New Website!!!

As of January 12, 2014, Color of Dawn Creations has a new website! Please visit the new site at www.colorofdawn.com . This site here will remain open because quite frankly, some of the past posts when I was regularly blogging are pretty hilarious and entertaining, like:
Big Booty Toilet Paper
Toothpaste on my hoohoo

And informative like:
How to Catch a Bird
How to make Cocoa for your Big Brudda
How to Rake Leaves

And I just think it is a good idea to preserve history. Feel free to browse around here all you like and don't forget to join us over at the new Color Of Dawn site!

~Amber D McNabb

The New Store is Open!

Well, it is official, Color Of Dawn Creations inside The Marketplace at Amberleaf on Gallatin Square is open for business! My sister and I have joined talents to create this pretty amazing little store space. 

 Located at:
112 Public Square
Gallatin, TN 37066
Hours: 
Thur.-Fri.-Sat. 11am-7pm

 This two story historic building houses the most wonderful collection of little shops owned by local artisans. Color of Dawn Creations is upstairs in the balcony area. Here is the view from our upstairs store space.

We are working to get it stocked up for the holiday season. The newest items are hand painted jars that were "rescued" from an old barn. 

Beautiful frames with a vintage feel. 

  
You will also find owls on canvases and wood slices.

Wood slice necklaces.

There are also wood slice banners and ornaments with vintage images.

And we are featuring cigar box clocks by our brother, Phillip Barham.

With more to come!
This has been such a blessing and adventure.  We hope you will stop by and check it out! We would also love for you to join us facebook where we post daily updates and interact with all our of family and friends. 

  ~Amber & Beka

Exciting Announcements and Another Giveaway!

Things are a'changin here at Color Of Dawn. First, I would like to announce that I have officially made my seeestor, Beka Noel, a part of Color Of Dawn Creations. I call her the "baby maker". She creates the sweet little baby owls on wood slices that you see over in the sidebar of this page. I asked her for some help with a show last year and she came over and "made the babies". I decided this year that she just needs to officially ride this creative journey with me. I'm not sure that I officially asked her, and I am not sure that she officially accepted. It's just one of those kinds of things that sisters share. A certain kind of unspoken knowing, you know? 
Anyhoo, meet my sister, Beka Noel.

She is beautiful.

She is sweet.

She is sassy. 

She shares my love of creativity.

And fruity moonshine.

I don't just love her. 

I lurve her. 

Like a REALLY lot. 

She SO makes me smile.

In other exciting news, as of last weekend, you can find Color Of Dawn Creations in The Artisans Marketplace in Mt. Juliet Tennessee. 

It is the sweetest little boutique style shop dedicated to local artists and crafters. They are currently accepting new vendors. If you are a local artist/handcrafter and would like to be a part of the Artisans Marketplace, you can request a vendor packet by emailing: 

theartisansmarketplace@yahoo.com. 

You can also find them, like them and follow them on facebook . Here is a peek at the loot that Beka and I brought in last weekend. Everything is currently out on the floor and ready for purchase. 

And in other news, you will also be able to find Color Of Dawn Creations at The Marketplace at Amberleaf beginning November 1st! Located at 112 Public Square, Gallatin, TN, it houses around 30 vendors, all under one roof, offering hand-made, vintage, art, re-purposed items and more..... with a coffee cafe in the back!
Coffee Cafes are my love language.

Each vendor has their own space, so Beka and I will be busy bees building our space and creating product to fill it with. Be sure to check them out on facebook as well!

And finally, in order to celebrate, Color of Dawn Creations is having a giveaway on our own facebook page. Please head on over there to enter to win and join us in the celebration!

~Amber and Beka

Oh how I love the Fall!

We are now officially a few days into Fall and I couldn't be more happy! Something about this season makes me come alive! The crisp cool weather, sweaters and a cozy blanket, colorful trees with the leaves floating through the air, afternoon coffee and campfires. I get excited about preparing for the Holiday Season- Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year. Each month has something to look forward to. Right now I am preparing for upcoming crafts shows. I have stacks of wood slices ready to be made into jewelry, ornaments and art. I have gotten my hands on some beautiful vintage images to add to the collection this year. And of course the owls are making an appearance again. 

