Wednesday 23 March 2016

A Spring awakening and new beginnings

Yesterday was the most glorious sunny day. My silversmithing class is off for Easter so I enjoyed a day to myself where I caught up on some of my crafting projects.

It was warm enough to sit outside for lunch. What is there not to love about a blue sky?  It will soon be warm enough to open up my little garden studio.
 My hellebore has so many gorgeous blooms

 My daffodils are now in full bloom.



  and I noticed my tulip blooms are emerging.
 It's so good to see this spring awakening.
I even managed a walk to my beloved ponds where Nature is really waking up for Spring.

Even this fellow was basking in the sun (he's a heron in case you are wondering).
Life feels so good on days like this.


My challenge piece today is an Easter tag. I created this fun background with inks and sprays which I think looks a bit like an bird egg shell.
I added lots of spring embellies including a button. The butterflies are a Nicecrane download. The leaves are by Cheery Lynn. The sentiment is Clearly Besotted


I would like to enter my Easter tag into the following challenges;

Fussy and fancy 3/3 things with wings
Paper creator  1/3 spring colours
Emerald Creek Dares  ring in spring
Try it on Tuesdays  3/3 nature
Little Claire's  2/3 anything goes
Ribbon Girl  2/3 any image
Whimsy 2/3 spring colours or Easter
Deep Ocean 1/3 Fave colour combo I have lots of fave combos but greens/ blues/ yellows is one of them.
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday 1/5 come rain or shine Come rain or shine we will be enjoying a happy Easter time as we are catching up with our dear family and this is the tag on one of their Easter gifts. I also think my little scene is a sunny one.
Sweet Stampin 1/3 Easter
Allsorts 1/3Easter
Crafty Boots  1/3  Easter

So what's the new beginnings part of this post I hear you ask? Well I finished work today. 34 years as a physio is a long time and it did feel quite surreal but as my Mum says...as one door closes...................so tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life and I am so looking forward to following my crafty pathway.
First I am going to first catch up over lunch with my dearest friend Karen tomorrow.....we'll raise our cappuccini and celebrate my retirement from physiotherapy over a panini in Caffe Nero ;0)

A real Spring awakening all round and lots of new beginnings.

Thanks for visiting and I am looking forward to sharing new adventures in the pages of Jane's Journal with you, there will be lots more to come. I hope to have much more time to be creative.

Here's to my ongoing crafting journey. Cheers!

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

31 comments:

  1. I always love your pictures. Your tag background is so gorgeous it cold stand alone. And you are right, it reminds me of a speckled egg. But it does make a gorgeous background for your butterflies.
    Sandy xx

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  2. This is so creative. I love the background and the way you have nature all in the tag...just beautiful. I also just love your pictures! The one flower at the beginning is so unique looking. I also love that one bird who just seems to be hanging around. I wonder what kind of bird is it?

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  3. WOnderful photos an d amazing tag !
    Thank you for joining us at Try it on Tuesdays!
    Happy Easter!

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  4. Well hello full time crafter!!! :)
    Your beautiful tag is a great start to your new full time job!
    Lovely springtime images, I love herons they look almost prehistoric.
    Happy new life my friend,
    V x

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  5. Happy Retirement sweet girl! You so deserve it and will no doubt be as busy as ever.

    Happy Easter too.

    Hugs

    Di xx

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  6. Lovely tag...clever background to look like a speckled egg. Congrats on your retirement and enjoy the 'rest of your life'!! I know I don't miss the NHS so no doubt other than your now ex colleagues I am sure you won't either!! enjoy that coffee!!

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  7. Your posts are so delightful and I always smile and sigh while reading. Gorgeous tag and thank you for entering the Emerald Creek Dare.

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  8. Lovely Easter card Jane, those butterflies are really lovely and your background is gorgeous. Thank you for sharing your work with all of us at Crafty Boots Challenges.

    Dionne

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  9. beautiful pictures as always Jane - looks like a wonderful day - love your tag too and it really does look like an egg. brilliant! Hugs rachel x

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  10. Thanks for entering our challenge at allsorts Tracy x

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  11. You always take such beautiful photos Jane, I love looking at them and always show my mum your floral pics.
    Your tag background does look like an egg shell, very cool.
    Happy Retirement, Julie x

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  12. Fabulous tag and your background is brilliant. Thanks for joining in at Crafty Boots Challenges this time.

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  13. The day has dawned at last and what wonderful things have you got planned? I'm looking forward to seeing you on Tuesday and catching up.
    Love your tag, fabulous background and finished piece, beautiful and gorgeous photos too.
    Happy Easter.
    Hugs Brenda xxx

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  14. HI Jane,

    What a beautiful day indeed!
    Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos with us.
    I love your Easter Tag with all the blooms!

    xx

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  15. Enjoy your new found freedom. It wont take you long to wonder how you ever had the time to go to work!! I love your birds egg tag. Very pretty. hugs Mrs A.

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  16. Jane, I am so very happy for you to be free to design your future since you are such a creative spirit! Thanks for taking us on a walk with you and love your tag. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  17. I think it must be a good season for Hellebore's Jane as our are glorious as well and seem to have been in blooms for so long this year.

    A really super tag for our theme this week, many thanks for joining us at Allsorts challenge.

    Hope you have a good Easter.

    B x

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  18. Very beautiful tag. Thank you for sharing it at Try it on Tuesday

    Love Chrissie x

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  19. Wow Jane, your tag is inspiring and so are all those gorgeous photos!! As I type this comment, it is snowing and freezing rain outside. There's an inch of snow on my patio set and the trees are covered in ice! DOH! Thanks for bringing the spring back into my day! hugs :)

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  20. Beautiful tag and love the egg shell finish. Great take on the challenge and thanks for playing with us at TIOT.
    Hugz, Z

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  21. Here's to happy new starts, dear Jane,

    How has the first day of your new, crafty life been? A sunny, creative and stress free I wish? All that green&spring-happiness looks fantastic, you'll be so happy in your studio!

    Happy Easter-weekend, dear friend!

    Yours,
    Mia

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  22. Enjoyed viewing your spring photos! I'm looking for inspiration for my own Easter cards, as I have my printmaking class tomorrow night, and want to do a simple block print on my cards. I have seen a few crocuses popping up in a sunny spot, but daffodils are not blooming yet. Have a very blessed Easter!
    Jane T

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  23. What gorgeous garden photos! Fab Easter project too.
    Thank you for sharing with us at Sweet Stampin this week, Wedgie xxx

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  24. Fab tag. Great techniques. Thanks for joining us at Sweet Stampin'
    Cass xx

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  25. Beautiful tag.

    Thanks for joining us at Sweet Stampin.

    Susan

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  26. Such a gorgeous tag!! So nice to look at all your Spring pics! Thank you for sharing with us at Fussy and Fancy...good luck!
    Take care,
    Beth

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  27. Fabulous tag Jane! Thanks for sharing it with us over at TioT challenge.
    Enjoy Your Retirement!

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  28. So fabulous tag !
    Thanks for your participation at the Paper Creator challenge ! xx

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  29. Hi Jane, Thinking of you as you close one door and open another!! Here's to more crafty days ahead. (my husband is next for retirement)

    Hope you are having a good Easter weekend....
    Hugs, Anne D.T. xx

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  30. Fabulous tag, love those butterflies.
    Thank you for joining us at Simon says Stamp Wednesday Challenge.
    Luv
    Debby

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  31. A beautiful creation and lovely flowers! Thanks for joining us at The Ribbon Girl! xxx

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Jane x