Lovely treasure gifts.....

A heavy package arrived last Friday....

from sweet Lisa ~

it was filled with treasures for my birthday!!

It was a tad late but when you get gifts from Lisa,

you DON'T care!!!!

Just look at these precious goodies ~

papers, ribbons...and the most beautiful portrait of Clara created by Lisa's niece!!!!

A glass dome for my artwork....tallow berries to use in art, glass paper weights

just waiting for something beautiful to be placed inside, a stamp, a clutch to be altered

and the most wonderful altered bottle that Lisa created herself!!!!
Plus on top of it all ~ she sent some adorable clothes
for Clara that her Lily had outgrown,
they were all so cute!

Can you believe how beautiful this portrait of Clara is????

Lisa's niece is a wonderful artist and

if you're interested in having a portrait created for yourself,

just contact Lisa and she can create one for you as well!!

Amazingly beautiful to me ~

Thank you so very much sweet Lisa ~

I love each and every treasure!

I've listed a new "old" piece of artwork in my Etsy store ~

This piece was featured in the 2009 September/October issue of

Stampington's Somerset Studio....

you can see more HERE in my Etsy shop!

Wishing you a beautiful Monday sweet friends!!!!

hugs and love,

Dawn

You have got to see this....

Lisa of Tarnished and Tattered was asked

to have her holiday home published in the Dallas Morning News!!!

Stop by and take a stroll through her gorgeous house....

I just know you'll love it!!!

The photos are HERE....

If' you've not entered my little Christmas giveaway.....CLICK HERE!

Wishing you a peaceful Sunday dear friends,

hugs and love,

Dawn

Embracing a Thankful Christmas ~

This has been on my mind a lot the last few days....

as much as we want November to be totally dedicated to Thanksgiving,

it's not gonna happen.

Retailers can't let it happen, small businesses can't let it happen

and even us teeny tiny artists have to think ahead,

as Christmas seems to arrive more quickly each and every year!!!

But I have a solution.

Let's embrace Christmas and Thanksgiving for both months....

and have a Thankful Christmas!

I find myself always trying to remain thankful throughout the year

but it seems that these last few months of the year

always make me especially grateful and thankful.

So...that's how I'm looking at it all ~

as this precious season will soon be gone in the blink of an eye......

And I've made something new!!!!

Lisa has a new tutorial

and you know how I've loved her gorgeous altered ballet slippers right?

Well, using her wonderful tutorial, I've made my very own pair!!!!!

I used Martha Stewart's new acrylic paint ~

the beautiful pale blue color is called "cloud"

I'm not really a blue girl but this blue is HEAVENLY!!!!

I even painted some of my sweet bottle brush trees with it!!!

I'm still working on them...decorating them and such ~

but progress is being made :)

The crazy work table!

The sweet ballet slippers in progress ~

Considering embellishments ~

My finished pair!!!

Just click here to buy your own tutorial from Lisa ~

Wouldn't these make the most amazing gift EVER???

I am so thankful for each and every person who has served
and is STILL serving our wonderful country ~
we respect, honor and thank you all!!!!

Have a very thankful Friday precious friends,

hugs and love,

Dawn

I have a confession to make....I'm a scaredy–cat!

And just what do I mean by that?

I'm absolutely scared to try new things!!!

Yes, I admit it....

but I'm just so afraid that I'll mess up.

Lisa told me all about making baubles with pics inside ~

and guess what?

I have all of the components to make them!

And have I tried it?

No.

But I will, once I get up the nerve :)

She's a dive-in kind of girl....

I'm more of a

"let's think on it awhile and watch

a few you-tube videos first!!!"

kind of girl.

Isn't it funny how different personalities handle

new things differently?

Are you a dive-in kind of person?

Or

are you a let's see what every one else

has done with this and let me build up my nerve

kind of artist?

I've realized this about myself as I've grown older.

And know that my dad and my son are so much the same....

If I don't know all there is to know about a new project or

something I've not tried,

I will stall, procrastinate and put it off

until I feel confident that I will be successful at it when

I do decide to try it!!

(last three pics courtesy of my sweet friend Lisa)

Here's to trying new things and having the guts to do so!!!!

