Go Green Gift Wrapping

Spring is alway's the season for baby shower's, bridal shower's , oh , and of course spring shower's! Ha! And I don't just want common wrapping paper and cheap ribbon.. Boring! So when I had a Bridal Shower gift to dress up, I also had the challenge of doing it as Green as possible. Here's my result: I used recycled brown paper, vintage ribbon, and, an old French postcard used for my congrat's. It turned out slightly Rachel Ashwell, and i was pleased as punch!:) lovely day to ya!

Thought of the day

Once in a great while, out of all the crazy forwarded shtick I get from family, i read one that doesn't make me roll my eye's, but actually make's me chuckle. And this was one of those rare funnies..Have a happy Saturday!!

Family time is art time

I have alway's encouraged my kiddo to dive into art, whether it be paint, clay, charcoal, bead, sew, tool leather, etc etc, I want his creativity to soar! And I find some of my most heart warming moment's are when my son is working side by side with me making art.

I am alway's tickled to see what wonderful free flowing art comes from the mind, and eye of a child.
And what really gets me about my Skye ,is with all the colorful supplies I provide him, he alway's goes back to a simple drawing pencil, but oh how I love it. Particularly rendition's of me! Lol( you'll see!)

He sketches pad after pad)I usually get him the good Canson sketch pad's but I also stock up on 20 cent spiral's when it's school supply time.

No matter what medium we use I am alway's overjoyed it's together, and I hope my boy will think back at those Artful moment's with his mama...happy Wednesday:) Dawn

This is me: love his style!

This is his self portrait

While he was sketching, I made my version of my Skye. 

Eeeeasy Mexi Turkey Chili

You may be figuring out by now that I'm the queen of the soup, chili, chowder. And here's another family fave! One it's delish, two it's lowfat, and three it's super simple! Need I say more? Ok.. I'll say the recipe:

my hominy isn't in the pic,so don't forget it:)

-1 to 2lb of ground turkey
- 2 can's corn (juice and all)
- 2 can's blackbeans
- 2 pkg dry ranch dressing
- 2 can's white hominy
- 1 can rotel diced tomato's
- 1 can diced tomato's
- pepper, and season-salt to taste

-Simply cook your ground turkey in a pot with a little pepper, and season salt
- then add corn w/juice, blackbeans, hominy , dry Ranch, tomato's.
- stir and bring to a simmer
Done! It easily serves 6. Bon appettreat!

Here were some beautiful roses brought to me, fresh out of the garden!

Scratch and sniff roses!....just kiddin! Have a beauty of a day!

Some of the sweetest things..

...come in small, fuzzy, quackin package's. We love our local park, and our pond duckie's,. Especially when their adorable baby duckling's come along. Don't you find that almost anything baby is adorable? Well, except maybe baby roaches...anyhoo, nothing like a beyond cute, fuzzy duckling nibbling at your toes eh?! Have a peachy day! Dawn

On a whim

Some may look at the cloud's in the sky and see a cat or a whale. I guess that little childhood game kinda primed my eye to see thing's in ...blob's of paint for instance. Really,if you think about it, this could be a good exercise in spontaneous creativity. You should try it. Just make a bunch of random splotches, blotches, and drip's, on a poster board , then sit back and take a look at what you see... Take a black ballpoint and sketched away. Have some illustrative fun! Happy weekend!

Slighty creepy cloud

And of course the obvious....Jabba the hut eating a bird! lol!

When in doubt..bake a cake!

When you want something comforting after a long grueling work week, or week of school testing.. ( my kiddo). I always know a delicious chocolate cake, all dressed up , will be a big hit! In this case my little guy, just finished his first 2 week run of M.A.P. tests. It's a big deal for the school, and the kid's . So I wanted him to realize how proud I was of him, thusly "The Cake", which I added fresh blackberries along with his favorite cherrie's , and it was a yummy addition. A big ol' cold glass of milk, and I'd say it's a good way to end the week! Have a fab weekend!

Thrifty Thursday

I haven't hit the thrift store in quite some time and needed a fix. It's one of the few places you can buy a bag of goodie's for the price of a lunch! There was a good selection of lace and floral's, and oh the record player! I was looking for one and this would have been perfect, but lacked the needle! Ah well, I will continue to hunt, meanwhile I alway's find something! Happy Thursday!

