Our sweet little tree ~

Aren't you just about sick of me talking about this ol' Christmas tree?

Oh well, it's what I'm doing and you know good and well

that my blog is all about what I'm up to!

I had to take a few photos today to show you how the decorating is progressing.

The funny thing????

You don't even NOTICE the snow I painted and the glitter...

WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS I THINKING??!!

Oh well....

I'm not quite finished but wanted to share

how the tree is looking with you.

I found six of these gorgeous votives at Ross last week.

They have a beautiful pearl finish and a silver emblem on the front ~

and for only a buck a piece, they were mine!

And I just have to share this sweetness with you!!!

Brent and Emily took the babies to Bass Pro Shops to see Santa and

this is the adorable photo Brent took with his phone...

I LOVE IT!!!

Clara was SO proud to see Santa that she RAN to him!

Can you believe that?

No crying and not scared one little bit!

Just look at her precious hand resting on Santa's hand....

I have a few wonderful friends that have new blogs!

If you would be so kind to pay them a visit and give them a little blog love

I would be so very grateful!!!

A precious childhood friend (I think we were 13 when we met)

Sharon and her new blog:

The Second Half of Life

and

Sue of Miss Phoebe's Perch ~

Please welcome them both into this wonderful blogging world!!!!

Wishing you a wonderful December weekend precious friends,

hugs and love,

Dawn

So...where does the time go?

Do you ever feel like life is flying by you at warp speed???!!

Seems that having a precious granddaughter
really shows me how fast time flies....

and just look at my little chick babies!!!!

WHAT? They look like real chickens now ~

Now we have to build the pen to attach to the coop....

Ugh. more moola for supplies ~

plus Brent has to build the little ramp

for them to travel up into the coop too!

Right now I take them out daily to play in a giant dog pen in the yard.

They just love it!!!

And I can see that they are SO getting ready to have their own big ol' pen.

I had to run to Walmart today to get a few goodies and look at this wonderful display!!!

Doesn't it look so very "spring"?????

I have a few wonderful things I'd love to share with you ~

My sweet friend Deneen of Dreaming in Color has created the most

WONDERFUL sign!!!!!

It's a PB (Pottery Barn) copy and she has done THE most amazing job.....

CLICK HERE

to visit Deneen to see her handiwork......

and maybe even purchase her sign????

I love it so much....

I want one too!!!

Plus, I have to share with you a brand-spankin' new blog....

A friend and past dealer in my little antique store

Devon, has started her very own blog!!!

It's called Ironstone and Pine.....

 

Devon is such a newbie and has always had such amazing taste ~

I hope you'll stop by and say hello and

welcome her into the fold....

and show her true blog love!!!!

So what did I CREATE today???

I worked on prototype packaging for our July Market show in Atlanta

for Shop Fun Soap!!!!

I'm always trying to think of something that YOU

would love....because then I KNOW it would sell!!

I can't show pics yet but we're working very hard

to get ready for market ~

Thank you always, always for visiting me here ~

and especially for your precious comments!!

Have a great Thursday my dear friends,

hugs and love,

Dawn

A wonderful day with my Georgia friends!

Oh my goodness....we had the best time Saturday!!!!

The weather was heavenly, even a little on the cool side ~

of course, I loved it!!

Tammy from The Other Side of Me

picked me up at my house (she drove an hour just to get to me!)

and we headed to the restaurant.

It took about an hour and a half to get there but it seemed to fly by

because Tammy and I were talking non-stop!

What an incredible group of women!!!

I loved them all....such creative and sweet friends ~

It's just amazing to me that because of blogging

we are able to get to know one another through our blogs
and then when we finally meet...
it's like seeing a long, lost friend!!

Sharon and Yvette did the most amazing job

getting it all together ~ thank you girls so much!

Gifts where everywhere ~

Sharon took the time to make each girl there a gift too!

I had to show you Tammy's apron she bought at Farm Chicks last year ~

She was adorable in it!

One of Sharon's beautiful gifts to me....

The whole gang...

These last few photos are from Suzanne's blog Pink Roses....

A gorgeous apron handmade and worn by Susan of Art of Mine!

Debbie of Debbie's Designs won my artwork!

We posed as the sweet waitress took our photos

and then headed out to do a little antiquing.....

Here is a list of all the sweet Georgia girls and their blogs:

(Thank you so much Suzanne for gathering this info together!)

