As busy as a bee!

I really have been!

For years now, our little farmhouse dining room has been

converted into our soap shop.

Well, now that we've retired from making soap,

it's time to transform it back into our dining room.

I found a wonderful, round pedestal table at the thrift store

for under 40.00!!! It was in rough shape but

I knew I could paint it and it'd be just like new.

Then I found four chairs (these will be painted a soft white as well)

that would look great with the new table.

Soooo, that's what I've been busy doing this week!

Priming and painting the table and soon I'll tackle the chairs.

I've hung a pair of my very favorite sheers on the double window.

Here's a close-up of the detail!

I've had this old window for a while now and found a beautiful calendar in book form.

I sliced the pages out very carefully and placed them behind the glass.

No magic here, I simply used clear Scotch tape to tape them to the back!

I've always loved these floral monthly botanical prints ~

A work in progress...the base is finished but the top here had only been primed.

Everything is being painted a soft white and will be very lightly distressed.

I've had this wooden pedestal for a few years and plan on using it

in one of the corners of the room flanking the windows.

I need to put together a beautiful tall arrangement to put on it.

The chairs are still needing to be painted but you can kind of get an idea

of how our little room is coming together!

It's not big...it's not fancy, but I'm SO very happy to have a dining room again!!!

And...I've marked down my little lavender sachets!!

If you want to take a peek, please check out my shop here:

MY ETSY SHOP

It's time for these sweeties to have a new home!

I'll be sure to share my dining room when I finish ~ already I love it so!!!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend sweet friends ~

hugs and love,

Dawn

So...what exactly is "being creative?"

Creativity takes many forms...
it could be cooking a wonderful meal for your loved ones,
or maybe having a wonderful garden that produces yummy vegetables,
or keeping a beautiful home for your family,
and what about being able to host a fabulous party
that makes everyone feel like THEY are the guest of honor!!!
Creativity is truly so many different things ~

For me, being creative is simply taking

humble supplies and transforming them into

something that I love!!!

I've always, ALWAYS loved making things...

it could be from fabric,

cake decorating,

painting furniture,

sculpting from clay,

sewing,

mixed media,

or whatever...

it just doesn't matter ~

to have two hands to create something new

from simple, raw materials

is the most wonderful joy ever!!!

A paperclay frog commission for a dear friend ~

A sweet little girl's kitchen set I painted....

Paperclay sweeties ~

A birthday cake for Dennis' grandmother...she was always so sweet to me!

More paper clay ~

A groom's cake ~ don't you love the strawberries??!!

My first little paperclay doll ~

A vintage magazine rack I handpainted to sell in my shop...

More cake decorating ~ I really thought I was going to get rich doing this!!!
Ugh, NO!

A purse I made using regular old drop cloth fabric from the hardware store...

wedding lace, vintage watch faces and beautiful old buttons ~

I painted this little baby chair for an antique space I had once,

I just love the images...it was one of those old McDonald's high chairs!!

A wedding cake....

Here's a wonderful story ~ did you know

my sister-in-law Julie and I made a ginormous wedding cake together,

we split the profits and

I was able to buy my very first sewing machine!!!

This was my baby shower gift for the same dear sister-in-law

I just spoke of...she was expecting her first baby after trying for so very long....

I hand painted one of those old kid's rocking horse things

and turned it into a carousel horse!!!

A couple of tables I painted to sell in my shop...

A little paperclay fairy...chubby thing that she is!

More paperclay goodness...a sparkly little bird!

AND I KNOW

you're about sick of this guy,

my paperclay snowman...he's the tutorial I sell!

And HEY! One time I gave him a body!!

I need to make more of these guys, I love him...

My bird from my paperclay snowbird tutorial...I still have him too!

And these fairy shoes all started with a paperclay base too!!!

My latest little bit of creative efforts?

I made our precious grandbaby Clara a fluffy doll blanket to give her

at Emily's baby shower...
I'm also giving her a baby doll cradle ~
just so she can be her own "little mama"
when baby Murray arrives!

Truth be known:

I really am a jack of all trades and a master of none!!!

But this is all I know in my heart....

Ecclesiastes 9:10

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it  with thy might;

for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom,

in the grave, whither thou goest.

To be creative is a gift and a true honor...

we should all cherish this!!!

I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday my sweet friends!
hugs and love,

Dawn

Don't you just love a little "before" and "after"??

I'm trying my hardest to get my act together
and get the stuff loaded into the new space we've rented!!!
We've had this little table for awhile, and it's always needed some TLC....
so I put a coat of Kilz water based paint on...
and then another coat of satin latex paint on!
Don't you think it's such a sweetie now???
Oh my goodness...the magic of paint!!!

I've used this table as a sewing table back in the day...
but now it moves on,
maybe to a new home?

And a little more goodness to share with you ~

Blue Creek Home is having a beautiful giveaway HERE ~

Sweet Donna of Brynwood Needleworks is having a giveaway HERE ~

And Rebecca of A Gathering of Thoughts has shared a FREE
tutorial on how she makes her beautiful strawberry sachets HERE!!!!

Well, today I move the few little treasures
that we've gathered into our space.
We still have to find many more to fill it up
but I'll take some photos after I've
loaded what we have in ~ it seems you never have as much
as you'd like to have!!!!

Wishing you a most WONDERFUL Friday my sweet friends ~
hugs and love to you all,
Dawn

Regrets and sweet smiles ~

I had to share this beautiful photograph with you ~ I took it last fall and love the way the sun is peeking through the changing leaves ~ feel free to take for your screen desktop display.....do you do that? Change your desktop image for the season?

My regrets? Selling this beautiful pair of French beds that I painted awhile back for the store.....wouldn't they be lovely in our guest room (for Clara??) Ughhhh ~ I loved them....

We went to Brent and Emily's new house this past weekend ~ and saw this precious angel! She didn't forget us!! We watched the football game together and Brent cooked us dinner....how great is that? Clara will be six months old Sept. 23rd....how in the world did THAT happen??

I've not been very productive with my artwork or projects this past weekend ~ I did buy some beautiful paint for our hall bath and for the shelf that I found for the studio. Now to get busy doing all these things!!!

A GREAT LINK FOR YOU ~
Nancy has the most wonderful blog Paper Friendly.
She share the best links, you've GOT to take a look!

Thank you all so very much for buying my tutorials,
I hope that you enjoy creating these projects and if you do,
I'd love for you to email me a photo!!!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend sweet friends,
have a great Tuesday!
xxoo, Dawn