Saturday, March 13, 2010

A Gift of Spring...and My "Office"

Good morning, everyone!

It's Saturday morning...the sun is shining, the rain is past...(for now, anyway!)...my husband is out getting our vegetable garden started...life it good!

I have a few things to share with you today--first, I thought I'd show you a couple of my favorite Spring/Easter decorations...



I love this beautiful hat-shaped nest with sweet bluebirds on top..."a gift of Spring"...

And this--one of my very favorites--I think you'll see why...



Gorgeous rough crystal eggs in my Grandmother's old crystal basket...I love how the light comes through the eggs and makes them glow...absolutely beautiful...

Next up is another fun 3D Shadowbox card--from the creative mind of Vicki Chrisman and Crafty Secrets!


I really love putting these cards together...you never quite  know how they're going to end up when you begin...!


This sweet little chick is from Crafty Secrets' "Easter" Creative Scraps...


...a beautiful Easter angel that Sandy (Crafty Secrets) provided as a free download on her blog last spring...and


...a wonderful vintage bunny I found online...


Lots of glitter and ribbon, lace and crystal rhinestones...fun stuff!

Since I showed you some photos of my daughters from 1997 the other day, I thought I'd indulge myself a bit more by sharing more with you from a similar Easter party in 2000...my babies a little more grown up...





Our aunt and uncle--the hosts of the party--kept chickens, and this particular year, they had a box of new baby chicks in the house for the kids to gently pet and hold...my girls were under their spell...


...totally and completely!  I love these sweet memories--thanks for letting me share!

Lastly, I thought I'd show you my "office":


...what do you think?!  I'm a naturalist (docent) at the county park.  Classes come to us in the spring for fieldtrips, and I'm one of a few naturalists that take them on hikes and teach them about the plants & animals and the Native Americans that lived here...



Here's my first class of the season--an adorable bunch of third graders--excited about everything they see and FULL of questions!



...yep--it's a tough life--lucky me!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend--see you soon with something new!


35 comments:

  1. Beautiful Spring and Easter decorations! Your 3d card is awesome!

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  2. How fun...to take kids on a hike of such a magical place...I would to do that! Love the blue birds and the crystal vase..have a good weekend and come say i :D

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  3. I love your office! thank you for sharing all these lovely Easter decorations. Your daughters are beautiful; but they grow so fast.
    Happy Weekend.
    Rita

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  4. I'm just pleased that you got your spelling right and didn't say that you are a 'naturist' : ) (some things NEVER change, huh?!)

    Really beautiful work as always. Do you know that I have a tree that was originally set up in my dining room at Christmas, then I decided to leave it up year 'round and decorate it with the seasons or holidays...Yep! It's 'CHRISTMAS' everyday at my house! : )

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  5. Love your office and your beautiful Easter things. Your Grandma's basket is just stunning. Blessings, Martha

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  6. Boy, do I need to get an office like THAT!! Gorgeous!!

    I love the cute little chick pictures, just adorable!! Thanks for sharing these!

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  7. Your office is perfect! Your art is stunning and the stories you share are always nice:)

    Have a wonderful weekend Julie!
    Hugs Hanne

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  8. WOW Jules ... what beautiful crystal pieces and yes, I LOVE those eggs ... I've never seen anything like that! Beautiful!
    Speaking of beautiful ... I love seeing photos of your daughters (of course the little red head is my favorite ... wonder why, lol!)
    Your 3d creations are fantastic .. I don't have those yet ... boy am I behind!
    Last but not least, I WANT AN OFFICE LIKE YOURS!!! I am so jealous! What a fabulous job you have and I'm sure you are VERY good at it! Awesome my friend ... simply awesome!!

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  9. Another beautiful post. Love seeing your Easter decor and the beautiful shadow box card (gotta do a little sumthin' with mine.. still thinking!). And your office - it doesn't get any better than that! Have a beautiful weekend!

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  10. Lovely Easter decorations, Julie! The pictures of your daughters are so sweet, and your office...fantastic! I write about places like this but rarely get to see them in person. You're a blessed lady!

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  11. What a nice job you have! And so great to open a child's eyes to the possibilities of the natural world..lucky you!

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  12. Wow, drooling over those eggs!

