Flying Robins!

The native British robin, with its bright red breast and assertive, upright stance, is one of the most familiar and beloved birds in the UK. Often seen perched boldly on garden feeders or flitting among hedgerows, robins display an incongruous mix of tameness and territorial fierceness - they will follow you around the garden in search of worms or defend their nest with surprising aggression. Their song is strikingly recognisable and present through much of the year, including the quieter winter months when many other species fall silent, making them cheerful omnipresent companions.

Robins have become synonymous with British Christmas traditions through a blend of Victorian imagery, Victorian postmen, who were nicknamed “robins,” and the bird’s own winter visibility. Their friendly, red-breasted silhouette graces countless Christmas cards, decorations and wrapping paper, symbolising warmth and goodwill in the cold season. For many people, spotting a robin on a frosty morning evokes festive nostalgia and comfort, reinforcing the bird’s role as a small but potent emblem of British Yuletide cheer.

It won’t surprise you, then, to find that one of my more popular bird designs is the Robin! I have dabbled with quite a number of methods of creating Robins in Posh Paper Mache over the years, from hanging versions to giant versions, which you can see below, so when you are making yours, don’t be afraid to experiment.

Right now, however, I am going to show you how to make your own Flying Robin, (or fleet of Flying Robins if you are feeling ambitious!) that you can hang up on your wall! This Robin design is a one sided silhouette with a flat back on which one or more “D” rings can be attached so that you can hang it on a hook or nail, so you will need to decide which orientation that you would like your Robin to face in (i.e. either looking to the right or left) before you start work. I think it is nice to have a set of three that you can display like flying ducks! Since Robins are strongly associated with Christmas and winter, you may like to theme them accordingly when you come to add your decoupage - you can cut out words such as “Ho!, Ho!, Ho!, for instance, to make them more festive. Use your imagination and see what fun you can have! Download my template for free using the button below or why not try making your own so that your work is original?

I’d love to see what you come up with so share what you have made on Instagram @taniasgallery_poshpapermache using the hashtag #poshpapermache.

The accompanying instructional video below is quite lengthy so for best results I recommend watching whilst enjoying a cup of tea and a biscuit!