KITCHEN AND BATHROOM

Continuing my personal challenge 'something from each room in the house' now come with me into the kitchen which isn't brightly coloured. Light wood colour and terracotta cushion flooring. What could I choose, not a food mixer or pan, but some bright coloured  really sharp knives that I came across whilst staying with friends.  Well I had to find some, and got these in Marlborough. I love using them and looking at the cheerful colours when I'm doing boring things in the kitchen, or tears streaming down my face slicing onions!

Now come with me up the stairs and turn left into the bathroom.  A friend bought me these small natural soaps.  I couldn't resist painting them, it's a pity you can't smell them.  They last ages.  Wasn't that a nice thought.

Have a lovely week all of you and thank you so much for visiting my blog. 

IS GOLF A 4 LETTER WORD?

Sometimes golf is a four letter word in our house. As much as I like to watch it on tv, sometimes a four letter word springs to mind when it is on for hours, kind of overkill.  Well at the moment the men's Seniors Open is a 10 min walk from our house. It is at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club.

For the sketch I dodged underneath the security ropes, before there were any golfers on the 18th hole, to paint this. A large security lady said you shouldn't be here! Gulp.  Well she said I'll let you know if anyone comes. This was done for the Ladies Open a couple of years ago.  It is on khadi paper.

On Monday I went to the pro am, which was free!  Yes I said FREE. Sketch book in my little rucksack I went to the practice ground to sketch, and my hubs went off to do his marshalling stint.

The pesky professional golfers, just wouldn't keep still, so I had to sketch the spectators.  Just on cartridge paper with a waterproof pen.  These are by far the best I did, the rest were, yes you guessed a four letter word  beginning with 'C'.  Can you guess what it is?

You never know what you might find to sketch, so I usually have a small set in my bag.

All day a light aircraft has been circling every 5 mins overhead for tv coverage, and it's been getting on my nerves, so am off out tomorrow.

I may go on the last day, yes actually pay, I love the atmosphere.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend and thank you for looking at my blog.

ROYAL BABY

Welcome to the world, to the new royal baby.  So nice to hear some good news, these days, that makes people smile.  A feel good factor.

Here's my card to them (well not actually, was painted when my grand nephew Llewys was born, but thank you photoshop, for letting me slip in HRH, so my virtual card for the new family.

So what did my hubs and I do tonight, when the brand new family appeared on tv - toast them with a glass of wine and some chocolate.

So 'Cheers, good health little one'

STILLMAN & BIRN EXPERIMENTS

I've heard many artists mention Stillman & Birn sketchbooks that I just had to have one as of now!!!  But there are so many to choose from. Got mine from Jacksons Mail Order in the UK, though they are not in their catalogue. I got my beautiful spiral bound Zeta Smooth paper book. So hot here (a British heatwave) that I decided to walk into town and sketch early morning.

 First project was to use my Stabilo 88 water soluble pens black and brown.

(Southport has a lovely wide tree lined main street and they are building a Travelodge at one end.  It used to be an old Station, then the Ribble bus Station now Morrisions at the back.  They were taking down the scaffolding).  The paper reacted really well to the Stabilo and and I got some nice shadows using my water brush. The pen felt smooth against the lovely smooth paper. Was happy with experiment 1.

Second project was to use my Elegant Writer water soluble pen black. The ink spreads far more with this pen than the Stabilo.

I am particulary fond of this pen when I want to work really quickly.  Quick pen lines and a gentle touch with the water brush pen is all you need.  This sketch was a 'whoosh' sketch whilst waiting for the bus (not much more than 5 mins and a touch here and there on the bus (which wouldn't keep still) !  This process was perfect, the reaction of the ink and the brush pen, just what I wanted. Was happy with experiment 2.

Following day (actually this morning) there were some lovely clouds making the temperature a little more pleasant for my 45 min walk into town. Sat down at 8.45 am raring to go. Set out my mini watercolour travel set with my plastic double dipper (used for oils) as my water containers, that I can clip onto my paper, if required.