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  13. Dear Julie, such sweey photoes of your girls, and oh my, your office is so wonderfull, -you must have fairyes living there?
    Your eggs looks like gold, -so beautifull they are, and the same goes for your easter card, I love the whimsey, and all the details ,of sweet things, and the wonderfull finish with a little glitter.
    Hugs, Dorthe

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  14. Hi Julie, what a wonderful post. So pretty and full of joy. Love the eggs and the shadow box cards are fab.
    debby

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  15. What a wonderful job you have! I wanted to be forest ranger when I was a little girl. ☺

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  16. I would love to go on that walk you give. I used to be a hike leader in the High Sierra before me moved up here to Alaska. I lead hikes all summer to mainly seniors.
    I loved those beautiful eggs you have displayed with the light shining through them. The baby chicks are just darling as well as your girls.

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  17. I loved it all!!!!! Glad you got to go play with the kids. How great that you teach them all that wonderful stuff. I bet you make learning so much fun. Loved the last Easter card because of the pansies. Pansies are my favorite flower & they are blooming everywhere right now. And the photos of your girls with the chicks brought back so many memories. Remember when they used to dye them colors? Pink, Blue, & Green chicks for Easter. Oh the animal rights people would go nuts. Silly the fuzzy little critter turned out to be plain old chickens. Thanks for the memories (& for stopping by to see my new picture painted by Violet). Have a great weekend & enjoy that garden hubby planted. Charlene

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  18. So happy to see your little bluebird! It just makes me smile. How lovely to see your daughters growing right before our eyes!

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  19. I want your job! Weather is beautiful today and I would much rather be outside than stuck here in a real office. Yes, I am in my office as I type this. Hey! All work and no play, you know what they say right! Have a super Sunday. Many blessings, Tammy

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  20. What a lovely spring post Julie! Loved the pictures of your girls. How very beautiful they are, and that card, once again you have amazed me with your creativity. I adore the pretty birds nest decoration and the lovely crystal basket. What a lovely momento of your much loved gran! I think you have the best job in the world! I would love being able to share my love of nature with youngsters in that way. You're so lucky! Sending lots of love and hugs across the sea on this early spring day! Have a wonderful and blessed sabbath! xxoo

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  21. Wow, what a lot of beautiful things you shared today! I love, love, love the birdnest. Those blue birds are ADORABLE! And btw so are your girls with the chicks, how precious!
    The card is sooooooooooooo beautiful. Beautiful allover your place today!

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  22. Maravilloso y creativo tu blog, es super relajante Contemplar tanta sensibilidad en tus trabajos. Felicidades.

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  23. Those little chicks are so cute , I just love them!

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  24. Those eggs are so cool. Love your grandma's basket too. Your office looks kind of like Lopez Lake. I was one of the mom's who went there when my kids were in 3rd grade. My favorite thing was the banana slugs. (not really!) Mimi

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  25. What wonderful eggd and a great photo to show them at there best loving the Blue bird decoration too!

    Love Dawn xx

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  26. Another great shadow box!! Love your office and enjoyed seeing all of your treasures! Amazing to see how the girls have grown - time goes quickly doesn't it??

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  27. I love the office and I have to say my fav thing are the teeny blue speckled eggs. Adorable.

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  28. Oh Julie you are so clever and creative! I love your crafts and office! You alos have some darling daughters! Aren't daughters precious! Thanks for coming by my blog and have a wonderful week!

    Hugs,
    Maryjane

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  29. Fun post, Julie! You included a little of everything! I love the blue robins, I have a decoration w/ a robin that looks just the same. I love it so much, she's out year round! And your docent job looks like a rough gig...how fun! Thanks for sharing in your fun! Hope you had a great weekend!

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  30. How beautiful!!! I especially love the last outdoor picture..it makes me think something wonderful awaits beyond the "tree bridge". Maybe a secret garden? Thank you for sharing.

    Your girls are so lovely, and the baby chicks!! Oh my!!

    Hope you had a wonderful weekend :)

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  31. Wow what an amazing 'office' and what a privilage to have such a wonderful job.

    I just love seeing your treasures and photos of your beautiful family.

    Lesley x

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  32. So many beautiful decorations! The eggs in the basket are stunning! And the robin's are back, yay! Have a great week.

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  33. Oh Julie,

    I wish I were one of your student kiddos!

    Heck, I wouldn't mind being one of your daughters if I knew I would end up with that GORGEOUS red hair!!!!

    Plus...while I'm here wishing, I wish I had an office like yours AND I wish for those beautiful crystal eggs. I can only imagine how beautiful they are seeing them in person!

    And...since I'm REALLY wishing for a lot here, I wish I were as talented as you as this shadow box card is out of this world!
    (my mom always taught me to dream big, so I'm really taking her advice here!!!!)

    Love it all Julie, I'm always amazed when I come to visit. (Jealous AND amazed! :)

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  34. Wish I had an office like that! What lovely Easter ornaments and cards. Hugs X Anne X

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