Mini break and studio peak.

Next doors caravan

 My little mini break away is all too quickly over. We only stayed away the one night, but it has been very pleasant! The caravan site we stay on is quiet and beyond the site are woods and fields. You are woken with a dawn chorus from the birds, but this is a little early! Most people seem to have feeders for the birds hanging up, so I found it lovely to sit and watch a variety of birds coming and going! Including big fat wood pigeons, which cleverly waited under the feeders for seed being dropped. They also land on the caravan roof, and sound like they have boots on, they are so heavy!

Window view left

Window view right, to Olivers Mount

 It's an amazing view we have right over Scarborough, the weather was perfect. We can see over to the castle and the bay and then up to Olivers mount, where the motorbike races are held. I could look at this view all day!

Jet wanted to see the view too!

 We visited Filey this morning, and sat for a while on the cliff top, taking in the view.

Filey beach and front

Filey Brigg.

 

Yummy afternoon tea!

 Later this afternoon we headed to Helmsley, which is further inland. We managed to make afternoon tea at the Black Swan tea rooms. It's all decked out ready for the Jubilee celebrations next weekend.  I can't believe how quick this little break has gone.

My 'Tidy' studio?

Back to work next week, or possibly tomorrow. I managed to do some tidying up in my workroom (spare room). So you can have a sneak peak now. I know it's not amazingly tidy as so many people show their work areas, but at least I can see the floor now!!! I had projects scattered all over, been so busy since December, It's been crazy. I'm now working on some cute characters, enjoying sketching again!! Bye for now :)

to follow on.......

From my last post, I am following on with the lily of the valley, which are opening their little bells nicely now. They reminded me of some artwork I did last year. This lovely flower is used for both weddings and funerals, so I tried to paint for both subjects, but alas they have not sold as yet.

little bee

baby blue tit

I would like to thank all you fellow bloggers for your kind weather wishes!! It has dramatically changed here, it now feels like summer and the bees and butterflies and baby birds are out in abundance. I was so lucky with the photos of that little baby bird above, I could hear all this tweeting commotion in the bushes,whilst out walking the dog yesterday morning. I think they had just fledged and the parent birds were calling loudly to this little one. He was a bit wobbly on his perch and eyed me nervously, but didn't move. I backed away steadily, so he could carry on practicising flying etc, he was cute!

Hawthorn hedge

 As I mentioned previously, the Hawthorn is so full of blossom this year. This hedge I pass on my morning walk, I have never seen it quite as heavily laden as this I'm sure. There will be a bumper crop of berries in the Autumn, it must have been all the rain we have had? There are 2 nests at the corner where my dog is, I saw them earlier, being built, and could hear loud calls as I approached.

full of blossom

I hope the lovely weather is continuing wherever you are in the world... we have a trip to the coast to stay with my Mother in Law in her caravan this weekend, and tea out in Helmsley again I hope! I may take the camera with me.....so see you again soon. Thank-you for leaving your comments they are much appreciated. :)

Ne'er cast a clout, til May be out

Lily of the Valley

Hello there blog friends. The Merry month of May is proving not so merry here, with rain and really cold temperatures. However things are blooming nicely. I have Lily of the Valley flowering for the first time, I had it growing in a pot, as they like to take over apparently, but it wouldn't flower, so I planted it out last year and 'voila', little bells are coming up! The title of my post is an old saying, which is not referring to the month of May, but May blossom, which is possibly hawthorn? It means don't take off your winter clothes until the May is out?? The Hawthorn is blossoming like crazy, but it's still pretty cold, so winter coats on still.

 My artwork is showing some greeting cards that I worked on last year. The company are lovely to work for, they get the colours so well, and then put a little image on the back and a tinted image inside, which I think looks sweet! Can you spot the difference in the image above, I added a swallow later and the magic of the Mac has popped it in.
Hope you are enjoying warmer weather wherever you are, I hope we get some sunshine too, it seems so long since the heatwave of March?