Third project was to use watercolour and pen.

Lord Street again with it's lovely glass verandahs and this is Costa Coffee. Did quick pencil sketch then put on the watercolour.  Here I came unstuck.  Even though it was hot the watercolour stayed on the surface of the silky smooth paper and wouldn't dry. It was in globules.  I did manage to mix colours on the paper, but my patience was tested even more when I tried to do the peoples clothes, the fine detail just were blobs. Consequently took me longer than if I had used watercolour paper.  Eventually, I added some waterproof ink marks. Good news is it didn't cockle.

Results mean that I will be restricted to my water soluble pens, otherwise the book might be flung to the far corners of the earth! Perhaps I should have ordered the Beta series.  Could anyone give me their opinion on what I thought was the ultimate sketchbook.

BEST THINGS SINCE SLICED BREAD

Oh, I do suffer from bad feet, no not smell, cheeky!  The balls of my feet cripple me after an hours walking, as I have claw toes on both feet.  When I first tried crocs I couldn't believe how comfy they were. Summer is heaven, as I do not care what I look like, comfortable crocs are my friends, and I wear them when I can get away with it. These have been painted  for my 'something from each room in the house' series, and we are in the conservatory now.  I have several pairs of crocs and have some for the garden.  These are very splendid, having a (plastic) diamond stuck through one of the holes.  You don't need to hold your nose when you look at these, they are anti smelly!!!

Hope my blogging friends are having a wonderful weekend, and that those in the UK are enjoying this freak heatwave.  Best weather for 7 years!!!

LIVERPOOL IN WAITING

Went to Liverpool today, to eat 'en plein air'.  The main shopping area is already decorated and waiting the the Royal Baby to arrive.

While at Zizzi's, an Italian Restaurant, I used my mini, mini sketch set to do, yes you guessed, a quick sketch (Thanks for your information Cathy Holtom  http://cathyholtomdustylane.blogspot.co.uk - check out her really interesting article on materials she uses for painting outdoors).  I now have mini mini set, mini set, and compact set and full monty set.

Here used my magic wondrous Elegant Writer Calligraphy pen, just a touch of water to the lines that I have drawn and the ink does the rest.  Notice the sexy hair band to keep the pages from blowing about.

Royal Baby decorations ready and waiting. The clothes have HRH on them.

Hey, you Brits, enjoy this amazing heatwave while it lasts and no whinging.

WIMBLEDON WANDERINGS

WELL DONE ANDY MURRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  (on the 7th day of the 7th month, and 77 years since a Brit last won the mens final - spooky or what).


I am a hermit during the tennis tournament at Wimbledon. Rarely leaving my abode, glued to the tv watching my heroes. One of them being Kenny Eckerslyke.  Now some of you will have met him on my other blog http://pollyluvspaintingetc.blogspot.com  along with my other northern England friends and their activities (if you would like to meet them and Kenny go to my blog and click on the label 'friends of mine' or click on my link at the top of the right hand column of this blog)

Now Kenny is an avid tennis player who reckoned he could whup Andy Murray at Wimbledon this year.  How, did he get on, well he lost on Monday. He reckons the linesmen, umpire and crowd were against him 'cos I'm a reet ordinary lad from up north and I'm not posh, eeh by gum.  I'll be back again next year and by ecky thump I'll be the first northern champ!"

Well I were in the crowd. Poor Kenny lost his rag at the end and threw his ball into the crowd, with such venom.

Followed by his shoes, one of which I caught!  I immediately threw it back because the smell was knocking me out.

Poor Kenny, he thought he could win, but can 'ee eckerslyke!!!!

He drowned his sorrows by drinking a pint of bitter and eating some lancashire hot pot and an eccles cake.

Let's hope he qualifies again next year.  Good luck Kenny