I'm having a sale!!!!

I've decided to have a sale!!!! My tutorials, for one week only.....will be just FIVE DOLLARS EACH!!!! So if you've been wanting one.....or would like to visit so see what I have to offer just visit
LESSONS FROM THE NEST

If there's a tutorial you've been wanting to buy.....now's the time!

xxoo, Dawn

Pure randomness ~

I've been working on an article for Somerset and don't have a lot of wonderful creative things to show you but when this happens I just love to start looking through my files and pick random things I want you to see or have.....right click what you want and save to your own computer!!

A few photos of when I was working on the art quilt ~

Dried hydrangeas in my home ~

Pillows I made a while back to sell at The Plum Tree ~ The one in the back is an old feedsack with a feather pillow insert inside, simply cinched up with ribbon ~ no cutting required!

Crazy post, huh? I just love beautiful things and love sharing them with you ~

Have a great Tuesday precious friends,
xxoo, Dawn

Thoughts on creating ~ Plus a few giveaways!

I guess you all know I love treasure hunting for art supplies, whether it's at Michael's, Hobby Lobby or even in a junky ol' antique mall. These days money is tight for so many of us or you may live in a remote area where you can't get to craft stores. I wanted to share a few ideas about supplies.

Supplies can be found all around you. Say you don't have matte gel medium, just substitute wallpaper paste or even thinned down Elmer's glue. Test out what you have on hand and see what the results look like ~ you may be surprised!

Step outside. Branches from trees and bushes are wonderful to use in your artwork. Press flowers in between paper towels in an old telephone book. Weeds have the most precious small blossoms ~ I love looking around on the ground for sweet gum balls or acorn caps.

In Savannah I found gorgeous bark from palm trees on the ground and coconut fibers as well.

Strong coffee and a q-tip can age papers and other items that you'd like to antique. Put some coffee in an old spray bottle to mist your item. Always test this first to see what kind of result you'll get. Use eye shadow or blush to gently alter a monotone print from your printer.



Look through your junk drawer or coffee can that you keep odd things inside and see if there's anything unusual that you can use in your artwork. I've used old springs from an old broken playpen in several pieces that I've made. Going through odd junk in the garage can be fun too!!



If you need thin cardboard for bookmarks, tags or other projects....save those cereal boxes or other food packaging and use them!! Cut it to size and coat one side with glue then press face down onto the paper that you're using to cover it. Trim out with a utility knife or scissors. Repeat for the back side too! Find beautiful images in old magazines, old gift wrap or greeting cards .

What I'm trying to say is, you don't need all the bells and whistles to be an artist. If you want to create ~ just look around you and use what you have. I'm sure you've heard all of this before but rather than worry about what you don't have to make things, use what you DO have ~ experiment, you'll be surprised at what beautiful things you can come up with!!




And a few giveaways for you:


Blanca at Magic Moonlight Studio is having a beautiful tag giveaway!!!
Just click HERE to visit her blog and comment to win.


AND





And Angela Harris is have a beautiful tag giveaway as well!!!
Click HERE to visit her blog....I just love giveaways!



If you have any other wonderful ideas on using things around the house in your artwork, I'd love for you to let me know in a comment!!!!

Hoping you have a wonderful and creative Monday sweet friends ~
xxoo, Dawn

The many faces of our baby Clara ~

Pure sweetness . . . don't you think?
xxoo, Dawn

Second Summer Contest!!

Cindy at The Plum Tree is hosting her second summer contest!!!
She has gathered a pile of sweet prizes for the winner too ~
Just CLICK HERE to go to the summer giveaway post!!!
Love you Cindy . . . hope to come hunting for treasures SOON!

xxoo, Dawn

My gift for you ~

I made this just for you sweet friends for my 1000th post giveaway prize!!

This artwork is very similar to a piece I recently created but much larger. It measures 11" x 14" and is created on a stretched canvas. I've covered it with wonderful old sheet music using my Liquitex Matte Gel Medium, then embellished with a favorite angel image framed by a page from an antique photo album. Old lace, ribbon and baubles finish it off. I even used my new pins!!! If you click the photo to enlarge, you'll see them holding the knots of the hanging ribbon ~

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE GIVEAWAY POST :)

I do hope you like it ~ and I will make a few more smaller goodies just so I can draw more than one name!!!

Thank you so much for your absolutely wonderful comments,
YOU are why I want to blog!!
hugs and love,
Dawn

ps. My giveaway post is the post below this one :)

This is it........the BIG 1000th!!! & a GIVEAWAY!

How in the world did I get to a thousand posts??
I just love blogging, that's how!

I love my friends here and love the interaction of blogging.
You lift me up, you inspire me, you encourage me more than you will ever know sweet friends.
I can only hope and pray that I can give just a little of that back to you!!!
Here's to 1000 more!!!!

Here is the giveaway artwork created on an 11" x 14" canvas:

I will be making a few more smaller goodies so I can pick more than one name!

All you have to do is comment on this post.
That's it.
Nothing more.
Nada.

I'll draw a few names next Thursday night, July 2nd and post the winners for my Friday post!!
Thank you so much for visiting me ~

love and hugs,
Dawn

Some wonderful goodies I found!

I took a little trip to Michael's and found some of the best stuff!!! Some of the items were on clearance....not the bird cage thing but I did use my coupon for it!

These blank tags were on clearance ~ love the shape!
And the little paper pad with nursery papers....clearance too.

These precious flowers were on clearance ~ why, I don't know but I'm not complaining. I'm not sure what I'll use them on but love them and will add them to "the stash"

These were a new item on the end cap, some vintage style items. Don't you love these pins? I thought they'd be neat to use on my art quilt.

Do you check the wedding section in stores? I LOVE these paper roses....in the wedding section. Not on clearance but they were just wonderful....could I spray them with coffee? :)

Don't you love this precious paper?

And someone wants to say hello!!! 3 months old 3 days ago ~ sweet baby Clara . . .

This is really my 1000th post but I just had to share these goodies before the actual giveaway post!!!

Wishing you a wonderful Friday dear friends ~
xxoo, Dawn

The sweet smell of lavender ~

I'm feeling so much better and actually finished a project I was working on. These are little lavender sachets I started making a few days ago.
I've grouped them in sets of threes and put them in my
Feathered Nest Shoppe for purchase.

I don't know why in the world I made these except that I ran across the fabric squares the other day and wanted to play with them!
They measure about 3 1/4" square, are filled with fragrant lavender buds and accented with vintage buttons.
It always feels so good when I make something!!

This is my 999th post!!!! I can't EVEN believe that.....
I guess I love blogging :)!

Wishing you an amazing Thursday sweet friends,
xxoo, Dawn