Art Walk 2025 ... next Saturday

Just a little reminder that next Saturday, I will be one of 40 local artists at

Art Walk 2025

10 am - 4 pm

Burloak Waterfront Park

5420 Lakeshore Road

Burlington, Ontario

You can find me at Booth #12

Along with local artists, there will be live music and performances, hands on art activities, an art scavenger hunt, the opportunity to buy unique local art and handmade goods, meet with artists, all set along beautiful Burloak Waterfront Park.

A chance to connect * create * and celebrate & admission is free!

This year, with the exception of a few greeting cards created from my art, everything I am offering will be originals. There will be everything from nests * birds * wildlife * flowers to still life.

Unfortunately, the archival inks for my Epson printer have been getting harder and harder to find. I'm unable to print anything unless all ink cartridges are full. So instead of printing cards, I'm offering all originals. Looking on the bright side of this, it will free up space for new works and ideas. 

Along with originals on paper that you can frame, I will have art on canvas, ready to hang as well as framed art. 

Treetop

The Enchanted

Worth the Wait

For I will protect you

Make a Wish

As well as paper and canvas art, I will be bringing along my hand painted crosses, a few macrame wall hangings, painted stones, painted wooden tags, and some hand painted textiles (brush roll * apron * gathering pocket)

I'm so looking forward to the day and sharing my art.

Hope to see you there!

Please follow along on my Instagram account

vintagesparrowstudio

Have a great weekend.

d xo

 

Cashing in on Creativity Interview…

 

Last week , my daughter Kate and I had the privilege of being interviewed by

Bruce Outridge at Blu Dog Gallery.

Kate spoke about the inspiration behind writing Dreaming of Dresses, and I spoke about how I approached the illustration aspect.

We had so much fun!

Bruce is a professional cartoonist, illustrator, author, business consultant as well as the host and producer of the Cashing in on Creativity podcast for creative entrepreneurs.

He made the “interview “ process so relaxed I forgot it was being filmed!

Since Dreaming of Dresses 👗 has been published, Kate & I have met so many wonderful people.

Sharing this book has opened up so many new opportunities.

Thank you Bruce for this amazing opportunity and for being such a great host, to Nevaeh for the wonderful photographs & video, and Debra for sharing your beautiful Blu Dog gallery.

And of course, a huge thank you to my amazing daughter Kate who placed the pages of Dreaming of Dresses as well as her confidence in my hands . She gave me carte blanche to paint each character and page as I envisioned which was an absolute joy. When you find yourself smiling from beginning to end of a project, you are going to be proud of the end result.

A stroll through Sparrow Garden . . .

Our garden is bursting with colour! 

 I switched the lens on my Nikon to the Macro lens

and carried it around as I strolled about ... 

Window boxes filled to the brim . . . this one with marigolds and dusty miller...

The trumpet vine has bloomed and will welcome hummingbirds, butterflies and bees ... 

One of our garden Doves so sweet and very tame.

There is no flying away having been born in our garden, I think they are familiar with our voices and presence. Little one just watched me as I walked about.

I had to mention just how lovely it was to have their company & couldn't resist taking a photo.

Yesterday while standing on the steps of our sun porch, feeding peanuts to the squirrels, one of our garden baby bunnies hopped over to me and stood on the bottom step :-)

I think I'm still smiling from our interaction.

I felt like Beatrix Potter!! 

Big clumps of lavender that smells absolutely divine ...

Shasta Daisies

Lilies 

Yarrow 

stems growing so tall they are ready to reach over the picket fence

And beautiful mauve clematis 

Reaching out in all directions

buds and blooms

Happy Tuesday.

d xo 

 

Dreaming of Dresses Book Launch ...

The June 28th Book launch for my daughter's debut children's book 

Dreaming of Dresses was everything Kate and I could have imagined and hoped for and so much more!

We are so grateful for the love, hugs, support, kind words, flowers and notes from family and friends .

It was a very emotional afternoon.

Being surrounded by those we love made the day more than just to celebrate Kate's book.

