Let's see if this works....

I found this wonderful bird mold on ebay. It's really designed to make ceramic pieces but I wanted it for something else as I don't make ceramics or have a kiln. I wanted to try pressing paper clay into each side, join the two pieces and have a beautiful little bird ornament....here's my first attempt! We'll see how he dries....I love his chubbiness ~

I'm still fluffing ~ now that the bathroom is completely painted and cured, I've been on the search for a beautiful shower curtain but still haven't found the right one. I know I could sew one but just don't want to really....right now, I have cream walls, chocolate colored towels and rug....

I hope your week is going great and all of your Thanksgiving preparations are coming together!!
Wishing you a great Tuesday sweet friends,
hugs and love,
Dawn

There is a time for everything.....

Can you believe this sweet angel??? Laying in her crib and loving the mobile her daddy bought for her! Just click on the photo to see her long eyelashes....she's really such an angel and growing SO VERY FAST! She's going to see her other grandmother and her great-grandmother this weekend and they are in for such a treat!!!!

And what is it time for you ask? Time for our baby bird to be free ~ Brent released the sweet bird this evening ~

Mama bird was not too happy with us, yelling every moment!!!

Do you see the sweetie in the center of the photo?

And then it flapped its sweet little wings and flew off!!! Mom was still close by though.....I never realized what wonderful parents birds are ~ (see the blur in the center of the photo)

Happy Wednesday sweet friends!
xxoo, Dawn

A rescue mission ~

The other night while taking the pups out, Brent noticed a baby bird had fallen from it's nest right in the front yard. He wasn't quite ready to fly and be out of the nest either. Well, there were three cats stalking around just waiting to get their paws on the little guy. I had a vintage bird cage hanging in the studio so I added a few paper towels and some straw and we placed him inside for protection.

The next day Brent hung the cage on the porch next to the hanging ferns and we noticed that the mother bird was feeding her little baby through the cage!!!!! So he moved the cage out to the cluster of trees in our yard where the mom was living so her job would be much easier. The little bird is growing very quickly and we should be able to release him any day now....he's working out his wings and getting stronger every day!

Can you see the mom in the tree beside the cage? She's so diligent and nuturing ~

Our sweet graduate last night ~ we're so very proud of him!! The weather was perfect, a breeze blowing all the time and quite mild. The ceremony went wonderful and Chase is now a graduate!!

We used the wheelchair, for hopefully the last time, to take Noah to the graduation ceremony ~

Even little Clara attended and was a perfect angel the entire time!

Wishing you a wonderful, relaxing weekend sweet friends!
xxoo, Dawn

Friends, fabric and the little bird girl ~

Look at this beautiful stack of fabrics that Marcie of The Rustic Victorian sent me.....they look so French to me ~ what an angel she is! She's become a little muse to me ~ I've just got to make something with these quick....lavender sachets? Thank you sweet friend, I promise I'll turn this fabric into something pretty!

I'm making a few more of these bird girl dresses for some sweet friends ~ I know, it's taking me way too long! I test the size first by printing the images onto regular paper ~ then I print them onto the fabric.

What is it about the fabric with beautiful images on it?? I just love they way they look on speckled muslin!

When I was outside today I noticed the peach tree in our yard has the sweetest pink buds on it. Our spring is soon approaching here in Georgia. I think that baby Clara will bring it with her, don't you? Emily is getting tired very easily and is about ready for this to happen. She's due March 20th....we are all so looking forward to meeting this precious little girl ~

A sweet image for you:

"I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance that I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn."

HENRY DAVID THOREAU

Wishing you a wonderful Friday sweet friends ~

xxoo, Dawn

A sweet New Year's giveaway ~

Diane at Diane Knott's Musings is having a wonderful New Year's giveaway on her blog!! Just click HERE to enter to win....you know I LOVE birds!! Don't we all?

xxoo, Dawn

A few little peeks for you & wonderful giveaway goodies ~

I still just can believe this is my apron on the cover!! Sherry at Creations from My Heart emailed me to let me know that Stampington has the (apron-ology) cover posted on their website!! I just had to show you too....what a honor.....

