Busy as a little bee!

After my precious mama and daddy's visit I knew I had to get busy

on a few special orders!!!

I have a couple of treasure organizers in the making.

I always have to adjust my pattern to the size of the wooden hanger ~

The pockets are created from a long strip of lined fabric and then

measured and ironed into the appropriate sizes.

Then I choose from my collected laces and doilies to see what would

be perfect to adorn each and every pocket!

I will soon decide on a few gorgeous vintage buttons to finish off

each pocket as well.

Here are a few photos to share my progress:

And take a peek at what I finally broke down and purchased...

An Ikea Raskog utility cart!!!

I've always wanted one for my studio and for some reason

they've reduced the price from 49.99 to 29.99!!!

It was such a great deal that I simply ordered it online

and the shipping was only 10.00.

Much better than fighting traffic to get to

the nearest Ikea in downtown Atlanta.

Now...what will I put in it???

Here's the link to it online:

Raskog Utility Cart

I just found some WONDERFUL magazines that I know you will LOVE too!

I promise to share them in my next post.

Happy Monday angels!

Thank you always for visiting me here ~

hugs and love,

Dawn

It's the little things that make you happy!

Well....we've lived here at the farmhouse for almost five years now!!!

I've looked at the red brick fireplace day after day just knowing

that it could be so, so much more beautiful with just a teeny bit of effort!

I mentioned to my dad that I would love for him to build me a fireplace surround

completely out of gorgeous moulding.

Completely removeable but wonderful all the same.

Well, mom and dad came down last week and he was ready, willing and able!!!

At almost 75 years old, this precious man

(a total handyman by-the-way) wants to make me happy!

He measured and measured again.

We headed to Lowes and started looking at all the components we would need.

We totally designed it on the concrete floor of Lowes!

We purchased some items but after one night's sleep,

my dad dreamed all about it by-the-way...

(he is who I get my artistic goodness from!)

and decided we needed to return some things and buy a few others!

He used thin luan as the foundation for his fireplace surround creation.

He purchased small flat-head screws that he screwed in from the BACK

of the luan so they would not show from the front and need to be puttied.

He used 1 x 6 boards on the sides that he shaved down

to the proper size to apply the luan base to.

Then he began using wood glue in addition to the screws

to add the different mouldings to the front.

The wonderful thing?

The fireplace surround is only attached to the wall on each side of the fireplace!

It can easily be removed if needed.

Here are a few photos of this wonderful transformation!!!

BEFORE:

I still need to add a finish coat of white paint but

I LOVE IT SO, SO MUCH!!!!

It adds so much more character to our sweet living room!!

AFTER:

And as wonderful added bonus?

My sweet son Brad gave me an early Mother's Day gift.

A pretty ceiling fan for my studio with a great light!

My dad and son Brent installed it too...I CAN SEE NOW!

Happy Monday angels!!!

I'm wishing you a beautiful week ahead ~

hugs and love,

Dawn

Simple joys ~

It doesn't take much to make me happy!

I love to find beauty in the small things.

The old, tattered and forgotten.

Today I received a simple, little doll dress in the mail from a friend.

It's old, stained, has a few holes but is absolutely PRECIOUS!

It got me to thinking about the simple things that bring us joy.

A tiny doll dress like the one below,

maybe a few blooms in water the first days of spring,

an old book with gorgeous illustrations,

a found bird's nest...

maybe a jar full of beautiful old buttons.

Finding the beauty in the simple things...

I just wanted to share a few of my joys with you ~

I hope you're having a beautiful weekend precious friends ~

hugs and love,

Dawn

The sweetness in my life ~

Our boys are truly our blessings in this life!!!

I've scanned a few photos that I've shared on Facebook

and I thought I would share them with you here as well!

Our second and third born, David and Brad! Only two years apart and VERY animated!!!

They were about four and two years old here...now?

30 years old and 28. REALLY?

A sweet photo of David at the beach when he was just a wee little one.

A precious photo of our fourth born, Chase...he looks like he's up to something!!!

He's now just about to turn 24 years old.

A sweet photo of Noah, our baby who is now 17 years old...he was only about two here!

This is a photo of our oldest son Brent who was a mere 1 3/4ths year old checking out

his new baby brother David...in 1984.

My goodness ~ Brent is 32 and now David is 30.

A precious photo of Brent when he was only about four ~

Chase, our fourth born is such a sweet angel here and only a teeny toddler!

David and Brad. Exactly two years apart to the day!!! Discussing The Night Before Christmas....

And here is a much more recent photo taken just a couple of years ago...

Our beautiful babies!!!

I hope you don't mind me sharing my sweet sons with you ~

I've been looking through old photos
and just can't believe how fast the time has gone by.

Cherish the moments dear friends!!!!

A few scans for you from my sweet gifts from Lisa!!!!

Wishing you all a wonderful Friday and weekend!!!

hugs and love,

Dawn

Sharing a little birthday love!

Little might just be the wrong word to use though!!!

And yes, my birthday is the day after Christmas but

my precious friend Lisa and I are known for not being

on time for our birthday gifts to one another.

I just have to share with you

all the amazingly, wonderful goodies

she gave me!!!

Some of the photos are a little repetitive but

I know you like pics and I tried to get close ups ~

She packaged everything so sweet!!!

Each parcel had a number and on the back of each tag

Lisa wrote a little note to me...

Here is a shot before I opened the packages:

And here's after....WOW!!!!

Look at all of the precious treasures!!!!

She SO knows what I love.

All types of sweet baby shoes, a few baby dresses too.

Gorgeous antique lace and a porcelain half doll!

Antique children's photographs and old photo album pages.

Vintage rhinestone pins and postcards.

See the teeny doll shoe?? LOVE!

And yes, at the bottom of the photo below are a few very small animal skulls.

I hope that doesn't creep you out but I love the beauty of nature

(and Lisa knows it)

and will create a shadow box just to showcase them all!!!

Several pieces of the new Tim Holtz fabric, isn't it beautiful???

Wonderful feathers to use in artwork.

An amazing book about old dolls ~ I just love it!!!

And lastly, a few back issues of a magazine from the UK that I love, Daphne's Diary!!!!

Absolutely UNBELIEVABLE!!!

Dear sweet Lisa,

Thank you soooo very much for my gifts...

and for your precious friendship...
you continually inspire me to be creative ~

I love you girl!!!!

Happy Monday sweet friends and

Happy March too!!!

hugs and love,

Dawn