Miss Molly and lots of brollies!

Hello! Thought I'd post today since it's the last day of March and I've actually got my April pages for the 365 challenge ready to go! Here's the March set, as of a couple of days ago...

I read it all back the other night - March was BUSY!! Really pleased how it turned out - especially since I was ready to rip it out of the book and do it over when I first started - thanks Paul for persuading me not to!

And here is April...

Here's how I made the brollies...

...punched along the edge of the paper with a scalloped square punch

...used a large circle punch to create the top

...1 down, 29 to go!

...drew around the shape with a black pen

...writing 'april showers' on a few

...added handles, doodly bits and a few raindrops too.

Today though it's snow boots and a shovel we need rather than a brolley - the snow is back!! It's SO cold outside with a biting wind so it's not even as if the kids can go out and play...Such a difference from the weekend when we spent all Saturday in the garden - planning, playing and planting.

We haven't done much to the garden since we moved here a couple of years ago. We laid turf, created a play area for the kids, got a deck built last year and the front is planted with some trees and flowers but this summer we are determined to get it all looking lovely. Now have a plan that we're happy with so it's a case of getting the work done. Bought some apple trees for a mini orchard in the far corner, getting a quote for a second deck to put the summer house (or vintage caravan!) on, Paul has drawn a plan for the sheds (toy, tool and potting) up the side of the house and the kids are going to have their own vegetable beds at the other side. A wormery's also on the wish list after James and Harry found lots of worms in the garden on Saturday and wanted them to have a home...

Molly had a great time helping them and James was a really good big brother, keeping an eye on her and helping her out...

She came in briefly for a chocolatey treat but wanted right back out again...

She was filthy by the end of the day but very happy. At one point James said "I really think you should put Molly in the bath now, Mummy" She must have been dirty! Here she is scrubbed clean a while later giving Daddy a kiss...

I'm onto the 2nd week on Art Journalling 101, an online journalling class with Dina Wakley. Have had a few teething problems - like finding the links for the classes which was a pretty major one! Also the book I had planned to use wasn't suitable, the paper was too thin, the Gesso I had wasn't thick enough and my biggest brush was way too small! After a quick trip to Hobbycraft I am now playing catch up! Will post some pics next time when there's something to show other than sheets of paper with white paint drying!!

When I was getting to grips with it all on Sunday evening, Molly amused herself playing with the colours I had chosen (before I realised my materials weren't up to the job and there was no chance of getting to the next stage!) How much fun can a baby have with a few Paint Dabbers?!? She would have had even more had she figured out that the lids came off...!

That's all for now - Paul's going offshore tomorrow morning until Tuesday so we're off to roll some eggs down the stairs then stuff ourselves with chocolate in front of a movie!! Happy Easter to everyone, have a lovely weekend. xx