Monday I had a little parcel in the mail from Dianne at Mamas Pocketbook ... I won a giveaway and just look at all the goodies she sent!! A Make Mine Pink catalog ~ a beautiful hand sewn business card holder (I really needed this!) ~ a gorgeous handmade card and last but not least the apron pattern that I actually won!! I love everything Dianne, thank you so much!!

I wanted to show you the sweetest birthday card from my friend Su in France!! She makes the most beautiful things ~ Su, thank you for your wonderful birthday wish and for such a precious card!!!

I actually created today!!! YAAAAY! And I'm even almost finished with the project....I'm working on my first art quilt to send in to be published...well, if it's OK it will be ~ you see, I've never made an art quilt. I do love to sew though and I do love art so maybe I can pull it off! Of course I had to use beautiful bird and nature images that I love ~ printed on fabric of course.....I just love the way they look on the fabric!

Just a little peek before it was completed.....

I tend to procrastinate when starting something that I've never done before. Do you do that? I know I've spoken about it before. I think that after I finally have the idea worked out in my mind on how I'm going to do the piece I can then get started. Sometimes the idea just doesn't come as quickly as I'd like!

Wishing you all a very happy Tuesday sweet friends ~

xxoo, Dawn

More in-progress photos ~

This is kind of fun! Seeing the photographs as this journal develops. It's about 8 1/2" wide by 5 1/2" tall and was a small music book. Well, all of the pages were out of it and just crammed inside. I've glued them all back in and now I'm altering them into a journal. There are eight pages (and I've only worked on 1 1/2!) so that will be sixteen, counting fronts and backs! The pages I'm showing may or may not be finished, I haven't decided yet....that's the fun of it :)!

The image below is a scan I made of the top of a beautiful wooden box. I've always loved it and thought I would share it with you ~

Wishing you a very happy Wednesday!!

xxoo, Dawn

Another image and a few more ideas ~

I just love little chubby birds all in a row!!! Cindy had this amazing book at The Plum Tree today and I just had to have it. She saved it to show me and knew I would love it. The illustrations are adorable and the best part?? My son bought it for me...you gotta love that!

From the archives of my clippings notebooks: Statuary, always enchanting but more so when adorned with fresh flowers or greens . . .

A simple, gorgeous window treatment. It could be created with a lace tablecloth even! I've always loved this look. Again, clipped from an old magazine.

These little images that I'm sharing are not from any current magazine but old ones that have long been tossed away. I clipped my very favorite ideas and saved them in sheet protectors placed in three ring binders. I love that these ideas are timeless ~ ten years from now, they will still be beautiful.

Wishing you a lovely, restful Saturday!

xxoo,Dawn

A useful friend the year round ~

The song sparrow ~ an image gift for you, happy weekend!!! xxoo, Dawn

For you sweet friends ~

Today's been one of those days where I'm running on empty. Why do I burn my candles at both ends?? Truth be known, I'm such a night owl. I love creating into the night, finishing what I've started and then posting all about it! But then if I have to get up early, I definitely pay the price! So tonight I'm turning in early but not without a few sweet words and a few gifts for you too ~

Today I stopped in an antique mall and found the most beautiful old sheet music with wonderful graphics on the front.....maybe you can use them in your artwork. I love the birds and border around and the typefaces used in the other!! Plus a scan of chubby baby birds all in a row ~ you know I love them!

Wishing you a wonderful, relaxing Saturday!

xxoo, Dawn

My babies are gone... :(

I went outside today thinking I need to get a picture of how big the baby cardinals are ~ with their eyes open, too! I opened my step stool and stood up over top of the large boxwood bush and this is what I found!! No babies, no shells, nothing! I guess I didn't realize how fast they grow and leave the nest. Oh well, I enjoyed watching them and am so very thankful for this beautiful piece of artwork they left behind. What handiwork!!

Are you surprised it's Friday? The weeks are just flying by at break-neck speed to me! I'm finally finished with my big project to mail off!!! Now I have to get ready for a BIG yard sale that we're having in about a week . . . oh dear . . .

Wishing you a very Happy Friday!! xxoo, Dawn