Yellow Flowers, Yellow Birds...It's Spring!

I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose 

I would always greet it in a garden. 

 ~Ruth Stout 

One of the surest signs of Spring for us is the return of a pair of yellow Orioles who first visited our backyard two years ago. I can't tell you how happy I was to see 'mama and papa' Oriole again! They flew to the Hummingbird feeder first, but quickly recognized their own feeder hanging from the arbor in the corner of the backyard. They are quite shy, but I did manage to take photos of them last year. Here is the less flamboyant female~

Here is a photo of her mate~

I think I have found the perfect cup for tea this afternoon! Isn't this Shelley bone china teacup gorgeous?




 It's called Daffodil Time. The handle is a lovely shade of yellow.

 

photo by The Missing Piece

Wouldn't it be lovely to come upon a wooded copse with Daffodils nodding their heads in the breeze?
 

What signs of Spring have you seen in your neck of the woods?

 

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Do You Know The Way to Leprechaun Lane?

By Killarney's lakes and fells,
Em'rald isles and winding bays,
Mountain paths, and woodland dells
Memory ever fondly strays;
Bounteous nature loves all lands;
Beauty wanders everywhere
Footprints leaves on many strands,
But her home is surely there.
Angels fold their wings and rest
In that Eden of the west,
Beauty's home, Killarney,
Ever fair, Killarney.

E. O'Rourke 

You may remember this teacup from last year. My friend Patty sent it to me. It's musical and has a wind-up key underneath the cup! I love the different sized shamrocks on it and the wavy lip edge. I display it all through Spring because of it's cheery green and white color. Today I used it and a printed Irish blessing, which I framed, to decorate our afternoon tea table.

Our new cat - adopted last September - saw me placing the shamrock tablecloth on our kitchen farm house table and thought it would be a lovely place to doze and watch the backyard birds.  I quickly squashed that idea! So, he contented himself with watching me set the table while keeping one eye on the backyard in case any birds visited. And one obliged! A Western Scrub Jay stopped by for a peanut.

 I love using this white teapot because of it's size and pretty embossed design.

 Tea for two!

For each petal on the shamrock,

This brings a wish your way,

Good health, good luck and happiness,

Today and every day.

 

Pansies, Sage blossoms and a Daffodil graced the table.

I love using our claddagh napkin rings. Did you notice there is also a claddagh on the cups? The claddagh symbolized Love, Loyalty and Friendship.

These claddagh cups have no designated manufacturers mark. They are footed ceramic beaker style cups.

The aroma of Irish Soda Bread filled the kitchen and tasted wonderful with butter, jam and a cup of tea.

We'll be listening to Irish music for the next few days. Next to our c.d. player are discs from The Fenians and The Boys of The Lough.

The reverse side of the cup has shamrocks on it

  
 Do you celebrate St Patrick's Day with a corned beef dinner or a city parade? Have you ever tried making Irish Soda Bread? It's very easy.

 

 Sláinte is a word literally translating as "health" and is commonly used as a toast in Ireland and Scotland.

photo Clara Ceramics

Happy St. Patrick's Day~

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Knowing Trees

Budding Gingko Tree

 

 Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence."
  H. Borland

 

This weekend is the Daylight Savings Time Spring Forward time change, which changes back on November 2.

 

I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/e/eecummin161807.html#PYrUY1Mg5UQ2WzOe.99

I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/e/eecummin161807.html#PYrUY1Mg5UQ2WzOe.99

Thinking of Spring

 The modest, lowly violet 

 In leaves of tender green is set; 

So rich she cannot hide from view, 

But covers all the bank with blue.

Photo by Replacements, LTD.

Last week flew by with practically everyone here under the weather in some way or another. My Mom is still in the hospital and I've been fighting something for days. A nice hot cuppa has been a comfort every evening.

 There is something so cheery, friendly and welcoming about violas. The cup pictured above is a bone china Wentworth made in Japan. I don't own this cup but I think it would be a lovely addition to the Spring tea table, don't you? We are less than three weeks from the official start of Spring, the Vernal Equinox on March 20th. Thinking ahead, I dug out my Viola stamp and made a Springtime card.

I first stamped the post mark, grid and text in grey ink. Next, I stamped the Viola image in black then colored the flowers and leaves with my Zig Water Pen  and Ranger Distress Ink.

The purple checked paper behind the stamped piece was embossed using my Cuttlebug.

 Fun fact: March fourth is a date and a sentence.

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You're My Good Luck Charm- My Artistic Adventures

 March comes in like a lion, 

and goes out like a lamb.

Happy March- it's almost Spring! It's time for the new My Artistic Adventures Challenge which begins on March second. This challenge has a Spring or St. Patrick's Day theme. I used Heather's Victorian Vintage Shabby Chic Pink and Green St Patty's Day Irish Blend Collage Sheet to make my cards.

 

The minute I saw the pretty teacup I had to have this sheet. On the card below I blended Heather's images with a bit of Mary Engelbreit!

The Pansy punch I used is from Martha Stewart and the Lacey Circles are Spellbinders. I fussy cut the sentiment, teacup medallion and butterfly from the collage sheet printable.

The card base is craft paper and the teacup image is adhered with foam for dimension. I found the Mary Engelbreit paper in the Michael's dollar section. The second card I made using Heather's collage sheet is larger, and I used the decorative green 'tags' that come on the sheet for my background.

 On the card above I layered the green tags with brown paper and embossed craft paper. I used glitter, Vintage Photo Distress Ink on the roughened edges, and a shamrock gem on the saucer.

I printed out two copies of the collage sheet and fussy cut one teacup to layer above another - I placed foam between them so the teacup seems more 3D on the card. It's difficult to see that with the flat-front photo I took of the card, but it's there!

There is a space above the teacup for writing or stamping a sentiment. I used an acrylic stamp that says 'You're My Good Luck Charm' in that space.

Check out Heather's blog for tutorials, Challenges, and awesome photos of her crafty creations along with those from the rest of the Design Team. Welcome Spring by making something fun!

 On a personal note my Mom has been in the hospital twice since Valentine's Day so I have not been blogging much. I'm hoping that, although March is starting out quite rough, it ends like a 'lamb' with everyone feeling better and Mom back at home.

 

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