Creating is always, always good!

I managed to park myself in my studio and make a little something new!!!

I've had this beautiful box for years and finally creating something inside ~

my newest nature assemblage!

I just love using nests in my artwork...speckled eggs...

and gathering as many other natural elements to

add to the assemblages.

Here it is!! Fresh from the studio:

I found the most amazing birch bark printed paper and used it

to line the interior of the box...

I choose each and every element carefully and play with the placement until I'm happy.

Each feather is placed strategically in the nest

to enhance the clutch of speckled eggs ~

You can find this piece in my Etsy shop if you'd like to take a peek!!

Thank you so much for stopping by to see me and

always for your sweet comments!!!

hugs and love,

Dawn

Inspired by Nature ~

It seems I can't help myself....

I always return to beautiful elements of nature

when it comes to creating artwork!

I finally finished this new piece too ~

Here are a few pics...it was quite hard to photograph

because of the reflection on the glass covering the assemblage...

Whew!!! This one wore me out!!!

But it is so good to see an idea

come to fruition....

I just added it to my Etsy store if you like to take a look there!

I hope you are doing so good...and thank you very much for

taking to time to stop by here, I always appreciate your visit

and cherish your comments!!!

Have a wonderful day precious friends,

hugs and love,

Dawn

Making a little art ~

I played a bit more in the studio today!!
I finished up my nature inspired cabinet of curiosities piece ~
I've collected so many wonderful things that I had a hard
time choosing what to place in each cubby!  

The nest I used is the tiniest little thing I've ever seen!!!

You can't ever go wrong using pieces of nature in your artwork....

they are simply BEAUTIFUL!!!

This cabinet can be found in my Etsy shop now :)

Wishing you a wonderful Tuesday precious friends!

hugs and love,

Dawn

The beginnings of something new ~

I've been itching to create something nature inspired....

I collect all sorts of boxes, drawers, etc. to hold assemblages

and this one was meant to be a cabinet of curiosities.

I'm showing you the beginning stages as I hope to fill each cubby

with wonderful nature specimens!

I have tiny bottles that can hold treasures....several teeny nests from

which I will choose, maybe some gorgeous river birch bark

and patches of moss tucked in....

I will continue to age the cabinet too

as it is way too newish looking for me :)

We'll see where it takes me!

One other thing.

There's no glass in the door ~ it was missing when I found it.

I've been thinking of adding my own wired grid to it.

We'll see....

What are you up to today?

I hope you're able to squeeze a little creativity into your day ~

Thank you so much for stopping by here to see what I'm doing...
you know I love it when you do!

Wishing you a wonderful Friday dear friends ~

hugs and love,

Dawn

Problem SOLVED!

Thank you all so much for your sweet comments and ideas

for my nest project!!!

I just felt like the "diapers" hid too much of the nests ~

and that they kinda did looked like diapers too :)

And of course you know what my solution turned out to be....

WIRE!!!

I used two pieces on each nest. One to support the bottom and

the other to support the middle of the nest.

I have a wonderful, old bird book that I've been hacking up for years

and it has that "scientific" look that I love ~

I just added a blurb under each nest that looks

like a descriptive but you know I don't have a clue

what type of bird built each nest.

Bucky looks happy to have the nests on either side ~

I wanted a cabinet of curiosities look but

I'm not really sure if I've achieved that!!

But as you can see, I am a little nutty in the decorating dept ~

Have a very happy Tuesday precious friends!!!

hugs and love,

Dawn

I love making old things new again....

It gives me so much joy to take an item from the thrift or flea and

simply tweak it just a little and have it transform

into something that I'd be proud to own!!!!

I found this gorgeous butterfly specimen framed artwork a while ago ~

it was in a very shiny, silver frame that is SO not me....

but the butterflies?

YES...very me!

So....I found some flat black spray paint and knew it was the ticket.

Seems black always exudes importance, don't you think?

So I took it all apart, sprayed the frame and inset that kept the butterflies

away from the glass and painted them both.

I'm in love with the result!!!!

Now the question is ....where will I hang it?

Don't you worry one little bit,

you know I'll find a place!!

