Spring officially begins this month on March 20, but I am hurrying it along by putting French lavender bedding plants on the breakfast table in the sunspace. If spring cannot come fast enough for you either, here's how to create a little early spring with French Country touches. 

Friend Lives in Your Heart DIY Envelope

Friends live in your heart forever. 

A Paper Series Post 

Paper is a versatile, inexpensive medium useful for wide-ranging projects. What better way to begin a new series than to celebrate friendship since this paper series post, and more to come, are offered as tokens of friendship to you, Botanic Bleu readers and followers. 

Any gathering of friends for whatever the reason is a good time to share small hearts as tokens of friendship. Whether the gathering is for book club, a friend's birthday, a Bible study, a Valentine's party, a retirement luncheon, or a bloggers' luncheon, party favors with hearts are a good way to recognize special times together with friends. 

I made these DIY envelope/place card party favors for friends who attended my retirement luncheon as an educator, but can be made  

for any occasion celebrating Friendship 

Today's post is a tutorial with templates for creating a beautiful glassine do-it-yourself (DIY) small envelope to use as a place card and to hold a party favor. 

Notes From The Country | No. 2

The sun came out Saturday after raining for a week. For days the breakfast sunspace windows were covered with streaks of raindrops. I like rain and enjoy snuggling in at home on rainy days and nights. My grandparents' farmhouse had a tin roof, and I loved sitting on the long front porch with my grandmother listening to the rain. And to falling asleep at night listening to rain on the tin roof. 

The rain this week revived our little spot in the countryside and added water to the underground water table. 

Rainy days are good days for dreaming and planning. 

D R E A M I N G

Of spring flowers and green grass blowing in the wind... 

Spring Narcissus Pillow

If winter comes, can spring be far behind? 

Percy Bysshe Shelley 

Dark days of cold dreary winter continue here, accompanied by steady rain. As I stared at the rain spots on the window, I was glad the trees, shrubs, and BULBS were getting the water they need. There are already buds on the Erlicheer narcissus in the front under the oak trees and on the Thalia narcissus on the sloped hillside in the backyard. 

I thought of spring and remembered a pillow I saw online. The pillow was perfect for bringing spring inside now before its official arrival on March 20. Rather than buy that one online, I decided to create a similar do-it-yourself version. 

This is an EASY project that requires no sewing! 

French Hot Chocolate for Valentine's Day

PARIS is on my mind in the midst of a dreary February day, overcast with a fine mist, and unfulfilled promises of much-needed rain. Just the kind of day that calls for hot chocolate, staring out the window at the drizzle, and flashing back to hot chocolate in France.