It was the meaning behind the book! That we are all connected and so much stronger together.

 

Creating these "photo frames" is becoming a bit of a tradition for me now.

I absolutely love painting them!

Here we are with the publisher of Dreaming of Dresses Marcia Allyn who owns Twin Horseshoes Publishing.

There were lots of fun moments leading up to the book launch including doing a live IG where Kate spoke about writing Dreaming of Dresses and I spoke on illustrating it!

This has all certainly taken me out of my "comfort zone" as public speaking has always been something I've shied away from! Getting braver the closer I get to 70 :-)  

Yesterday my husband & I spent the day in NOTL where we had tickets to see the play

"Wait Until Dark".  This is one of my favourite Audrey Hepburn movies and when we saw it was playing at the Shaw we purchased tickets immediately.

It didn't disappoint ... absolutely fantastic! 

When we arrived home I had a package waiting for me.

Marcia had very kindly sent me this fabulous water bottle!

💝

Many thanks to all who made the Dreaming of Dresses Book Launch a day we will always remember!

Dreaming of Dresses Author: Kate Dunn

Dreaming of Dresses Illustrator: Deb Dunn

Publisher: Marcia Ally - Twin Horseshoes Publishing

Photographer: Sidra Gul Photography

Venue: Eva Rothwell Centre 

Book Launch ...

With the book launch next month of

Dreaming of Dresses 

happening soon, I thought I would take this time to share some information about the venue.

The Eva Rothwell Centre is a community hub in which my daughter Kate (author of Dreaming of Dresses) is a board member.

It provides valuable resources, support and care for its community members, in particular children and teens.  Their literacy and education programming are what encouraged Kate to become a board member in January 2019.

Dreaming of Dresses will be added to their "imagination library" collection this summer in anticipation of their summer programming and camps.

Dreaming of Dresses Book Launch

Saturday, June 28, 2025

2-4 pm

Eva Rothwell Centre

460 Wentworth Street North

Hamilton, Ontario

Light refreshments will be served and there is both parking on site and street parking available.

We look forward to seeing you there! 

With gratitude and love,

Kate & Deb

 

Dreaming of Dresses . . .

My daughter Kate has had her first children's book published!

I had the great privilege to be the illustrator of this beautiful story. 

 Dreaming of Dresses tells of friendship, kindness, and believing in your own unique abilities, strengths and dancing to the beat of your own drum.

Our book launch takes place

Saturday, June 28

2-4 pm

Eva Rothwell Centre

460 Wentworth Street North

Hamilton, Ontario

Life is meant to be lived with joy, purpose and authenticity.

"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken"

~Oscar Wilde~

Lots of fun activities are being planned!

RSVP information can be found in the poster above ☝

We look forward to seeing you!

 

Birds*Buds*Blossoms*Beauty . . .

May ~ the month where each walk in the garden brings with it new surprises!

We love watching the Robins as they splash about in the birdbaths with such joy that they nearly empty the bath out. Heads dipped and wings spread, this bird knows how to turn bathtime into a sacred ritual.

And just like that .... our lovely old (and somewhat worse for wear) Purple Sand cherry tree is in bloom sprinkling our garden paths with confetti blossoms.

A pretty pot of pansies

and the ants tickling the peony buds telling them it's time to wake . . . 

I look forward to Peony season each year. It's such a short season and there is always the question of

do I pick a few for inside or just enjoy them in the garden? 

the tried-and-true annuals like Marigolds have been planted in the window boxes 

and the red Geraniums fill our urns 

"May ~ the very word makes the heart leap.

Birds. Buds. Blossoms. Beauty! ... "

Eva D Kellogg

May

Short lived but so pretty in our garden and filled with memories, as so many of our plants are, 

the lily of the valley has spread.  What started as one plant many years ago 

because I wanted to make my sons High School Graduation boutonniere, has turned into 

a huge, happy patch. 

Wishing you a May

filled with Birds * Buds* Blossoms & much Beauty!

d xo