Remember my box find?

Yes, it had some sweet grapes painted on top

but not exactly what I have in mind ~

I applied a little gesso and some craft paint to make it disappear ~

Now I'm ready to transform this sweetie.....

The funny thing about moving is that I am STILL unpacking!

The studio was the most challenging space so

when I was packing, everything was tucked inside of something else!

A few things I've just uncovered:

A box of old watch pieces ~

What is it about the gorgeous graphics on old watches?

I just love them....

My precious little bitty bread tin ~

why do I love old, beat up stuff like this???

Inside?

More vanilla buttons....yes, I am an addict!

OH! and now I'm obsessed with scrim!!!!

Lisa sent me a sweet little bundle of it and

I think it is amazing....

I took a few photos of what she sent me ~

I haven't even used it yet but have ordered more

from Hancock Fabrics online....

yeah...I know I need help :)

It has a tighter weave that gauze or cheese cloth

and this is the natural color....

Just look at the scrim used on each side of the bed....

I think this photo is from Country Living....

amazing!!!

Sometimes my posts are so crazy.

Absolutely ALL over the place....

but it seems to happen when my creative juices are flowing ~

you know?

You have GOT to stop by Karen's blog Todolwen.....
she's shared the most wonderful handmade feather tutorial!!!

Have an amazing Thursday my dear friends,

hugs and love,

Dawn

Need something for your walls?? Make your own art!

I've been gathering some wonderful treasures....

trying to decide how I want to display

these gorgeous pieces of nature ~

Well, as I was cleaning and getting ready

for our Christmas eve party with my family,

I decided to re-use this padded frame that I'd made awhile ago.

I had it hanging in my studio at the old house with ephemera pinned

and clipped to it but hadn't decided

how I wanted to use it here at the farmhouse.

When I visited Lisa in Texas, my goal was to find some wonderful things

to create a type of Cabinet of Curiosities display for our living room.

I found the beautiful turtle shell in Debbie's booth at Winnie & Tulula's....
We found the skull and horns at a yard sale!!!

The magnifying glass is a souvenir from when I owned The Plum Tree,

the little fish net is another antiquing find....

I added a bird feather, strips of tree bark from our last house.

A gorgeous acorn from the burr oak tree,

a sweet gum ball from our last home and a

wasp's nest given to me from one of the boys....

This, my dear friends, is a true assemblage!!!

A gathering of treasures you love displayed together ~

The only other element that I would love to add?
Gorgeous aged Latin name labels to each item!

OH! And how did I attach these goodies to the padded board backing?
Which is a washed canvas drop cloth fragment over polyester batting
and crudely taped to the back of the Masonite board....
I simply sewed each element on!!!
I'm in love with button and carpet thread,
it's much stronger than regular thread ~

Thank you SO VERY MUCH for your precious birthday wishes,

you inspire me so and absolutely made my day!!!!!

Wishing you a wonderful Monday dear friends ~

you truly are loved,

Dawn

Inspiration Friday...curiosities..makeovers and a new tutorial!

I love Debra of Common Ground's Inspiration Friday!!

I guess because I have so many things that do inspire me ~

It seems I'm constantly drawn to the Cabinet of Curiosities look in

decorating my home....what is this?

To me it is having wonderful old collections of things you love!

It could be a gathering of nature specimens or even

a gathering of beautiful old items that you group and display together....

The first few photos below are of
the Cabinet of Curiosities of Bonnier de la Mosson.

These displays are just GORGEOUS and so very inspiring to me ~

I hope this will inspire you just a little too...


Sooooo....do remember the "before"?

Here's a little peek at the after!

Well, it's not totally the finished AFTER....

as I have much to do in the decorating dept.

but I had to give you a little peek ~

And the dining room is in no way finished either...but I've been playing :)

Look at all that junk on the table!

I really have WAY too much stuff....

And the new tutorial is READY!!!

Precious little doll shoes....

Just CLICK HERE to visit

Lessons from The Nest to purchase your very own tutorial!!!

Wishing you a great Friday and weekend dear friends!!

hugs and love,

Dawn