Saturday 4 May 2013

March winds, April showers, brings forth May flowers

Despite waking up to cloudy skies this morning we have had a marvelous start to May and the flowers in my garden really have come forth! Yesterday afternoon after work it reached 24c in the shade of my sheltered garden and I enjoyed several hours working out there with Billy. The flowers have come on so much this week.
The parrot tulips I planted in my pots last autumn are quite spectacular with their very vibrant colours.
My viburnum is now is full flower and the scent wafts down my garden path...mmmm


Even my frilled pansies and little violas survived the harsh winter and are smiling out from their pots.
I have some jobs to do in the garden and one is to plant out my runner beans which my Dad starts from seed.
and of course Billy is just loving this sunny weather and spends all his time with me when I am working out there.
Although yesterday it got too hot for him and he found some shade to keep an eye on me.
My card today is in celebration of May flowers and cats keeping cool in sunny gardens!
I love this Penny Black stamp, it is one of the first large stamps I ever bought....many years ago!
I coloured my image with Promarkers and highlighted with Prismacolor pencils.
The backing paper are old Papermania (I think).
I have used a MS lace edge punch.
The focal dies are Spellbinders Labels 17 and you will spot my fave memory box bow die there too.
There is some bling added with sparkly gem accents and a bright ribbon to finish it off.

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

Crafty Catz Inspired by a song #180 my song is Cool for Cats by Squeeze  who I am delighted seem to be releasing new work. I just loved their 1980s albums and still play them.
Allsorts  Add some sparkle #205
Penny Black Saturday monthly challenge anything goes
My Mum's craft shop spots and stripes #5 I have used spotty buttons and striped packing paper
Emerald Faeries Ribbon #43
Visible Image Brighten your day
I love Promarkers Put a button on it #166
Cutie Pie lots of layers #43
ABC M for make it sparkle
Creative Inspirations Birthdays #212

I hope those of you in the UK enjoy a fantastic bank holiday weekend whether you are out and about, in the garden or creating. I hope to get a bit of everything in but for today I am helping my Hb paint the kitchen.

One little bit of exciting news to share with you is that I have been invited by Kerry of Ladybug Crafts Ink to be one of their Guest Designers again on Tuesday. She is expecting her first grandchild and this is in celebration of his/her imminent arrival

 To give you all a little inside info my card features more of my quilted paper and I was brave enough to add some "stitching" to it! Do come back at 9am on Tuesday to see what I made.

Back to the kitchen for me........;0)

Bye for now,

Jane x

23 comments:

  1. Lovely May flowers, Jane!! Enjoy all of your projects this weekend. You can't go wrong with cats and cupcakes.
    Congrats on being the guest designer.



    Best wishes
    Anne x
    PlumCreek Studio

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  2. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, Jane - all flowers, that Billy-boy and the kitty-card! I with you'll have the greatest and sunniest long-weekend, I am sending sunshine just in case :) and many warm wishes!

    Yours,
    Mia

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  3. Oh wow that orange tulip is beautiful , I love orange flowers in the garden, so vibrant! :)
    Loving the kitties, both card and the real thing! !
    Happy weekend my friend (don't envy the painting though) ;)
    V xxx

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  4. I can't believe how much further forward your shrubs are than ours Jane, our viburnums are still very shy, one spirea is out but no sign of flowers on the others and as for the lilacs, well every one looks a long way off.

    And the 20% change of rain looks to have excelled itself, it started about 9am and is still going strong, so much so that we just put the heating on as it's freezing. Lets hope they got it right for the rest of the weekend.

    At least your card is bright and cheery and loving those cupcake DP's. And yes, that oval die is my fav as well.

    Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

    B x

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  5. All that waffle and I totally forgot to thank you for joining in at Allsorts this week.

    B x

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  6. I'm glad your flowers are popping out.. that orange tulip is eye candy! Love the real Billy and the kitty card.. good luck on your guest designer gig!! And enjoy your extra days off. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  7. Dear Jane, happy weekend! Your garden and flowers look so beautiful! I think I need to go to buy few next week. How exiting you paint the kitchen - I love to paint and renovate! We have Easter weekend and Tuesday still holidays as a '1st of May'. It has been already too hot but now lovely little wind blows and I'm fine on my patio. Hugs to you and sweet Billy! x Teje

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  8. Beautiful post Jane...I love to see all those pretty flowers in your garden. 24c in the shade is amazing!!..We certainly haven't been so lucky here! How smart is Billy though sitting in the shade?
    Gorgeous kitty card too...such pretty colours.
    Happy Sunday,
    Susan x

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  9. Great song choice. Just love how you have showcased that cute image. Thank you for joining us over at Crafty Catz. Hugs Nina

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  10. Loving your card Jane. Such pretty colours. Your tulips are gorgeous but Billy is adorable. Thanks for taking part at I ♥ Promarkers this week.

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  11. Great card Jane, love the image too, thanks for joining us at I ♥ ProMarkers.
    xx

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  12. Spring is my favorite season. Your flowers are so beautiful, and Billy is always always such a handsome boy. I love your patchwork card.

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  13. Gorgeous photos of your flowers and your sweet kitty! That card is just darling!

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  14. Gorgeous card ,love that your cat inspired the card theme,beautiful flowers too
    Thanks for joining us at I love promarkers and good luck
    Tracey x

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  15. Such beautiful flowers and photos..and of course of sweet Billy! It's a ray of sunshine swinging by here today, Jane..thank you! And goodness, what a sweet card! Wishing you a lovely week ahead!

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  16. Great creation! Thanks for playing at Creative Inspirations! xxx

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  17. that's definitely a cool cat! Thanks for joining us this week at CraftyCatz! Kim x

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  18. All those lovely flowers, wow.

    Your cat is so cute, I love her drawers, so beautifully shaded too.

    Thanks for sharing with us

    Lin xx
    ABC

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  19. Gorgeous card, love it. The photos of the flowers are so lovely too. Thanks for joining us at the Visible Image challenge, Nicola X

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  20. Fabulous and so cute.
    Thank you joining us at Penny Black Saturday Challenge.
    luv
    Debby

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  21. Gorgeous card and such a sweet image. Thank you for joining in the Visible image challenge this monrh.
    Cathy xx

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  22. What a cute card! I especialy love the colours and that cupcake paper! Gorgeous embellies too! Thanks so much for joining us at the MMCS Challenge this month, hope to see you again soon! x

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Jane x