Hole of Horcum

 Hi there Blog friends, I've been missing from the posts for a little while. I've actually been working away in a studio, with some lovely talented people. It's been good fun, so nice to be part of such creativity. So I don't have any artwork to show, just me in my mad green hat on a recent walk to the 'Hole of Horcum' a North York moors walk, up near Pickering, North Yorshire.

 We parked at Levisham, above (that's the pub at the end there) and walked out across the moors to reach, what is called the 'Hole'

 Levisham is a pretty little village, just one main street really.(above)

 This was the view from the moors, looking down the 'hole'

It was quite a trek, right the way back as far as you can see in the photo above, then round back up into Levisham. We had very mixed weather, horizontal hail to start with, but it stayed dry, but rather cold for the most part. April was the wettest on record for us, so it was quite a miserable month, but the rain was needed, and everything is very green all around now. I was so busy in April, it's just whizzed by, I'm hoping we get to see some sun in May?
See you again soon!

Belated Easter wishes.

 On Easter Sunday, we were kindly invited to lunch at my Mother-in-laws. I always enjoy this meal being cooked for me, Yorkshire puddings an' all. I bought these bunches of Freesias to take up there to say thanks and Happy Easter. They reminded me of some work I did a while back now of the very same flowers. I thought they would make a good subject for a card, and as it turned out they did!

 I painted the stems individually, and tried to work as much wet in wet as possible, which was easier on the greens than with the flower itself, as they are quite detailed with lines etc.

 It was an interesting excercise. I knew what I wanted the card image to look like, and so with the help of a very talented good friend, I ventured into the world of Photoshop. Magically bringing the stems back together in a bunch tied with a lilac bow. The lovely greeting card company Phoenix bought my image and produced this card as a result, with my name there on the back, which is always so nice to see.

 I actually managed to do some baking as well this Easter, I made some scones, which got scoffed before I had chance to take a photo, and these coconut butterfly buns. These were my Mums speciallity, that always disappeared fast. She loved the smell of Freesia too, as do I. I can smell it now, just thinking of it.

Bye for now, hope you are enjoying some warmer weather than we are right now, it has gone back to winter??

Out on the wild and windy moors.......

 I've been abscent from my blog for a little while, trying to take a few days out during the Easter break. The wonderful weather we had prior to the holiday period has been replaced by 'snow' and rather chilly conditions. But we have managed a couple of days high on the moors in both south and north yorkshire. This southern shot is above Ladybower reservoir in the peak district, we trecked across bleak moorland to be rewarded with these amazing views.

Views over Ladybower reservoir

Ashford-in-the-water

 We tried to call for tea at our favourite peak district tea room 'Hobbs cafe' above Monsal head, but alas it was still closed, so we headed down to Ashford-in-the-water, to a lovely tea room there.

Linton village in the Dales

 Our Northerly jaunt in the Yorkshire Dales started out at Linton, where there was (luckily for me) a watercolour exhibition on. I bought an original from a lovely lady called Patricia Jones. Her work was beautiful and she had some unusual and striking black and white art that sort of reminded me of etchings. They were quite atmospheric, dark moody skies against limestone buildings. (see below)

Malham moor

 Out up on the moors it was quite a contrasting scene to the green down in the village, there was still quite a bit of snow about in deep drifts. We had wonderful views once again though, even though it was a little cold. We only saw 2 other groups of walkers, not many brave souls out up there.I like hearing the sound of nothing but the birds and possibly a few sheep! The birds we saw were Lapwings and Curlews, both of which have quite haunting calls, especially the curlew, which warbles a lonely tune. The lapwings were in courtship mode, doing their twisting and twirling displays and calling pee whit, pee whit. I tried to record it, but you can only hear the wind. No decent photos of them either as they are rather shy birds, you will have to make do with my book version!

looking to Great Whernside

Original watercolour,of Tan Hill

Lapwing

Favourite Tea Room at Hebdon.

Our day ended very nicely at our favourite tearoom at Hebdon. The old schoolhouse. Always such a lovely treat.
I will be back soon with some artwork. All is still very busy. I've been working with some lovely people lately on exciting new projects.