Welcome to Melissa Dawn Art & Home, featuring my DIY blog Down on Plum Lane!
Pour a cup of whatever you like (coffee, tea, or mommy juice- no judging here!) and let’s get started! My name is Melissa Dawn; I’m the mom of two enthusiastic little boys, an avid crafter, and have been a professional artist for over a decade. When I became a mom over 7 years ago I put my art business on the back burner. However, I discovered that I also loved painting signs, sewing pouches, and making homemade ornaments, and my love of home decor DIY and crafting was born.
Like any self-respecting crafter, I hoard craft supplies and have several dozen hundreds of DIY projects waiting to be finished. I have a secret love for reality TV (Total Bellas, anyone?), a not-so-secret love for fancy cupcakes, and think grey, rainy days are the perfect excuse to get cozy! I currently live in the beautiful Bay Area in California. A former military wife, I’ve lived along the West Coast, in the Pacific Northwest, and in the South. My favorite decor styles are Farmhouse and Shabby Chic, with a little Boho thrown in here and there. I love to collect Rae Dunn pottery and hunt down vintage My Little Ponies!
Home Decor, DIY & Crafting
I started this blog as as a way to share my love of crafting, home decor, DIY, and art with y’all. Crafting is one of my true passions in life! It allows me to:an excuse to buy more craft supplies
- relax and de-stress
- be creative
- connect with my kids
- create useful items for the house/school/gifts, and
- have a sense of accomplishment
Does that sound like something you need in your life too? If so, I hope you’ll take a look through my DIY & Crafting posts, which have free tutorials! Follow me as I try new projects and explore crafts you can do with your kids. My crafts tend to focus on holidays and seasons, and I use a wide range of materials from yarn to fabric to wood.
Artwork
I admittedly spend my daydreaming time divided between thinking about which crafts I want to make and what paintings I’d like to complete. Digital painting has always been my main medium, because I loved how semi-realistic you could get, and it is easy to pick up and put down when you have little kiddos to take care of. However, last year, as a way to get through the divorce, I started sketching in ink for the first time. It was love at first sketch, and the sketchbook my art mentor Jeff Haynie gave me a decade ago slowly filled up with plants, flowers, insects and animals. It seemed like a natural progression to do a watercolor wash, just to add a touch of color. Before I knew it, I was experimenting with full watercolor paintings with no sketches at all.
I have a long list of paintings I’d like to get to, from adorable animals, to beautiful florals, to landscapes and even bathroom art. I still want to squeeze in a digital piece here and there as well! For watercolors I’m using the brand Daniel Smith and the occasional Windsor & Newton Cotman watercolors. I use a variety of papers, including Strathmore, Canson, and Arches hot and cold press. My favorite brushes right now are the da Vinci Petite Gris Pur size 2 and the Loew-Cornell pointed round size 6.
The Realness
The past few years have brought a lot of changes to me and my family. I’ve had to learn several hard lessons, like accepting permanent life changes you get no say in, and how to let go of how life was “supposed” to be when your entire life is derailed instead. It has been a difficult journey but I have come out the other side with a new appreciation for my own strength and my ability to find the silver lining in any situation. Even the smallest silver linings are worth finding! For example, I began decorating my house years ago in the farmhouse style because I liked it… and because it was totally neutral. My ex disliked anything pink or flowery, so I adapted my decorating skills to exclude anything that was feminine. Now I’m rediscovering my love of pink and florals, which has been like discovering a piece of myself I’d forgotten about.
I love the flawless farmhouse/country cottage look, but let’s be real… I have two crazy little boys and cannot for the life of me be a minimalist. As Monica says on Friends, “We need the stuff!” So, basically, life can get pretty messy here. I do my best to keep it organized and stay sane, but sometimes I just need to put on comfy socks, throw on a reality show, and break out the craft supplies. And maybe redecorate a room or two!
I think because life can be so uncontrolled I love being able to create neat, festive decorations around the house. I really believe that mindfully decorating your space with signs, pictures, and items that reflect what you love can make a big difference in your life. I hope you can relate to the messiness of real life and I can help you create an amazing space to live in!
Join me as a Melissa Dawn Art & Home VIP!
I have created a variety of free printables and tutorials to help you, so I hope you’ll sign up for my newsletter. It not only gives you VIP access to these amazing resources, but you’ll be the first to know when there are new posts, a giveaway, or exciting news Down on Plum Lane. I’d love to connect with you on social media as well; please feel free to add me on Instagram or Pinterest!
Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you’ll feel comfy here on my virtual front porch!