Snippets of loveliness ~

The other day I pulled out a blank canvas wanting to make something new.

It was a simple 11 x 14 canvas that I simply layered with

snippets of loveliness!

I started by gluing on a piece of vintage linen to the base.

Raw edges were exposed, it didn't matter either.

I wanted it to have more of a loose feel.

Then I began layering things.

I ripped pieces of a gorgeous Ralph Lauren sheet that I love.

(That is the vintage roses fabric you see peeking through the lace!)

I cut the bottom off of a precious old baby dress.

The scallops and embroidery were perfect!

Plus the pale pink shade was beautiful with the colors

in the ripped sheet pieces.

At first I don't glue a thing.

Well, except for the base fabric covering the canvas.

But after that I begin playing.

Put this on, look at it...remove it and try something else.

I keep doing this until I love what I see.

Of course it helps to have a gorgeous image

as the focal point in the center!!!

Below is a photo of my work in progress ~

And finally, when I KNOW it's right, I glue everything into place!

Below is my finished piece.

I happened to show a work-in-progress photo on my Facebook page

and it sold right away before it was finished.

After the photo below was taken,

I added about five mother of pearl buttons to the pretty piece

of pink ribbon and lace across the bottom.

Sometimes it just needs one more beautiful element!

I have to share some recent thrift store finds with you!!

Both of the chairs that I've placed in front of our fireplace

were found for only 15.00 each!!!

Now that Spring has arrived, the fireplace is out of commission

so why not pile in a few more chairs for extra seating?

This past month on March 21st, my sweet husband and I celebrated

our 35th wedding anniversary!

I created a sweet collage of us and our precious sons...

We celebrated the day with our son Brad and

had lunch at a classic Atlanta restaurant,
Mary Mac's Tea Room
(ohmygoodness, SO DELICIOUS!)
#marymacstearoom #marymacs

and then we had an afternoon of touring

a beautiful Atlanta cemetery

and enjoyed a little bit of antiquing and junkin!!!

It really was such a fun day!!!

I've got to share this photo of the wisteria that 

grows wild near our old farmhouse ~

Spring has definitely arrived here in Georgia!!!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend

precious friends!!!

hugs and love,

Dawn

Don't you love finishing things?!

I finished my new mixed media collage!

I love working with these elements...but I guess you know that ~

Antique lace, beautiful old images, vintage sheet music and of course,

the old luggage pocket! These are my favs and I can't help

but enjoy creating something with these beautiful things.

Here are a few photos of my finished project to share with you:

And while I was working on my collage,

I got a wild hair and decided to finish the little peat pot too!!

It's a tiny one...

covered in old lace, then even more lace,

embellished with a teeny ruffle

around the opening and cream tulle stuffed inside.

Hung of course with beautiful seam binding to adorn

a Christmas tree and hold a few precious candies!!

It always feels so good to make a few new things ~

and what feels even better?

They both sold to a precious repeat customer of mine

the minute I listed them in my Etsy shop!!!

Wishing you a beautiful fall Thursday dear friends,

hugs and love,

Dawn

I actually squeaked out a little artwork!!

YAAAY!! I'm so glad I made myself sit down

and create something!!

I kinda worked on two pieces at the same time but

this sweet girl is the one who finished first....

A prairie girl ~

She's created on an old cabinet door panel!

Layered with antique ledger paper, ticking fabric,

even a cover from an old ledger book ~

I used an old tobacco tin covered with sheet music

to hold a few botanicals...

She's listed in my Etsy shop too...

And Noah had a GREAT first day of school!!

He's been going to school with so many of these kids

since he was in kindergarten so it was fun

for him to see all his buds again!

Now....let's see what else I can get accomplished!!

Wishing you a wonderful Tuesday my sweet friends,

hugs and love,

Dawn

Using my good stuff!

It's hard you know....

using stuff the you love ~ the pretty things you've worked hard to find....

but that's why I buy it, right?

