handicraftcrazy: The bees are stirring.........

All Nature seems at work. Slugs leave their lair -
The bees are stirring - birds are on the wing -
And Winter, slumbering in the open air,
Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring!

Samuel Taylor Coleridge 21^st February 1825

(thanks to my daughter Elly for this quote)

Finally the almond blossom has arrived.........isn't it beautiful? Weeks late because of the cold weather, some of the trees have been nipped by the unaccustomed frost and have no flowers at all. But Spring is winning the battle all over the garden......

Lemons soaking up the warm sun...

an unknown plant similar to honeysuckle always blooms in Jan/Feb

Another unknown plant showing bursting buds, the bees love this when its flowers...

the first pink rose of the year, wow!

A huge black bee with translucent blue wings called the Carpenter Bee enjoying the nectar from my pansies

Well, after all that lovliness on to my crafts, I came accross a crochet pattern recently for a cute little doll.

I don't usually like crochet for dolls as I think its too stiff, especially for faces, but this one from FaveCrafts.com has encouraged me to give it a try, isnt the blue hair just amazing?

Another pattern I must try soon is the Damson shawl, knit from the top down with paired increases, so feminine and pretty.

I haven't just been dreaming though, despite being extremely tired last week I got several cards made for sending a demonstration purposes for the Club

A spanish fan card using an embossing board

a stamped ship for a man's card

A birthday card for my lovely daughter in law's Birthday, who is learning to do patchwork

A stamped card using H20's directly on the stamp, gives a beautiful soft water colour effect

Another card using the same technique, I love the effect don't you?
I have been stitching as well, my flower cushion is nearly done and I've been playing with attic24's flower decoration too...

the finished article will be revealed soon...

And finally.....Sophie has a new boyfriend! His name is Opie (hope I've spelt this right!) A really cute Maltese terrier who played and played for hours while the Mummies ate and chatted. Not the best photo, but neither dogs will stay still for more than a second!