So here we are.............

.......in 2008, Christmas has been and gone and I am feeling very flat after all the festivities. I'm really hoping to get back into my art - I got some new pencils for Xmas - Derwent Coloursoft, so I'm eager to try them out. I've also ordered some drafting film, I've been keen to try this for a while. Just have to decide on a subject!
Had a couple of nice walks recently and also popped up to Hatchet Pond where we were surprised to see three swans (two adults & a juvenile), two cormorants and a pair of grebe. Only the swans were in photographing distance though. Also will post a couple of pics from our last visit to Blashford, where I saw my first siskin & was lucky enough to get a pic of that and also of a great spotted woodpecker. Although I took the woodpecker through glass, it has come out well.

Wales weekend

Apologies that I haven't updated my blog for a while, a combination of several day trips, and then the last five days in Wales have kept me busy. I went to Wales with three friends, one of whom has a motor home. We went primarily for a big dog show and stayed on site at the Royal Welsh showground near the village of Builth Wells. There is an interesting looking quarry on the hillside above the campsite - when we returned home I looked it up on the internet - it is Llanelwedd quarry. It has provided the stone for many of the buildings in Builth Wells and had the first occurrence of laumontite in Wales. Most of the weekend was spent lazing about or walking the dogs on the hillside though I showed Taivas on the Saturday which typically produced the worst of the weather. My friend kindly ran Taivas for me as I'm struggling to get around the ring at present. This combination of me showing and her running worked well, Taivas qualifying for Crufts for the second week in a row. We had eight dogs with us, all of them more or less behaved themselves!

Taivas, a toy and a trip

This week has been busy as I thought but I think I've decided on a robin for my next art project. It's from the photo by Jan (Down Yonder Green Valley).
I took some pics of Taivas with her new toy from our Secret Summer parcel, also have posted a few from my trip this week to Furzey Gardens. Mary and I spent a pleasant afternoon there on Wednesday, we loved watching the little moorhen chicks running over the lily pads.Furzey House is a christian retreat in a secluded part of the gardens.
I had a fright yesterday when walking Ashley and Disney - poor Disney was pottering about, minding her own business when suddenly a pony went into reverse and kicked her. It was hard enough to knock Disney off her feet and I was worried that she was badly hurt - when she got up she couldn't put any weight on her back leg. Fortunately it wore off quickly and she is fine, helped by regular doses of arnica during the afternoon and evening.

Very little sleep and a very quick sketch

Those of you that have been reading my blog since the start will know that I like my sleep! Last night I only got four hours - and today I had to be up and away very early to get to a dog show where I was helping rather than showing. I've felt dreadful all day and just got back a short while ago - that will tell you that once again no time for art. I did get some nice photos at the show which will hopefully be good enough for some future projects, a lovely young rottweiler male and a delightful young whippet.

So for today I'm just uploading a sketch. I started doing these quick sketches a couple of weeks ago, in an effort to improve my freehand drawing skills. I set myself a time limit, try to draw without erasing (or very little) and then look to see what is wrong with it. This one of Taivas (which took seven minutes), has I think captured her personality but unfortunately she looks as though she's reflected from one of those fairground distortion mirrors LOL. She's rather long and thin!

No art today!

I had very little time for drawing yesterday and consequently I have no progress on my 'Ducky' for you. I was frantically busy all day, walking dogs - taking dog training class - shopping - walking dogs! Then when I finally had some time in the evening I ws getting ready for todays craft fair. It's only my second attempt to sell the cards I make, mainly from my art and photographs but a few crafty ones too. This time I am also taking along some mounted prints of three of my pictures, see below. I bought some lovely art silk and art matt paper to print on and they do look beautiful, especially the one of Taivas. By this evening I will either be happy and chirpy or gloomy and doomy, depending on how the day has gone. LOL

My Girl

I'm a beginner artist living in Hampshire, UK. I've been drawing for approximately 3 years, but for 18 months of that time I did no work at all due to a shoulder injury. "My Girl" was my first piece when I started again.