Thursday 21 February 2013

Signs of spring

That gorgeous golden orb in the sky, aka the sun,  has been making some fleeting appearances over the last couple of weeks. It made me realize how little sunshine we have had for so many months now. Luckily the sunshine has coincided with my days off including a visit to see my parents. We went to our favourite garden centre, Coolings, near Knockholt in Kent for lunch. I was delighted to see so many spring plants on show.
How cheery all these primroses look






















There were also lots of pots of my very favourite flower, the daffodil. The flower buds are just about ready to burst open and reveal their golden jewels inside.











I was also delighted to see some snowdrops in flower, they have such very dainty blooms. Mine in my own garden this year seem to be blind? I'm not sure why. Perhaps they are resting this year.

I also spotted some wonderful helebores in the grounds of the garden centre.


These little bursts of sunshine have certainly recharged my batteries a little. I brought home a lovely primula which is now sitting on my kitchen side.


I also noticed yesterday evening that it was not getting dark until nearly 6pm and that we are getting some daylight when getting up for work. Bliss, there really are signs of spring.

For my challenge card today I am going to continue with something cheerful and bright.

I have used my Lili of the Valley "Never too old for cupcakes" stamp which I have coloured using my Promarker pens.



It is a gatefold card with the inner flap and the inside all decorated. I have used lots of embellies on this card including MS hand punched butterflies, lace and mulberry flowers all glitzed up with plenty of glitter.









 One last photo showing how the card opens out. I also added some Dimensional Magic to the cupcake wrapper. The sentiment and the tags are all LOTV.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges;
Papertake weekly Buttons/bling I have gone for bling..and plenty of it!
Top Tip Tuesday Tag - you're it
Cutie Pie Pretty Pastels #38
Bearly Mine #74 lace, ribbon or twine
Inky Chicks Mother's Day or birthday #4
Visible Image Love
Pretty Little ribbons
Allsorts Things with wings
Heck of a challenge Love and flowers
Lili's Little Fairies Butterflies
Divas by Design Fancy fold

I am really enjoying seeing lots of signs of spring on other people's blogs too. I don't think we are quite there yet as there are some more cold ones over the next few days and the frosts have been quite thick in the mornings but little by little it is getting closer. Another week has just flown by so we will be there before we know it. Have a great upcoming weekend, keep snug and keep crafting.

Back soon,


Bye for now,

Jane x









21 comments:

  1. Lovely to see all those pretty little flowers, they really are very uplifting. I planted some new snowdrops this past autumn but they never appeared, the bulbs mustn't been good, I will have to try again.
    It was lovely and sunny yesterday but no sun here today I'm afraid. It is very,very cold too and the fact that my back door is continually open with the 'men' in makes for a very chilly house!!!!
    Love your little card today the colours are very sweet, they actually remind me of cupcakes. :)
    Happy Thursday my friend,
    V xxx

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  2. I can totally relate to your need for Spring and it's promise of longer, warmer days...I am counting down to Easter weekend when the clocks change! The six months from March to October always seems to go much quicker than the 'long' Winter ones from October to March and I am desperate in need of some sunshine! There is plenty to have from your piccies, however, I just love the bright colours of the primulas, such a change from the drabness of Winter!
    Gorgeous gatefold card - love your choice of papers and colours, and pretty embellishments too! Hugs, Lisa x

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  3. Lovely pastels card and layout.
    Yes need spring to cheer everyone up. Thanks for joining us at Cutie Pie Challenge, good luck, cheers Sue N x

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  4. Dear Jane,

    What a wonderful post! Just what I needed today with my age-crisis :) And some statistic-stars here have calculated, that we've only had (well that was in the middle of the Finland, we might have even worse number!) 18hours of sun during last 2,5months!!! That's bad I must say so thank you for this color&flowers&sunshine blast!

    Lovely Thursday!

    Yours,
    Mia

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  5. ...and that card is the sweetest ever too!!!!

    Yours AGAIN,
    Mia

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  6. Lovely photos Jane and it's so nice to see green shoots appearing here and there in the garden.

    Your card is so beautifully coloured and embellished, thanks so much for sharing with us at Allsorts this week.

    B x

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  7. Hi Jane, thanks for showing us those nursery flowers, what a bright display! I have huge patches of Snowdrops in bloom on our farm here in Oregon.. I need to get another photo. I am about ready to put up a post of a museum display I went to yesterday of Western Women.. it was great! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  8. Hi Jane, These flowers were the perfect tonic. It is still icy and snowy here.

    Love the "cupcakes" card.

    Have a great weekend,
    Anne D.T.

    PlumCreek22 Studio

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  9. Beautiful flowers. They give me hope that spring is on the way. It's been snowing here again all day and I'm ready for glimpses of springtime.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  10. Such a sweet card, and an adorable image. Thanks for joining Allsorts challenge. Good Luck.
    Happy crafting
    Tracy x

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  11. A wonderful card! I really like it, cute image and gorgeous papers! Thanks for joining us at HOA challenge!
    ;-) Alex H.

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  12. lovely! Both your spring pictures and your card =). Thank you for sharing with us at Allsorts and good luck in the challenge.

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  13. So lovely to see the flowers in bloom. We have a swathe (I think thats the right description) of snowdrops in flower as you come to my turning for the drive, they come out from under the hedge and catch the lights of the car when you drive home in the dark, its most wonderful and heart warming. I have some summer bulbs to plant that my hubby brought for me to cheer me up from this flu virus, but the ground has frozen the las couple of days, hopefully this weekend I can plant them!

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  14. What a fun card! So cute and shiny, :).

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  15. Wow Jane, full of spring there! Just yesterday I thought I should visit the garden shop - now I must after seeing your beautiful flowers and photos!
    What a wonderful card and I love the way you open and fold it!
    Have a lovely weekend! x Teje

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  16. What a fun charming card you have made. It's putting a smile to my face. Lovely. Thanks for playing with us over at the Bearly Mine challenges this week.
    Love n hugs
    Marie

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  17. I'm still very stuck in winter, so flowers are a welcome sight. Beautiful photos, and I like your gate fold on the card. Very pretty :)

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  18. Good afternoon Jane!...Ah, cheery primulas and dainty snowdrops..Spring is just around the corner! We've had plenty sunshine here too over the last couple of days..still very chilly though!
    Your latest card is so pretty and I definitely like the polka dot background!
    Hope you have a wonderful weekend,
    Susan x

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  19. Gorgeous card Jane - such a sweet LOTV image and pretty colours. Great fold too :o)
    Thanks for playing along with The Divas, The Cuties and PTW this time.
    Good luck.
    Debs xx

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  20. Gorgeous card - a wonderful layout and so pretty. Love your photo's too of all the pretty early spring flowers - flowers and crafts my two passions.
    Thank you for joining the Cutie Pies Pretty Pastels challenge and good luck x Susan x

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  21. Love all the pics of the gorgeous flowers, they really make me think that some warmer weather is on the way!! Fab card too. Love the LOTV image and the little tags are so cute.
    Annette
    Netty's Cards
    Proud to design for :
    ABC Christmas Challenge,
    Lili’s Little Fairies,
    Top Tip Tuesday,
    xx


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Jane x