The conker hunt 2018

On Sunday it was our annual family conker hunt. The weather all day Saturday and Sunday morning was rain, rain and more rain and if we could we probably would have tried to reschedule. But armed with wet weather waterproofs we walked down to our local park and could not believe that as we arrived the clouds started to part and out came the sunshine!

Daisy had her basket and was keen to get going.

She was not disappointed.  just look, the ground was completely covered with conker treasure.

Lots were still in their shells as they had been blown down by the strong winds the day before.  Daisy gleefully pulled them out, doubles like below, are especially treasured.

Bear came too and kept herding us up and keeping an eye on us all, including Jack

who had his own little bucket this year.

He delighted in putting his own conker treasures in it.

helped by his Daddy.

So many beauties to find. 

What a wonderful family time we enjoyed and the sunshine was so unexpected. I think the Conker god was smiling down on us 😏

My card today was inspired by the autumnal colours and is a new birthday card just taken down to Dotty's Teahouse to sell.  I used my Visible Image time tunnel stencil and also their elemental stamp to create an inky sheet which I die cut with my Tim Holtz world die and then mounted on some embossed brown card. The little birthday tag is an old Lili of the Valley stamp. The stars are Tim's and the starburst in an old Noor die.

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

Simon says stamp Wednesday anything goes
The house that stamps built 1/3 anything goes
Creative moments 1/3 anything goes
The male room 1/3 the great outdoors
Addicted to stamps and more 1/3 anything goes
Die cutting divas 1/3 fall colours my world and stars die is Tim Holtz and the star cascade is Noor.
Crafty sentiments 1/3 anything goes
Lil patch of crafty friends 1/3 anything goes
Sparkles monthly 1/3 dies or punches

I have just got back from the south coast as I was baby sitting Daisy and Jack yesterday. This glorious weather persists and today is wall to wall blue skies and sunshine...just look at this as we had a walk along the beach this morning. My daughter and I walked Daisy to school and then enjoyed a coffee, chat and walk which little Jack snoozed away in his pushchair.

Oh my it was just glorious.

Sending sunshine your way if you need some.
Thanks so much for stopping by today.

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