SPRING WILDFLOWER

Early spring wildflowers are beginning to make their welcome appearance.  I have a transplanted Dutchmen's Breeches blooming beside my dining room window.  If you will look close the flowers do somewhat resemble the puffy breeches of Dutch boys.  The foliage for this plant is the ferny looking leaves; the other foliage is columbine and hyacinth leaves. This photo is from last year as this year's bloom isn't fully opened yet.

My daughter and I took a backroads drive today looking to find what wildflowers are in bloom.  Not much in bloom as yet, but soon!!

Ecclesiastes 3:1

I made this card for SplitCoastStampers Color Challenge 263 to use colors: Pretty In Pink, Dusty Durango and Creamy Carmel. I used white as my neutral.  I stamped the image from Long-Time Friends on textured mat paper by K&Company using black Stazon ink.  I watercolored with DerWent watercolor pencils using a aquabrush.  The designer paper is Basic Grey Sugared and I used a Martha Stewart border punch on Creamy Carmel along the top.  The sentiment Ecclesiastes 3:1, is a sticker by EK Success from a package I bought at Wal-Mart.  The embossilet butterfly by Stampin Up' was given to me by my independent Stampin' Up demo in a 'goodie package' along with my last order. Thanks Patty!   I now want to order that embossilet die.

MY FAVORITE LUNCH

This is my favorite lunch to have when I am by myself.  Quick and Easy and I usually have the ingredients on hand.  A single serving pouch of tuna in water, cottage cheese, diced celery, tomato, onion and whatever else I have in the refrigerator, 5 wheat crackers and one ounce of medium cheddar cheese.  Add a sprinkling of black pepper and sometimes a little ranch dressing and enjoy. Now don't get the idea that I always eat at the bar (just when DH is home) with a placemat and cloth napkin.  I ate lunch today in front of the computer catching up on emails.

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING

Today, March 20, 2010 is the first day of Spring in our part of the world. Twice a year, around March 20 or 21 and September 22 or 23, the sun shines directly on the equator and the length of day and night are nearly equal in all parts of the world. These two days are known as the March(vernal or spring in the northern hemisphere) equinox and the September equinox. These are my two favorite times of the year-Spring and Fall.  To honor Spring (although it is supposed to turn colder this afternoon with rain, sleet and snow after almost 70 degrees yesterday) here are a couple of cards I recently made.

Seems I have needed several Get Well and Sympathy cards lately and these will do for either occasion. Both are Challenge cards, the first for Color Challenge 262 to use Rich Razzleberry or Elegant Eggplant, Old Olive and Orchid Opulence.  The second card is for Featured Stamper 162.

UGLY CRITTERS

I belong to the American Hemerocallis Society (Daylilies) and we have a Daylily Email Robin.  Jane Mahan from NW Arkansas had an interesting post and link to a photo a few days ago.  Seems she was doing a walk-about in her garden and found the soil and some daylilies heaved several inches out of the ground.  On investigation this is what she found ina a nest about 12" below the surface.  Check out their front feet!

I had never seen baby moles that I remember.  Jane has a very nice photo album with photos from clouds to orchids and lots in between especially daylilies.  Check out her album here.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

This is a really cute St. Patrick's Day post-check it out.

Went to a birthday luncheon today for two of my game playing friends.  One was 84 today and the other one will be 70 on the 22nd.  Had a nice lunch and then played games this afternoon-always have a lot of fun so we have to play something that doesn't require too much concentration. Today we played Phase 10 and three of us was on the last phase but I didn't win as someone went out before me, but we are all good losers!

BLOG CANDY ALERT

Jovial Judi over on her blog http://paper-rose-petals.blogspot.com/search/label/Blog%20Candy%20Alert%203/25%20Drawing is having a drawing for what you see in the above photo Plus she is adding great stuff all the time-so click on the link and go check it out!

NATURES ORNAMENTS

Nature is amazing!  DD took these photos where the pods look like ornaments on a tree.  Enjoy!

Sycamore Tree

Sweet Gum tree

Sweet Gum tree balls on left and Tulip tree cup upper right.

A FAIRY TALE

Today's F4A3 Free For All on SplitCoastStampers is Fairy Tales. We were to make a card based on a fairy tale.  I couldn't think of any stamps I had but happened to think of this paper after I read Anne's grandson's version of the Princess and the Pea on her blog.  http://www.inkinginred.blogspot.com/ So Thanks Anne, your blog post jogged my memory that I had this Sweet Little Pea dp from ProvoCraft. My card is to depict the reward of a happy marriage beween the prince and the princess. I cut the paper so little sweet pea could be my sentiment. Used a round and a round scalloped punch for one of the little pods and popped it up on dimensionals. The embossing along the side is made using a Cuttlebug embossing folder.  The card base is Stampin' Up Bashful Blue; my camera shot it a little on the green side.  Another baby card for my stash!  Here is the completed card:

CROCUS TIME

These pretty purple crocus  blooms were a welcome sight this morning when I looked out the back patio door.  I am not real sure how they survive.  They are around a maple tree with lots of tree roots for competition. Poppies, orange tiger lilies, hosta, columbine, Virginia bluebells are also around that tree!  In the 70's today but supposed to be back in the 50's tomorrow with rain.  DH has a doctor's appointment in Springfield and we were hoping the nice weather would hold. 

WELCOME BABY

My husband's great-nephew and wife had a new baby boy.  He was in Springfield Cox Hospital ICU for about a week due to lung problems but is home now and growing like a weed.  Had supper last night with the grand and great grandparents and they all think he is special-naturally. 

Here is a card I made for him-need to get a gift card from Wal-Mart and get it in the mail.

The base card is Georgia Pacific White cardstock layered with Stampin' Up So Saffron.  The designer paper is some I picked up at Michaels.  Used a star punch and square punches for the sentiment.  Also cut out one of the little ducks and glued on the panel.  Added saffron colored thread to the purple ribbon to keep it from being too "girly". 

NATURAL TERRARIUMS

We recently bought some property across the county road from us. No one has lived there for a long time and there are a lot of trash dumps. While scouting around one of my daughters found several bottles that had ferns and moss growing in them. She brought me these two green bottles. I think they are so neat! Will put them in the shade garden later on hoping they will live. The green foliage popping out of the ground will be Multi-Flowering Festival Hyacinths. Hopefully clicking on the photos will enlarge them.

JUST AROUND THE CORNER

Tulips and Virginia bluebells. They are poking their little heads out of the ground so it won't be long now and I am so ready!! What about you?