Always seeking beauty ~

With blogs, Pinterest, Facebook and so many other internet venues

you can find tons of wonderful websites, blogs and shops

that are filled with beautiful things that you love!!!

I have to share a recent find with you

because I know you will love Gerda too ~

Her blog name is idemakeriet and I have so enjoyed

going through her posts...seeing her gorgeous photographs

and wonderful creations.

If you have a bit of time, be sure to take a look...

you will love her too!!

And the baby shower was just WONDERFUL!!!

My sweet Mother-in-law made homemade chicken salad sandwiches...

and my dear niece Adrian made the most delicious chocolate-covered

strawberries and strawberries with marshmallow cream cheese dip!

Emily was beautiful and such a sweetheart ~

here are a few photos I wanted to share with you....

Below are just the beginnings of the gifts arriving...

Spinach dip and crackers ~

My simple cupcakes!

Adrian's strawberries and my fruit tea...

Precious big sister Clara...looking all grown up to me!!

Yummy chicken salad croissants ~

Aren't the strawberries beautiful???

Clara was so very proud of her doll blanket I made her!

I love my sweet cousin Beth smiling in the background...

Plus I had to give her a little doll cradle, just so she could play "mommy" too ~

Emily opened so many sweet gifts and believe me,

little Murray has a entire wardrobe waiting on him now!!!!

And you have got to look at these precious things!!

My cousin Beth saw the idea on Pinterest and DID IT!

These are receiving blankets all coiled up

with a onesie nestled in the center and pulled up a bit.

Then you put a coffee filter on the bottom,

tie with ribbon and they look like cupcakes!!!

Too sweet...

We all had such a great time and now...we WAIT!!

Our little baby Murray is due September 9th ~

Thank you so much for stopping by to visit...

I hope you have a WONDERFUL week 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

What love built ~

First, I have another wonderful image for you!
I found her while antiquing Saturday....

And what DID love build??
Our sweet son Brent built a beautiful trellis for his wife Emily
over their front walk and I had to show it to you!!
They will have a gorgeous vine growing over it soon ~

And look at this angel!!!! Growing so very fast!!!!
Can you believe Clara will be one year old in March???

And now I can introduce you to a precious friend Ann of The Tin Rabbit!!!
She's just put up her very first post!!!
Please welcome her and let her know how wonderful blogging is ~
I'm so glad you're here Ann!!!!

And I have to show you this precious bear
that Marva of Purplepaint's Muse
transformed into vintage goodness!!!
I just love her! I have such a soft spot
in my heart for bears ~
Marva saw the little tutorial in my side bar
about how I love doing this...

A sweet Valentine giveaway from Diane at Diane Knott's Musings!!
~Just click HERE to enter ~

I hope you have a wonderful Monday sweet friends!
hugs and love,
Dawn

So what can you do with a $5 mirror?

I forgot to show you something else we found last weekend while in the mountains. My husband has a good eye for knowing what I love and also for finding a great deal!! Well, he found this beautiful mirror for only FIVE DOLLARS! Yes, the mirror finish is a little mottled and their were chunks of the mirror paint that were completely gone ~ it didn't matter, I loved it!!

When I saw how easily the mirrored finish was flaking off, I remembered an idea I saw somewhere, maybe you can remember where....but you use paint stripper on the back side of the mirror to remove part of the finish to expose the clear glass. I've been wanting to do this FOREVER and finally found the perfect mirror to experiment the technique!

The paper backing was already gone so I cleaned the front and back with a wet rag, a little dish soap and dry paper towel. I took the mirror outside, laid it face down and painted the stripper on the back. Not over the entire back, I wanted it to have a natural look to it so I left around the edges solid but in the center I blobbed it on pretty thickly. I used a gel stripper too. I waited 30 minutes and scraped what I could off. I had to apply the stripper three separate times to achieve the look that I ended up with. If I were to get a razor blade I could scrape a little more off but I would have to do it carefully as I wouldn't want it to "look" scraped.

So now I need to decide what to place in the new opening!! I used a couple of prints my sweet friend Marcie sent me just to give you an idea of what it will look like ~ I think I'm going to get an image that I love enlarged to place in the opening....I'll be sure to share photos when I finish it!
Maybe I'll take the photo with the mirror in front of a blank wall, not my cluttered studio :)

The mittens are coming along...they still need a little sparkly snow dust!!!

I'd like to introduce you to another new blogger friend of mine!! You have GOT to see her amazing photography....AMAZING.....her Photoshop skills are very evident in her beautiful art ~ Please visit Anji of Distractions when you get a moment and you can see more of her art HERE.

And I HAVE to share with you the gorgeous project that Lori of Faerie Window has contributed to Artist Class!!! This beautiful embellished box ~ I've got to make one!

And one last little goodie, Sandy of Quill Cottage
is having a giveaway of her beautiful Autumn banner
that she created for Artist Class!!!
There are so many wonderful projects offered ~

She's giving away the actual banner that she created while making the tutorial ~
Hurry over and enter.....the contest ends Saturday, Oct. 31st!
JUST CLICK HERE AND COMMENT TO BE ENTERED

Whew!!! I hope this post wasn't too long for you...but I had a lot to share!

Thank you so much for your sweet comments and for visiting me,
I appreciate you more than you'll ever know ~

Wishing you a very happy Friday!
hugs and love,
Dawn

May I introduce you to . . .

We have a wonderful new blog friend in our midst! If you would please welcome my sweet friend Vikki to this amazing and inspiring land of blog . . . you will just love her and her artwork! Her blog is Humble♥Heart and she is an angel!

A beautiful young writer ~

I have to share with you a wonderful young blogger ~ her name is Sarah and she's such a sweetheart! Being only twelve years old, she writes poetry, builds fairy houses and loves all things beautiful . . . I would so love for you to stop by and tell her hello ~ the name of her blog is:

The World and It's Roses

Her mother, Elizabeth has a new blog as well. It is

Home Musings

Please spread the blogger love

like you all do so very well!!

Another blog to keep your eye on!!

I've known Faith for a few years now and she's just started blogging!! She loves beautiful vintage jewelry, vanity items and vintage clothing. Visit her new blog HERE. She's about to open an Etsy store to sell her wares and I just know that you will love what she has to offer. So keep checking her blog . . . her store should be up and running soon. You may just see something that you can't live without!!

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An image gift for you!!

I've had this sweetie for awhile and had her displayed on my inspiration board. I would glance at her from time to time and tell myself I need to scan and share her with you, so here she is!!!

Click to enlarge the photo, then right click your mouse, select save as or save target as and save her to your pictures folder! Enjoy using her in your artwork and let me know, I'd love to see it ~

Happy Wednesday! xxoo, Dawn