Lulu’s Review of 2016

Now that Santa’s been and we are almost in 2017, it’s time to have a quick look back at what’s been happening in 2016. What was your favourite thing in 2016? Here are a few of my top picks, from best books and products to best places I visited…

Review of 2016

Having fun outdoors was the most important part of 2016!

Garden of the Year

The winner of this accolade simply has to be Jupiter Artland this year. We had a wonderful day there this summer with the very talented photographer Julie Howden who took some lovely photos of me and Tilda. It’s such a fun place to hang out. Our favourite is the land-forms by Charles Jencks which we ran around for hours! It’s packed full of amazing sculptures and bits to explore.

Jupiter Artland

Hide and seek is the best fun at Jupiter Artland

Event of the Year

The winner of this award is the Fairy Trail at the Woodland Experience in Balfron. It was such good fun we went there twice and I am already planning on going back again when they re-open next Spring. There are LOTS of fairy doors to find, a wishing chair, worry tree and LOTS more.

Fairy Trail Fun

Fairy Trail Fun

Product of the Year

This was a hard choice and we have reviewed lots of amazing things this year. My pick is not cheap but it’s worth the money as it’s such great quality, very practical and we will use it for years. It’s the Twigz wheelbarrow! It’s so sturdy that it makes wheeling Tilda about super easy!

The Twigz wheelbarrow

The Twigz wheelbarrow is great quality

Craft Project of the Year

We LOVE a craft project at Vialii Towers so we had plenty to consider for this award. My choice is this super cute glittery acorn.

Glittery acorns - gorgeous!

Glittery acorns – gorgeous!

Top Tip of the Year

We are always looking for cheap and easy ways to have fun outdoors. We had lots of fun playing noughts and crosses with some twigs and pebbles on an old tree stump. Free fun is the best!

Free fun! 

Free fun!

Book of the Year

Our final award, for the best book, goes to the The Children’s Garden. A brilliant book packed with loads of great ideas to do outdoors throughout the seasons.

My book of the year

My book of the year

So that’s my review of 2016. I hope you had as much fun as me. Here’s to getting outdoors and having a ball in 2017!

Happy New Year from me, Tilda and all at Vialii.

Lulu xx

Halloween Leaf Ghosts!

It’s Halloween this weekend and I am sure some of you will be hosting Halloween parties or are just decorating your homes to be ghoulish and gruesome. Instead of spending a fortune on decorations from the shop, why not save money and have some fun by creating these amazing Halloween leaf ghosts using autumn leaves. It couldn’t be easier…

My leaf ghosts

My leaf ghosts

1. Firstly head outdoors and choose some autumn leaves to make your ghosts with. We chose maple and oak leaves as we think they are the best ghost like shapes.

 Acer leaves are great for this craft project

Acer leaves are great for this craft project

2. Make sure the leaves are nice and dry and then paint them white. It may take a few coats of paint to make them really nice and white.

Painting is ALWAYS fun

Painting is ALWAYS fun

3. Once the paint is dry simply draw on eyes and a big ghosty mouth.

Carefully draw the eyes and mouth

Carefully draw the eyes and mouth

We think if you made lots of these you could make a really fabulous mobile from these leaf ghosts, but remember to paint both sides of the leaf if you are doing this.

My ghost leaves look great with the other decorations I have made

My ghost leaves look great with the other decorations I have made

Happy Halloween everyone!

Lulu xx