I've been pretty busy working on portraits as well. I recently had the cutest photo of a basset hound emailed to me for a portrait request. I cannot wait to share it with everyone once it is done! If you are interested in my Portrait Art and would like some more information, please click the "Portrait Art" tab at the top of this page. 

If you are in the area and would like to visit me at a craft show, you will find me at the Christmas Harvest Craft Show at the Gallatin, TN Civic Center on November 16th.

Thank you!

Amber D. McNabb

Happy Independence Day!

We hope everyone has a very safe and Happy Independence Day!

....I hope your world stays rosy red

the sky is blue above your head

clouds of white I wish for you

THREE CHEERS FOR THE RED WHITE AND BLUE!

Color Of Dawn Creations

McNabb Farm On Instagram

The weather this weekend, although a bit cloudy and breezy, was warm enough to spend some time walking around McNabb farm.

We started out at the top of the hill, my most favorite spot. This is where, in my dreams, my house sits. Right on top of this hill.

Right in the middle of all of my hubby's strategically placed deer stands that surround the hill.

There is a conflict.

I have to take a photo every single time I am up here. It is just so breathtaking and peaceful. I have been in love with spot ever since my sweet love first took me up here twenty some years ago.

Yesterday I decided to capture this moment on Instagram. I love this shot. I love Instagram. I love this spot. I love my sweet love who brought me to this spot.

I have a lot of love.

After I saw how Instagram would so perfectly capture the beauty and serenity of the farm, I was on an Inta-mission to gather a collection of photos of some of my favorite sights.

This looks like a rope but it is not a rope. It is a very old, very heavy, very rusty and perfectly beautiful metal cable. I just love the way it looks hanging there in the tree all rustic-like.
 

Beyond this tree is the creek where we spend lots and LOTS of time in the warm months catching minnows, crawdads and salamanders.

This lonely buttercup was peeking out of the ground as if bravely announcing that warm weather is on it's way!

I have always loved the hollow of this tree. It is so mysterious. What lives in there?
Squirrels?
An owl?
Baby foxes?
A family of toads?
Is it a fairy house?

This is one old barn of four on the property. This used to be a hog farm and there used to be several hogs beside this old barn.  

 There is an old cement mixer in that barn. I have a strange and maybe slightly unhealthy fascination with this cement mixer. I have photographed it several times.
Is it the color that lures me? 
Is it possible I have a weird addiction to the old and rusty farm equipment? 
Is it possible I worked in cement in a past life?

I have photographed this several times as well.
I am mesmerized.
I can't explain it.

This is the rock that we use to hop the creek on our way back into the holler.  This rock looks strong and steady but you can play teeter totter on it.
This would have been good information to have the first time I hopped on it.

And here is one of my favorite places in the very back of the holler. Like the hollow tree above, it is mysterious to me.

What lives in that small cave?

If you walk straight up from the cave to the top of the hill you will be right back where this post started, in my favorite spot.
Where the house in my dreams sits.
Right in the cross-fire of every tree stand that my hubby has strategically placed.
You can see the conflict.
I'm working on it. Still.

~Amber D. McNabb

Monday Dreamin'

The Rileyman and I are about done with this winter weather.

We got the cabin fever.

 We got it somethin' fierce.

We're dreamin' of warmer weather.

 Out in the peaceful Country.

Where you can sit on the quiet porch and ponder what you might do with your day.

Where breakfast supplies are just a short bicycle ride to the barn.

Where you can take the time to thank God and Nature.

Where a little hard works pays off.

Where you have the best of buddies to help keep you clean.

Where you can do a little evening fishin'....

...until one of your buddies jumps in and ruins your fishin' hole.

No worries.

Here, in our dream, there is plenty of space to explore and maybe chase a tiny frog or two.

And there's always a welcoming committee.

~Amber D. McNabb and The Rileyman