Wednesday wishlist: Owl-together now

Baby owls. Right up there with baby squirrels and baby seals. A screechingly cute video titled Lovely Owl was doing the rounds via YouTube last week. And it got me thinking about owls.

WEBBED FEAT: The eponymous Lovely Owl has become a YouTube sensation

Barn owl as Gaeilge is 'scréachóg reilige', which translates into 'graveyard screecher'. Spooky! 

The Irish owl (there are three species) are November's species of the month on the info-packed website noticenature.ie.

They are also the avian of choice in the interiors world, where they're having a bit of moment. 

I have one in my sitting room, thanks to a cushion my mother bought me. The owl is perching on my Eames rocker, a present to myself after finishing a pretty tough post-graduate course.

NIGHT WATCH: My owl cushion sits prettily on the Eames rocker

1. Vintage fabric owl cushion

The owl cushion above (€22 plus €3.60 for delivery in Ireland) is available in lots of colourways (and there's some owl bags too) from the Galway-based Away With the Fairies.

FEATHERED FRIENDS: These owl cushions are among the
selection available from Away with the Fairies

2. Ceramic Owl Coin Bank

I remember an old insurance company radio advert that had an owl as a brand mascot (two-eight, two-eight, two-oh, anyone?). This wise owl with a rather fearsome expression from Etsy's Modclay also has finance on his mind. You can save up using the lovely turquoise Vintage Ceramic Owl Coin Bank (approx €20.10 plus delivery).

HAVE A HOOT SAVING: Turquoise Ceramic Owl Coin Bank
by Modclay

3. Donna Wilson Owl Cushion

Designer Donna Wilson has an eye for the quirky and this owl cushion (available in a number of colours) is on sale at Dublin design shop No Fixed Abode for €70 (plus €6 delivery). Made from 100 per cent lambs' wool, it's very tactile like much of her collection.

FOR YOUNG AND OWL: Donna Wilson's Owl Cushion

For more owl-related goods, see the lovely round-up created by Apartment Therapy earlier this month.

Bird's eye

Every once in a while the other half picks up a cardboard tube with poster inside. The location might be under the bed or in the very much misnamed 'study' (read second bedroom wasteland). He tuts and waves it around accusingly. Another unframed print lies inside, waiting for that special day where a number of things will happen - a suitable frame shall be purchased, the framed print will lean against a specially selected spot of wall, before being hung on a perfectly painted in a room which is *finished*.

While I should be looking into getting electrical jobs done, I have stumbled upon the work of Midlands-based illustrator Alan Nagle of Yellowhammer Illustration. He has created a stunning collection focusing on Irish wildlife, including some winter-themed illustrations. The Yellowhammer Illustration website lead me to his Etsy shop and I used his Facebook page discount to purchase one of his 25 limited edition A4 Swallows Giclee Prints (below).

FEATHERED FRIEND: Coming to a wall near me soon

 I also love his Pheasant Giclee Print...

While writing I discovered that his work is also available at the excellent Irish Design Shop, including this beautiful A3 Otter Giclee Print.

Looking forward to the postman delivering the Swallows print! Then it's straight into frame, unlike the inhabitants under my bed.

www.yellowhammerillustration.com

www.etsy.com/shop/Yellowhammerprints

http://irishdesignshop.com