Miss Mary ~ Sweet Memories of Love

I finally finished my Miss Mary art challenge last night!
Mary of Green Paper gave us three images to work with
and we could create whatever we wanted ~
Here is my art challenge piece....

(Click image twice to see larger)

It's been created on the cover of a large old book ~

Accented with fabrics, antique lace and papers, seam binding, old buttons
and a few jewelry pieces ~

I've just placed this collage in my Feathered Nest Shoppe too!!!
~ CLICK HERE TO SEE ~

Thanks so much for the gorgeous images sweet friend
and for offering this wonderful challenge!!

I had to share with you a sweet gift I received in the mail the other day ~
an amazing abandoned nest from my blog friend Linda!
Can you believe the wonderful detail??
Thank you so very much dear Linda, I just LOVE it!!!

I'm working again today and tomorrow at the soap shop!
We're still preparing fresh product to display
at the Atlanta market show that starts Wednesday ~

I hope you're doing wonderful and staying cool dear friends,
have a great Monday!!!!
hugs and love,
Dawn

Found.....good stuff!

Is this not the prettiest little girl ever??
I've always loved this old photo ~

I made a trip to Antique Griffin Wednesday and
added a few things to my space.
Plus I took tons of photos for the Antique Griffin blog too ~
Look at the treasures I found :)
I love old lace scraps....

Old books too....this one is a shorthand book!
For two dollars and some change, who can turn this down?

An adorable old baby photo and wonderful bauble ~

And the sweetest thing of all....
one lone doll bootie, just waiting to be loved ~

I'm keeping Clara today!!!
Brent and Emily are heading to the Atlanta Merchandise Mart to
add all new soaps to the showroom display....
the big July Market show begins soon!
Brent just freshened up the website for Shop Fun Soap too!



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A NEW ART CHALLENGE!!!!

Mary of Green Paper has provided three gorgeous images and
we're supposed to create any kind of artwork with them,
as long as all three are included ~
CLICK HERE to visit her blog and grab the hi-res photos!
We'll show our stuff in a week ~
Now....what can I do.....




I hope you're doing great, staying cool and comfy....
Wishing you a wonderful Thursday precious friends,
hugs and love,
Dawn

Outside the Box Art Challenge reveal!!

My sweet friend Lisa of Tarnished and Tattered
has challenged all of us to create whatever we want to
with these wonderful soap boxes that she came across ~
I just finished mine up last night and got in under the wire...
why do I always wait to the last minute to do things??!!
ANYWAY....
Here's my take on the soap box Lisa!

You know how I love nature ~ it seemed to be the perfect theme!

The front:

The simple closure:

The inside:
(yes, my dear friends, it IS a mini tribute
to the wonderful Carol Hicks Bolton!)

Can you see the aged tulle over the botanical specimen?
OH...and I discovered my heat gun shrivels the stuff up a bit...but
be careful if you try it!!!
I stitched the little ends of the wires to they'd stay in place.

A wonderful old envelope to hold seeds.

And I used my old typewriter for the text!!!
See honey, I WILL use it for my artwork :)

I can't wait to visit everyone else
and see their wonderful soap box creations!!!

Wishing you a great Monday precious friends ~
hugs and love,
Dawn

A few ideas for you.....and wishing you a wonderful Memorial Day ~

I want to wish each and every one of you dear friends
a wonderful Memorial Day ~
So many have sacrificed so much for our freedom....

The photo below is a looking up from my work table....
I just love stacking things to the ceiling!

You know what a frugal chick I am ~ well, when it comes to art supplies
I love finding good stuff for a great price!!
I stopped by Hobby Lobby (are you sick of hearing about this store?)
last week because they have a 40% off coupon
every other week and I can't stand to not use it :) and found
several isles of 66% off home decorating things.
I did get to use the coupon on a Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine too!!!

What I love to do is find canvases or other items for a great price
that I can use as foundations for my own artwork!!
I can gesso over them or even apply old music sheets or ledger papers
directly over the original design.

I love this burlap covered piece....
now to figure out what I can turn it in to!

This is a stretched canvas that I will be transforming as well ~
(the design is really neat but I bought it to use for my own artwork.)

So my idea for you is to look at things a little differently.
If you're at the thrift store and see an awful painting on canvas,
grab it! Then gesso over and create your own artwork on it!!!!

Plus, I've got to share a wonderful art challenge
that Lisa of Tarnished and Tattered
has come up with!!!

She found these amazing soap boxes at Target and a few other places,
I think the brand of soap is Pure & Natural....
Well, you can go out and purchase your own,
remove the soap and use it of course then
alter the soap box!!!!
She's going to have a show and tell on June 28 where
we can all post photos of our own altered boxes on our blogs!!
The great thing about all of this???
NO POSTAGE REQUIRED!!!

So head on over and grab Lisa's button at the top of her right side bar
if you'd like to join in,
now....what can I do with mine???
hmmmmm, I'd better get to thinkin'....

PLUS, Mitzi of Mitzi's Collectibles has a great new project
featured
on her blog!!!!
An altered suitcase.....
I can SO see mine ~
I would love it to be covered in copies
of old handwritten letters.....




Sending you all love and hugs,
Dawn