Etsy alert: A little birdhouse on your pillow

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Sometimes, stumbling is good, particularly if you’re taking a stroll through Etsy, the website for all things handmade. I accidentally came upon the wonderful pillow by Rhode Island illustrator Ashley Van Etten when I was searching for birdhouses recently. Why? Because the design represents a minimalist gourd birdhouse.

(The search term ‘bird houses’ turned up 3,461 results on Etsy, by the way.)

This bold orange shape is quirky and cheerful, and is screen-printed by hand on hemp and cotton canvas using water-based textile ink. ‘This print always makes me smile,’ Van Etten writes on the product page. The pillow, above at left, is 18 inches square and has a hidden zipper and a polyester insert. Price: $48. The 5-inch-square linen sachet, right, contains a spicy blend of orange peel, cloves, cinnamon and allspice. It’s $8.

Check out more of Van Etten’s designs, including gourd textile totes.

-- Lisa Boone

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