Happy St. Patrick's Day

Today I'm once again joining Jo from Let's Art Journal who is our host this month at Art Journal Journey with her Hello Springtime theme.  I'm also joining Moo-Mania and More with their Close to Nature theme.

Whether you are Irish or not, today is the day to celebrate wearing of the green. What signifies springtime better than St. Patrick's Day?  The Irish believe you must plant potatoes on this day, so spring has truly arrived.

Whether you are lucky enough to find a four-leaf clover, or are merely finding shamrocks, they are definitely found in nature.

The sentiment, an Irish Proverb:

A good friend is like
a four-leaf clover,
hard to find
and lucky to have.

You'll find three four-leaf clovers

among the many shamrocks.

For this piece, I began by coloring a sheet of 110 lb card stock using Staz-on reinkers (two greens) and 91% Isotropyl alcohol.  I then found shamrocks on the internet and printed 16 on a page using my Photoshop program.  I did the same for the four-leaf clovers.  I colored both pages with watercolors (cheap children's) and cut them until I was blue in the face (or until I could no longer feel my hand).  I can see the advantage to having dies and punches, because this was NOT a labor of love!  I printed the Irish Proverb and colored it using two water soluble crayons.  I began outlining the Ireland information I found in an old encyclopedia using a green pen.  However, I got frustrated and finished using a green stamp pad.

I thought I would show what my front flower bed looks like as of March 16.  The flowers around the rose bush and many in front of the porch are naked ladies or surprise lilies.  The greenery will die back soon, then the Naked Ladies/Surprise Lilies will appear in July.

Also showing their greenery are tulips along the driveway (far left in photo)

and hyacinth near the walkway.  Spring may soon be on its way.

I'm simply delighted you decided to visit today to share St. Patrick's Day.  Please also join Bleubeard and me at Art Journal Journey and Moo-Mania and More, too.  I'd love to see your garden, too.