What Lyd Did

Not to be hipster here, but my sister was in love with llamas and alpacas long before they were plastered on, oh, everything, so a few years back I bought her a llama walk, and for my birthday she returned the favour and gifted me an alpaca walk experience.

a girl with auburn hair holds a dark brown alpaca on a lead

The alpacas live in the children's zoo at Walton Hall and Gardens in Warrington, Cheshire, and from the moment we arrived we were taken aback by how lovely a setting it is. The children's playground is immaculate, with varied and inclusive equipment, and the zoo is home to all kinds of animals, many of them rescues.

left: a male peacock sits on the roof, right: a black and white rabbit in his hutch

The animals we were there to see were Topaz, Jim, and Malbec, a trio of adorable alpacas. With temperatures in the 30s lately, I was worried that it would be too hot for them to walk, but we soon saw that they had been sheared and even given paddling pools to chill out. They're only taken out a maximum of 3 times a week, and always at quiet times to keep it as fun for them as it is for the visitors. We gave them leaves as a peace offering, slipped their harnesses on, and set out with keeper, Peter, alongside us.

Peter was really friendly and laidback, telling us all about the alpacas and their friends, the grounds, and the hall itself. It was given to the people of Warrington to enjoy and it totally fulfils its purpose. Not only is the hall a stunning wedding venue (and alpaca photo backdrop), there are formal gardens, crazy golf, and a huge pond filled with turtles and koi carp. It's a shame I don't live closer because it's such a relaxing, well kept place to visit.

The alpacas were so fun to walk, as they generally stayed calm and gentle but showed us their personalities as they grew used to us. Jim, the multicolour one, was the cheekiest of the trio and even had a quick bite of the flowers on my sleeves! They certainly enjoyed seeing the sights and nibbling at everything in reach, treating their walk as one big buffet. They loved throwing themselves into bushes to scratch their backs, and quite a few dog owners and visitors loved spotting us strolling down the paths.

Both of us loved the experience, and it's definitely one we won't forget in a hurry.

What would you name an alpaca?

One of my favourite words is serendipitous, and it's the perfect one to describe last Saturday. We woke up early and headed over to Llandudno, a seaside spot that we've visited all my life. As we drove, we noticed that the roads were unusually busy, and signs soon told us why: it was Armed Forces day and Llandudno was hosting a huge celebration.

I know that the defences are a controversial topic, but the way I saw it is that every individual walking in the parade was doing so because they are proud of our country and people and want to protect us, and it's not those individuals that decided how that is done. It was a chance for them to be celebrated for their bravery, and the community certainly pulled together to show their support. The whole promenade was packed with people of all ages clapping and waving flags as the parades went by with brass bands booming out behind them.

As a nod to the air force, the red arrows, spitfires, and Lancaster bombers came and put on the most incredible air show. When I heard people discussing it I thought it wouldn't be my thing, but we headed up the hill to watch and the pilots proved me wrong. They looped, twirled, and decorated the sky with their coloured streamers, but the best was yet to come. A Typhoon, an even more powerful plane, came ripping through the sky with such force I could feel it reverberating through my chest, yet the pilot had it swirling through the sky as easily as if it were a toy.

After all the excitement, we took a detour to Haulfre Gardens. Despite visiting so many times, it was an area I'd never seen before, and the glorious sunshine made it the perfect day to explore. Winding up through the hillside we passed beautiful houses, met the friendliest Collie dog, and even hung out with Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee. Alice In Wonderland is linked to Llandudno, and you can spot nods to the characters all around the town.

Before we were homeward bound, there was just enough time for a dip in the sea- it would be wrong not to on such a sunny day! We stopped at Colwyn Bay for a paddle, where another lovely Collie joined us. He ran behind me, pushed his head between my ankles, and played tug of war with his tennis ball, but just wouldn't stay still for a photo.

Have you ever celebrated Armed Forces Day?

When I worked with elderly people, one of my favourite activities to do with them was card making. No matter the level of imagination or ability, everyone can make something beautiful when the intention is to send it to someone and make them smile.

Part of the reason I enjoyed it so much is because I worked in a facility which had an entire wardrobe dedicated to art supplies, so I didn't have to choose what to buy, and there was a huge selection to suit everyone. It made it so easy and enjoyable to just lift the boxes out and let everyone dig in.

My Greeting Box* is like a refined version of that. If you want to try your hand at cardmaking it can be overwhelming to see all the techniques and products available, not to mention costly, so the lovely owner spotted a gap in the market and started putting together boxes with everything you need to get going, including stamps, embellishments, cards, and so much more. With your first box you even get the essentials such as a ruler, rubber, pencil, tape, glue, and an acrylic block for your stamps. They really do think of everything!

Each month there is a theme, and the June box was based around fairies and magic. You can see from my unboxing video just how much this excited me! I love the stamps with the sweet sentiments, toadstool, and watering can, and I'm also a huge fan of the colours that were chosen. Fairies are usually aimed at children, but thanks to the chic navy, pink, and white theme these cards are suitable for any recipient and look really elegant.

As I made the cards, it was easy to see how much passion has gone into them. It's not a random selection of products, but carefully planned and developed components. I was thrilled to see that Holly had packed in some really clever items, like a glue bottle with a precision nozzle, and the most amazing shimmer spray that's filled with microfine glitter to give your card that finishing touch. It truly is like fairy dust!

The instructions were also planned perfectly, easy to follow and with no problems or errors. Crafty as I am, I wouldn't have thought to use the cut out technique, or layer the fairy's wings to give a 3D effect. It's so simple yet really effective, and makes your cards look so high quality.

My Greeting Box are currently** running a deal where you can use the code FIRST25 to receive 25% off your first order and buy your first box for £16.50. For all the essentials included plus the themed cardstock, stamp sheets, and embellishments, that is incredible value. In my eyes, you're not only buying the art supplies, but 3 art lessons in the form of the instruction cards, and a few hours of art therapy. Once the cards are made, you can use the remaining supplies for future projects, and you have beautiful handmade, sentimental cards to give.

Have you tried cardmaking?

*gifted for review
**applicable at the time of writing

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