Coming out of hibernation

We woke up to the most beautiful blue skies and sunshine last Saturday morning and found that the raw easterly wind had finally dropped. It is incredible how sunshine stirs your blood and boosts your energy levels.My first thoughts were that it was a perfect day to get my studio out of hibernation and spring cleaned. (For any new readers I am lucky enough to have a garden studio which my dear Hb and Dad installed for me at the end of the garden in the autumn of 2011).  It does have a little heater but I close it up when winter sets in. Last year that happened in early November.

The blinds had been down and there was no one at home ;0) other than my pig on the veranda.

I opened up all the blinds to let the light in and cleared the work surface of the remains of  Christmas projects I I had been finishing off last November.

I then set to with my duster, hoover and window cleaning spray.

As I cleaned I took a new look at some of the special things I have hanging in my studio, many made or given to me for me by my dear crafting and non crafting friends.

I tidied as I cleaned and I felt a great sense of achievement when everything was neat and tidy. I even had a new addition to my studio which my dear Mum made me at her sewing class.

Meet my fun sheep cushion which fits perfectly on my chair.

I also gave my teak workbench, which my dear Dad made and installed for me, a good polish and added my spring coaster for my cup of tea.

I then went to get my radio out of hibernation too.

Perfect.

And all this time someone was watching me intently from the patio sitting in the sunshine.

My sweet Billy. He also can't wait for me to get back out into the garden so that he can bask in the sunshine on the veranda. I will be able to leave the door open and hear the sound of the garden, including the birds singing and the bees buzzing. I just can't wait!

My spring cleaning inspired a very spring themed card for today using one of my sweet Lili of the Valley stamps called Blossom. I bought her last year and I have only inked her up once before. 

Here she is in close up. I coloured her with my Promarkers and highlighted with Prismacolor pencils. The sentiment is also LOTV. I used a new Cheery Lynn butterfly die for the larger intricate butterfly (Exotic butterflies #2) which my daughter and son in law bought me for my birthday. The smaller butterflies were made with my Martha Stewart punch. The lace paper was given to me by my son's girlfriend and the backing paper was made and embossed by me...I have had many wet crafty weekends playing indoors ;0)




I would like to enter my card into the following challenges;

Joanna Sheen step into spring
Emmas crafty cards Butterflies
My Mum's Craft shop Easter or Easter colours
Allsorts Spring has sprung #201
Cheery Lynn challenge Anything goes #75 GD
Pan Pastel use a stamped image #14
Lexi's #87 use punches or dies
Bunny Zoe favourite colour combination my favourite colour combo is blue with green and a touch of yellow so spring like:0) GD

Penny Black and More blossom and bows
Papertake Weekly Bingo my line is the middle one;  punches, free (image), ribbons
Bearly Mine anything goes #81
Simon Says Stamp April showers and /or spring flowers
Ribbon Girl add flowers
Divas by Design Flowers
I love Promarkers Embossing Mine is heat embossing. I made the backing paper which you can just see peeping out. I used blue distress ink on crushed white card. I then stamped a floral stamp with versamark and added green embossing powder which I heat embossed.  Sadly though most of my hard work is covered up by the image but you can see parts of the embossing above Blossom's hair and to the side.


I am noticing lots of cheery spring posts and photos on everyone's blogs, it's so lovely to see.
On Saturday I have tickets for the Big Stamp show at Alexander Palace in London...I am so excited. I have written a long list and will treat myself to some things but it will be great to see others in the flesh. I can add them to my every increasing wish list. I have birthdays and Christmas covered for so many years!.

Have a lovely weekend when we get there and enjoy this warmer weather. If you live in parts of the world where spring wakes up even  later than it has here then I am sending you sunny thoughts.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

********Remember that you only have until 4pm (GMT) this Sunday to enter my giveaway here. You could win one of my handmade summer shell necklaces or one of my bag charms. There are also details in my side bar. To enter you need to leave your comments on that original post. Good luck everyone*********