Gift Shops and Fall Festivals

A few exciting things are happening around here. It's all about holiday confusion right now. No actually, it's all about handcrafting. It's always about hand crafting. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Let me show you what I am talking about. 

As of yesterday, you can find and purchase my handmade Christmas ornaments in the Scentaments Flowers & Gifts shop in Goodlettsville TN. And while you are there, you can pick up a beautiful floral arrangement, some wonderfully scented handmade soaps and oils, beautiful jewelry made by Jennifer Martin and some home made organic treats for your pup baked with love by Robin. Scentaments is at 601 Main Street, Goodlettsville, Tn. 615-859-6659.

In other holiday news, you can find me and about 40 to 50 more handmade vendors at the Handmade Harvest Fall Festival in Bethpage, Tennessee tomorow. It will be a great day full of arts & crafts, antiques, BBQ, tractors, bluegrass and much more!

 Come and visit my booth tomorrow for some handmade jewelry, soaps and Fall decor. Tell me you saw this blog and I will give you a 15% discount! Also, be sure to visit Jennifer Martin at the  jDesigns
booth-but before you do, check out her facebook page for info on how to score a free pair of earrings!
For directions and more info about the Handmade Harvest Fall Festival, click HERE to visit the events page on facebook. Hope to see you there!


                                  ~Amber D. McNabb

Autumn Memories

The first official day of Autumn is right around the corner. Matter of fact (checking my handy dandy Mary Engelbreit calendar) it is this Friday! I am SO in the mood for Fall. Trees ablaze with color, festivals, pumpkins, sweaters, soup, good books and blankets. I look forward to it every year. To get you in the mood, I highly recommend that you purchase some of this magic in a bottle and pour some in your simmer pot. OH SWEET AUTUMN HEAVEN. I double dog dare you to try to resist its aromatic power.

And while you are all cozy and enjoying it's sweet, spicy nutmeggy-ness, I invite you to take a stroll through memory lane with these Autumn posts from the past. 

                      How To Rake Leaves 2008
                                          

                                     Crafty Punkins 2008

                                     Riley Pumpkin Seed 2010

                                     ~Amber D. McNabb

Watch Out! I'm Burnin' Stuff Up!

In a recent facebook post, I stated that I often have my cart packed and ready before my horse even knows what's going on. For example, I have recently planned out a whole wood burning project with all my wood disks, but I do not own a wood burner. Today I discovered that my horse was actually way ahead the cart! Last Christmas, I really wanted a soldering kit and my sweet hubby bought one for me.

 I have yet to use it until today when I found that it can be used for wood burning or "pyrography" if you like to use terms with more awesomeness. And I do. I tried my hand at pyrography today and monogrammed and customized this wood slice with our family names. 

Not bad for my first go 'round if I do say so myself.  And it looks like, for the first time, my cart and horse are in the proper order...........nevermind the distance between them.  


                        ~Amber D. McNabb

Fall Festival and Crazy Haired Kids

The Rileyman started a new school a few weeks ago and we just L-O-V-E it!  They had their Fall Festival this weekend and I set up a craft table in their "Marketplace".

It was the perfect opportunity to clearance out a few items to make room for the new and to share some pumpkin dude smiles with the masses. 

I began to notice as the children and families were coming into the marketplace that all the children had crazy colored hair! I'm talking hot pink, green stripes, blue highlights and I began to wonder WHAT in the world kind of school I got our Rileyman into until my new friend Carmella let me know there was a hair painting booth outside. WHEW!

All in all it was a great day and I made some new friends, saw some familiar faces and just got to spend the day in general watching those cute little kiddos walk around with their crazy hair and funny antics. So thankful for this day and our new school family.

                                ~Amber D. McNabb

I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watching Meeeeee

Do you ever get that weird feeling like you are being watched? 

And then that feeling grows and grows like maybe you have more than one pair of eyes watching you?

And that it is, like, very possible that maybe some everyday random objects in your home have come to life ..........

.....like maybe dozens of light bulbs have transformed into little decorative pumpkin dudes and they are all looking at YOU??????


Yeah me too.

