup that I did using my photo editing software…
And then I copied and pasted that onto a photo of the actual wall to give me an idea of what it would look like in the actual room. I’m not sure if this would be the final one. It’s possible that I would make a few more tweaks to it before putting nails in the wall, but an organic, freeform design would be pretty close to this.
The more structured arrangement that I tried was an oval since that wall is so long. Here’s what the mockup looks like. My main issue with this arrangement is that once I got it done, I immediately saw an eye.
And here’s what that mockup looks like copied and pasted onto the picture of that wall.
I actually liked it more once it was copied and pasted onto the actual photo of the room. With it on the wall, I don’t immediately see an eye shape, but I’m also not crazy about that big blank area in the center of the wall. I do like structure and symmetry, though, so I haven’t completely ruled out a structured arrangement. But at this moment, the more freeform, organic arrangement appeals to me a bit more.
Anyway, I may try to get this done today, but I’m making no promises. I’m not going to put any kind of pressure on myself to get any big projects done between now and the end of the weekend. I plan to rest, spend time with Matt, eat some good food, and get myself geared up for that final post-Thanksgiving three-week push. I’m hoping that the slump that I’ve felt this week is just the result of the two-punch hospital stay followed by the wallpaper issue, and that I can get re-energized and refocused over the next few days. While we’re heading to the end of the year, it’s way too early for full-on burnout. So I’m really hoping that’s not what I’m dealing with because that will make for a really miserable three weeks for me. I don’t think that’s what it is, though, because I’m genuinely excited about sewing the draperies and getting the headboard made. I think I just needed a few slow days to regroup before jumping into those big projects.
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Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
Happy Thanksgiving!! You’ve got this!
Kristi, you are too hard on yourself. Take a break and make no apologies. Enjoy Thanksgiving, reflect on the goodness of the LORD, rest and look back on all you have accomplished this year, which is a lot!! I am looking forward to seeing your finished bedroom! I know it will be gorgeous. You will be much more energized and ready for that final push of the year. I am still trying to talk my husband into wainscotting our bedroom!! Many blessings!
Murmuration is when the Starlings swirl in the sky. Your organic arrangement reminds me of that. I love that phenomenon. I hope you go with that one.
Didn’t know that was the term for it but I love the swirling. Looks very natural. The oval looks contrived and somewhat boring. Almost like there is something missing.
Don’t minimize the exhaustion of having your husband ill and in the hospital—please rest, enjoy your Thanksgiving and come back recharged. Don’t push yourself the next 3 weeks either. Happy Thanksgiving to you and Matt and your furry family members.
And the organic bird placement is stunning!
I wouldn’t put one nail in that wallpaper! Let it be for now.
Happy thanksgiving. Have a wonderful holiday with all those you love. Creating lasting memories is just as important as creating a lovely home.
Hi Kristi….not sure if you’re entertaining “Suggestions”?…. But I think the Freeform is really YOU…. It represents to me your flexibility to change course and/or find a better route… when the world gives you Lemons….
Warmest wishes to you and Your Matt….and to all those you love sitting about your Thanksgiving Table…..
I really love this comment! I agree the free form arrangement is better, but I didn’t think of the symbolism it holds for Kristi. What an astute observation!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone, I am grateful for this little community on this wonderful blog.
A special Thank You to Kristi for sharing your DIY life with all of us. You are an excellent example to the rest of us, in many ways.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Matt and your furbabies.
Well. I’m almost always in an either/or situation (like with the structured vs. freeform) and often find IF I gorather with an idea of “BOTH/AND,” it resolves itself into something more than my limited viewpoint. Just a thought here – maybe combine the two: freeform w/some structure or structure with some freeform birds arranged appealingly in the middle. Anyway, just a thought.
Give yourself time and grace.
Could you try double sided tape to test your bird pattern preference?
The organic swirl looks just like what the birds do. They were in my backyard for hours yesterday doing exactly that coordinated swoop through the sky over and over!
Definitely take a break!! My goodness, woman.
Could you reverse the organic arrangement 180 degrees? Currently my eye follows them in, then right back out again, feels like whoops, gotta leave the room now! LOL! My artsy spidey sense want that flow to end directionally INTO the room.
Birds don’t fly in symmetry so that may be why your brain doesn’t click with it…
Unless they’re geese flying in a V formation, lol.
This whole year it has seemed like you don’t have your usual enthusiasm for projects and you’ve been procrastinating more. I’d say maybe you need to take a year off from renovating/blogging but that probably isn’t possible if this is your main income. Hope it passes for you. Can’t wait to see the chapel picture framed.
I really like the top one, but would like to see it with a smaller number of birds, and a bit more distance between the top and bottom swoop. I also would like to caution you about putting anything on the grasscloth that you aren’t totally sure of. It fades very quickly leaving a dark spot where ever you take something down. I speak from experience, and the room I had the grasscloth in received very little sunlight.
I have followed you from the time you did the main bathroom at the condo forward. It seems like you have been very focused all this year! You have accomplished a lot, in my opinion! That said, I have two suggestions: 1) maybe do the birds in the shape of the eternity symbol with a few of them flying out of the symbol at the end. Symmetrical, but not! 2) do the headboard before the curtains. More interesting and challenging. Then after the Christmas break, take a run at finishing up the bedroom.
Wishing you and yours peace and good food this Thanksgiving.
I prefer the first (more organic) arrangement. My only quibble is that the spacing of all the birds is too even. I think you need to put some closer together and some a little further apart – like they would be if they actually were in flight.
Posted too soon – I suggested yesterday looking at a couple of pictures of starling murmurations. Varying the spacing a bit between the birds will give a greater sense of depth to the overall montage. The larger birds should appear closer and the smaller ones will read as further away.
Happy thanksgiving! I like the free form much better than the “fish eye” look of the bottom ones. But I dont have to look at it daily living there either 😁😁. I know when you get finished, it’ll be fabulous as always. 💯
Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the break, this will all be there next week. 🦃
Love the freeform idea! Check this installation of 10,000 ceramic birds https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2019/05/murmuration-cai-guo-qiang/ Perhaps some part of that might inspire your layout.
Take some time off; your body is telling you to rest & with Thanksgiving it’s the perfect time to rest, be with Matt and your family. Happy Thanksgiving Kristi & Matt.
Happy Thanksgiving 😊
MKH
Not to be critical, but that organic arrangement is still pretty structured! It’s hard to be free-wheeling when your brain usually works another way. Keep at it and have fune with it. You’ll get it. And you are so right – the other looks like an eye!
Would a straight pin hold the weight of the birds? They are surprisingly strong. Also, Ook makes nails that leave very small holes. Another wallpaper tip is to cut a small v, pry that up, put your picture hooks on the bare wall. When you want to move it, take the hanger out and smooth the wallpaper v back down, maybe with a spot of paste. Although I didn’t know grasscloth faded, so that’s kind of a bummer.