This April I have been mostly...

Doing:

The big thing this month was my first trip to Edinburgh in 7 months! I took the train, and explored the quiet streets of the city (it was two days before the reopening of non-essential shops). I had a blueberry bun from Soderberg, which is something I haven't had in well over a year, and have been craving all through the lockdowns! The cherry blossom at The Meadows, which is what I went to see, hadn't reached its peak, but there were some spectacular flower beds in Princes Street Gardens, and I found lots of interesting places around the city to take colourful selfies.

It was my Mum's birthday, and it was a big one (won't give away her age here!). I got her a ceramic tree of life ornament from The Star and Heart, as its a motif she really loves, and made her a tree of life card.

I went on various walks, including a walk around the town art of Pitteuchar and Stenton with my friend Keith who is even more of an expert on the local art than I am!

I got a belated birthday book voucher from a colleague who is a French teacher, and I bought a book about language, a book set in a school, and a book set in France, which were all things I wanted and very appropriate choices!

I watched an online event for the Fun a Day exhibition opening night.

I wore proper trousers after a year of dungarees and leggings!

I have been reorganising my bookshelves, tidying my local history archive, and at work I have been clearing stuff out and photographing interesting old items (and posting them as  #TalesFromTheTechniciansCupboard on Twitter). The best find was a large wooden desk top with graffiti from the 80s!

Making:

I've been continuing doing lots of jigsaws, but I've also been doing a gem picture which I got from my colleagues for my birthday. It's very relaxing and meditative, and it's easy to do while listening to podcasts.

I got a lovely rainbow package from my Instagram pal @deadlysarsvirus, including a scraperboard leaf which I really enjoyed doing.

I took part in the Sketchy Bitches self-portrait workshop, which was a lot of fun, and did the Learn About Letters course with Joby Carter.

I painted some more Totoro stones, and a fish stone based on a design from a stone painting book I've had since the 80s, and left them in the park.

The tree of life card I made for Mum's birthday was based on a tutorial by Jennie Maizels.

Buying:

I got two pays in one month, so it was a bumper spending month! I went on a bit of a mad earring spending spree, buying some by Julia de Klerk, Rosa Pietsch, Fizz Goes Pop, and Handmade by Loutch!

I treated myself to another Kemi Telford skirt as I was wearing my other one a lot, and I really needed a new pair of comfortable black Clarks shoes as an old pair is falling apart!

I got a Buildiverse cherry blossom lego-style kit, and ordered Joby Carter's book as I could see how interesting it would be from doing his course.