Joy Bloom - Crocus; The Brave Hearts of Early Spring

Just when winter seems endless, these intrepid little flowers push through the cold earth, unfurling their jewel-toned petals like tiny flags of hope. While creating the crocus design for my Joy Bloom collection, I found myself marvelling at their perfect simplicity. Each flower is a masterpiece of minimalism - six petals forming a delicate goblet.

What fascinates me most about these brave little blooms is their quiet determination. Did you know that crocuses can actually generate their own heat? They'll melt through snow and frost, creating perfect circles of thawed earth around their stems. It's as if they simply refuse to let winter tell them when they can bloom.

They arrive in colours that seem to echo the coming spring - royal purples deep as twilight, whites pure as new snow, and yellows bright as dawn. Each shade feels like a promise, a whisper of the colourful seasons ahead.

In my Joy Bloom collection, the crocus represents that crucial moment when hope becomes visible. My lino print captures their brave spirit - those upright stems pushing through cold earth, petals opening wide despite the chill, that deep centre holding the promise of spring's abundance.

What I love most about crocuses is how they remind us that joy often requires a bit of courage. Like these determined little flowers, sometimes we need to push through our own frozen moments, and be brave enough to open ourselves to new possibilities.

They're also teaching us about perfect timing. While we might wish for spring in December, crocuses know exactly when to appear - that perfect moment when winter's grip begins to loosen and the light starts to strengthen. They remind us that joy, like spring, arrives precisely when it should.