Anxiously awaiting my sweet friend's return ~

Which sweet friend you ask???

My most wonderful 22 year old sewing machine!

It's been on the blink now for several months and

I've been using a Brother machine that just pales in comparison.

Soooo, I finally am having it tuned up,

repaired and I just can't wait to get it back.

Having used it for so long, it truly does become like an old friend.

I'm hoping to hear from the repairman any day now to pick it up!

With all this fabric and lace...I really DO need to get to making about a zillion things!

I ordered a new book the other day from Amazon and just LOVE IT!

The name is 'Stylish Weddings' by Jenny Doh
and it has some beautiful ideas inside.

No, I don't plan on creating for a wedding any time soon but

I've always loved creative ideas for weddings because you can

use the ideas to make gorgeous everyday items!

The good thing about this book is you can peek inside too!!!
Just click the link below to take a look ~

Stylish Weddings: 50 Simple Ideas to Make from Top Designers

I love running across great finds ~ and you know I have to share with you!!

PS... Only a couple more days of my 25% OFF Etsy Sale!!!

Stop by if you want to see what I have to offer ~

Wishing you a beautiful Friday dear friends,

hugs and love,

Dawn

It's time for a few new projects!

I've decided we need drapes in our living room.

They will help keep this old farmhouse warm this winter and

we've had some chilly nights as of late!

I've had this wonderful fabric for years now...

gorgeous decorator fabric and a huge 12 yard cut!

So...rather than going out and buying new fabric

I thought, why not use what I have?

I know that the popular choice is neutrals, creams and such

but I still love this beautiful botanical fabric.

I'm going to create a couple of panels

for each window...so wish me luck!!!

I forgot to share this wonderful tote bag

I found on clearance the other day at Hobby Lobby!!!

It's was marked down to about six bucks....

I love how aged it looks!

You can barely see the printed "France" and logo on the front ~

The blue striped lining made it even more irresistible!!!

While at Hobby Lobby the other day, I found the neatest lined laundry basket...

yes, it was in the clearance section but I kept telling myself,

you have five of those willow baskets at home!!!

So I hope to sew a simple linen liner in one and then fill it with

some of my antique lace. Just so I can dig and dig fast!!!

Making my supplies visible helps me so much in the creative process.

I found this treasure while Christmas shopping a few weeks ago.

It is a beautiful table runner!!!

But me, being the crazy girl I am...

I want to make some wonderful things from one simple runner.

Maybe lavender sachets for my Etsy?

We'll see!!!

Seems like the new year has me reeling with ideas!!!!

And you know I'll share what I actually get accomplished with you too!

Wishing you a beautiful Wednesday precious friends,

hugs and love,

Dawn

A cobbler I am ~

No...not a peach or blackberry cobbler :)

but a maker of shoes!!!

I've been playing in the studio just a little ~

My sweet friend Lisa is teaching a class at Cottage Panache soon

and is teaching students how to create the most GORGEOUS collage.

One of the elements is the tiniest pair of doll shoes.....

So I told her I'd make the shoes for her!!

What is it about tiny things? I just love them ~

I don't think I showed you these wonderful goodies I found this weekend....

I know, you can't believe there's more!!

Look at these wonderful rusty bells....

and this beautiful velvet box ~

And this is the inside of an old jewelry box ~

I can't even believe that old general store was selling this and

I'm sure the owner couldn't believe that I loved it!

Don't you see a future assemblage home?

School has started for our Noah ~ he's had a great few days so far.

I'm still helping at the soap shop and orders are really starting to pour in!!!

If you don't see a post here or there, it's not because I don't love you ~
I'm just trying to keep up with it all!!

Wishing you a most wonderful Wednesday precious friends ~

hugs and love,

Dawn

Puffy is good!!!

Don't you agree?? Well, maybe not on our faces but chairs, yes! I finally got to it and made a new foam/feather insert for my new studio chair. I just love the way it turned out!! I was determined not to spend any more money on it as it was only 19.99 and I hated to buy a thick piece of foam that would end up costing more that the chair did!

I had a large piece of foam that was only 1" thick and made a pattern from the old yucky foam before I ditched it. I washed the cover on cold and let it air dry too. Then I cut 2 pieces of the 1" foam and used spray adhesive to glue them together!

I had some fusible batting too and added a layer of that on top and bottom then ironed it so it would fuse to the foam. Still it wasn't quite thick enough.

I had some material that was really just to be used for inserts for feather pillows so I cut another two pieces out the same shape as the cushion, sewed around and left a big opening on the straight side. I left the seam on the outside because once it was crammed into the cushion cover you wouldn't even know it!

THEN, I always shop at Ross and Marshall's, searching on their clearance racks for feather pillows that have been drastically marked down, say 6.00 or 7.00 and buy them. They could look hideous but it doesn't matter because I like to make new covers anyway, I just love the insert!! I had a giant one in my closet and proceeded to dump it's entire contents into the new cushion "pillow", once it was full, and many feathers in my hair later, I pinned it shut and quickly sewed the opening closed. I laid it on top of the foam cushion and wrapped it well with thin batting and then crammed it in the cushion cover!!! WHEW! I'm tired just telling you about it!

And now here is my cozy reading nook!!

I'm so excited, today I'm meeting Tammy from The Other Side of Me and Lee of Weber's World - The Way I See It in downtown McDonough for a little shopping at The Plum Tree!!!

They are heading to the big Farm Chicks show together Friday morning but Lee's arriving here in Georgia today so that gave them a little extra time to do some antiquing on the way home from the airport!

Wishing you an amazing Thursday dear friends,
xxoo, Dawn

A sweet treasure ~

My precious find this weekend . . . a child's sewing book ~

I'm making more headway in my artroom!!! It's looking better and better ~

Wishing you a wonderful Tuesday!!

xxoo, Dawn

Time for sewing ~

I've been wanting to get to the sewing machine lately so today I put together a purse. I've started not using store patterns and now I just make my own. I think this one turned out pretty neat. Did you know that I usually keep my purses hanging in the bushes! No, really, I just wanted a good photo with sunlight! For sale in my Etsy shop ~ xxoo, Dawn

A few finished sewing projects

I truly love to sew. I don't do enough of it as I tend to punish myself by saving it for last after all my chores are done (laundry, etc.) I don't know why I do this to myself because I enjoy it so much. How cool is it to have just a pile of fabric and a little while later have a neat pillow or purse that's a one-of-a-kind creation!