They're always happy when it rains..

I'd promised Honey and Ace a trip to the park on Saturday and they weren't letting me forget it. Despite the grey skies, Honey was busy getting our things ready and Ace was shouting 'wing 'wing on repeat. Alfred Wainwright once said "There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing" and boy do my kids agree with that! 

Honey kindly reminded me that we all had waterproof trousers, raincoats and wellies so we would be absolutely fine if the heavens opened. Although it took me most of the walk to the park to summon up even half the enthusiasm she had for the outing, by the time it actually started to rain (and it did really start to rain), I was feeling really glad to be out in the fresh air and happy that Honey and Ace were happy.

The ducks were really pleased to see us and happily gobbled down a pot of sweetcorn (we had run out of peas), half of Ace's snack and they even gave a good nibble to some sticks Honey threw in when all the corn was gone.

Once they got bored of feeding the ducks (aka bored of Mummy sheltering under the trees), Honey and Ace had a whale of a time dicing with death on the slippy playground equipment, splashing in puddles and running around squealing at each other.

After lunch, they were straight back out in the garden tipping buckets over each other and Ace also perfected the art of slurping rainwater out of the grooves in the decking (ewwww).

So it looks like, come rain or shine, we will be out and about this summer and I for one, can't wait!

Honey wears... Raincoat by Hatley
Ace wears... Raincoat by Tu @ Sainsbury's

 

Paint your own...

Our invite to Paint it Yourself Pottery's 15th Birthday celebrations couldn't have come at a better time. Located on Winchcombe Street, we often pass it on our walks to and from town and recently, Honey has been taking an interest in the brightly coloured sign and inviting interior and had told me that she would like to make some Christmas decorations there soon (always planning ahead that girl).

 

We didn't make any festive decorations on Saturday, but from the moment Honey took her coat off, to the moment we left, she was busy creating her very own masterpiece! On arrival, I took in the space with multiple tables set up, each containing everything one needs to create a piece of pottery perfection and with plenty of high chairs and a Bumbo readily available if required.

The staff are really friendly and approachable and explained the process to both Honey and I (Ace had already set to work making sure all the resources ended up on the floor) then left us to get on but remained visible so we could call upon their expertise at any time (and we did - lots)!

Honey chose plates for herself and Ace then got on with her paper plan. There were flowers, spots and even a T-Rex thrown in for good measure! She then transferred it onto a plate using felt tipped pens and finally painted over the pen to complete her design.

 

A mere 4 days later, we were invited to collect our plates and they look great! The colours have really popped and the sheen brings out every detail.

I would absolutely recommend Paint it Yourself Pottery to anyone with children who enjoy craft and painting. If you have a baby, I would suggest leaving the buggy at home if at all possible as we kept having to squeeze past them or move them out of the way but, as previously mentioned, there are plenty of high chairs so you will have somewhere to pop baby while you sort yourself out or paint your own piece.

 

It terms of time, I thought that the hour and a half set aside for our session sounded like a long time but the time flew by and I ended up having to help Honey finish off her painting as she'd spent so long engrossed in the design phase! Drinks and snacks are also available to purchase, so allow extra time if you plan on taking advantage of this. There are also books and toys to keep little ones entertained while you eat, drink or paint.

 

Thank you so much for inviting us to join you for your birthday celebrations, we will definitely be back! If you'd like to Paint Your Own Pottery, click the links to find them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

 

Honey wears... Denim dress by Zara

Ace wears... T-Shirt by The Royal Shakespeare Company