I made something new and used one of the sweet mother of pearl buckles I just found ~

Seems this collage/assemblage looks so pretty next to my last one too.

I must be in this little girl, doll love thing :)

You can find my new artwork in my Etsy shop....

here's a peek:

It's been so terribly rainy here....drizzly and cold ~

I really need some sunshine!!!!

Maybe Tuesday :) I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I hope you're doing so good ~ staying warm and cozy.

I wish you a wonderful Monday dear friends,

hugs and love,

Dawn

A little something sweet ~

Fresh from the studio!!

I finally got my tail in gear and made something :)

I'm in love with this sweet little girl

and knew I'd have to make something with her image soon...

It always feels so wonderful to get back into my studio!!!

If you'd like, you can find my little girl assemblage HERE in my Etsy!

Wishing you a great Tuesday dear friends ~

hugs and love,

Dawn

Birds....beeswax...and nests ~

I love this artist's work....

I found her illustrations in an old Victoria magazine ~

The artist is Isabelle de Borchgrave....

I've given this little bird to you before...

don't you think it would be precious embroidered onto something?

I finished my beeswax collage!

I'm so in love with using beeswax now ~

I still have a lot to learn but I love the old patina it gives the layers.

I added it to my Etsy shop too!

Look what my sons brought me over the weekend!

Two of the most gorgeous abandoned nests....

from two different sons!

They know me well ~

I think I need to come up with something to strap them to now!!

Have a beautiful Tuesday precious friends ~

hugs and love,

Dawn

What time of day do you love to create?

~ Da Vinci study for you ~~

I have been a night owl as long as I can remember.

When I was in high school

I would stay up until 2:00 in the morning

finishing my homework so I would make good grades ~

obsessive, yes...but I did graduate with all A's!

My brothers are quite similar, loving to stay up late,

so I think it's just the way we are!

So believe it or not, my favorite time to get started in the studio

is about 4:00 in the afternoon!!!

Yes, it's absolutely crazy, I know that.

But my creative time seems to always want to happen

from about 4:00 pm till about 1:00 am!

I want to create, take pics (not the best time to take great photos too)

and then post on my blog.

I guess to each his own though ~

it just seems to be the way I roll :)

I had a few old frames that I added a cardboard backing to,

then glued on a bit of burlap, antique ledger paper and copies

of a few wonderful old images ~ accented by vintage watch faces!

These are both for my sweet DIL Emily ~ just to have in her home,

she picked out the photos herself.

These are very simple pieces but have a wonderful look.

This is the scrap of a very old baby quilt that I've been using lately.

And I do mean scrap too!

I would never cut an old quilt up if it didn't have gaping holes in it :)

Just look at the teeny stitches a wonderful woman made for a sweet new baby.

My joy is to create new items from these tattered old pieces.

This is a little experiment inspired by my dear friend Lisa ~

Just a couple of pieces of waxed paper, sewn together and what's packaged inside?

Dried petals and leaves....to preserve their beauty.

I aged it all just a little with an almost dry ink sponge and brown ink.

Here's a little "in progress" photo....

Lace is everywhere ~ I always lay pieces on top to see how I feel about them.

Can you tell that I love tons of lace and cruddy old stuff?

And here's the end result.

A new needle keep
(thank you Marie for buying my first one!)
just listed in my Etsy ~
using the antique baby quilt, a beautiful fragment of an embroidered hanky,

vintage lace and of course aged seam binding and old buttons!!

And you won't even believe this....

I was able to complete another piece as well!!!

A beautiful collage from an antique card ~ from 1905!

I used the actual card here because I just felt it needed to be in this collage.

Teal seam binding loopy fringe...antique lace...vintage sheet music.

A simple, sweet combination ~ in my Etsy store as well.

It never ceases to amaze me how wonderful I feel when I make something.

Whether or not anyone else likes it....

it. feels. wonderful.

Have a beautiful Wednesday my sweet friends,

hugs and love,

Dawn