Suzanne Duda - Pink Roses

Sharon Kyser - Shardon Exclusives

Lynn Cliburn - Lynn's Lovelies

Kathy Lowry - Country Chintz

Yvette Adams - The Charm House

Debbie Saenz - Debbies Designs

Susan McDowell - Art of Mine

Janice Young - Handiworks by Janice

Marcy Antle - Queen Marcy Originals

Hero Mason - las creaciones de boricua

Tammy Lucik - The Other Side of Me  

 

I'll share a few more photos of the beautiful gifts

I received plus my shopping finds later on today ~

What a beautiful day

with these beautiful women!!!!


Be sure to stop by Cora's blog Clearly Vintage
for some gorgeous images on THIS POST!

Wishing you a wonderful Monday dear friends,

hugs and love,

Dawn

ps. I'll share more about a few neat things that are happening as soon

as the details are ironed out ~

thank you always for your precious comments

you don't realize how much

they mean to me!!!

Aren't we all such kindred spirits?

I've been creating...but not how you may think!!

A sweet friend,
a very talented friend
is on the brink of joining us here
in this land of blog!!!!

I've been creating Ann a blog and
I'm almost ready to introduce her!!

But for now....I will give you a tiny taste
of her beautiful handiwork ~

This first photo is her rendition of my Baby Shoe Pincushion tutorial!
Isn't it GORGEOUS??!!

And here are a few more of Ann's breathtaking creations:

I won't show you any more because
I really don't want to steal her thunder!
But you know when you've met a kindred spirit, don't you?
I'll be introducing her blog VERY soon!

Gale of Wizard of Once Was is having a giveback ~
over and above the OWOH giveaway!
~Just click here to see her beautiful pillows and enter to win ~

And Pat of Bird Nest On The Ground
is celebrating her 2 Year Blogiversary!!!
~ Just click HERE to visit her blog and comment to win ~

Can you believe January is almost over??
Time is so fleeting....we truly must relish each and every moment ~

Wishing you a very happy Thursday dear friends!
hugs and love,
Dawn

Show n' tell ~

Look who's joined the Artist Class team!!!! Lori if My Faerie Window!!!
Click here to see the beautiful project she will be teaching you how to create!!!

Just look at these adorable mitten ornaments that Nancy of Nancy's Creations made with her mom!!! She used my tutorial (it's FREE, listed in my left sidebar) to make them ~ They are so pretty Nancy....perfect to tie on a gift or hang on the Christmas tree!!!

Another great giveaway is being hosted by Cheryl at Zany Mayd!!!
Look at the vintage goodies she's offering to the lucky winner ~
JUST CLICK HERE TO COMMENT TO WIN!!

And a new-to-me blog that I've found....Sweet Millies!
I'd love for you to stop by and say hello if you have a minute ~
Just click here to visit!!

What I love about blogging ~

There are many reasons why I love to blog ~ to exchange creative inspiration, meet sweet new friends....who may live very far away but have so much in common with me, to share ideas, thoughts, even recipes.....but most of all it's the caring. The genuine heartfelt caring that is here in this land of blog. If you are going through a trying time in your life or just a rough day, your friends here will lift you up and cheer you on!!




My sweet friend Lee of Weber's World - The Way I See It is having a giveaway on her blog for some of her goodies....and you know what you have to do to win??? Go visit her dear friend Julie's blog, Prairie Thistle and comment....just comment on any post, tell her hello and just give her some blog love!!!! Then go back and let Lee know you did and you're entered in to win.
How wonderful is THAT???

Take a look in Julie's Etsy shop if you can, her jewelry creations are beautiful!

Lee, the goodness will return to you sweetie, it always does ~

Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday sweet friends,
hugs and love,
Dawn

A few links for you ~

First, I want to thank you so much for your well wishes, you all are absolutely the best friends EVER! I have a horrible u.t.i., which is really t.m.i. but it has knocked me down. But I'm taking really good care of myself now and hopefully this thing will be gone soon!!
I love you all so much ~

I want to show a little link love here and point you to something wonderful that KC Willis is offering now, Studio Retreats!!! She's offering retreats to go and visit with her in her Colorado studio and learn her techniques in person!!

A small excerpt from her Retreat Page:

"I have never opened up my studio space for teaching before...and no it is not the same little studio you saw on the Collage Camp videos...it's a whole new place. (Pictures of its awesomeness coming soon.) I have had such a great time working with over a hundred artists and soon-to-be-artists over the Internet. To work side by side with you is going to be amazing. Even if you have participated in Collage Camp...this will be different. This will be an opportunity to further explore the techniques you learned at Camp, as well as learn new ones as you work directly with KC."

KC's artwork is just amazing so I can't imagine how wonderful these retreats will be!!

JUST CLICK HERE TO VISIT HER RETREAT WEBSITE :)

KC is having a giveaway for all those who post about her new retreats ~
You can read about it: HERE!

