'What you do speaks so loudly, I can't hear what you say.'
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sunday 24 February 2019

With spring flowers still on my mind (Allsorts Challenge) I'd like to share one of my favourite spring blooms - the Magnolia. I love how delicate they are and how they appear before the leaves, on an otherwise bare tree... I get really excited when I see the first flowers appearing, then opening and the leaves joining them later. 

I used one of my favourite PB floral stamps, using Tombows to stamp onto watercolor paper, then defining with Prismacolor pencils. I know the colour is a bit deep, but it's so hard to show the pale colours and still get some definition! The darker edges are there as a contrast and to signify them emerging from dark, dreary winter 😉

Because it's a PB stamp, I'd also like to share it with Penny Black Saturday Challenge, where the challenge is ATG, with option of flowers.


I can't think of Spring without thinking of my beloved birds... they're chirping noisily as I write and flitting about happily in the sunshine. They are such amazing creatures... did you know their internal organs change size in readiness for Spring and for breeding because they no longer need fatty foods for warmth and energy (there are now other sources available) and they need space for eggs? Isn't that amazing?  There is such joy in their behaviour and I never tire of watching them play on thermals or flit around, having fun - they are so playful. Not to mention beautiful birdsong - and especially blackbird song, which often moves me to tears... I know, I'm nutty!

I'd like to share this with the 'All Things Bright and Beautiful' challenge over at Stamping Sensations. despite the fact that my border is anything but straight and I even found a typo in the beautiful words - duh! I still like it...and I love the colours. Who can help but love sparrows?



While we're thinking about Spring, I'll share a card I made a few weeks ago - or a journal page - I have yet to decide 😉 but it's big enough to go into my 8x8 journal, so I think that decides it. Love these stamps.


And a page I journaled about nature...


I'm happy to share with the following challenges:-

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - ATG, optional Flowers

Sparkles Forum - Include an animal


Shopping Our Stash - Make your Mark - use colours (Promarkers on the hare card)

Inkspiration - Use Your Stash (new hare stamps, not that they had to be new to be my stash, lol)

Moo Mania and More - Woman - I think my feminine images will count...

Thank you for visiting...

I'll be back soon, with more to share...

Cath
xxx

17 very kind comments from lovely people:

froebelsternchen said...

You aren't nutty and if I am the same person - so we are bith nutty.... I love magnolias and I love birdies and all things nature is simply amazing! Now I have to tell this about the birds to my hubby as we already recognized that they don't like the nuts just now- they more like the sunflower seeds actually. And we saw that they prepair the nesting boxes already... so I am sure spring is in the air already here, even though we are far behind always in our cold area.

I love eachh single card Cath - you are a wowser -- these cards are so utterly beautiful! I LOVE them all ... my gosh!
And this last wonderful beautiful creation is even for Moo Mania & More! Thank you beyond belief dear Cath for joinng us again!
Happy start of the new week tomorrow!
Happy Sunday evening!
Hugs, Susi

Sandma's Handmade Cards said...

All fabulous cards but the first one is a real stunner. I'd definitely put that one in a frame x

Meggymay said...

Wow, all these cards and pages look beautiful Cath .
You are in good company for liking birds, there are many of us, me included who would be in the nutty group with you.
Yvonne xx

Kathleen said...

A super collection of cards, just love the colours and background and the magnolia stamp is really lovely.
Thank you for joining our 'Spring Flowers' challenge at Allsorts.

Kath x

Mrs.B said...

Fabulous cards, the Magnolia stamp is a beauty and I love the birds and jumping hares. The journal page is stunning.
You're not alone in loving the garden birds, mine even get their breakfast before we do. I have a blackbird who sits on my back step waiting.
Avril xx

Mervi said...

Gorgeous cards Cath, beautiful spring creations.
Thank you for sharing at Allsorts too;-))m

Linby said...

Your spring card is truly beautiful. So many lovely other items you made too.
Thanks for sharing with us at Allsorts.
Lynn x
DT

crafty-stamper said...

Fabulous Spring cards Cath love the beautiful magnolia one of our neighbours has a really large one in her fron t garden and it gets absolutely covered in flowers.I agree the blackbirds song is beautiful but so is the thrush and robin really distinctive.Love the beautiful nature cards and stamps too.
Carol x

pearshapedcrafting said...

You're not nutty at all! Listening to a wren the other day had a similar effect on me! I also spent a l-o-n-g time watching a kestrel flying from tree to tree at the caravan! Love those hares! Hugs, Chrisx

brenda said...

A delightful collection of artwork as always Cath and your entry for our Spring' theme at Allsorts challenge is of course beautiful with those pastel Penny Black blossoms, many thanks for sharing your creativity with us.

B x

pinky said...

Absolutely beautiful work Cath!! Thanks for joining us at Stamping Sensations.
Pinky

Sally H said...

A wonderful selection of beautiful cards. The one for our 'All thing Bright and BEAUtiful' theme at Stamping Sensations this month is gorgeous. I love your hares too x Thanks for joining us and Good Luck!

Rosie said...

Your cards are soooo gorgeous, Cath

Thank you for joining us at MOO MANIA & MORE

AO Creations said...

Super cute!!! Thank you for joining us at Sparkles, good luck!!! Amy DT

Neet said...

Oh Cath, I love how you have made this card, it has a kind of ethereal quality about it. How on earth did I miss this post? Mind you it was a pleasant surprise to find it just now as i decided to do a scroll (or stroll) though your lovely artwork. So beautiful.
Love how you talk about the birds, knowing how fond you are of them and how much you love the blackbird song. Thanks for the information too - that is amazing!
All of your cards are beautiful and I do like the Nature journal page -my kind of thing. That is to say the kind of thing I am drawn to - not the kind I do - I just envy those who think them up.
Thanks for a lovely stroll.
Hugs, Neet xx

Anila Dikay said...

Lovely set of cards. Thank you for sharing in the Inkspirational gallery

Paddington fan said...

I love those hares on your journal page! Thank you for joining our animal challenge over at Sparkles this month, I do hope you'll join us again very soon,
Love Jacky x
Sparkles DT