When my grandson was three we decided to make spiders out of twigs and sweet gum balls and acorns for Halloween decorations.
After that I started seeing natural materials, twigs (oh, look, a leg!), acorns and caps, pine cones, seed pods, and leaves, which I could make into bugs, birds and other creatures. I see them everywhere and I have no shame about picking them up. Sometimes I have to tell my friends,"Just pretend you don't know me," if I am picking things up in a parking lot.
Some of my critters I see complete when I pick up one of the parts. More of them seem to form under my hands as I am working. (This double acorn cap for the eyes looks funnier or more innocent one way or the other. This leg should be up so it looks like the critter is moving.)
I love doing it, so I have been making them ever since. I like to pretend to myself that they actually live in the woods and I just find them.
I can't face craft shows, so Etsy is perfect for me. I started the shop to share the fun. My creatures crack me up. I try to give them expression and catch them in the middle of some motion.
I have also published an ABC picture book, Woodland Litter Critters ABC, using some of my Litter Critters which you can page through at http://www.patiencepress.com/patience_press/Critters.html. It is for sale here on Etsy. My husband Bob took the pictures and did the layout.
I will be selling cards in the form of digital downloads for Christmas in the near future.
I will also be selling Christmas/Holiday decorations combining the litter critters on wreaths and as ornaments.