Pinch punch first of the month!

We intended going to Glasgow today to look for curtain material in John Lewis for the front bedroom but by 11am the thought of spending a Friday afternoon shopping in Glasgow was not appealing, so decided to go one morning next week instead.

Like yesterday I now had unexpected free time and again like yesterday, I headed to the studio.  

I had intended to try something completely different today and tackle a detailed painting a bird (a kingfisher) in watercolour, but when it came to it, I wasn't in the mood for that and wanted to paint something a little looser instead.

Nearly all of the artists I follow on You Tube talk about the importance of sketch books and using them to plan paintings, practice techniques and choose colours.  I've ignored that till recently but have finally discovered they are right (quelle surprise :-))

This is the sketch I created in my sketchbook today.  I have started the proper painting and the sketch has proved very useful in helping me decide composition, colours and technique.  I am sure the end result will be different from the sketch but it has proved invaluable in helping me to decide what to do and what not to do.  Turns out all those You Tube artists know a thing or two ;-))

After my failure with the granny square yesterday I crocheted one today and it was perfect.  Phew!  Probably helped by the fact I didn't nod off! :-)

Restful evening as busy weekend coming up.  Oh and we've booked a short break to Skye at the end of the month to surprise Anna and Faith.  It was their birthdays on Wednesday (yes there were born on the same date four years apart!) and they've been asking their mum every day for weeks if they can visit us during the summer hols (they're already booked to come for a week in October! :-) but we couldn't get the dates to work.   I can't wait to see their faces when we arrive with their birthday pressies :-))

We sent them a SnapChat message of D and me singing Happy Birthday to them and they are driving their parents mad by playing it constantly!  Hahahahahahahaha!