April Calendar Free Download

    Welcome to April! It’s probably my favourite time of the year. It’s the first full month of spring, the days are longer, temperatures are just about right, nature is at its best. And is also my birthday month. My new day job is not leaving me with much time to paint, as I hoped, but I’m doing my best. My perpetual nature journal is being filled in every week, my current everyday sketchbook is coming to its last few pages and I’m a bout to embark on the “100 day project” (you can read about last year’s challenge here). 

Hope April brings you lots of beautiful and happy moments!
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Pick of the Month: April // Easter crafts

1. Blue Easter eggs2. Easter bunny rolls / 3. Easter centerpiece / 4. DIY Easter eggs / 5. Easter gift tags / 6. Tattooed Easter eggs / 7. Fingerprint Easter eggs / 8. Easter handprint art / 9. Easter strawberries

This month I have been feeling very crafty, and although I have no plans, or time, to tackle any craft project, I had fun browsing on pinterest to see what other people are doing. Easter is literally around the corner and it is fun, especially if you have kids, to spend some time during the holidays and get creative (read messy!) together. Eggs painting is probably one of my favourite activities, despite not having it done before. But I bet hand printing is going to be very popular with my little miss who likes to get messy and, fortunately, clean up afterwards!

Why I love April

April is my favourite month of the year and I can give you 10 (maybe 9!) good reasons why it should be your favourite too.

  1. spring has officially started, whether the weather knows it or not
  2. end-of-winter blues are generally over
  3. the days are visibly longer
  4. the air smells good
  5. there is colour everywhere
  6. people have a positive attitude
  7. wool clothing is no longer around
  8. you can say hello to fresh food
  9. it is ok to have ice cream outside
  10. it is my birthday month J
And to celebrate the start of the month in style, we paid a visit to the RHS Gardens Wisley last Saturday. It was a bit windy, but nonetheless a beautiful day to be surrounded by nature and spend time with friends. The gardens were beautiful and in bloom; they truly are an English love affair! And while I was having a quick solitary stroll around my dream cottage (last picture below) and neatly laid flower beds, I reminded myself why I fell in love with botanical art so much since moving to England. The love and care for the plant world is visible at every corner, everything is perfect the way it is, and the peace that that brings to the soul is almost second to none; this is the same feeling I get when I work on a botanical painting. And I’m almost certain that the trip to the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew to celebrate my birthday in a few weeks’ time will be even better.
I’ll leave you with a few pics from last weekend.

Pick of the month: April / Shopping spree


1. Cable knit boatneck sweater from Gap / 2. Picot trim puff-sleeve T from Gap / 3. Striped dot skirt from Gap / 4. Lego Multi Coloured Cotton Dress from TKMAXX / 5. Converse All Star Hi Canvas from Office / 6. Lego Checked Dress from TKMAXX / 7. Brad top by Billabong from Two Seasons / 8. Edita vest by Element from Two Seasons / 9Amed dress by Billabong from Two Seasons.
Olivia and I had our first girls day out a few Saturdays ago. We went shopping, had some lunch, she had a nap and I did more shopping, we had some fun at the soft play café.  She probably didn’t enjoy it as much as I did, but I’m hoping it will become a regular thing for us and that eventually she will start loving it too. The mid-season sales were on and in the craving for colours and light fabrics, I bought some spring/summer clothes for my little miss in the hope that the warm weather will make its appearance very soon.  And looking forward to our end of the month trip to southern Italy (and my birthday!), I also gifted myself with some spring/summer essentials.