Last day to enter my 600th Post Giveaway!!!

Just a little reminder that if you haven't entered my 600th Post Giveway yet, there's still time!!! Click the button on the top right in my side bar and you will be taken to the correct post to leave a comment to win ~ contest ends tonight at 6:00 pm eastern standard time!

God never loved me in so sweet a way before;

'Tis He alone who can such blessings send;

And when His love would new expression find

He brought thee to me and He said, "Behold, a friend."

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I wanted to show you the most wonderful little boxes that I found a couple of years ago when Cindy, Sharon and I went on an adventure together to the World's Longest Yard Sale!! I still have a lot of the things I found as I couldn't bear to part with them.

These two tiny boxes are the sweetest things. They are only about 3" cubes with little tops to them. I purchased them to make artwork out of them but I just can't!! Do you have things like that? You bought them fully intending on using them for artwork or to resell and they just can't leave your hands ~

OH and remember the sweet mail love from Christina yesterday?? Well, I'm such a goob and didn't realize she has a blog, Rustic Tarts!!! She and Marion are wonderful artists in Australia. They haven't been blogging long so I'd just love for you to pay them a visit to welcome the to the sweet Land of Blog. Thank you again for your thoughtfulness, Christina ~

I hope you have a wonderful Sunday sweet friends,

xxoo, Dawn

Sweet mail love!

I received a wonderful package in the mail Friday from a sweet blog reader. Christina had emailed me a few weeks ago wanting my address because she had bought something for me!! I'm so overwhelmed by the kindness displayed here in the land of blog and I'm always surprised at things like this. I obliged and thanked Christina for her thoughtfulness a went on my merry way.

Well today her package arrived!!

I recognized her name right away and thought to myself, "What a sweet random act of kindness" then I glanced at her address and slowly looked at where it came from......Australia!!!! Oh my goodness!!!! I'm so shocked, this little package traveled a long, long way just because Christina wanted to do something nice! Thank you so very much, each and every thing is such a treasure to me!!! Look at these gifts:

Beautiful photographs of her home in Australia! They really are so pretty, worth framing too!

Chocolates, a beautiful pillow cover, ribbons, flower appliques, tiny pearl buttons, pretty lace and the most adorable stitchery kit ever!!!! I really do love each and every item....thank you so much Christina!!!!

Don't you love it all?? Each and every day I'm amazed at the love shown here in the Land of Blog ~ Friends are made, near and far. I'm just so glad I'm here and that I've met so very many wonderful friends.

Wishing you very happy Saturday!!

xxoo, Dawn

A woman's handiwork ~

As I sat looking through my stash of vintage linens, I began piling them up on the bed and realized how beautiful they all were, lying next to one another. Who knows how old each piece is, some are tattered and some are stained. Some were purchased just for the stitchery. But what remains beautiful to me is the handiwork that some sweet soul sat and created, stitch by stitch, thread by thread.

I truly feel honored to own pieces such as these. They're not pristine and that's fine. What really matters is that they are here with me, and that they are loved and appreciated. I'd like to think that that the artist, mother, grandmother or sister that created these stitcheries, linens and lace is happy that they've found a home.

One more little goodie to throw in the giveaway pile!!!

Wishing you a very happy Friday!

xxoo, Dawn

Mail love and finallya peek at my giveaway goodies!

I wanted to show you the most precious gift I received in the mail Wednesday. Another Dawn from Georgia contacted me a few days ago and wanted to send a gift that she had made! Can you believe how beautiful this little bib for our grandbabe??? Dawn, I just LOVE it and know it will look precious on Brent and Emily's sweet baby ~

I created a special art piece just for the 600th Post Giveaway.

~ Please click HERE to enter to win if you haven't entered yet ~

An old mayonnaise jar houses the sweetest photograph of a vintage baby sitting in his own nest with two speckled eggs and surrounded by feathers!! It has a special tag with speckled eggs tied on the cotton ribbon and the most beautiful quote from Emily Dickinson on the top.

Also, I'll draw another name for the Cherish thought book that I made recently and another name will be drawn for the lavender sachet. I'm also working on a bookmark to give away too!!

I know this little bluebird is a bit fuzzy (above) but he's on one little notecard that I have and I think he's just adorable. Feel free to take him home with you ~ A sweet reader Juno worked on the baby in Photoshop and emailed me a better version (below), thanks so much Juno!!

Thank you all again for such kind words on the contest post. I blog because I love my friends here, I'm inspired here and continue to meet the most amazing people.

Wishing you a very happy Thursday dear friends,

xxoo, Dawn

Yummy good stuff!!!

You know I have to share good stuff with you....well, you remember the gorgeous loop trim that I found at Antiques in Old Town? They were such beautiful pieces and I want to share where you could buy this trim by the yard and the most wonderful thing, it's on sale until the end of August!

Visit Flights of Fancy Boutique and just look at all of the trims and embellishments. Perfect for altered art not just for sewing....I just love pretty things ~

Today I bought a couple of yards of loop fringe from them to coordinate with my gorgeous drop cloth fabric. What was so neat is that I was able to talk to Carole about my order! She was such a sweetie. She is the co-author of the book Creating Romantic Purses. Don't you love the look of these purses?? They truly are works of art.

