April's post is here!

Thought I best get this posted before the end of the month... seriously how fast does time go? I can't believe we're almost done with April already!

We've had a busy few weeks, mainly taking advantage of the gorgeous weather and enjoying playing out in the sun. My boys are all outdoorsy types and love nothing more than being barefoot in the garden. We're really lucky that we have a little park just across the street from us, so we also spend a lot of time over there with friends. We must look a strange sight once we are there, as we settle for the afternoon.... picnic blankets, bikes, police car, fire engine, football, food and drink supplies, hats, sun creams, first aid kit (which came in to good use last week when Alice fell and cut her chin open).

We went to my mum and dad's for the Easter weekend, which was lovely... I just needed to get away from home for a bit... it seems there is a bit of a witch hunt going on round here at the moment, and I've been reported to Ofsted AGAIN!!! I'm so fed up with it all. Seriously, someone seems to have a problem with me, but rather than just confront me about it, they prefer to go down the nasty route and tell lies that could potentially cause a lot of harm! Fortunately the allegation this time was so ridiculous, and the inspector that came was lovely, and was more than happy with what she saw, that no further action will be taken, and my name is clear.... until the next time!!! The worse thing is that it is likely to be someone close, someone that is maybe even considered a friend... maybe even someone who might read this! Well, I've always been a firm believer in karma, and what goes around comes around. I hope it comes back to bite them on the arse BIG time! If you are considering becoming a childminder... I'd think it through again. Whilst the job itself is great, and the kids and their parents are fab. There are some really nasty and spiteful feckers out there who can spoil it. One more strike for me, and I'm out!!!

Anyway, rant over...

On Saturday we went to sunny Mablethorpe for the day... After an eventful journey there which saw us having to stop 3 times!!! Drew is now in a booster seat, and as a result can move about a bit more than when he was in the baby seat.... he decided that he would open the back door of the car whilst mummy was driving!!! My heart nearly stopped when I first heard the increase traffic noise, then felt a draught, then turned and saw the door swinging wide open!!! I've got a bit of a problem with child locks on doors in case there is an accident and the kids need to get out, so have never used them. Oliver and Harry have never played with the doors.... but I guess it should have been expected that Drew would be different! So locks are now switched on on his side!!

It was the first time Drew had been since he was a baby, and he totally loved it. Straight in the pools the tide had left behind, dripping wet through within seconds of hitting the beach! Oliver has recently started playing cricket, so was really pleased to get a cricket set and soon found some older boys to play with. Harry was happy puttering round doing his own thing, and because there was a slight breeze he didn't suffer from the heat like he usually does. After a day on the beach it was time to go to the fair and the arcades, where Drew discovered he too loves the little rides! Oh boy, it's going to cost us a fortune!!!

All boys were totally cream crackered on the way home and went straight to bed once we got in... without a bath, what a bad parent I am!!!

We hoped for a lie in, but it seems the excitement of the Easter bunny having visited was just too much to keep them in bed! A super quick egg hunt took place, and all 3 boys collected quite an impressive amount of Easter shaped confectionery!!! Now it just needs to be kept well away from me!!!

The thing is, when it's sunny, I don't really get anything crafty done! I have done some scrapping, but really only the minimum I have been required to do. I am definitely a winter scrapper!

Anyway, I can share a few LOs that I have done for Sarahscards.

These were created using the March kit which was October Afternoon, Modern Homemaker. Although I loved the papers, I have to admit I did really find them difficult to use. I did this LO first, using a photo showing just how long Drew's eyelashes are... ridiculously long for a boy!!!

Then I got a bit creative and messy with the next LO. I wanted to echo the painty mess from the photos, so got busy with some mists, a bit of acrylic paint and some staz on. I also used my cyclograph from when I was a child.... after all these years its still fab to use.For the last LO I got really messy, and had fun adding paint, embossing powders, mists and then going to town with some stamps. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this LO. I know it won't be to everyone's taste, but I think I have finally found my style... I can see me getting messy more often now! I like that you can still see the pattern of the paper through the many layers of paint, mist, powder and ink, but the colour has been changed to suit my photos. I think that everyone should at least try this technique.... it's a lot of fun!I then got to play with the new Ad Lib collection from Bo Bunny. I really liked these papers when I saw them as a sneak peak from CHA. They are fun to work with and quite versatile. This LO also used the Ad Lib papers, and was created using the March sketch from the Sarahscards blog. I also used the fab doily stamps from My Mind's Eye... quite girly for me, but I can see them getting used a lot! At the March retreat, the DT were all given 4 sheets of paper from AC Campy Trails to create a LO. I found this really hard, as the papers weren't exactly what I would have chosen. This is the LO I did, and although it is alright, and goes well with the photos... it isn't really a me LO!!! Go here, to see the fab LOs the rest of the DT created.The following LOs were created for the Twisted Sketches. This sketch had brads as it's twist, I have hundreds if not thousands of brads and eyelets in my stash.... buried away at the bottom of my tote, it's about time I got them out and put them somewhere where I will see them and remember to use them!

The twist for this sketch was 'glitter'. I had the perfect photos of when Drew found a brand new pot of glitter under the pushchair and managed to get it open and tip it all over himself and the floor before I discovered him!!! I used cute glitter thickers too.

This sketch had 'card' as it's twist.... I decided to scrap the Christmas card that Oliver made at school when he was in reception. I got him to print his hand on the LO as a mat for the date and title.

This LO added at the end is a just for me LO, using a Studio Calico kit. The tag actually read 'Oh so Happy', but a bit of careful writing and it easily became 'Oh so Harry'. The colours in these papers were just perfect for scrapping my ginger bear!

Right well after that mammoth upload and fanny about getting the photos in the right order I better go and do something productive!!! I have just realised that I haven't even posted pics of the two new additions to our family... Ron and Eric the guinea pigs! will be back soon, with photos... and hopefully a couple more LOs to share!