February Favourites...

 ...are thin on the ground. An anniversary card for a Dutch couple unable to have a big family celebration, and three others. The Paris one will, I think, be the card I use for our own anniversary in June.

I keep meaning to look for the litte verse that came with the china cat. I believe I still have it. I bought him in a gift shop in Kenmare, Co. Kerry, when we were camping there one summer, even before my parents moved down there. No wonder his glaze is a little crazed by now. 

Spring is on the way...

 C is getting over oral surgery and I've had a sore back for the last few todays but this morning was mild and sunny, so after breakfast we took a quick trip to Farmleigh. At least lockdown #3 allows a 5km radius for exercise;  last year the first time C was able to get to Farmleigh was on our anniversary in June, because initially, if I recall, it was only 2 km. The walled and sunken gardens are still closed off, but even just walking along the drive and round the lake was very pleasant with some warmth, plenty of bird song and spring bulbs. The magnolias are all budding - we missed them last year. 

With sympathy

 I was very late sending a sympathy card to my sister-in-law. She's family, so I thought you don't normally send to family, but she's an in-law, so she's not blood family, and I really wanted to, so I thought better late then never. And then I had mislaid the card that I had pulled out to send, it got buried under a pile. So I found a card that wasn't a sympathy card but which I thought was suitable...I expect I shared it last year because I'm sure I liked it then...

By return, she requested a dozen sympathy cards for her own use - so I made six each of three designs and added six to my own stash. I hope these last her a good while - I sent her nine cards last January.

I think it goes without saying that the simplest set took longest, and went through more rejects and false starts. Even fussy-cutting all the flowers plus an extra blossom for each card went faster.