Oh How Time Flies!!

Here is the pendant part of the necklace below made entirely from steel wire and old book pages!

I can't believe how long it has been since my last post! Taking care of my mom takes allot of my time and I don't like to leave her sit alone while I sit on the computer. She is doing allot better since her surgery on Dec 10Th! She washed a bit of dishes the other day and her energy is increasing! We can already see a difference as she is not so out of breath just from taking a shower or walking down the hall. Thank you all for your well wishes and prayers they helped allot!

I hand made the chain using vintage glass beads from an old necklace that was falling apart. This is really comfortable to wear and lite weight and rests nicely around the collar! It was much fun to make!! I've gotten alot of compliments on it so far while wearing it out!


Here it is!! The charm bracelet I created from the Charms I received from the swap I was in at Hannah Grey. I LOVE all the charms and was so excited to put them on a bracelet to wear for all to see!!!

I am in another charm swap for another group and the swap theme is "Green" as in recycling, re purposed etc. So I found some paint chip sample cards I got while trying to decide which color to paint my studio (which isn't done yet,but I think I've decided on celery green) Then I had some wire I had gotten all kinked up , but I saved it "just in case" so this was perfect to make the bird nest charms out of. The wire is sterling silver and the small blue washed out wood beads are vintage from a garage sale last year,the leaves are from an old flower brooch that was a mess so I used the leaves and the sheet music is also from a garage sale. It was loads of fun to create these and I hope who-ever receives them likes them :)

I will be posting more photos as I got a new digital camera from my hubby :) and am learning to use it( just when i got used to the old one ) I am going to get differant lenses for it like my other one so I can do more photography this summer. I took a class while in grade school and in High school for photography and LOVED it, so I want to do more as the snow melts and the spring flowers come. I should hopefully have more time to post as my hubby went back to school for graphic design and he now has his own laptop which frees mine up :) I am so proud of him for going back to school!!! Thank you for taking the time to check out my blog!
Hugs,
Dawn Marie

My Heart Breaks...

I usually don't voice my opinion much but I am terribly bothered by the lack of caring for ones neighbor. I belong to freecycle(yahoo group) in my area and am saddened to see the many people asking for extra deer meat from the hunters this year as many don't have the money / jobs to feed their familys. It saddens me to think of children going hungry or mothers and fathers going hungry leaving the food for their kids to eat instead. It makes me cry and wish I could win the lottery just to feed and help the people who need it right now. I to am one of those people who need things from time to time as money is so tight, but I always give to people in need. If you sence someone may be having finacial problems just give them 5-10 dollars in an envelope in their mailbox. you dont need to confront them . I wish I could end this terrible crises in OUR own country. there are more people without jobs and or money then ever before in our history. Make a differance if only at Christmas time and donate to the less fortunate this year in your own community's. I know that donating to foundations is a good thing but the ones who need the most help are living in your neighborhoods and possibly your neighbors. One by one we can make a differance and make a better place for our kids and grandkids and show them what its like to give and help someone else.
Ok i will get off my soap box now in tears and hope!
hugs,
Dawn

In Time....

OHH my favorite things... while scrolling down you will find some art and some of my lucky finds I got this summer. The first find was the dressmaker form from an antique sale for 30.00!! the next was this FREE vintage wedding gown!!! I was filled with glee and still am! It's amazing the things oyu will find if oyu wait and look to find things reasonable.. I hope you enjoy your time here!
An Old wood toolbox filled with vintage christmas ornaments.. I'm excited for Christmas!!
A Baby fairy asleep in my nest... SHHHHH
Here are the wee mice DH created. They are so cute you want to hold them and expect them to move!!
A wee fairy attached to a jumbo paper clip hiding in the dried flowers.. these make great gifts and are fun book marks as the fairys sit on top of the book when closed!!
Another thing I LOVE is pin cushions!!! I found the little lady at an antique store and the vintage handbags at garage sales, I am so happy with my finds this summer!!!
Can you spot the 2 little sculptures of mice my hubby made?? They are sooo cute I want every one he creates!! The bucket behind was an old coffee can I remade to hold plain tags.
A shelf in my studio filled with treasures!!

I LOVE antique dolls and the larger doll was in a plastic bag with 4 other dolls for 6.00!! The babes in the nest are not antique but adorable just the same.



This is a charming antique doll i picked up at a sale at one of the antique stores this summer, she is 10-12" if you have any idea on where I can get a pattern for clothes that are true to her I'd love to know!!
I bet you can tell where this idea came from.... Cloth paper scissors!! I used stuff from my stash and inside added irridecent pearls and a wish ticket that I added german glass glitter to which will tarnish with age. We had our first snow fall and I really felt wintery. I used an old bayer asprin bottle and paper clay for his head and a vintage rhinestone heart from my mom for his scarf. The scarf is 100% wool felt. They are so adorable and so very vintage looking. Oh not to forget I picked up some mica flakes at walmart in Marth Stewarts line and I used that to cover his head and hat,the mouth and eyes are brads i painted black... go make a few ,they make you HAPPY!!!
This is 3D. I created the angel using foam core and attached wire to make a birdcage on her chest then created a canvas background to mount her on, It was very freeing and was something i felt I "had" to do.

