Yuletide Blessings

Some yule decorations around my home. Not very ofter do we get a white Christmas in my part of Canada, but this year we are lucky enough to get snow, but will it stop....we just dug out from the first storm, now 2 more are on there way!

The Snow

The snow, in bitter cold,

Fell all the night;

And we awoke to see

The garden white.

And still the silvery flakes

Go whirling by,

White feathers fluttering

From a gray sky.

Beyond the gate, soft feet

In silence go,

Beyond the frosted pane.

White shines the snow.

by Ann Elliot

Primitive Portrait Soldered Glass Charm

In the spirit of Christmas giving, I will include one of my 7 inch Ladye Sarah Dolls with any purchase over $20.oo from now till December 24!

I really liked the way this piece turned out and because of it's size 3 inch diameter it is quite versatile in decorating. The portrait is sealed between to large glass bevels, featuring a lovely initial in script on the backside. The piece is soldered and hung from a tattered muslin ribbon. These large charms look pretty hanging just about anywhere. This piece comes boxed. If you wish to purchase the wreath as well please add an additional 4.00. This Charm is available in the shop, for last minute holiday touches or to celebrate the upcoming Yule season.

While visiting the website of www.tashatudor.com I viewed the wonderful notes and pictures that were added of her Memory Service. I was happy to learn that the family plans to create a museum based on her lifestyle and works. I have collected many of her wonderful books over the past years, every season I put out different books on my book case, right now I am looking at the Doll's Christmas, it is a very cute story one of my favourites. I was so happy to see this little Dove cookie cutter on the website, I just may treat myself to one and bake up some Tasha's famous cookies to adorn my tree this year.

Ballet Theater

This sweet little shadow box is made from a 18th woodcut image of a lady dancing, she reminds me of a little SugarPlum Fairy Dancer so I made a shadow box in the holiday theme. I had to take so many pictures to try to catch the sparkles and the glowing light inside. The size of the box is 3 inch by 3 inch the inside is covered in vintage book papers, her little stage is set with silver glittered curtains and this little theater has it's own little flicker light you can turn off and on, this sets the stage for a beautiful ballet. I have hung this little theater from blue ribbon topped with a silver glittered snowflake. She is now available in my shop today. Each shadowbox comes wrapped in a lovely way. Copyright Dove Grey Holiday 2008.

Thought I would share a peek at some of my holiday goodes. Watch for these and some other new pieces to be updated on November 15th at the Primitive Gathering. I will not be listing any new pieces in December, if you wish to order for the holidays all orders must be received by December 1 to insure delivery. Thank you to all who have taken the time to leave lovely posts on my blog!

5 Little Pumpkins

Wishing everyone a "spook-tacular" Halloween! Thought I would share with you one of our favorite Halloween Poems, so cute. Well it is really windy today here in my little studio so I may just see some pumpkins rolling out of sight, or down the street, better check on my guys on the porch.
I have been working on some new shadow boxes and a few goodies for the Holiday season, stay tuned for more updates. My next release of new items will be on the 15th of November.

Little Artist

I think my daughter shares the same interest in art as me! I am really impressed by her drawings that she has been working on lately, she just goes off and works on a picture and them comes back and shows me, I really started to notice some talent when she showed me this sunset picture and the Horse she made, and the heart with all the designs around it! I know what to get her for Christmas! Art Stuff! I have kept all her work and put them into a booklet so we can look back to see what she has done, she works on journals too, amazing art her age, but I guess I have groomed her along the way, with what I do. This week she brought home a book from the library called Georiga's Bones, she picked it out herself, most times she will get something like My Little Pony, but she liked this one, I like it too, it is a children's book about the artist Georgia O Keefe, the pictures are wonderful, it tells the story about her as a child growing up and attracted to things in nature, she loves to draw and paint and grows up to be an artist.

The Primitive Gathering

Today I have a guest feature spot on The Primitive Gathering , I have listed some one of a kind works, so drop by for a peek if you wish. I have been busy working on some Christmas Tyme Decorations, I made some pretty little woodcut ladies and 18th century shoes, along with some tiny beeswax candles, this set is just the right amount to decorate a little tree with. I have some cats and heart woodcuts to finish this week, for another little tree. These are available in my shop.

Autumn Greetings

With the crisp fall air and the bittersweet colours of the leaves we can't not take some of these warm inviting colours into our nest. I have been busy creating some wonderful paper goods and folk art treasures inspired by the fall season. I will be joining a artists group called The Primitive Gathering as a guest for October 15th, I have made some new works that will be exclusive to that release date, so watch for some new pretties. Here is a sneak peek of some of my early prim wares.

Hearts

This little picture I had of two girls in gingham dresses was just perfect for the bunny inspired piece that I thought of making, actually this song by Longfellow came to mind while putting this piece together, using the red hearts in this collage felt very homey, simple but just right. I will make this little collage into a charm along with the Cat Sisters, so watch for them in the shop next week.

Stay, stay at home, my heart, and rest;
Home-keeping hearts are happiest,
For those that wander they know not where
Are full of trouble and full of care;
To stay at home is best.

Weary and homesick and distressed,
They wander east, they wander west,
And are baffled and beaten and blown about
By the winds of the wilderness of doubt;
To stay at home is best.

Then stay at home, my heart, and rest;
The bird is safest in its nest;
O'er all that flutter their wings and fly
A hawk is hovering in the sky;
To stay at home is best.

