Finding joy in the little things

We had a fab time at Southsea last week and the weather was really kind, sunny but not too hot. We had lunch at the 10th hole again which I have shared with you in the past so I didn't take any new photos.  If you missed it one of my previous posts can be seen via the link here This is a super lunch spot and I highly recommend it if you are in the area. 

Daisy and Jack had a super time in the swing park and I took a couple of fun snaps...just how much joy can a swing bring!

This was Daisy in the same swing park 4 years ago....bless!

Daisy took Jack down the slide too

It's the little things isn't it! You can also see that Jack is wearing his first pair of shoes...yes he is now toddling everywhere...and getting into places you would not believe!

You may remember me sharing photo of the swan boats on our previous visits... ..always tied up..

well on this visit I was delighted to see that people were out having fun in them.

I did offer Daisy a ride but she found the swings far more exciting!

I thought my card today should be just as joyful and fun. It is a new baby card for sale at Dotty's...and no before you ask there is no hidden meaning here with new babies in the family (other than my niece who is expecting number 2 in December). 

I love this Lili of the Valley baby quote stamp and it is a popular sentiment down at Dotty's.

The sweet animal die cuts are a sizzix set I got in one of Country View's sales a while back. The other dies are Cheery Lynn and Joanna Sheen.

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

That's crafty 2/3 animal magic

Penny Black and More 3/3 I spy something beginning with B My Bs are bird, beak, babies (stamp), brad, blue (brad and some of the flowers) 

A bit more time to craft 1/3 anything goes

Lil patch of crafting friends 3/3 anything goes

Time out 1/3 how bright can you be?

It's nearly the weekend again and I hope you take a moment to find some joy in the little things too. 

Thanks for stopping by and as always thanks for your kind comments too.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

April mindfulness

Yesterday I was busy working on a project for a magazine with a very short dead line so I enjoyed a whole day, from 9am, creating. I have not yet got back to working in my garden studio, I am still working from the breakfast bar in my kitchen but I opened the back door as the sunshine was so beautifully warm. 

I was able to enjoy a cuppa outside and as I took a few mindful moments I revelled in seeing how far my garden has come along over the last couple of weeks. I could even hear the low buzzing of a bee,  looking for nectar.

I snapped these photos to share my few minutes of mindfulness. At this time of the year I just sit on my back door step.
 My magnolia is bursting into flower..it appears unscathed by the late snow we experienced.

 What is there not to love about a blue sky and blossom?

How good it was to see the shadows cast by the bright sunshine through my trellis.

I also felt such joy to see the bulbs I planted last autumn now flowering in glorious colour. I love the way daffodils turn their heads to face the sunshine.

and yes my tulips have flowered too.

For those few moments I was able to just still my thoughts and be mindful.  I recharged my internal batteries in that sunshine and appreciated how very lucky I am to be able to do what I do. 

I am going to share a tag I made using Tim Holtz products including a Distress oxide background. The dies are all by Tim and I think his chit chat words are brilliant.

Here are a couple of close ups.

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

Time out inspiration photo

Lil patch of craft friends 1/3 anything goes

Addicted to stamps and more 1/3 anything goes

Crafty catz 1/3 anything goes with optional spring

Emerald creek dares spring has sprung

The sky is not quite so blue out there today but it is still a wonderful spring morning, one to "stay simple".

Have a lovely weekend ahead...I have some very exciting things to look forward including flying...I jest not....and visiting the Stamping show at Ally Pally in London.
Enjoy yours whatever you do and I will try to fit my minutes of mindfulness in too.

I am back on Monday with my weekly Visible Image DT post. I am so looking forward to catching up with Helen and Mark Alexander, aka Mr and Mrs Visible Image at Ally Pally on Sunday. There will be lots of hugs from this delightful pair and a lot of catching up to do. If you happen to be going too I would love to say hello...give me a tap on the shoulder 😃

Bye for now,

Jane x

Few words needed

As promised I am back to share my buys from the Country Living Spring show I attended last week. My Mum and I were delighted by the quality of the merchandise available. I was actually quite restrained with what I bought but of course I had to treat my Daisy to some of the wonderful hand made clothes on sale. The dress I bought it completely reversible including the sash.  I also bought a few crafty bits to add to my card making and cake making stash and my darling Mum treated me to a gorgeous cashmere top.

Few words are needed............

Yes I know I'm a lucky girl.

My card today is actually a tag which I felt inspired to make on Sunday. It was a chilly but beautiful spring day and I had just returned from a sunny walk. I do feel very blessed. Our lives are so full of hopes and dreams which we strive for. However life is never easy and there are constant changes and challenges. Sometimes  to achieve this we do need to push ourselves into uncharted waters. I wanted to make an inspirational tag and looked through my Lili of the Valley Pretty Vintage quotes stamps. 

I chose this one

 and made this tag

Just to celebrate life ;0)

I had such fun making up the background using distress ink and a TH clock stencil. I die cut 2 Cheery Lynn seahorses (I was feeling in a summery mood ;0) out of book pages and Distress Inked them. I love the way the one at the bottom almost looks camouflaged. I also had a chance to ink up mu Designs by Ryn rising bubbles stamp and stamped it in both DIs as a shadow and then again in blue archival ink. I added a few words .....just hopes and dreams.

Here are some close ups

and one last view showing the ribbons I have attached. 

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

A Vintage Journey say it with words 

Hels Sheridan Sunday Stamper dreams

A little bit Crafty are we there yet?

The Squirrel and the Fox Inspired by a book my book is The life of Pi by Yann Martel

Cheery Lynn celebrate  I am celebrating life!

Fashionable stamping silhouette I love my seahorse silhouette, he is nearly camouflaged there ;0)

Country view Crafts paper chase

Flonzcraft just for you I certainly made this tag just for me

The Artistic stamper Letters words and numbers

Little Claires make a tag

Crafty Ribbons anything goes with ribbon

Happy Tuesday everyone and thanks for making my blogging life such a enjoyable one. 

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x