Hopefully I'll be able to post a few photos tomorrow of my giveaway prizes!!

Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday,

xxoo,

Dawn

A special blog, a special purpose ~

My friend Cindy, from The Plum Tree and her husband Randy have started a new blog Adopted...Who am I? for their search for Randy's birth parents.

If you've been adopted or have helped someone who has find their birth parents, please pay them a visit, pass along a little advice or even learn a little something new about this quest. We take for granted that we know who our parents are and what our family history holds ~ Wishing many answers are found for you both Cindy & Randy!

The road to a friend's house is never long ~

You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what’s a life, anyway? We’re born, we live a little while, we die. A spider’s life can’t help being something of a mess, with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone’s life can stand a little of that.

E.B. (Elwyn Brooks) White,
Charlotte, in “Charlotte’s Web”

What a precious quote from Charlotte's Web. I just love what it says . . .

After reading every one of the wonderful comments that have been left for the giveaway, all of the sweet, kind words, this quote is how I feel about you and about blogging. I stop and think before I post, "What do I want to share with my friends today?" Because that's how I think of you, as my friends.

Thank you so much for each and every comment and entry. I'm not quite ready to show my giveaway goodies yet, but it will be a gathering of various things so I can draw more than one name!!

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As we approach the end of summer, seems I'm seeing more and more sunflowers in everyone's blogs. They are such grand flowers!! Here is an old botanical of a sunflower. Maybe you could use it in your artwork. Can't you just see a sweet face smiling from the center?

A clipping from the idea files ~

Think of using furniture in a different space other than where it was originally intended. This looks like a pie safe or jelly cupboard ~ usually found in a kitchen. How amazing is it used here in the bath to store towels and toiletries??

Thank you again for your kind comments on the giveaway. Please, if you've not entered yet, scroll down and enter to win. I promise I'll be showing photos really soon of what I'm giving away!

Wishing you a very happy Tuesday!

xxoo, Dawn

600 POSTS...how about a GIVEAWAY!!!

600 posts. How in the world did THAT happen? Am I a blog addict? One might say so, but to be more on the money would be to say is that I'm consistent. And another truth would be that this blog and the precious friends that I've made here, bloggers and not, are my creative inspiration!

Don't get me wrong, I love to make things and always always have. But to have you take the time out of your busy life, sit down and want to see what I've made, said or posted is a gift to me. And that truly spurs my creativity. You nurture my creative soul. I look forward to showing you each and every little thing. Just like a friend wants to show another friend what they've found, made or discovered. And of course, I relish each and every comment you leave me ~

Thank you for visiting my blog, thank you for your encouragement and thank you all so much for your friendship.

So in honor of my 600 post I'm having a little giveaway!! And there will more than one name drawn!

So please, leave a comment on THIS post and your email address if you DON'T have a blog so I can get in touch with you . . .

Thank you sweet blog friends ~ xxoo, Dawn

ps. Contest ends next Sunday evening August 31st at 6:00 pm EST!

Sweet Sunday Special ~

For today only I thought I'd have a sweet special on the three bears! They look so adorable together, I just hate to see them split up . . . don't they look like three sisters?? If you would like to purchase the trio for 40.00 plus 6.00 shipping to the continental US, please just send me and email at: sewmanyroses@yahoo.com . . .

Wishing you a sweet Sunday ~ xxoo, Dawn

Did I tell you I love canvas drop cloths?

I do! The fabric is just wonderful....especially when washed with a little fabric softener. It has little specks all over, and crinkles....

Well, I just finished a purse for my Etsy store created from this wonderful fabric. It's a simple shoulder bag adorned with vintage laces and buttons. The lining fabric is made from muslin. Both fabrics were washed before I cut the pieces out so I feel sure you could wash the purse in cold water and lay flat to dry, how cool is that??? I think the older this one gets the better it will look ~

And a little Sunday gift for you ~ I recently bought this precious photo from a seller on Etsy and just had to share it with you. I can SO see this little girl being a pouty fairy in a jar!!!

Wishing you a peaceful, restful Sunday dear friends,

xxoo, Dawn

Happy Saturday!

I had a sweet surprise in my mailbox Friday! Laurie from Charming Designs sent me this precious vintage pattern that was missing a few pieces because I mentioned on her blog that I would love to have it . . . The illustrations are beautiful Laurie and don't worry, I'll think up something sweet to create from these adorable baby images!

Oh! And the pretty nest below in the little frame? Laurie painted it on the envelope she mailed the pattern in and I had this little frame and wanted to preserve it. Thank you so much Laurie!!

Rowann from Antiques in Old Town came to McDonough the other day to visit The Plum Tree and brought me some goodies that I saw on her blog. I love it all Rowann . . . look at the tag that she included as a gift!

A few lavender sachets I made Friday. They look so big in these photos but are only about 4" square! I even used a special stitch on my sewing machine for the Paris sachet. I love stamping images on fabric....

Friday was great weather here in Georgia. Cloudy, quite breezy and cool....seemed to hint at fall just a little bit! I'm so excited, I LOVE fall!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend ~

xxoo, Dawn