On trees, daffodils and being inspired by the seasons (or not)

Recently I have been inspired to produce Spring-themed pieces - both by the latest Wire Goddess challenge, and by the weather here in the UK, which was ridiculously warm at the end of March.  Daffodils abound - on roundabouts, in gardens and in supermarkets.  I love daffodils, and was agreeably surprised to see my first bunch of the year open into these beauties:

Buying bunches of daffodils, with their tightly closed buds, is a bit like being given a wrapped present - you don't know what you're going to get until the wrapping is off.  Naturally, I had to produce something daffodil-esque in the form of a pendant, and this was what I came up with, another tree (I know, it lacks originality, but I'm obsessed with trees!  See pic at the bottom for proof.) with spring green leaves and a carpet (well, a very small rug) of daffodils nodding beneath.

Then, out of the blue, I became Autumn-inspired when I was lucky enough to snag a fabulous toadstool lampwork bead by the multi-talented Claire-Louise Patrick of Ciel Creations, and that led to this whimsical creation:

Don't ever let anyone dismiss stringing as easy - it took me almost as long to achieve a design I was happy with when stringing this necklace as it does to make a wire pendant.  It's very important to me that a piece has the correct balance, and I really faff about with it!  If you want to see real expertise in the art of sublime stringing, check out the work of Nia Clement - it is beautiful, balanced and exquisitely executed, and I am in awe of her talent!

A swift reversal of the unnaturally balmy weather back to our usual cold and wet, kept me feeling autumnal, and the fact that I'd just got myself some ivory craft wire meant mushrooms were still the order of the day:

Who knows what will jump into my head next?  It's unlikely to be Summer, that being my least favourite season, but you never know - I'm as obsessed with water as I am with trees, so it may be tropical seas next.  And here is one of my (many, MANY - ask my incredulous hubby) pictures of trees from last weekend, when it was cold but sunny: