Sharing a little gift goodness with you!

I just love sharing gifts with you!

Mostly because you "get" me and love what I love

and then you can celebrate with me!!!

About a week or so ago a sweet friend on Facebook contacted me.

She sees all that I create because, believe me, I love using FB

as a marketing tool to sell my wares.

She knew how much I love old lace and how much I use in my sewing projects.

WELL.

She kindly asked for my address and told me that she had some old lace

that she wasn't going to do a thing with and would I want it?

OH YES I WOULD!!!

I gladly gave her my address and you have just got to see what she sent me!!

I have thanked her profusely and just can't believe it was a GIFT!

I truly am so very thankful to this sweet friend.

I can't imagine what it all would cost me at an antique store,

much more than I could ever, ever afford for sure!

Here it is all piled on top of each other...

you simply cannot see it all!!!

I can tell so much of it was handmade because there are pieces that are unfinished.

Beautiful though...

And what about the beautiful "E" ribbon??!

This large white linen piece is actually a pillowcase

with a flap on the end with lace trim and ties!!!

I had it folded in half for the photo but you get the idea ~

I want to wear it on my head it's so beautiful!!!!

GORGEOUS RIGHT??? Thank you so much dear friend...I will treasure it all!!!!

I can't remember if I've shared this recipe before but...

we've made it for years and our boys always LOVED it

and are now making it themselves!!!

Look below for the recipe ~

Gatlin Chicken

Ingredients:

1 cup cheddar cheese cracker crumbs (such as Cheez-its)
2 tbsp taco seasoning mix
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1-4 oz can chopped green chilies, drained

Directions:

Combine cracker crumbs and seasoning mix in a large bowl, stir well.
Toss chicken pieces in crumb/seasoning mixture then place into a greased 9 x 13 casserole dish or pan. Mix together whipping cream and remaining ingredients in the same large bowl, then pour over chicken.

Bake uncovered 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until slightly brown on top and bubbly.

I only used four chicken breasts for us...it's just Noah, hubby and myself.

But I'm afraid I didn't cut any of the other ingredients in half!!!

HAHAHA!

Yes, it's so fattening, just don't make it very often, OK?

Happy Tuesday sweet friends!!!!

hugs and love,

Dawn

A little baby update!

I have a baby Murray update for you sweet friends!

This little angel is now officially one week late!

Emily goes to the doctor tomorrow afternoon and it will be determined then

if they will be sent straight to the hospital for her to be induced

or they may schedule it sometime this week...

her ob only wanted her to go a week past her due date

and that week is over!!!!

So I'm thinking

it's almost SHOWTIME!!!

Thank you always, always for stopping by to see what I'm up to ~

I cherish your comments and love hearing from you!

I hope you have a wonderful Monday sweet friends,

hugs and love,

Dawn

Sweet baby ~

A short and sweet post today....

I scanned in this little girl for you!

Maybe you can use her in your artwork?

Remember to scroll down to the bottom of my posts

to read about how to save these pics in the largest format ~

She looks like she might just have a little bit of an attitude, don't you think?

My mom and dad are arriving today to stay the weekend with us...

we are having a family reunion Saturday!

I'm looking forward to seeing sweet cousins, aunts and uncles

that I haven't seen in awhile ~

So...I'm fluffing the guest room and cleaning a bit to get ready!

Have a beautiful Thursday precious friends,

hugs and love,

Dawn

What a sweet baby face!

Sweet images scanned in for you....
all gifts from my precious friends ~
and now gifts to you

A beautiful Christmas card for you too ~

Emily, Clara and I had the MOST fun shopping
at Barnes & Noble for Emily's birthday....
Clara was an angel and even left with a cute little sock monkey
her mother bought her with her birthday money...
isn't that just like a sweet mama?
I ended up getting a wonderful, relaxing CD
(shown below) I love listening to beautiful music in the studio ~

Thank you all so very much for your egg soap sample orders!!!
I'm getting them all packaged up and ready to come to you ~
I hope you love them!!!

I'm also starting on a Christmas mitten
ornament order that I received last week!!
You can find the tutorial in my left sidebar
if you'd like to try some yourself.
Wouldn't a string of them make a wonderful garland
draped across the fireplace mantle?

So much to do....and just not enough hours in the day ~
Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday my sweet friends,
hugs and love,
Dawn

Treasure hunting on the cheap!

I went treasure hunting Sunday and would love to share with you some of the goodies that I came across. I know that the girls at the antique mall think I'm nuts with my selections but that's ok :)

First, the great jars and small bottle, I just love them but am very particular as to what I'll pay.... how cool is it that the Peter Pan jar has measurements on the side ~ I'm sure it was reused back in the day ~

A dealer is apparently moving out and had all of his books priced to sell ~ .50 cents for hard backs and .25 cents for paper backs. I found several that I love and some will become altered books as I'm craving to try my hand at that! A sweet nature book that has a few neat images that I want to share with you and of course music books ~ but for a quarter each, how could I pass them up?!

Some crazy short hand or something book but I loved the look of it ~




This is the most wonderful music book and I'm sure if you're a music lover you know why these are printed so small but I thought they would make great labels and could be used in other ways in artwork ~




I took one and trimmed it with my deckled edged scissors. I love those things. They are uneven and give the edge a great look ~




I aged the edge just a little with a brown ink pad and cloth




Used a little matte gel medium on the back and centered it on the front of the bottle, overlayed a stamped, aged "Paris" label I made from paper aged with ink, then tied with old lace and seam binding and finished with a sewn on bauble ~ I filled the little jar with vanilla buttons and topped it with a wine cork cut in half!!
You can find it in my Lollishops store :)



More goodies from my treasure hunt but these are from Michael's. The perfect pink candles for the shower (on sale 2/$3)....I may go back and get a few more! Look at the precious ribbon I found in the dollar bin....rocking horses and baby carriages!


Oh, and the cards? They were a dollar but I'm going to make tags, pins, cupcake picks or something from them....just spray a little adhesive on one side, place face down on baby patterned scrapbooking paper and trim with a craft knife! Repeat for the other side ~ Then I may put a sweet baby image in the center.


I think the crepe paper roses thing was priced wrong, it was only 1.49 I think....maybe I can learn how to make them for that price! Like I need something else to do :)






I love this ribbon I found too at Michael's ~




Some precious images for you, I'm sure that you've seen them before. I just love them both ~






"The Land of Nod"

Wishing you a wonderful Monday sweet friends!


xxoo, Dawn