A little organizing idea ~

Not that I'm the most organized person in the world BUT I do love magazines (as well as books). They give me amazing inspiration and I've loved them since I was a teenager! What do you do with all of them though? I finally had to break down and begin slicing pages of my most favorite ideas, looks, paint techniques, etc. and I slipped them into protective page covers. I placed them in notebooks and then, guess what I have? The. most. amazing. magazine. EVER!!

These notebooks are like sitting down with a magazine chock full of everything that I love. My taste, my colors ~ great ideas that I don't want to forget about. Funny thing is though, I have about twelve of them now!!! What I really need to do is take them all, remove the plastic pages and organize them by content.

Especially if you are about to redecorate or re-do a room. Start looking through magazines for ideas you love, looks you love and put them all together in a notebook. Then you can take it to the store with you when you are looking for specific items. Your idea notebook will guide you into getting the look that you love!

Don't worry though, I can't cut up some magazines. They are too treasured and will just have to go to the grave with me!! So, sit down in the evening with your exacto knife (be careful!) and slice away, slip into protective sheet covers and begin building your most favorite magazine to enjoy!

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I've just finished some wonderful projects that I am about to bust to show you but I can't. I know that just makes you want to thump me in the head but you will see them one of these days, hopefully in print!!!

Have a great Wednesday sweet friends ~ xxoo, Dawn

Doodling ~

At one time I thought I would love to be an illustrator for children's books . . . I'm mostly a doodler :)

Doesn't she look like an Emma?

And this one, well, more like a Tammy Faye-style pixie or sprite!

The printed page ~

I love books. Not novels and fiction. But the kind of books that give me inspiration. They are chock full of ideas, beautiful images, gorgeous decorating or how-to-make-this books. I have a pretty large collection as I just can't get enough! I'm going to start sharing a few with you, with tiny glimpses inside to give you an idea of what they are about.

This first book is one that I just bought ~ I've been wanting it for quite awhile now and just LOVE it!!!

Paper-Mache Treasures with Teena Flanner. Teena creates the most beautiful, vintage-inspired paper mache items. This is her book with complete how-tos on how she makes these beautiful things. You can visit her blog here ~ Don't you think her artwork is beautiful?

I've seen this book, Vintage Vavoom on many blogs and finally purchased my copy. I LOVE this book, too! Such beautiful eyecandy sprinkled all throughout. Tons of photos (love that!) ~ A wonderful book to sit with in the evening and enjoy the displays in the photos and the great ideas.

Lastly today, my first attempt at the foundation of a fairy shoe. It measures a mere three inches long and I'm not sure where I'm going with it . . . maybe attaching natural materials to it? We'll see ~

It's sunny and quite mild today, my cold has vanished, my muse is on my shoulder ~ it's going to be a great day!!

xxoo, Dawn

My little artroom ~

Random shots around my crowded little room! I try not to take shots with too much in them....sensory overload!! xxoo, Dawn

Outside my window ~

It's a little overcast and cloudy here this morning ~ but doesn't it make the green of the new growth of spring so vivid??

Ever After ~

It's pretty sad that it has taken me so long to see this precious movie, it was made in 1998! A video store was going out of business and my son called me and asked me what movies would I love to have? We have a ton already but not a lot of "chick" flicks and I remembered that I've always wanted to see this movie. I was able to watch it this weekend and just loved it!! It's a girl's movie and so very sweet. If you get a chance I think you might enjoy this one!

I have this amazing book all about children's illustrators ~ Arthur Rackham is featured and has illustrated many books, and some of his work is quite dark and scary but some is so beautiful. This is an illustration that I scanned in for you ~ isn't it just lovely?? Fairies are a favorite of mine ~

A nest I sketched recently:

It truly has taken me two weeks to feel well after that awful sinus infection. I hope to create more this week, meet a few deadlines and try to get more in my Etsy store as well. Remember to take a little time each day to do something you love ~

Wishing you a wonderful Monday!!!

Thank you for stopping by sweet friends ~ xxoo, Dawn

Good stuff!!

I've gotta share . . . another good cookbook put out by Weight Watchers!!! It's about ten dollars and so very worth it . . . wonderful tasting recipes, good for you and fast!!! xxoo, Dawn

PS: I should have told you that I found this at the grocery store where the magazines are sold....this one was near the register. Weight Watchers publishes this I believe four times a year and I always love to pick them up and try the easy recipes!

