Oh Me Oh My!!

This is a sketch I drew and colored in with colored pencils, I Love to doodle and have been creating art all day!

I am shocked at myself! I have made it here with something to post 3 days in a row now!!! I do feel guilty though as my mom is back in the hospital and cannot walk, she hurt her hip in a fall. So it's back to the nursing home for her for therapy to walk again.

A little angel on a 3x3 canvas. I was experimenting with crackle gel........

I have to say I am proud of this canvas! I Love how it turned out. I was playing and had no real idea in mind except I altered the image in photoshop ( the little i know about it) and tore out a book page and went to town, again doodling with the flowers, I painted her head to be a flower fairy. I added a poem around the sides of the canvas: "Pretty little flower fairy come out to play, Watch for them in your garden on a sunny day!"

here is a close up of the scarf from the previous post of my head. (below)

the scarf goes around my head twice and I tie it to the side on top, It's pretty long. FUN to make!!

Me in all my glory!

OMGosh I am here 2 days in a row!! This is a self pic as I was standing in front of the mirror so I could see to shoot! Funny hair you say?? My hubby agrees! I always get hot with hair on my neck so I grab something to keep it off my neck and face. I started to make the scarves that is on my head with my sewing machine and odd strands of yarn and that wash-out stabilizer. It was really fun and I went out and got a whole bunch of yarns and ribbons to make more. I looked in the clearance section of the stores. You don't need pricey yarns or ribbons to make one, just use what yu can find and anything goes! First i cut a piece of the stabilizer and laid it on the table, then I started to pick out yarns and ribbons to lay on it as wide as I wanted. I layed them to one side of the sheet so I could fold over the other side and sew like a mad woman!! I used that crazy thread that has differant colors on one spool but anything will do. You have to really sew up and down and all over to make sure that when you wash out the stabilizer the yarns/rtibbons stay together. Then you wash the stabilizer out and let the scarf dry on a towel. You can make them as long or short as you want. use them for wall hangings, headbands, decorative scarfs for around your neck etc. I used thick yarn and fun fur yarn anything that was on clearance. You can make them to match outfits or monochromatic or rainbow or anyways you want. The most important thing is to have fun!!! You really don't need sewing skills to make these . Now GO to your studio and create ART!!!

I received some "frozen Charlottes" and wanted to show then off! I do prefer the ones from Germany and believe the ones with moving arms are from Germany and maybe aren't "frozen" as they have moving arms.... You tell me :)................................

A Favor Please :)

Well see I am so inspired now I am back again twice in one night!!! I am here this time for a request I'd like to ask you.... I have posted a photo of my dear Black Lab, Dixie Mae on Martha Stewarts web site for her pet contest for spring :) would you Please go check her out and rate or comment on her photo ? Go look at all the pretty pets dressed up for Spring!!! Or you could add your pet's photo!! It's fun!! This is the photo I submitted :) Thanks !!! Hugs to all!!!
xoxo,
Dawn
I've made it easy and just click on the link below and Look for Dixie Mae! Thank you !

Dixie Mae on Martha!

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