I'm always thankful for new beginnings!

 

Spring is on the way y'all!!!

I don't know why but every year, 

Spring makes me feel like wishing you "Happy New Year!!"

I haven't added a new blog post in a very long time.

Life just happens and sometimes,

it ain't pretty.

Here in Georgia, we've been having a few mild temps and sunny days!

Then we get hit by another cold weather front.

It's okay though, we all know Spring is just around the corner!

Something really cool happening in Thomaston.

A new antique mall/vendor supported store is about to open!

I'm going to share a space with our son Brad and

see if I can sell my wares!

I've purchased an old-fashioned flower press and

want to make artwork featuring beautiful flowers and plants.

These botanical ornaments are my first attempt to make something pretty!!!

These were so much fun to make!

Perfect for cabinet knobs, lamp switches or whatever.

Plus I'm going to start getting out and going junkin' too!

I recently went thrifting and found this amazing,

brand new set of watercolor paints!

So I take that as a sign that it's time

to get back to painting too.

I don't know if anyone will read this blog post but

I just felt like sharing my good vibes!!!

Hugs and love,

Dawn

Welcome back sweet muse!

It's funny how our creative muse works (or doesn't!)

Seems mine's been on break for quite awhile but

is slowing returning!

I think it may be the changing of the seasons.

Fall is my very favorite and it always brings creativity!

So, in returning to blogging a little more often,

I thought I'd share a few projects that I've recently finished.

First, I've altered a beautiful bottle that I've had for years.

Yes, years.

It has beautiful lines and I finally decided it was time

to give it a facelift!

I've used wonderful wedding lace and even a piece of the back

of a vintage wedding dress to feature the gorgeous satin buttons.

Of course I had to add my favorite seam binding and

even a vintage rhinestone pin.

The French label is a favorite of mine and suited it perfectly!

The small ruffle under the satin button section is actually

the wrist section from a vintage sheer glove.

Yes, I cut it to pieces. But I only had one and now it looks

so pretty on the neck of the bottle.

It would look beautiful displayed in a bathroom or on someone's dresser.

I've added it to my Etsy store if you'd like to take a peek!!

CLICK HERE TO VISIT MY SHOP!

I also finished a few pressed flower bookmarks!

These have already sold but I plan on making more.

I have a huge phone book FULL of pressed flowers!

I'm sharing the photos below because I simply love drying flowers.

They are beautiful to me alive or as they dry!

And lastly, this girl.

Thelma seems to love my new throw and has claimed it as hers!

Next up?

I'm going to alter a few apothecary jars!

I'll be sure to share as soon as I'm finished ~

Thank you always for visiting me here!!!

hugs and love,

Dawn

A slight shift ~

As the sun was setting Tuesday evening, there was something

just a little bit different about the sky.

It's the difference that happens each and every year that I so love ~

A cool front had moved into Georgia
so the sky was that beautiful, crisp blue...
do you know the color I'm talking about?

There seemed to be more shadows from the magnolia trees
as I looked out the window

and for one brief second,

I felt as though I'd just had a glimpse of fall!!!

My little nature journal is getting quite FAT!

I've cut away pages to allow for the bulk of what I'm adding

but will still need to do away with more as I go ~

I have to tell you, this project has been quite therapeutic!

It's so relaxing adding the elements to each page.

As you can see, my layout is very simple

and that's how I want it to be.

I've crushed speckled egg shells ~

Added a blue jay feather I found outside ~

It's nothing fancy, just simple pages with spaces to write thoughts or nature poems you love ~

I'm also adding more of my pressed flowers here and there ~

My desk is a complete mess but who cares?

And can you see below how thick the little book is??

I'll be pruning more pages as I go to allow for the thickness of what I'm adding.

I'd even thought of cutting away a space in the remaining pages and

placing a nest inside...but haven't quite decided about that yet.

I wanted to show you how big my Liquitex matte gel medium jug is.

See the black Solo cup next to it?

I buy this 32 oz cont. at Dick Blick.com and with shipping it's about 23 bucks

and lasts me a really LONG TIME!

A teeny tiny container of it at Michael's is 12.99 the last time I checked.

