Looking beyond the obvious ~

So....I had more dental work today. Can I just say ~ YUCK-O!

Anyway, this is a blog about good stuff so let's move on :)

I took myself straight to the Good Will again after getting out of "dental jail"

and found a few treasures.

The moral of this post is to look beyond....

beyond what something is

to what it COULD BE!

I found two things.

One was a photo album of sorts for Jamaican vaca photos!

Well, I've never been there, and I'm sure it's gorgeous

but the minute I laid my eyes on the album

I KNEW it would be an AMAZING nature journal!!!

What do you think?

This wonderful twine is on each and every page to hold pics but....

I think they should hold wonderful nature collages!

See the back???

GORGEOUS!

So, I start ripping things off....as fast as I can.

Using the exact-o knife when I need to ~

Sorry Jamaica....you're outta here.

I love this twig detailing down the spine ~

My other find?

An amazing journal!!

It has the most wonderful handmade paper on the outside and inside as well ~

My little hovel of garbage I picked off of both :)

So it looks like I have a few more projects on my desk!!!

Always look beyond what you find, to what it could become!!!!

Now, it's time work on these babies and turn them into something special ~

I hope your week is going wonderfully.....

Mine is now since I don't return to the dentist until next Wednesday!!!

Have a great Thursday my dear friends,

hugs and love,

Dawn

Un petit journal ~

Fancy, huh?

I just love that it says a small nature journal in French ~

We have a new Good Will that opened just a few days ago so

I had stop by to have a look!

I only found a few books and this was one of them.

It's not very big and is a wonderful kraft color....

Yes, the pages are printed on, but I have an idea to slice out a few

and continue embellishing them with some of my nature finds!

I started with the outside and completely covered it...

I just slathered on my fav matte gel medium,

pressed the paper on and trim out excess

with my handy exact-o knife.

I had to add the name of this sweet journal ~

See the color of the pages? A great foundation for my project.

I started digging in my files to find images that I'd already printed ~

I've even pulled out my pressed botanicals so I can add them too!

Well, it's a start!!

Now to begin the inside pages....

My prairie girl has reached her new home and she fits in perfectly!!

Thank you so much Deb....

Wishing you an amazing Wednesday precious friends ~

hugs and love,

Dawn

A couple of things finished!

Isn't that how we all seem to measure ourselves as women? At the end of the day we look back and think, "what all have I accomplished today?" I guess it's good in a way, as I know it's not good to be lazy but we can really be hard on ourselves if the evidence looks like we weren't busy.

When I create even the smallest thing in my artroom (that's finally what I've decided to call it), I feel as though I've accomplished something ~ Here is a simple framed piece featuring the poem I scanned a few posts back. I've collaged real leaves onto the aged paper and placed it into a wonderful old frame. A simple piece that could be left out year 'round. For sale in my Etsy store . . . :)

Whewww! I finally finished the nature journal that I'd been working on! I didn't realize that I had made it thirty-two pages long!! Well, it took a long time to complete each page and let them dry properly ~ I'll be mailing it out tomorrow to it's new owner ~

Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday sweet friends ~

xxoo, Dawn

Halfway there ~

There's something so relaxing about creating artwork. Music plays softly in the background of my little crowded artroom, piles of beautiful images surround me, sheet music, old books . . . it's truly like playing. I move the images around, changing their arrangement, tilt my head and squint my eyes to see how I like the composition. These are simple pages in the nature journal, not many images but the simplicity gives what is there a sense of importance.

I love the ruggedness that's happening with it as well. When you are someone bent on perfection, rugged can be hard! Earthy, not perfect, but all the same wonderful. Just like nature ~

I'm halfway finished with this journal. I wanted to show you my progress so far . . . and it all started with several pieces of paper and two pieces of cardboard ~

What lies behind us and what lies before us

are tiny matters compared to

what lies within us.

I hope you have a wonderful Friday!

xxoo, Dawn

A new journal tutorial atThe Little Speckled Egg!

It took till the wee hours of the morn this Thursday but I finally finished the tutorial and have it up for sale!!! The tutorial shows step-by-step how to create a small journal, using a very simple and quick construction method and using materials that you probably have around your home right now. I've added a special page of tips, tricks and ideas PLUS a page of images to use in the journal. Find it here at:
The Little Speckled Egg tutorial blog

Here is a photo of the journal just after constructing and ready for embellishing:

Each and every page is layered with beautiful images and paper to allow for jotting down thoughts or notes.

I'm still decorating the journal that I've used in making the tutorial and should have it for sale very soon ~ These would make such wonderful gifts personalized for each recipient . . .

Happy Thursday dear friends!!

xxoo, Dawn

The beginnings of a journal tutorial ~

I am so excited about the tutorial I'm working on now . . . you can see the beginnings of it in the photo below! It's a handmade, from scratch, nature journal ~ and the neat thing is, I'm learning too as I make it!

The nature journal that I finished a few weeks ago was created inside of the complete cover of a small music book. It was really wonderful to work with but the chances of finding another is slim to none. Soooo....I thought, why not construct one myself! And believe it or not, the method that I've used is not hard at all ~

I'm still shooting step-by-step photos of the embellishing process and hope to have it in my store, The Little Speckled Egg by tomorrow evening.

I just get the biggest thrill making things! What is that??!! The neat thing about these small journals (and I'm finding that I'm becoming more and more "green") is that they can be constructed out of simple things that are around your home.

Plus, they don't have to be "nature" journals, you could make one to take on a special vacation or trip. How about creating one to give to a sweet mom-to-be to jot down her thoughts while in the hospital having her baby and after she's met her sweet angel? It would be a treasured keepsake ~ Boy this is starting to sound like a serious sales pitch but I'm just excited about the possibilities!

A spare copy of the sheet music cover printed on thin muslin, hmmmm.....I've got to think of something neat to do with this ~ I love looking at it!! I've got it pinned to the back of the advent calendar so I can stare at it ~

On a totally different note, I've had this crazy idea and some of you may have already tried this. I've always loved this precious, chubby bluebird and I bought some molding compound at Michael's a few weeks ago. I would like to attempt to make a mold of this sweet baby and make some from plaster! Have any of you tried this? Should I use plaster of paris? Who knows, I may not be able to create a decent mold but I want to try!

Can't you see a chubby, cream colored, slightly antique-washed little bird??

Today it was absolutely GORGEOUS here in Georgia.....it's like you have to soak in each and every beautiful fall day before they all vanish ~

Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday sweet friends!

xxoo, Dawn

Finished artwork and a very special giveaway!!

I finished the nature journal! It's amazing how long it took to complete this piece but it's OK, I enjoyed every minute of it! Each page is collaged and tabbed ~ each with it's own definition . . . I hope to get it in my Etsy store Friday!! I've pictured each spread for you to see . . . (If anyone is interested in this nature journal it's 32.00 plus shipping, just email me at sewmanyroses@yahoo.com)

UPDATE: SOLD ~ this little nature journal is heading to Denmark!

I also finished a mini composition book too. Look at me being all productive!!! Don't you just love these two images on the front and back? Too sweet ~ I hope to list this in my Etsy store Friday too.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Now, for the very special giveaway!!!

Joy and Cindy at The Plum Tree are hosting

A Card Collection
for Our Troops

Giveaway!!

Just create or buy cards for the troops to use

or cards to encourage and support them

then send them in to The Plum Tree!

Your name will be entered to win

a $30.00 Plum Tree Gift Certificate!

Please click HERE to visit The Plum Tree blog if you have any questions and their address is listed right at the top in the banner.

I hope you have the best Friday ever!

xxoo, Dawn