Joey and Chandler

Our beautiful ducks; Joey and Chandler, have grown so much and, until now, I haven't managed to sketch them at all! So, I took a few moments in the garden trying to capture them in my sketchbook.
They roam freely around the land now, making full use of my bird bath, the small pond in the back of the garden and my flower beds for cool cover...Hmmm!
The squashed flowers are a small sacrifice...I love having them here, hearing their quacks and watching their character form daily...They are a real pleasure.

They are not super models though....They do not stop moving!!! This creates a real challenge which made both spreads here such fun to create.
I'm sure you'll be seeing more of these new additions to our family appearing in my sketchbook.

In The Sunshine

Art class in my garden followed by lunch in a pub garden...It doesn't get much better than that!

Missing Cygnets

Last time Harry and I walked along the Nene river in Benwick we came across a swan and her cygnets, five of them...such a lovely sight. The next morning after dropping Harry at school I popped by the river and to my delight there they were again. This continued two mornings in a row.
On the third I found a swan and no cygnets. I hoped it was a different swan and 'our' swan and her babies were ok. When I collected Harry from school that day we made our journey home along the river and much further up than our usual haunt...there they were, all five of them, happily swimming along weith their Mum.

Love Alibi

New track featuring Jocelyn Brown and video starring my Niece Lucie (Pink leotard in the front)
Check it out:

Monday Trio

I was determined to be more productive than I have recently on Monday and I kicked the day off by making strawberry & cream cupcakes then journalling them.



I decided to get my watercolour pencils out and 'play'. The rose in the front garden has been stunning this year and proved a great subject for my playtime from the sunlounger in the garden.



Another quickie just to 'do something'!!!

It worked!

My carefree sketches of the day have revived my sketching enthusiasm and my lethargic attitude seems to have been kicked into touch.

Lazing In The Garden

I used watercolour pencils for this spread, a couple of quick poppy studies while lazing about in the garden.
Our ducks, Joe and Chandler, have found our pond and splashed around in it all day...They are adorable!

They have got so big since my last photo upload. I took some pics and will get around to sharing them soon, promise!

Art On The Move

I sketched this scene of a neighbouring farm while walking...rather fast I might add!!!

It was quite a challenge to sketch while on the move let alone while trying to catch my breath from jogging. The result is pretty poor in skill but I was so chuffed to have created something during my run.

Daylock Marine

On Friday Jane, a student and good friend of mine, spent the day together. We browsed a rather poor exhibition in Chatteris library before moving on to Huntingdon where we grabbed a cuppa in the Daylock Marine. We stayed a while chatting and sketching before moving up the river bank to Hertford Marina where we indulged in a spot of lunch.
A wonderfully relaxing day, spent in great company.

Cherries

My first of the season, on offer from the local supermarket.

Sporting Eggs

A couple more spreads from my daily journal.
The pheasant eggs taste superb, like a chicken egg only the look much prettier with their duck egg blue shells.

Waiting For The Kids

Sketched while waiting for Harry to come out of school.

Bills, Bills, Bills

I arrived a few minutes early at the bank, so made use of my time parked in the layby by sketching the scene before me....making the whole process of paying my bills a little more bearable.
Art is such a tonic!

Flyover

The flyover at March sketched from the side of Tesco car park.

Tesco Cafe

Two recent shopping trips with a stop in the supermarket cafe for a quick latte and a sketch.

Self Portrait

10 min study - Ink and watercolour in large Canson sketchbook

A quickie in ink on a prepared page in my large Canson sketchbook using a mirror.

School Fair

The final spread in my journal on Thursday was sketched at the local school fair, a few figures captured while enjoying the fun.

The spread below, complete with a portrait of me, was created by college student Francesca Moore...Love it, thanks Francesca!

Kings Motors

This is the 2nd of my three spreads completed on Thursday of last week. I was determined to get some sketching done, so when the car window misbehaved I took it straight into the garage and took my Mum's car into town instead.

After The Rain

I did three quick spreads in my journal throughout the day on Thursday, this was the first after dropping Harry at school in the morning.

View From The Rec

Another quick study sketched from the recreation ground on Benwick Road back in April.

Neighbours

Across the yard sits my parents house, my neighbours.
A very quick sketch from my front steps.

Hand*Book Quickie

Another quick portrait study in my square Hand*Book journal.

Zesty

From The Grass Bank

Captured

Self Portrait © Anita Davies

A crafty self portrait showing my new hair cut with it's layered look and another of me in the studio that my youngest, Harry, managed to capture on the sly. I am, of course, sketching!


© Anita Davies

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

View Over A Sandwich

Grabbed a sandwich at the Old Bakery Cafe in Chatteris and managed a quick sketch of Grounds Estate Agents opposite while I munched.

Poppies

The garden looks wonderful with the poppies coming out in bloom amongst the Jacobs Ladders and the Love In A Mists, so wild and so beautiful.

The Cottage At Wells - Day 4

My Aunts left us early Monday morning and soon after Mum and I took Harry along the quay crabbing again. He caught 71 crabs!!!...He was thrilled, as you can imagine.

Later that afternoon my Mum took a nap while I took Harry for a stroll to the local church just 5 mins away. It was open, a rarity with churches these days, so we took a seat and spent a few minutes with our sketchbooks.



We had a great time at the cottage and were sad to leave but have already re-booked for July.

The Cottage At Wells - Day 3

We spent a while sunbathing on the beach Sunday before heading back up to the quay in the afternoon where we purchased heaps of seafood for our supper back at the cottage...Yum!

The Cottage At Wells - Day 2

Another glorious day, although the breeze on the quay called for extra layers of clothing. Harry caught 25 crabs on his line and my Aunt Sally was brave enough to help him. We could tell when he'd caught a crab because my Aunt darted off in the opposite direction!

4 Days At The Cottage

I have just returned from another four glorious days at the cottage in Wells-Next-The-Sea. This time I spent my break with family; my Mum, my youngest Son and my two Aunts. We had super weather.
Sandra, the owner of the cottage, had hand cut some flowers from the garden before leaving it Friday morning and I believe the coral coloured rose, with it's divine scent, is called 'Superstar'.
This is the only sketch I managed on our first day...all of us in much need of a lazy day!

Snoozing