And yes, I've used coupons but it's still about 8.00 for approx. a fourth of this jug!

And it lasts too, no drying up at all.

Here's the link...it's 32 oz. Matte Gel Medium for 13.59

I have GOT share something wonderful with you!!

Now that I'm getting my dental issue solved (today I get my temp. bridge,YAAAY!)

I've decided to go to the Country Living Fair this October!!!!

I just bought my ticket....

My sweet friend Karin of One Perfect Little Miracle and I are going to attend

the fair together on Saturday, Oct. 22 to see all that we can see!

What's so neat is that one of my dealers from when I owned the little antiques store

The Plum Tree, The Tattered Cat, will be selling there too ~ I can't wait to see Deborah....

her blog is Confessions of a Junkyard Cat, and this girl has AMAZING taste!

I hope you're doing so good and having a great week ~

Please know how I love that you stop by to see what I'm up to!!

Have a great Wednesday precious friends,

hugs and love,

Dawn

Back in the saddle again...

~ Adorable pic found here ~

Remember THIS post when I told you about finding my pressed flower collection?

I love them all so much and have been wanting to use them in my artwork ~

If you don't feel like clicking to the other post....

I added a few new flowers to my lovely yellow pages flower press that day ~

Hydrangeas and a single gladiola bud.

Here is the before shot:

Well, I checked on them today and LOOK at them now!!

Just GORGEOUS!!!!

So much texture and still traces of pale color ~

These little treasures give me so much joy....

Here's the before photo of the gladiola....

Look at this wonderful beauty now ~

No, it's not as vivid at all...it's even changed colors but

now it has those muted tones that I love.

I love the veining...

I bought these wonderful 2" beveled glass squares a few years ago

at an estate sale. The man was a stained glass artist....

So, I thought, add a tiny clipping from an old ledger book and

one of the pressed hydrangeas ~

I've added the copper foil tape and now I just have to solder it

and add a hanger on the top....a snippet of seam binding and it would

be a perfect charm for a knob or handle ~

And don't fall out of your chair,

but I even worked on ANOTHER piece of artwork!

It's not quite finished either but you know I HAD

to get back into that wax pot!!!

She's not quite finished yet...

~ The Prairie Girl ~

It's good to get into that creative saddle again ~

Seems our muse comes and goes, doesn't it?

Throw in real life, laundry, cooking, etc.

and it's hard to grab those precious moments

to nurture our creative soul.

I hope you have a great Monday dear friends,

big hugs and much love,

Dawn

Lost n' found ~

Another sunset to share with you....

we've been having so many gorgeous evenings lately!!!

So what was lost then found???

My pressed flowers!!!

We've lived here almost a year now (the end of Sept.)

and I stashed it away and haven't been able to find it this whole time ~

Finally, today I ran across it!!

Look at how teeny this fern is...I placed a pin beside it to give you an idea of it's size.

These are African violet blooms....I know I've shown you these before ~

 Here's a variety of flowers, nothing fancy ~

I love the texture of these....

I picked a hydrangea bloom and wanted to see if I could press pieces of it...

The color is fading on these but I love them so ~

Do you know what this is? I found it growing in our flower bed!

It's a little meaty to press but I have to try ~

My wonderful and fabulous flower press...a big ol' yellow pages book!

Have you heard of this store?

Our son Brad just loves it and he found me a few treasures here this past weekend ~

I guess their Spring items are on clearance and he bought me this set of three nests!!!

They are pine needles held together with something...I just love them ~

And what am I doing in the studio right now?

I've had a few commission jobs to work on

and one is a sweet little charm

for a friend ~

I love using these microscope slides but they are very tricky to cut smaller...

The charm holds an old photograph of Pam's father ~

she lost him several years ago but wanted to have charm

to wear in memory of him...

I'm a little rusty with the soldering but it came out pretty good!

It's only 1" x 1", teeny, right? :)

I need to get these projects completed (finishing my flea bag is next!)

so I can get the studio cleaned up for

Where Blogger's Create this Friday!!!!

I hope you have a wonderful Tuesday precious friends ~

hugs and love,

Dawn