I have a couple of new bloggers that I've come across too, and I LOVE introducing new blogs!!! The first one is Kim at Fille de Fleur ~ I can tell already I'm going to love visiting her blog ~ I love her taste!!!! I'd love for you to stop by and say hello sometime.....just CLICK HERE to visit ~

This next new blogger is Virginia of Made with Love! She lives on Tybee Island and my son David who lives in Savannah is friends with her son Josh, how cool is that???

I can tell she's such a sweetheart and loves being creative. She's just started blogging too ~ I'd love for you to stop in and say hello to her as well when you can.....just CLICK HERE to visit Virginia!!

You all are absolutely WONDERFUL!!!!
xxoo, Dawn

Wonderful finds and a finished canvas ~

We loaded Noah up Saturday and headed out! First stop was The Big Peach antique mall in Byron, GA. Noah was a really good sport about antiquing....the sweet child has been around them all of his life! I started with my first antique space when he was just a baby and he would sit sweetly in the stroller as I arranged my wares. He enjoyed getting to eat out, and getting a little fresh air too.

I found a few little things. I'm cheap....and hunt to find a good price. Dennis found the pretty oval dish for me and the small jar and the prices were just what I love! The wooden baskets are for the studio and of course I couldn't pass up the small bird books.

Next we headed to a wonderful, large Barnes & Noble in Macon. I just love this store....the smell, the magazines, the books ~ everything about it! Noah found a few good books about sports cars and believe it or not, I didn't buy a book or a magazine. I found this wonderful wooden artist hand and have always wanted one, so I splurged and bought it! It will be a great addition to the studio too.

I finally finished the bird canvas that I was working on too!! I added a few small pieces of lichen (sp?) and seed pods in the bird's mouths ~ now to hang it!!

I have a new blog friend that I'd love to introduce to you ~ Lorraine Stobie of Creative Daily! She's a published artist and is giving a class at Creative Workshops on Soldering ~
So if you've been wanting to learn how to do this....head on over!
Welcome to blogging sweet Lorraine, you'll love it!

Another new blogger and artist that I've discovered is Helen Wheeler-Shaw of The Willows Nest!
Just look at her sweet bird painting.....I'm so glad you're here Helen ~

Tuesday morning we have an appointment with Noah's surgeon to see how his leg's healing. It's been four weeks already, can you believe that? He's getting stronger by the day and more agile too.

Thank you always for stopping by to see me. I hope you have a great Monday sweet friends ~
xxoo, Dawn

What an amazing weekend!!!!

This past weekend was just wonderful!!! Tammy of The Other Side of Me hosted a Girl's Weekend Getaway at her home in Gray, Georgia. She invited me to attend and teach an art class about one of my projects that I'd made in the past, a plate collage. She sent her gorgeous invitations and there ended up being eight of us girls all together. Let me tell you, this was a PRECIOUS group of women!!!!!

I'm amazed at how women who have never laid eyes on each other before, can gather in a beautiful studio, surrounded by things they love, and can INSTANTLY bond with one another and just be truly KINDRED SPIRITS!

Tammy was the most amazing hostess with an impeccable attention to detail....gift baskets CHOCK FULL for each and every person, she created each one of us beautiful aprons to wear, lunch at a nearby tea room and even fresh roses by each bed. It was wonderful!

Here is the gift that I gave Tammy in appreciation
for her inviting me and a tiny version for her
sweet little three year old!

Just look at Tammy's studio and all of the gift baskets! We each made something for one another to be added to the baskets ~

Tammy's new studio was wonderful, inspiration was everywhere!

A peek at the sweet aprons Tammy created ~

A few supplies for the project ~

Here is our wonderful group!!! (L-R) Ruth (Tammy's mom), Judy (Tammy's SIL), Luz, Lee, Tammy, Angela, Natalea and yours truly.....

Look at the yummy lunch we enjoyed after the class at a local tea room!!!

Sweet Tammy with her beautiful collaged plate creation!

Everyone's beautiful plates together!

We had dinner by the pool and really enjoyed getting to know one another better. I didn't feel my best this weekend but being with these girls made me forget all about it!!! This pretty much covers Friday's activities and tomorrow I'll share more about what we did Saturday!

Aren't you amazed how these blogs of ours bring us together? I told Tammy that if we didn't have our blogs we would have never met one another and enjoyed such a special weekend together!

Thank you so much Tammy again for including me and I have to tell you what an honor and pleasure it has been to meet each and every one of you precious women.....

Wishing you a wonderful Monday sweet friends!!
xxoo, Dawn