Scribble Picnic - Market

I love markets and have been to some exceptional ones around the world.

It was hard find a good market scene photo to work with for today's theme.

 They were just all too busy looking - which is great for any market - but a bit 

too much for editing for Scribble Picnic!

Did have some good photos of produce though so chose this

 one, turned it into a b/w 'sketch' and added back color with 

those trusty watercolor pencils.

So, you get a glimpse of these beautiful French artichokes from

Brittany, displayed on a market stand in Carcassonne when visiting

 my brother's home just a 20 minute drive from the city. 

It was raining that day and I recall the fruits and vegetables 
 looking so fresh on their outdoor stalls

Hope you will stop by Michael's SCRIBBLE PICNIC today -

join in or just enjoy our members' art.

Thanks.

. . . . . and if interested here's little history on the amazing Cité de Carcassonne : via Wikipedia

Inhabited since the Neolithic period, Carcassonne is located in the Aude plain between historic trade routes, linking the Atlantic to the Mediterranean sea and the Massif Central to the Pyrénées. Its strategic importance was quickly recognized by the Romans, who occupied its hilltop until the demise of the Western Roman Empire. In the fifth century, it was taken over by the Visigoths, who founded the city. Its strategic location led successive rulers to expand its fortifications until the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659.

Its citadel known as the Cité de Carcassonne, is a medieval fortress dating back to the Gallo-Roman period, and was restored by the theorist and architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc in 1853. It was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1997.^[1] Consequently, Carcassonne relies heavily on tourism but also counts manufacturing and wine-making as some of its other key economic sectors.

Scribble Picnic - My Place

For our Scribble Picnic challenge this week, host Michael requested 

something depicting 'My Place', whether town, state, province, county,

borough etc.

This is my own version of "A Place to Call Home".

I felt I had to show you something representing what will always

 be my true home across the pond!

My town on the southwest coast of England, in the county of Devon.

It is is known as "The Queen of the English Riviera", complete

 with palm trees, blue water bay, seven hills rolling down to the sea, 

picturesque harbour, many beaches. . . . . . and faces across the English 
Channel toward the coast of France.

TORQUAY (pronounced Tor-KEY), is a favorite destination for tourists looking

for a fun coastal, or quiet countryside, holiday in the UK.

This is a vintage tourist brochure cover painting - I edited to a b/w sketch and added

back a little pop of watercolor.

Head over to Michael's blog to view special dear to the heart places shared by the 

members of the Scribble Picnic group.

SCRIBBLE PICNIC - Holiday Party

It was time for yet another celebration recently. . . . . . so of course a 

Holiday Party 

required preparation and a hot oven in the kitchen!

"Bring on the New Year with traditional English mince pies" say I.

Little sweet pastry tart shells filled with sweet, fruity 

mincemeat made from raisins, sultanas, apples and 

spices. Served warm from the oven with melting rum or

 brandy butter, they are yummy. . . . . . . and of course 

don't forget the bottle of bubbly which definitely 

turns any occasion into a party!!!

This is my little piece of 'holiday party' art for this week's theme on

 Michael's SCRIBBLE PICNIC.

Hoping everyone had a fun time celebrating the arrival of the

New Year.

I'm raising a glass to good health, much happiness and joy, peace and prosperity for all.

Scribble Picnic - BANG!

OK, I'm going to be totally honest here and tell charming host Michael, 

along with any Scribble Picnic participants who may

 make it here today, that I'm really cheating and beg forgiveness.

This is not original art - I just took readymade, edited a bit, but didn't even

 have time to do my usual 'watercolour effect'.

Yes Michael, what were you thinking of when you picked BANG! as today's

 theme?  And expecting a Brit to actually work on this day - shame on you!

Just kidding, but Boxing Day is my most special day of the year, and 

after such a busy past two days I had nothing ready for the picnic today - 

well other than leftovers - mince pies with Cumberland rum butter, 

sherry trifle, a nice chunk of Stilton with half a bottle of good Port, and a 

bowl of leftover snack mix which did the rounds on Christmas Eve!

What made a 'bang' around here?  

Even pulling crackers, which we did a lot of, only made mediocre

 snaps, definitely not a big bang within hearing distance!

So there you have it, and yes, it is a 'bang up' day here - brilliant sunshine,

calm, and warm enough to head outside for a picnic - if you have patio heaters, 

warm sweaters, and lots of warming drinks!

Hmm, that said, I'm off to at least make a hot chocolate which I will 

enjoy in my new (show you later) very neat huge Anthropologie mug (a gift 

from granddaughter Jasmin), before the sun sinks too low.

Hope your Christmas was perfect.

Happy Boxing Day to all.

Scribble Picnic - A Few of My Favorite Things

SCRIBBLE PICNIC time - and sending everyone in the group

very best wishes for the holiday season. 