Who need's a camera when you have a phone?

I am constantly amazed at all the awesome phone app's ( iphone for me) that are available particularly for photography! No matter what your skill level, anybody can take an professional looking picture's with your phone! The latest I have discovered, and love is Pixlromatic. It has so many different choice's of background, color, border etc. It has a free version that is totally great, and if you want even more choices, it's just a couple buck's. Either way, I highly recommend it! What's your favorite photo app, or other. I would love to know! :):):):)thankin ye kindly! Dawn

Doesn't this picture look like it's in another world? I love it!

As you can see, my 9yr old loves to alter photo's too!

If you give a friend a flower..

...It will surely make them smile! I once read in one of my old Victorian stories, about how they would take little bouquet 's and leave them hanging on the front door of a friend. Obviously this would bring delight to home owner when they opened the door and found the sweet little tussie mussie! The idea inspired me to make one of my own for a friend, but in my case she caught me hanging it on her back door! But as hoped for , it brought happiness to both of us, and i got a big ol hug out of it! Mission accomplished!   Happy Wednesday :) xo Dawn

A bowl of warm comfort

This past weekend was rainy, chilly and dreary. Perfect excuse to make one of my favorite tum yum's.. Soup! I am a fan of soup, all kind's, any time. Breakfast, lunch, or din, add a crusty piece of bread, and ,or a salad, and you have a near perfect meal...I need a hunk o' chocolate cake, and ThAt makes it perfecto ha! I decided on a rustic yet hearty bowl that was comprised of these simple ingredients:

- 1 head of cabbage ( chopped roughly)
- 1 large yellow onion(chopped)
- 12 or so, new baby red, and gold potatoes (skin's on ,chopped, bite size)
- 1 or 2 pkg polish sausage(cut into bite size)
- garlic powder, paprika, salt, & pepper
( I put spices in to taste, I just shake, taste, tweak!)
- 8 beef bouillon cubes

-I used my crock pot and filled just over half with water. Of course you can stove top it in a pot if you like!
-Then I tossed in my bouillon, salt, pepp, garlic powder, paprika.
- Add your chopped, cabbage, onion, potatoes. Put lid on. It will be full, but will cook down.
- I then cook on high for and hour, then low till all is tender ( mine was in the pot total about 3 1/2 to 4 hours)
-Last hour before you serve, put in your sausage .( i do this because the sausage loses flavor if you boil the tarnation out of it for too long). Taste for more spices, and serve!

I served this with a fresh mini green olive baguette...fabtastic!! Happy, homey Monday!

Bride and Groom Chair Markers

Here are the plaques I made for my friend's nuptual's. The idea came from the addictive Pinterest , and material's needed were simple: wood, paint, Mod Podge, your printed phrase( thank's Em), and hardware , and twine, lace etc to hang it . It's an inexpensive touch to add to their special place, on their special day. Remember, it's all about the detail's!:) have a jolly good weekend!

I love surprise handmade gifts!

So my sister vintagehoneybee is what I consider the textile artist in the family. I am the potter, painter, candlestick maker... Haha! And together we are a well oiled Art's and Craftin machine! We usually swap skill's , when we want something, it work's out beautifully! Especially when my productive little bee suprised me with a clutch, she just made, that I coveted! She will have them in her shop soon, and we came up with a tweak that will make them even more fabulous! We will keep you posted! Meanwhile feel free to admire, and look how wonderful it will go with my new silky maxi dress! I love my sisters! Oh and I have a brother too( but he doesn't make me clutches:).. Love him too:)
Happy almost end o' week!

"I Do" love getting crafty for weddings!

Well my friend's wedding is coming up quick, and there are a few projects to be done for the big day. The one to post today ,is the shabby chic jar's for the table's. They are to be filled with multi- colored wild flower's, so we wanted them to be made with neutral colored lace, eyelet, etc. They also have a rustic element in the use of twine,since they will be sitting on slices of wood.(Project soon to follow). How do you like em? Happy mid week!