Spring on Garrison

            Happy Spring 2012!  Spring has arrived on Garrison in all its splendor.  Due to the early warmth, my azaleas are as pretty as they have ever been.

I have had such fun this week pulling out my favorite spring decorations to adorn my outdoor space.

This wooden bunny is soooooo old, but I still love him.... created in a tole painting class taken years ago.

I couldn't pass up this cutie in the garden center a few weeks back.

Of course, when the "spring decoration" box was opened down in the basement, up came all kinds of other favorites to liven up my inside space.

It's so hard to make a photo of my garden window sill, but it is lined with this resin bunny couple and a sweet lamb.

I have been continuing to have such fun with Donna Downey's online classes.  I went "ga ga" over her latest Canvas Create class.  Here is my version...

May you plant some seeds today that will produce the most delightful flowers in the days ahead!

Happy first spring weekend of 2012...

"Springing" forward

Are you rubbing the sleep from your eyes on this first Monday after "springing forward"???  It is a real jolt to my system, as well as to the internal clocks of my "boys" Gabe and Buttons.  My little household usually runs on a schedule of sorts and things seem a bit "wonky" this morning.  Hopefully in a few days, we will be back on track! It surely will be lovely to have those longer evenings to be outside basking in the delicious spring weather to come. 

I have been playing in my art journal with soft colors and textures.  I adore using PanPastels.  After taking several of Donna Downey's fabulous online classes, I am totally in love with the possibilities these butter-soft pastels can create.  In celebration of the arrival of daylight savings time, 2012, I created a quick page, with a quote to guide my thoughts for the day and for the season.

Looking in my back yard at the barren trees that line the perimeter of my lot, I am invigorated by the knowledge that in just a few weeks, the brown will be adorned with luscious new green foliage... I can hardly wait!  In the mean time, I am in awe of the beauty that I sill behold here in the last vestiges of the winter season.

I am thinking ahead to the days when the wildflowers will flourish as butterflies and dragonflies twirl about...

Our interstate system is often lined with fields of wildflowers... among my favorites are the poppies... I do adore the poppies...

The little nests that I so enjoy are such a great decorative touch for this time of year.  Last year my dear friend we affectionately call "Baby Chik" sent me these great eggs from her "girls".  She had blown out the insides and carefully packaged and sent these my way.  I used some Glimmer Mist sprays to decorate them and then nestle them in a precious little vignette.  

My eyes keep going to this box in my bedroom, a "house" for a project from several years ago...

When I haven't been playing with mixed media and decorating, I have been shopping, too!  A girl surely needs a new pair of shoes for the season... doesn't she??? Sure she does...  

I hope you catch some extra "z'ssssssss", as we all get used to that lost hour that won't return until November.  Make every moment count!

Ode to spring

Ahhhhh.... after all the rains and storms of last night, it is glorious to see the sun, bask in  the warmth... and hear so many sweet birds singing on this Saturday. I adore the birds and all they represent.  They are a constant thread running through all my work... always...

I also adore using quotes in my journals.  It is so meaningful to reflect on the wisdom of others.  Today as I was looking back at a journal I had completed a while back, I just loved the meaning of these words.

May you live these words, too...  Make this day one worth remembering.