~Amber D. McNabb

Divine Intervention and Things That Make Ya Go Hmmmmm

Do you ever feel like certain things are specifically and purposefully placed in your "path". You know, those things that make you stop and say "WHOA, I SO needed that you have NO idea!" and makes you wonder if it's coincidence, divine intervention, and just things that make ya go hmmmmmm in general? That very thing happened to me today in the form of a little card that was staring me right in the face and it read:

 The transforming Power of God now frees me from every limitation. The wisdom, power, and love of God now guide me to the fulfillment of my dreams.


                  Whoa. I SO needed that!

                       ~Amber D. McNabb

My Body Guard Can't Keep Up

I have a personal body guard in charge of security while I'm here working at home. She will all but come through the front glass door  should you knock on it and I can't believe she hasn't busted through it yet. She loves me and wants to keep me safe. I got in trouble today because she could not keep up with me as I was going in and out the back door working on my crafts. 

 

"Uh HELLO......let me out please?"

 

"Eh-hem HOW am I supposed to protect you if I am out here and you are in there?"

~Amber D. McNabb

New ART! And Tips on How to Sell Art at Craft Shows,Gift Shops and Galleries

I have recently been adding wood slices to my art canvases. These slices of cedar have the most beautiful deep burgundy markings and patterns inside them and they are a work of art all on their own.

 

I coated each piece of wood with a glass like finish  to make their natural beauty shine.

I read in The Crafts Report magazine recently that when you are making art pieces to take to shows, gift shops and galleries, you should consider creating several small pieces that can be sold separately or all together as one stunning show piece. 

This makes it easier for you as an artist pack for shows, display, and ship through the mail. It also gives the customer a chance to buy one piece or several depending on their budget which is very important to consider, especially in today's economy. 

I created these pieces that look great on their own or all together. 

One of the things I love about my new art is that each piece is edged with the Fruit of the Spirit. 

I am having a great time combing through magazines and such to gather ideas for color combinations. Better Homes & Gardens Magazine always has the most wonderful tips and ideas for seasonal colors!

~Amber D. McNabb

Make Your Own Hang Tags Tutorial

I am sending a few things off to be sold at Fabulous Me Boutique and Gifts in the Cumberland Gap, TN and I have a few craft shows coming. up. My items were in need of hang tags. Keeping with my vow to use what I have on hand to keep costs down, I found a whole package of Avery printable return address labels that I had bought at least a year ago and never used. I went online to Avery.com and created some labels with my store logo and information and printed them off. It was really easy. 

 

I wanted my labels to have some pretty backing so I stuck them on a sheet of decorative scrapbook paper. 

 Then I cut each label out with scissors. Now I am sure there is probably a much easier and faster process for this but I do not own any fancy machines like Cricut and such and this is about as "new school" as I get. It actually went fairly quickly because the labels guided my scissors along for easy trimming. And Voilà! I have some pretty hang tags with all my information in them. 

I even made some winter themed ones for my Christmas Ornaments.

I found some invisible thread in my sewing box so I strung the labels on the thread like so with a sewing needle.

And here you have it! A hand made hang tag!

It really was extremely easy, quick, and cost effective. 

Now I am off to make some business cards!

~Amber D. McNabb

Let's have a GIVEAWAY!

 

There are a few changes happening here at Color Of Dawn Creations as I begin to focus on making creations that use my most favorite of supplies~ things found in nature.  Wood and gemstones are the focus going forward. Wood cut right here in Tennessee and made into ornaments, jewelry and home decor. Natural gemstones and pearls are another passion of mine and you will find them paired up with wood jewelry and by themselves.

 

Halloween and Christmas ornaments are currently filling up my workspace. 

 

In order to celebrate new beginnings I will be giving away this lovely new necklace on pine from the new Color Of Dawn Creations "Birds Collection". It hangs from a unique silver owl bail.

I believe in keeping things simple. If you would like to enter this giveaway all you will need to do is comment below or make a comment on the Giveaway Post(s) on the Color Of Dawn Creations FACEBOOK page. You have until 8am Central Monday morning (Sept 5) to enter when a cute little boy with blond curls (aka The Rileyman) will pull a lucky winner from a hat. See? Simple.  Or as the Rileyman would say,

"Easy breezy lemon squeezy".

Good luck!

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And the Winner is ERIN REA!  Congratulations ERIN!

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