FlockA2s - birds of a feather
8 Comments Published by Florence Forrest on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 at 3:05 PM.
In my last post you had a little sneak peak at my new Flying Star Toy - FlockA2s. I though I had better tell you something about them now that the secret is out.
FlockA2s are a toy based on the famous Australian bird, the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. Around us here in Sandgate we have a large local flock of a smaller variety of cockatoo, the Little Corella. Twice a day they fly over our house making a big racket with their noisy screeching, but I don't mind as these are Australian sounds and I love them. It was while listening to an afternoon fly over when I suddenly conceived of the design for this toy, I went straight into the studio and started working on the prototype.
The body is made of a beautiful white cotton/linen, while its crest has a selection of five delicious colours made from some very select cotton and silk fabric. The blue rim around the eyes is a hand-dyed wool felt that my mother makes and sells, and the beak is also a wool blended felt. They are fully lined and they are weighted to stand independently. The wing detail is stitched all the way around the back of the body with four different coloured "Flower" threads to get just the right subtle combination and texture.
I've called them FlockA2s because corellas are always in big flocks and because parrots like cockatoos and galahs mate for life and always travel with their partner. I fondly remember how social and kind they are to other cockatoos, as my neighbour used to have one caged on their back veranda, every afternoon a group of wild cockatoo would come to visit their friend in the cage. They would whoop around, call out and put their beaks together and "talk" happily for ages before the sunset. I like to think that my FlockA2s are that way too.
Tags:
Labels: Flying Star Toys
what I want to know is..
how did you manage to get so much cockatooness into such a simple shape.
You really are amazing.
And I mean that most sincerely.
They seem to have so much personality!
My Journal has it's 400th post right now!
They are wonderful Florence!
I bet they have all kinds of stories and all kinds of secrets!
I hope that you had a great easter weekend.
love and hugs
merly
xxx
oh so cute and cute and lovely
and thank you for the story about them!
Shula, it's all in the eyes :)
Once, when I lived in Canberra, up high in the trees in my little bedsit, a huge sulphur-crested cockatoo landed on my tiny balcony not half a metre from me. I was struck by how huge they are, how powerful their claws and its big black round eye inspected me. I was, I must admit, a little taken a back. So this impression is the focus for the flocka2s face, giving it its cockatooness I think.
Captain, I must come by, 400 already!!! your devotion is an inspiration to us all, you should get an award I think :)
Thanks Merly :) would you believe I was designing toys over the Easter break...it's my form of relaxation, lol. xxxs and ooos
My pleasure Lotusgreen!
xx
These are great. but you couln'ty just have one could you.
You need a flock.
love the simple shape and your story :)
Hi Spleenal, looks like you've discovered my cunning plan! :D lovely to meet you, please fell welcome here.
Thanks Friederike :D
xx