April in Paris - and in Jacksonville too!

April in Paris ATC Swap

Kimberly's swaps are always so much fun, and this was no exception.  With a theme like "April in Paris", who wouldn't have fun?

The first one I made - I always end up changing them a little - 

or a lot!

They're pretty much the same, except for the bottom trim and the larger flowers. Also used a pearl to dot the 'i' in Paris instead of the tiny gemstones. I liked the girl's pose. She looked like she was dreaming  about something - Paris?  

Slightly larger view of one.  

and April in Jacksonville .....

At the time I was making these, or thinking about them, we visited one of the local museums, The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, to see the exhibit of Impressionist Art on loan from the High Museum in Atlanta as part of Jacksonville's celebration of our French Heritage.  Wonderful exhibit! No photos of the artworks, but a few from the gardens.

The azaleas and camellias had finished 

but some other flowers were blooming the day we visited

One of the huge old oaks leaning down into another part 

of the gardens. Perhaps  this ancient Live Oak was just a tiny seedling 450 years ago when Jean Ribault landed and claimed what became Florida for France. The settlements he left here were soon destroyed by the later-arriving Spanish, but there are still quite a few place names left from the French era.

A glimpse of one of the bridges going across the St. John's 

 This special exhibit of  the Impressionists - French and a few  American - must've inpired me to make my "Dreaming of Paris" ATCs! It's been a long time - maybe time to go to Paris (again)?!