Welcome spring!

Turns out I almost skipped spring completely this year. 
Turns out I didn't knew the trees were already starting to bloom until I finally made it for a walk, a walk longer than my short hop to the supermarket. 
I did, however, know about daffodils, but only because I can see them from my window. 
I also do know all about a healthy lifestyle - not all maybe, but certainly enough to be at hand when advice is necessary. 
And still, more and more I realize that this faculty is probably the greatest health hazard I've ever come across, and I'm slowly getting tired of it. 
Sleep deprived, starved out and and exhausted, I decided to pull the emergency break last week and put my notes aside for a while. Instead, I focused on a donation-box-background that was long overdue, because reindeer are just not the kind of animals that are around this time of year.

Checking the measurments of the donation box that I've given away for Christmas based on the box I have at home, I first cut the thick cardboard base to the right size. 
Then I took ages to pick the background paper, and after going through several designs in my head, I opted for this soft pink one with a wonderful floral print in a couple of places. I cut it in a way that would keep the cherry blossoms in one corner, with the plan to place paper flowers on where the floral motif is. 
Once this was done, I glued a sheet of soft pink background paper to the cardboard which would in the end look like a tiny pink frame to the scene I imagined.

Working on the patterned paper itself, I didn't cover the blossoms one on one though. Placing the paper flowers together, I rather decided to use the floral print as an additional layer of bloom in the background.

In the opposite corner, I placed a couple of paper flowers only. To make it look a little fuller, however, I glued a chipboard decoration next to the flower arrangement.

To make the "donation" sign more prominent this time, I put the silver stickers on a strip of white cardboard which I then glued to the same pink paper that makes the base of the whole project. To make it stand out a little bit more, I used 3D pads.

Also, I decided to not put any more flowers in the remaining corners - instead, I used a couple of silver feather stickers.

Since I decided to play with asymmetry for the sign, I placed three tiny white pearls in the pink corner.

To match those pearls, I later on decided not to put leafs in my scene. 
Anyway, I added a little bling by placing white and soft cream pearls of different sizes in numerous places along the paper flowers. Partly, the pearls fit due to the fact that blossoms on the branches come before leafs in spring. On the other hand, it could just be the morning dew, or the reflections of the evening gloom.

Feather stickers in the upper corner, alongside with a white ribbon loop that ensures the decoration can be removed from inside the box once the seasons change. As everything was now covered in pearls, and considering the silver stickers, I decided to remove the tiny pearls I placed on the chipboard bows. Instead, I replaced them with shimmering silver rhinestones.

Bye-bye, reindeer background, and welcome spring! Nice to meet you.

A little contribution to the April collection of Create in Austria - artwork created by Austrians and/or in Austria.

Last years' pink blossoms in park Tivoli. I haven't made it there this year yet.

challenges: 
- 613 avenue create: ATG
- a bit more time to craft: ATG
- allsorts challengeblog: spring flowers or showers
- basteltraum: mother's day/flowers
- brown sugar: pearls/mother's day
- cardmania: spring
- crafting with an attitude: ATG
- crafty catz: ATG
- craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper
- create and inspire: ATG
- creative inspirations: springtime
- deep ocean: Easter/spring
- do-all kreatives: pastel colours
- fussy and fancy: add a sentiment
- inspiration destination: ATG
- kreativtanten: ATG
- little red wagon: shine (gemstones, silver stickers)
- love to craft: ATG
- moving along with the times: springtime
- path of positivity: pastels
- pennys papertake: ATG
- scrapping4fun: spring
- crazy challenge: spring
- through the craftroom door: ATG
- unicorn challengeblog: ribbon
- wortartwednesday: ATG
- worldwide open design team challenge: ATG