18x24 canvas done in fluid acrylics

Alot has gone on in my life since I last posted and I've so missed sharing my art with you. I have some photos of some pieces I've done since July and a bit of news on my dear mother . My art has been accepted at the Celeste Art Gallery In Pequot Lakes ,MN. My Hubby has shown interest in sculpture with prosculpt poly clay and is AMAZING!! His work is also in the gallery, I'm so proud of him!!!
Mom has been failing in her health fpor the past couple years with this year being the worst. She needs to have both valves replaced in her heart and this will involve open heart surgery. This is a life or death situation. If she chose not to have surgery she would only be with us maybe 6 months to a year with getting worse every day. Right now she can do nothing on her own and I am her total care giver. After meeting with the heart specialist on Tuesday she has decided to go ahead with the surgery, she's 80 yrs old but in good health other wise so her mortality rate is only 5% which is very good for someone her age. We are all looking forward to her recovery and back to being able to do things as she can, but relying on someone else for your care is frustrating and I'm glad I can be here for her. So prayers are welcomed and much thanks for them !!
Here are some little wool felt birds I made and I created the pattern myself and they are handsewn I had so much fun with them it led to other patterns for pin cushions etc...

This cutie I got at our town's annual crazy daze sale when all the stores on main street set tables out in the street with sale merchandise. I think $1.00 was a steal for this!!!

Parting is such sweet sorrow

Saying goodbye to a loved one who is just visiting is sad to me but losing someone forever and not to be able to hug them or see them again is a tragedy to me

On Thursday July 3rd, 2008 I had to make the hardest decision in my life so far and that was saying goodbye to my baby, Lady. She was 9 years old and after a tearful call to the vet begging them to please see her after hours as she was not well took me on a new journey of sorrow. After the vet looked and did her exam she gave me 2 choices, One was to have expensive surgery which would have been so hard on Lady and would not promise to cure her or let her go to the pet heaven. I would NOT make her suffer and so In complete breakdown asked the vet to please put her to rest. It has been almost 4 days now and the sadness has not lessened. Everywhere I look there is memorys of her laying in the path of walking or following me wherever I went. Pets are not just pets to me, they are a part of family and I love them as much as anyone in my family. I know alot of people think its not "normal" to think this way but it is how I am, a lover of ALL things alive. I had Lady cremated and her ashes will be put into a wood urn and a paw print was taken from her paw with clay. Lady will always be with me and I am so thankful I took alot of pictures of her and will never forget her. Now go hug your pet and be thankful they are with you still :) A hug for Lady if you will :)

Hugs,

Dawn

A Minute of pure Bliss

AHH I found a minute of ME time to catch a breath and fill you in on what's been happening in the life and times of Me, my Family and my Art.
My mom has been having a terrible time over the winter so off to the Dr we went. After a heap of tests and an echo of her heart the Heart Dr has informed us that both of her valves in her heart are worn out. Which means she has "moderate to severe" leakage and is causing her to be so weak and feeling yuky. So now she has to make the decision to have open heart surgery to replace both valves :( With all the running to the dr etc and just daily care and family I seem to have less time to spend creating. I got to steal a bit of time and run over to the antique store 3 blocks away so I could be out in the nice weather and feel the sun on my face! Oh how lovely is the sun???!!! I also got mom to sit outside with me for awhile while I did some watercolor work sitting in the sun! It was BLISS! I was productive and have yet to scan my watercolor pieces but will hopefully get on that in a couple days after more Dr trips. So I am excited to show you the AWESOME find from the antique store near my house! I walked in and looked to my right by the register and the glass case which holds some awesome stuff and saw a wooly toy! I walked fast over to the case and asked the lady if I could see the little Lamb. She got it out and I held it and inspected it and was in LOVE! It is completely hand needle felted and is about the size of a newborn lamb! It's amazing and wonderful and I HAD to have her! So since I didn't have alot of time I went on home happliy with my purchase of the little lamby! I took a couple views of her so you can see she has ears and a tail and is proportioned correctly and is just perfectly vintage and well loved, but in great condition! She even has a little pink wool yarn bow around her neck... well just LOOK!!!

Isn't she adorable??? She's standing on an 8x8 block of wood! Her name is Annabelle and I plan on making her a little tag and collar. Perhaps a small bell to :) I Love her!















I completed a couple of jewelry pieces for Hannah Grey and was in a vintage springy mood hence the flowers :) One is a braclett and the other a necklace. I used 1" circle collage sheet from Hannah Grey called "Flower Girls". I have so many ideas planned for this sheet and have some work already done but will have to post seperate. Go check out the great stuff at HANNAH GREY!









