Spring has Sprung…

{peeking through a knothole in our garden gate…}

…here in California, anyway!

Hope you’re all enjoying some lovely weather this weekend—it’s been so beautiful here, we did some kitchen garden planting today—so excited!

I thought I’d share a few images of our garden today…evidence of spring at hand…

{the ever lovely “Evelyn” David Austin English rose…}

{simply sweet forget-me-nots…}

{heaven-scented star jasmine…}

All this beauty inspired the theme for my card-making this weekend…

 

One of my favorite springtime images from Crafty Secrets’ “Birds & Blossoms” Creative Scraps…love that sweetly crowned bluebird…

…needed just a BIT more sparkle on that crown…!

…double layers of pennants as a border, layered with a long script stamp, both stamps part of Crafty Secrets’ “Artsy Banners” stamp set…

Just a bit of ribbon, lace, twine & a slightly pink-tinged mother-of-pearl button to top it all off…and touches of platinum Stickles, of course!

Let’s take another peek into the garden…

{bright & cheerful nasturtiums…they always make me smile!}

{aaaahhhh, lilacs…I just can’t breathe them in deeply enough…}

{the pristine blossoms on my pluot tree…}

Another card…Love Lives Here…

…yes, it does.

This beautiful image is found on Crafty Secrets’ new and oh, so lovely “Love Mail” Creative Scraps…the two nesting birdies, cut from another image on CS’ “Birds & Blossoms” Creative Scraps…popped-up here…

…a few flowers punched out, sugar-covered with clear glass glitter, a VERY liberal spraying of “Pink Bubblegum” and “Creme de Cocoa” Glimmer Mist, then topped with tiny iridescent crystal rhinestones…{they look like sweet, miniature sugar cookies!}

…plain background made beautiful using the script stamp from Crafty Secrets’ “Artsy Banners” stamp set (one of my very favorites!)

As I sit here writing, my kitchen window is open…a soft, afternoon breeze is blowing in the mingled scents of jasmine, rose and lilac…pure bliss!

{the creamy yellow perfection of “Graham Thomas”, another English Rose…}

{I will never cease to be amazed at the beauty of fig leaves…}

{the heavily nodding boughs of intoxicating wisteria…}

Thanks for joining me in my garden today…I hope spring is springing for you too!

See you soon with something new…

Julie

LiveJournal Tags: Crafty Secrets,garden,spring

An Epiphany…

Do you ever compare yourself to others?  We’re told not to, aren’t we…but I usually do! (Maybe you do, too?!)

So many of you inspire me and touch my life on a daily basis…

The love, creativity and childlike excitement for everything of my Mother…{no blog…yet!}

The joy-filled, lovely, sweetly pastel-colored world of Koralee…

The wisdom and beautifully-worded peacefulness of   Suzanne…

The limitless vintage creativity and wonderful stories of  Elizabeth…

The appreciation of the simple pleasures of home and the wonders of world travel of Tammy…

The boundless creativity, fun and vivacity of Vivian…

The gracefulness and love of nature and family of Julie Marie…

The loving kindness and grace under oh, such trying times of  Suz…

The sheer thrill of learning, creating and sharing of Charlene…

The amazing creativity, generosity and vision of Vicki…

The sweetness, creativity and putting-others-first of Cindy…

The culinary genius, artistic talents, love and wonderfulness of Marie…

The vastness of artistic ability in so many mediums of Lynn……..

{Thanks, ladies, for letting me use photos from your blogs!}

I will never have all the gifts and talents that all of these women—and ALL THE REST OF YOU—have, but I’m realizing something…it’s okay.

 

There are never enough hours in a day, or years in a life to accomplish all the things I want to learn and do…and that’s okay, too.

{Images: Crafty Secrets’ “Love Mail” Creative Scraps; scalloped edging and script: Crafty Secrets’ “Artsy Banners” stamp set}

Each one of us is unique and special in our own way.  We’ve been given gifts that no one else has…to be used in our very own way…

As I was thinking about all this, the word epiphany kept popping into my head, so I looked up the definition, just to make sure I had it right…and it’s perfect…

Epiphany: “a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.”

Just seemed to fit, somehow…

So I’ll take the inspiration, kindness, love, laughter that I’ve gained from you all…and add it to the things that already make me…me…and just try to be the very best ME that I can be.

Thank-you to those that I’ve mentioned today for teaching me, inspiring me, helping me, lifting me, entertaining me each and every day…

…and to those of you that I’ll mention by name on other days…thanks to you for all you do.  You’ll never know how you help me, make me smile, make me cry, make me think…make me happy to be part of this beautiful bloggy world we’ve come to love…

{Main image & butterflies: Crafty Secrets’ “Love Mail” Creative Scraps}

These little cards are my thank-you’s to you all…

Thank-you.

Julie

LiveJournal Tags: Crafty Secrets,Love Mail,Thank-you,Epiphany

Sewing Notes…

Good morning, everyone!

Hope you all had a beautiful weekend!  We had lots of sun, a little rain…lovely!

Just one project to share with you today, using Vintage Street Market's fabulous "Dimestore Vogue" Paper Sheets & Tags Kit.

I had so much fun with this!  My middle daughter, Sarah, has a great desire to learn how to sew--really, really well!  She already knows how to do the basics, but she would like to design and make her own clothing eventually, so she's got a BIG list of things she wants to learn!

My very good friend, Barb, has volunteered to be her sewing mentor, and we are SO grateful!  Her first lesson was last Thursday after school...so with that in mind, I created "Sarah's Sewing Notes" for her to take along, stuff patterns into, take notes in, etc...

Here's the front cover...so fun to be able to just use one of the 12"x12" sheets as is...already collage-style and ready to go!  I just added a bit of lace trim & ribbon, a punched out flower using the beautiful aqua foil sheet, and gobs of ribbon pieces to tie onto the jump rings...just for fun!  A touch of platinum Stickles was used on every page, as well, for a just a bit of sparkle...

A pad of paper attached on this page...just for her to be able to jot down a thought or two...

A pocket was added on nearly every page to stick things in...pattern pieces, instructions...whatever!

A close-up shot of one ribbon "spool" is punched from the Tag sheet...with a bit of sparkle added, of course!

Another piece from the Tag sheet added her in the pocket for my girl to use to mark her place anywhere she pleases...

Wishes...she's got LOADS of them!

I had so much fun cutting out pieces from the marvelous packaging for this kit...here we have the two ladies from the front of the packaging...

...a "dress form" I made using the lovely crepe sheet, then backed with a slightly larger form cut from the aqua foil sheet,  topped off with a sparkly vintage button...

Just a shot of the last two pages together...and...

...the back of the notebook.  What better to finish it off with than this wonderful logo?!

What is it about a thick, chunky pile of chipboard, paper & trim that is just so darn appealing???  I sure don't know, but I like it!

Here’s a quick shot of my Sarah during her first lesson…so grateful to have a friend who’s willing to share her time and her talents with my girl…

Thanks, dear friend!

Hope your day is wonderful...see you soon with something new.

Julie

LiveJournal Tags: Vintage Street Market,Dimestore Vogue,Sewing Notebook,Barb Romero,Sarah