Weekly Challenge at Inspiration Avenue: "Faded"

I really didn't think I was going to have anything to submit this week at Inspiration Avenue, not because I didn't have any ideas but because my kids were on holiday this week and I find it very difficult to concentrate on painting when they're home.  Oh hurry up studio!  I love them dearly and I love how affectionate our family is, but they have been known to give huge hugs from behind while I'm applying paintbrush to canvas and the results are usually not good!
So I just worked on journals this week and didn't worry about getting very much accomplished. 
Enter the bluebirds.......I LOVE bluebirds and with our Spring-like weather this week, they've been going through all the motions of preparing for the season.  We've been lucky enough to be able to watch them nest and raise babies two to three times a year for the last two years and this year I noticed that there were two couples fighting over the rights to our one house.....so I added a new one in hopes of having 2 families to watch.  But nobody seemed interested until yesterday!  So:

 

Unfortunately, the bird house is placed on the "unfinished" area of my garden so you get to see all the yuck that I haven't started working on!  I never noticed that you could see the trash cans.....and there they are!  Isn't it funny what you train yourself to not see?  At least that's what *I* do....

Anyway, here is my entry for "Faded" with a little airbrushing and filters to remove or at least disguise the trashcans....;)

I wish the bluebird weren't so faded too, but my photo editing skills just aren't to that level yet.....

This is one of my favorite bluebird snaps from a couple of years ago......
Be sure to pop over to Inspiration Avenue to see what everyone else has put together for "Faded" it's sure to be an amazing collection!
cheers,
Stephanie