I sure hope the title is true because I can't remember a year where I wanted spring to come so badly. It's just been a bad year for our family and we're ready for a new outlook. To help that along, I created a pretty "springy" project yesterday. This is "Caged" by Lauren Meader and My Time Made Easy templates. It's in a soft creamy yellow and I used black and gray for accents. The roses are Prima I think and the tiny buds are from Recollections. The stems and leaves are a complimentary file from Lauren made to go with this cage. This is a very sturdy piece because you actually have a double base, the bottom of the cage and a fancy base which is a separate piece. It went together easily. For the picture I inserted a large battery operated candle and tried to get a shot of that so you could see it. You could also use a nest with an artificial bird in it, a yummy treat in a glassine bag, toiletries, etc. For added pizzaz I used a new double sided Martha Stewart punch from Michael's. Got that baby with a 50 off coupon. YAY! I hope this helps you look forward to Easter and better weather, wherever you are! Enjoy your day! 
After much discussion about cakes, boxes, purses, cone etc, my neighbor settled on this little purse for her wedding shower favor. The little purse box is a Lauren Meader template. The bride is in white, of course, and her maids are wearing a color called merlot. SU's Cherry Cobbler was a near perfect match. So the box is Whisper White. I embossed the lid with the Damask embossing folder. Used a strip of the red atop the handle and Bridal Brads from Mike's to secure the handle. An EK Success punch was used for the scallop trim and Spellbinders circles and scalloped circles for the medallion on the front which was stamped with Cherry Cobbler. The rose was made from the Sizzix 3D rose and leaves were a Fiskar's punch. I think they came out looking beautifully elegant. My friend will fill them with chocolates......all 26 of them!!! Done! 
Here's yet another version of this Sizzix 3D Cake. This one is made from Craft A Board (available at Ellen Hutson's store). I used a MS punch for the middle and Sizzix 3D Flowers for the roses. An MS punch for the greenery. The candle, shown lit in the second picture, is one of those little battery operated ones you can buy in the craft stores. Enjoy!
Sorry I didn't know the companies on the last two.
Short of having something creative to show, I thought I'd show where I create! I haven't figured out how to put the text under each picture so I'll have to just describe the room as we go around. This room was formerly our formal dining room and is about 11 x 13. I really could use something about 15 x 20 but I can only dream! It's very convenient to the kitchen, my laundry room, and our screened porch in nice weather. I love that The first picture is of my cutting table. My cutting and sewing tables are by Horn of America. The cutting table is the best investment I ever made. It saves my back from bending over. I not only cut fabric here but use it to cut dies on my Sizzix and paper on My Cricut. All my rulers and my paper cutter by Tonic is also on top. Below the table on the shelves I keep a basket with paper scraps, baskets of various mediums and glues, baskets of chipboard and a notebook with loose stamps. On either side are some Iris carts. On the left is all my paper that's not padded and the drawers are labeled. On the right is my wooden stamps by category and I don't know if you can see in the picture but I have two layers in each drawer by using an 8.5 x 11 clear picture frame for holding the second layer which lifts out as one. In the top drawer of the cutting table are cutting implements and all my Nestabilites in cd cases, along with the pads for the machine. Above the table is a printers tray I have filled with all sorts of little items I've collected along the way and yes, those eggs are pysanky, another art form I love to do. To the left is a small bulletin board and that little Trip Around the World quilt is about 5" square and is actually made from fabric. I found it at a yard sale! The larger black plastic cart stores ribbon, chipboard, tags, tools, embellishments, etc and my Xyron sits on top. Next come two of the three shelves I purchased years ago. SU stamps are on the top shelves, then on the left side are all my other stamps by brand in clear cd boxes which are labeled and on the right are all my Sizzix dies. On the left middle shelf is my cardstock, mostly SU organized by color. The magazine holders the paper is in came from Ikea and are turned on their side for easy paper removal. This has worked well for me. On the right are all my books relating to papercrafting, altered art, etc as well as some of my quilting book collection. Most of it is stored in an upstairs closet. The next shelf on the left holds paper pads, Copics, and my Cricut cartridges and buttons in empty Yankee Candle jars are on the right. Lastly, the bottom shelves hold embossing powders, a candy jar, Bind It All, coloring implements, etc. Standing in the corner between these shelves and my sewing table is what I call the "punch tower", another set of two Iris black carts which I stacked. All the drawers are filled with SU, Martha Stewart, Fiskar, etc. punches which I use all the time. Then comes my Horn sewing table and matching caddy. The drawer caddy on the left rolls out and holds thread, sewing tools, all my Bernina accessories, and miscellaneous things for sewing, machine embroidery, etc. My machine which is a Bernina 630 is in the up position and the module happens to be out on top as well and behind it is my printer. The machine can be dropped down below the table when I want a big surface to work on or when not in use. This tabletop is hinged and half can fold down but I always keep it up for workspace. It sits in front of a window looking out on the yard and pond and the bird feeders. The shade is down in the picture because the sun was just too bright for the camera. I have an Ott swing arm light I can use at the machine or swing around to my desk. On the desk is my tall spin around tower to hold all my stamp pads which my DH bought me years ago. It's mammoth but really holds a lot and on top of it are my Adirondack color washes, glimmer mists, Perfect Pearl mists and the new TH Distress Stains which are wonderful. Off to the left is an old sewing machine drawer which holds glue, stamp cleaner, cleaning pad, etc. Then on the right of the desk is a spin around which holds all the scissors, pens, pencils, brushes, rulers etc I use constantly. Of course there is my computer and keyboard, phone and above is a Making Memories shelf with my flowers, inkers, Perfect Pearls, and Stickles. I put most of those in small baskets as I kept knocking over the bottles when I reached for one. That works very well. I'm thinking of getting another shelf as they really hold a lot. Finally in the last corner is my third shelf which is full to the brim with my quilting fabrics. And right around the corner in the living room, is my Red Eye Singer machine in a cast iron base which I had made into a lamp. Sleeping on the edge of the sofa is our little Maggie the pug. I hope you enjoyed your visit. Don't forget you can click on the pictures to make them larger and get a better look. Have a great week! 
Back on January 31, I posted a little altered box I made and I've had these two in the works since then but they've been sitting on my desk waiting my attention. Yesterday I finally got to them. The box is from Michael's $1 bin and they are really hard to come by. They literally fly out of the store. You paint the front, sides, and inside with paint. I used two shades, sponged one atop the other and some Treasure Gold sponged on for some glimmer. Then you cover the base and lid/back with your designer paper. I sand the edges and distress with Tim Holtz Vintage Photo. Then you get to the fun part of decorating the top with all your flowers, gems, ribbons, buttons, etc. The first one here features a dragonfly from K&Co. and a little felt bird along with Recollections flowers and gems, etc. The second one has the same color paint and DP but features a large pink rose and a bird from K&Co. Before you start these, you unscrew the little button closure on the front and the elastic closure then decorate the button as you wish and put them back on when the box is finished. I added little wood candle holders or knobs from the craft store painted to match for feet. These are so much fun to do and really make a fantastic little gift. Enjoy!
It's raining cats and dogs here and my mojo is someplace around here, under all the family problems and stress (I know I saw it somewhere). However, even when that type of scenario is going on, I can always manage a Zentangle or two. This one features the familiar moon face stamp in the middle and various Zentangles surround her. I also did a bit of shading on this one. I really like the effect of the shading and got myself a nice pencil and tortillion for doing it. I hope to get back to papercrafting and altered items and cards one of these days....hopefully soon. I have so many new and fun things to try out! Say a prayer my "issues" will be resolved soon! Enjoy!