This is my version of a "gypsy bag". I have alot of muslin and decided to stamp the image onto a piece of fabric and quilt it onto a bag I could use when I go for walks to collect found items on the ground. Yes , I have a very embarresed hubby who rolls his eyes when his wife looks on the ground for "junk"! I havn't "aged " this yet, but plans to make a ton of these is in my head! I created this with NO pattern. I do bring it in the car when we go to the Dr or grocery store,walks etc to collect the things I find so they don't get lost again and sometimes things need to be washed a bit. This bag can be thrown into the washer and hung dry ready to use the next morning! I challenge you to create your own "gypsy bag" to collect stuff or just to have hanging in your studio to look pretty :) If you do make one of these bags please let me know so I can take a peek at yours :) I LOVE to look at other peoples work!



Here is one of the water colors I did using watercolor oil pastels and a watered down paintbrush. I have no clue if the quote has been said before, but it popped into my head and I went with it! Watercolors are my favorite , this will be given framed for my mom for Mothers Day along with a couple of "hankie ladies" I have in my head :) Well my dears I must go put clothes in the dryer so I may go to bed and get up and bring mom to the eye DR. She has cateracts and is being tested for gloucoma.... It never ends... Tomarrow is a new day and a new begining, I wonder what it will bring.......
xoxo
Dawn

Something new

I painted this for my mom's 80th Birthday present. It was painted on one of those chunky canvas's and sits on the table or shelf by itself. I think it's 3-4" thick! I had so much fun doing this as it was a labor of love. She looks at it everyday and it gives me great joy to see she loves it so much! I always make her something special for her birthday and Christmas and she loves to take what I make and show her friends at church. I've got some more things for you to see further down. I hope you enjoy looking as much as I did creating!

This is ONE of my new summer bags I created! I got the pattern out of a quilting magazine and it is so easy to make! It's lined and even has pockets on the inside for cell phone ect. One handle is shorter then the other so you slip the longer handle through the shorter one and WALA! I've been in a sewing mode for a short time now and LOVE looking for remnants at the fabric store!! I need to finish a baby quilt for a shower I was invited to on sunday and a few vintage stuffed toys and will post them when I'm done or shortly after.


Little Bunny FOO-FOO. She was both hand and machine sewn. I embroidered on her dress and her head. The flower on her pocket(which can hold small things) was made using wool and then appliqued on using a vintage button for the center of the flower. Her head and arms are linin and her legs are wool felt. The details on her face are either embroidered or wool felt sewn on.So much fun to make!!!

I really love how this turned out! I cut a heart from a cardboard box and collaged it, I made it with someone special in mind so it's a secret untill she receives it.







This is "Raz" and he's the newest needle felted bear I created! He started out as a smudge of roving and with some loving pokes he got his own personality. He is 5 way jointed so posing is fun! His head turns and he's firm but soft feeling. He's so sweet and his tuft of hair sticking up on top of his head makes him look squeezable! Needle felting is another favorite thing to do.









Here are the NEW guys (and gal)! They are hand sewn from wool felt! The book I used to create them is called "The Cute Book". After I used some of the templates in the book I went off on my own and started freehand monsters! Thats one of them on top of the jar of flowers. He was white wook felt and I used dyes after he was made and then rinsed him out and he's a wild man! The elephant was made from a differant book called softies. I LOVE to sew and small things by hand are so relaxing watching tv at night and you can make many in one night as they are about 3 inches tall and MR elephant is about 7-8". I have some made up in my purse and when people are nice to us or need cheering we give them these felties and it makes all involved feel GREAT! RAK to perfect strangers in person is a wonderful experiance! Especially small children waiting patiently in line or shopping with there parents ! I was at the fabric store a couple weeks ago and a little girl was looking through the bins I was looking in, The dollar stuff and clearance stuff. She was eyeing and trying on bracelets and I didn't see her mom anywhere. I had a dollar in my pocket and the bracelets were 50c so I gave her a dollar and told her to pick out a couple :) It made me almost jump for joy to see the happy smile she got! She quickly ran to her mother and I stood out in the isle so her mom could see I wasn't a kook, but someone who wanted to give and her mom thanked me many times as did the little girl! I LOVE doing stuff like that, it's very rewarding!
I've got more creations to take photos of and will post when I get to it (soon I hope). I've also been dying scrapes of fabric,rayon ribbon and cotton twine and I'm liking what I see! I now need more colored dyes! Art is so healing to me and to be able to share it with you makes it so much more fun! Enjoy and come back soon !
xoxo,
Dawn

Blizzard in April ?

Dixie KNOWS her ball is under there somewhere!
Jump amoung the trees in the summer :) yes thats a trampoline out there in the back yard.
It was really pretty and made me think we should christmas shop :)

Last weekend was a terrible time to drive! The photos I took of the snow falling turned out all WHITE, IMAGINE THAT! I guess this is the joys of living in Minnesota! This morning its almost 45 already and it's sposed to be nice all week and real warm THIS COMING weekend! I'm hopeful, But anything goes when you live in the northern climate! We got 12 inches on top of the over foot already on the ground! The poor trees with all that weight! Hope it's Nice where you are!!
xoxo
Dawn