I love you all ~

have a beautiful Monday,

hugs and love,

Dawn

Beautiful things ~

I just love these prints.

Sweet Jill of Feathers and Flight

offered them on her beautiful blog....

I so need to make something with these!

If you've not seen these little beauties yet ~ I just had to show them off here!

Lisa of Tarnished and Tattered made these winter ballet slippers

and of course sold them IMMEDIATELY in her Etsy shop!!

She's going to be teaching a class for Paper Cowgirl

sharing how to create these beautiful slippers.....

wouldn't a pair be the most wonderful gift to give someone you love?

I think I found this on Pinterest....I love it.

Don't you just love this gorgeous bracelet??!!

I have to share a wonderful jewelry artist with you!

Christine of Christine Marie Studio....

Her Etsy store is chock FULL of handmade pieces

that have that gorgeous vintage feel we all love ~

Please stop by and take a look if you can!

I've still been working on the house, hanging tons of prints and other items...

It's SO evident we used to own an antiques store!!!

I'm hoping to get back into the studio soon :)

Wishing you a beautiful Tuesday sweet friends!

hugs and love,

Dawn

The love of a friend ~

I've made so many precious friends here.
Friends who "get" me.
You love what I love.
That's why you visit me ~
You don't hate on me for hoarding...
as a matter of fact ~
you love hoarding gorgeous supplies too!

The images below are of course for you to use however you want:

One precious friend I've made over these last four years
is Lisa of Tarnished and Tattered ~
She emailed me way-back-when telling me about her creative spirit.
She also told me about her precious triplets and
sweet husband but also the fact
that she still wanted to carve out just a little time
for herself and her creativity....

I think we all need this time ~
women are such creative beings...
don't we all just love to make something beautiful??!

Well, as you know, sweet Lisa has blossomed into

an absolutely AMAZING published artist!!!

I think that just being here, blogging and realizing

that it's OK to set aside that time for yourself ~

to nurture the creativity that's in all of us...

Blogging truly provides the outlet to

create and share with so many like-minded friends!

Well, I received the most wonderful gift today in the mail ~
a sweet parcel from Lisa all the way from Texas...
a bit of a belated b'day gift (the woman has TRIPLETS!)
and when you're getting good stuff
you don't EVEN care when it arrives!!!!!!

I know how you love beautiful things
so I just have to share it all with you!

She even decorated the box.....

And when I opened it...
this is the first thing I saw ~



The most gorgeous nest ever!!!
I already have it displayed under a sweet wire cloche
she gave me back in November ~



Wrapped parcels lay inside with tiny notes on each one ~

The most precious old photograph ~
I'll share it as soon as I get the old scanner up and going again...

Tiny notes...leading me to more :)

Beautiful elements that she encased in wax....
timeless and absolutely breathtaking to me ~

The coolest journal that she bought two of,
she altered one and sent me one to alter as well!!!
And of course, it will need to be sent to her when I finish mine...... :)

I've been DREAMING of scrim and she remembered!!
Lisa sent me a bundle of it ~
it's a tighter weave than gauze,
great to use in artwork.....

And then...seeing just a glimpse of what this was
through her wrappings,
my eyes filled with tears!!

I've been wanting this book FOREVER!!!!
Lisa bought her copy at Borders
and showed it to me back in November
AND I JUST DROOLED!

You know how I love nature elements in my artwork, right?
Well, this book shares so many ideas inside
about dying fabrics with plants.....
I can't WAIT to try some of the techniques!!!
(I'll be sure take a few photos for a future post
and share with you what it's all about)

So.
All in all.
It was quite a magnificent day.
All because of the love of a friend.....

Thank you so much Lisa, for everything ~
your friendship is the best gift of all!!!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


I want to introduce you to a couple of BRAND NEW bloggers!!
Please stop by to welcome
Deneen of Dreaming in Color
and
ThereseMarie!!!

I just love new bloggers,
we were all new at one time...right? :)




Thank YOU for letting me share my goodies with you ~
Wishing you wonderful Wednesday my dear, dear friends,
hugs and love,
Dawn