This 'n that ~

Hello sweet friends ~ I have a couple of images that I scanned for you.

The sweetest little girl and a beautiful scenery card

Maybe you can use them in some way!

After the mammogram yesterday, I felt the need to drop by Michael's for just a moment to see what was on sale. I love their clearance bins and found the sweetest wren eggs, coasters that I plan on turning into something completely different (not sure what yet!), a spool of pretty colored ribbon and I just love these papers!! They are only 8 x 8 but I loved the patterns. The lightest ones were only .15 each ~ You gotta love good deals!

I hope you have a wonderful Friday!! xxoo, Dawn

Sweet friends ~

My new sweet friend, Alice at Romantic Thoughts (I do hope that it's OK that I borrowed your banner to show everyone your wonderful design work!!) and my swap partner in the Junque in Your Trunk swap has featured my little goodie box that was sent to her!!

I'm just so thankful that she's as pleased with her parcel as I have been with BOTH of mine . . . you've been so generous Alice ~ and I just love her photography!!! If you've not found her blog yet, you will love it. She has the most precious little Cairn terrier that you've ever seen. The lighting in her photos is just perfect to me!

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Today I've been working on a few projects to go to Somerset magazines ~ I want them to be perfect so I'm really paying a lot of attention to detail. Some of their photographs are quite close!

Tomorrow (Thursday) I have my yearly mammogram . . . joy. Wish me luck that I can recover from all the pinching and smashing! I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and thank you so very much for your sweet words about my little fairy and clock art ~ I just love sharing things with you!! xxoo, Dawn

Something a little bit different ~

I've been eyeing this clock for awhile now. It's been in my artroom, not working, with old wiring and just clicking away and the hands never moving so . . . in my repurpose, recycle celebration of Earth day, I've turned this has-been of a clock into a sweet piece of artwork ~

I created a new insides and covered them with antique sheet music, vintage net lace, tiny champagne pearls and the centerpiece is this precious little girl ~ all with the message to "Cherish the simple things" What's so neat is that it's housed under the prettiest bubble glass. Isn't it wonderful how something so ordinary and functional can transform into a one-of-a-kind piece of art!!

xxoo, Dawn

If there is such a thing as fairies, are there fairy babies?

Before: I created this little paperclay baby last summer!!

After: I finished my little fairy baby! I know she is not perfect but I love her so.....when I look at the close up of the painting of her face, I see the imperfections ~ but she is incredibly tiny!!!!

Have you ever noticed that my little paperclay creations always seem to be on the chubby side?? :)

This fairy baby sits on a little paper mache box. Measuring only about 3 3/4" high from the bottom of the box to the top of her head and about 2 1/2" wide. I think I'll put her in my Etsy store! xxoo, Dawn

Are you absolutely amazed at this world of Blog??? I keep finding more and more amazing, wonderful and talented people with blogs! It truly is a treasure trove of information. From someone who has always been a magazine junkie, I am always looking for inspiration, ideas and tips ~ this blog world is like this big ol' magazine that just plopped down in my home!! I just love it!!

I'm finally feeling better from my sinus/allergy thing and do hope that this week will be a productive one for me! Isn't it funny how just a small cold and feeling awful makes one appreciate good health? We should never, never take it for granted and enjoy each and every minute that is given us . . . good health truly is a gift from above!

I wish you a happy, healthy and very productive Monday!! xxoo, Dawn

For you ~

A couple of photographs I've scanned for you from my personal collection.

Wishing you a beautiful Sunday ~ xxoo, Dawn

There is an angel...and her name is Alice ~

My sweet, dear swap partner of the "Junque in My Trunk" swap, Alice of Romantic Thoughts, sent me.... the. most. amazing. package!!!! WHY??? She wanted to send me a supplement to what she had sent me earlier in the week. I am just astounded at her taste, generosity and loveliness!!! This sweet girl is young enough to be my daughter and has the most refined and amazing taste. I so loved the package she sent me earlier in the week but she felt as if she needed to send me these precious items to add to the already beautiful bounty:

My dear sweet Alice. I played with these treasures for quite a long time this afternoon! I am amazed at your precious generosity! You really did not have to do this but......Please be expecting a piece of artwork, created by myself and totally in your taste, to adorn your beautiful home. You are a beautiful, vintage soul and I thank you from the bottom of my little ol' heart for each and every treasure I received today ~ you truly are an angel.

xxoo, Dawn