H.W. Longfellow

Cat Sisters Collage

For the past few days I have been doing a bit of work on collages. I have updated my shop with a few new ones. I was happy with the way this collage titled The Wind In The Willows turned out. This collage features one of my favorite old photos turned into little cat sisters using old german scrap papers, stamped little birdcages and bird soaring above. If only cats were this nice to little birds? I will offer these in my shop as prints and soon I will work these collages into some soldered charms.

I woke up today with a terrible sore throat, I felt a bit punky heading to bed last night, welcome the season of colds! I just started to beef up on my vitamins last week, since my daughter headed back to school I figured I better get ahead of those bugs on the go in the schools and prepare, our bodies have been on a break over the summer. It felt like fall this morning, it was so cool I headed straight for my sock drawer in search of those thick squishy socks, it feels so different walking around the house, well cosier, I do like the cooler weather and the snuggy clothes. I did take a few pictures today and cleaned a bit, here is one of my favorite corners in my house right now, heading to the upstairs I have a little night light set amongst some of my cherished pieces, a little nightgown on a hanger and my old chair and cushion, I hung some of my charms here too and I love to look at them when I pass by.
I was lucky to find this old painted wood footed bowl and these big balls of thread at one of my last garage sales. Well that is all for now, I have stocked up my store with some more charms this week and will be adding a angel garland too. Take care.

Birds and Angels

This is a sweet set of tags I made up from my original artwork Angel of Devotion and a little bird collage. I have mine hung on some dried branches and change them for the seasons. This set 6 of my little Angels and tiny bird collage printed on heavyweight paper hung with twine and sealed in a beeswax finish. They smell wonderful. The set comes nestled in it's own little decorated box. All items ship signed and dated. They are up in the shop today

Angel of Devotion

Wow 2 posts in one week! Could be because of the wet weather that is keeping us inside more. Just wanted to share with you my newest folk art angel, this one is my favorite so far. I am offering a print of my painted original Folk Art Angel. The original artwork has been painted in watercolours and the print is done on watercolour paper that has a beeswax coating over top, this gives the art a aged primitive look and smells wonderful. The size of this print is 8 inches by 10 inches and comes to you signed and dated. I used some antique choir book pages for this angels wings and vintage papers for the dress. I used some rich primitive colors for this sweet angel. Please note frame not included, it is just for example. She is now in my etsy shop.

Unconditional Love

This is my angel card reading for today, it is a thread that runs through all our lives, whether it be us or someone else as the giver. Unconditional love of self is the concept of loving yourself regardless of external conditions. This includes not denying yourself/your feelings in favor of others. Ultimately in this action a person will have to move away from others who do not love them without condition or teach them to. This idea could be considered imperative to increasing the amount of love one feels. If a person is looking outside him or herself for love they may never find unconditional love or even enough love to be happy. Unconditional love of self is considered the foundation for unconditional love because of this. Once a person is able to love him or herself without condition they will be able to love others without condition. Unconditional love of self is most often used in conjunction with self acceptance as a way to bring the self to a place of well being.

For many people this is not very easy to understand, probably because people have used the term to demand more love from a person than possible for that person to give. And when the person in demand was unable to fulfill the expectations of the other they were accused of not loving without condition. This is a false definition that would actually be more synonymous with guilt or guilt-trip. It is difficult/impossible to define unconditional self love or unconditional love when people put expectations on it that can ultimately end up in dis-appointment .

"Loving is sharing, and not demanding, or expecting, harboring resentment also known as a grudge."
An example of this form is animals....my cat Suki in the photo. Animals are great silent teachers.

I wonder why?

Well many of you who have paid a visit to my blog over the past year have probably wondered why I have changed my banner and name so many times. I just to let you know that I have been playing with different ideas and themes, maybe I should get into web design that way I can play for other people. I think I have settled back to my original name for my blog "The Dove's Nest" partly because it is the only name my daughter remembers, and she proudly tells people that she works in The Dove's Nest! The other reason would be that the word Nest I am fond of and us it in my garlands, charms and other pieces I create. I like to incorporate bits of nature to my work even if it is just a colour from a leaf or small bird, these are earth based colors that give warmth to a room and heart.
I hope to launch a small website later this fall that will include many of my paper designs for purchase along with some artwork, prints and wee paper bundles. If there is any thing you would like me to bring back or create please leave a note for me on my blog, love to hear from you.

Wedding Belles

My daughter was a flower girl in her cousin Sarah's wedding last Saturday, they all looked so pretty. We had a fun day, they wedding was at a historical house near the Grand River, very pretty grounds for pictures, we dodged lightning and rain to get some pictures done, but it worked out fine. I had a visitor in my purse....I went to grab my camera to get a picture of them coming down the isle and there was a frog in my purse!!!!! Luckily I kept my composure and didn't scream, he was only a little guy, so the ring bearer took him and held him for a bit.

Our weather here has been so crazy , for the past month it has gone from wicked thunderstorms almost every other day, heat and humidity very severe, I think our planet is telling us something . I have a wedding to go to this Saturday and it is outside, hope the storms stay away and blistering heat, my daughter is a flower girl and she is quite excited to wear her dress. Well in between freaky storms I had a cold during the past week and was not up to creating things as usual. I did get back in the swing of things and made a few little pieces in the past few days, I enjoy using this calico fabric, the pattern and color are soft and aged looking, I made a set of hang tags with pretty tea stained seam binding and a little aged box that are now in the shop. I did finish a Halloween style painting, a little girl in earlie dress holding her lantern to check on her pumpkin....I mounted the painting onto some calico fabric and am offering her as a print in the shop. I have made a few changes on my blog and with update some items on the side bar soon, I am working on a picturetrail album and will post al link once it is finished.