Tackling a few projects!

I had been putting off working on my herbarium prints but

finally got back to them!

I purchased cheap dollar store frames and of course, they looked cheap!

Gaps in the corners and crazy gold color. I love more subdued shades.

Here's my first one completed ~

You can see the gap in the corner and they ALL had them in all four corners.

So my solution was to caulk every corner of all fifteen frames.

Using wet fingers and a damp rag it really worked!

Below is one corner that's caulked. I didn't bother terribly much with having it

be perfectly smooth. I figured it would make the frames look older!

My next step was to spray Kilz Complete on all fifteen frames.

That took awhile!

But here they all are dried and ready for my next step.

I happen to have in my stash a beautiful Taupe colored metallic craft paint and it looks

BEAUTIFUL with the tones of my herbarium pages.

I brushed on this coat on all fifteen frames as well.

It's not perfect but I like that! Imperfection adds character.

These are my pages below. Now to finish cutting down the book page scrapbooking paper

I chose to be the backdrop of the pages and finish framing the other fourteen prints.

I'll have a few left over so I'm picking my favorite ones.

This is the look I'm going for except for I will have three rows of five!

Another project I'm in the middle of is framing

three beautiful Luna moths that I've found over the years.

First I have to re-hydrate them, arrange them with foam, pins and waxed paper

then let them dry back out.

Aren't they beautiful??

I've been hoarding this shadow box for a few years now and think

they will just perfect inside!!! I'll share my finished project soon.

And lastly I've been beautifying our front porch!

Four ferns hanging and a few other plants have it looking so pretty.

I even transformed an old fire pit frame into a small herb garden!

I've been a busy girl around here!

I'll be sure to share the herbarium pages as soon as I have them hung ~

Wish me luck!!!

I hope you are doing so very good ~

hugs and love,

Dawn

Welcome Spring!!!! And what's going on in my neck of the woods!

The older I get the more quickly time flies!

I'd always been told that but now I see how true it is.

Spring begins next week!!! EEEK! I simply can't believe it.

I so hope that life has been treating you well.

Things have been clipping along here in our old farmhouse

so I thought I'd share what's been happening around here.

The photo below is from a few years ago,

a sweet cardinal's nest in one of our shrubs.

The color of the eggs are beautiful!

And since my last post...

look at how big our precious grandson Owen is!!!

He's about to be three months old and

is such a happy baby...

he knows how much he is loved!

In other news ~

I'm not sure if you're on Facebook but I had the bright idea

to start a "Dawn's Studio De-Stash" group!

I've been going through EVERYTHING!!!

I thought I'd try to sell a few items as

my hoard had grown to GIANT proportions.

So....

why not sell to my friends?

If you'd like to pop over to Facebook and join,

I welcome you!

Simply request to join and I'll approve you.

I have no schedule but am constantly adding new things.

MY DE-STASH GROUP

Here's a sampling of items that have already been sold:

Neat, huh?

I'm still adding items to my Etsy too.

I have even made a few new things!

A couple of altered bears wearing wonderful vintage

doll clothes...and lace lavender sachets!

MY ETSY SHOP!

And lastly I'm almost finished with the guest room!!

Yes, I have been adding and adding more things

to the point that I believe it's reached maximum capacity!

I found these wonderful cones at Hobby Lobby for half price.

Only 7.00 each!!!

I knew they'd be beautiful on either side of the framed lamb print

over the bed.

Then I found a furry pillow cover at Hobby Lobby for half off as well!

I love it...it seems to remind me of lamb's wool.

I found a beautiful bookcase at Walmart for only 80.00!

Searching all over the house,

I gathered tons of old, raggedy books and placed them inside.

I'm so pleased with it!

Of course it's still a work in progress.

It's so much fun placing items inside.

I'll hang the thankful sign over the door going into the bathroom soon.

More botanicals!!!

Again, half off at Hob Lob.

I want to put them in the wicker cone below ~

My last project will be to finish framing FIFTEEN

of these beautiful herbarium pages!

I will hang them in three rows of five

opposite of the sheep and bed wall!

I can see it in my mind's eye already.

I'm puttying the corners of Dollar Tree frames

and spraying them with Kilz.

I found some wonderful text scrapbooking papers to place inside

as a backdrop. I'll be sure to share when finished!

WHEW!!!

Sorry for such a humongous post but it's been awhile!

I hope you are doing so good

and want to wish you a very Happy Spring

dear friends!!!

Hugs and love,

Dawn

A Total MAJOR Room Makeover!

Well, our littlest one...Noah has moved out!

At almost 19 years old now, he has a full time job

and has moved in with his next oldest brother Chase who's 25 going on 26!

They love their new home and truthfully,

I LOVE IT TOO! It is so very perfect for them both!

So what do I do for mama therapy?

Transform his teeny little bedroom into a guest room!!!

Here are a few before and afters ~

Yes, that is spackling. The boy put so many push pins in the wall!!!!

This is the jacked up bed that I bought for 75.00.

It had so many spaces, cracks and flaws but I think I managed to fill them all!

The photo below is an inspiration photograph!

I love herbarium prints and have tons so I will have a wall filled with them!!!!

Just before assembling the bed!!!

My first herbarium page framed!!! Only 14 more to go!

A beautiful lamb print hanging over the bed.

I will add more goodness to each side of the frame though!!!

I love it all so much already ~

I'll share more soon but have been swamped with so very much lately ~

Thank you always for stopping by!

hugs and love,

Dawn