Michael's theme for this week is A Few of My Favorite Things.

At Christmastime, I enjoy displaying a few of these favorite things,

 my little framed pieces depicting angels and Mother & Child art.

These three are, top to bottom, a French illustration found in an antiques

 shop in Carcassonne, a Russian icon from my visit to a beautiful 

'onion dome' church in Petropavlovsk and a sweet angel card

 found recently at SuzAnna's Antiques.

My photo edited in PicMonkey with watercolor pencils adding color.

Short and sweet for me today - I have difficulty typing as I've acquired very

 painful rotator cuff tendinitis (right shoulder and of course I'm right-handed which 

makes life more difficult!). Having physiotherapy which hopefully will help 

the healing process.

Take a break from the Christmas shopping and decorating and visit the group HERE.

Scribble Picnic - Forest

I had another piece ready for today's theme however I just can't bring myself to post it!

I took a photo of a forested area and worked on it with my watercolor pencils etc.,

but it reminded me too much of the devastating fire scenes sweeping through
 California yet again, with the clouds looking more like billowing smoke, and the
 autumn leaves brown, crinkly and burnt looking. . . . .not a peaceful forest scene.

Instead, this is a photo of a 'forest floor' scene taken in my back garden - which 

I must admit these days is resembling a woodland on its way to becoming a forest!

There are golden toadstools, green and gold fallen oak leaves, acorns etc. Worked 

some with watercolor pencils. . . . .but perhaps it's best just left unfinished.

Today's theme is FOREST.  It will be interesting to see what everyone comes

 up with this time. 

Head over to Michael's SCRIBBLE PICNIC later today.

Sending happy Thanksgiving Day wishes to all. 

I will be visiting family in Arizona for a week and am hoping to get

 photos to share later. It's been a while since I was in the desert!

Scribble Picnic - DOUBLE

Wishing you a frightful HALLOWEEN!

Scribble Picnic falls on All Hallows' Eve this year. Trying to find something

  to fit scary Halloween and a happy 'picnic' when the theme from Michael

today was a simple word like DOUBLE, was a bit of a challenge for me!

I ended up with two black cats, which could definitely be double the trouble

 on Halloween night when the Trick or Treaters come to the door!

We have our candy treats ready so no smashed pumpkins expected. 

I love to check out the kiddies cute, creative costumes. . . . . and

 see how many treats they've collected in their bag or bucket.

Later today make a visit to Michael's SCRIBBLE PICNIC page to see what

 pops up for the DOUBLE (or JOLT - an alternative prompt for today) theme.

Last evening you may have noticed Blogger went haywire - it was 

impossible to work on posts and photos disappeared from many

previous posts, that was scary knowing the goblins were at work!

Today it's up and running I believe and we should be able to link 

to SCRIBBLE PICNIC.

Expect the macabre from some of our creative group of artists!

Have fun tonight - if you stop by we have plenty

 of sweet treats to hand out.

I'll be the one in the pointed hat!

Scribble Picnic - Bottle

My SCRIBBLE PICNIC post was completed several days ago. . . . . . . . and

 then somehow I accidentally deleted it and couldn't get it back.

Have you ever done that? So frustrating.

Anyway, here I've worked on it again but my time is limited as I'm

in the midst of a very busy week prior to leaving town on a 

little pre-birthday road trip.

Just know that I continue to be grateful for dear Michael

bringing us together in this lovely group, and I hope those of you we

haven't heard from in a while will soon return. Also, we would love 

new friends to join us here at SCRIBBLE PICNIC - here are Michael's 

instructions for joining in - we would welcome you with open arms.

 My photo, edited to a b/w sketch with color added back using watercolor pencils.

Antique bottles by the window at the Argyle Downs Homestead Museum, 
Kununurra, East Kimberley, Western Australia.

 Former 1880's home of the Durack family, a prominent immigrant pastoral

 family from Galway, Ireland, this was a very interesting stop during my amazing

adventure to Western Australia in 2012.

Stop by SCRIBBLE PICNIC today, we would love you to join us and, as we

 are now bi-weekly, you have plenty of time to enjoy working on your

piece for next time. Hope to see you soon.

Scribble Picnic - Chicken

I definitely don't eat chicken - or any meat or poultry - but I do enjoy
 a freshly laid hen's egg now and then! 

Softly boiled, served in an egg cup with crunchy 'toast soldiers' for 
dipping, in the English childhood nursery classic way.
 Michael you know where I'm coming from . . . . . . . it's my favorite breakfast.

On a run out into the countryside on Sunday afternoon to gather 
some pumpkins, I also tried to find a sign by the road saying 
'Fresh Eggs for Sale'. . . . . . sadly nothing appeared.
Sometimes I think of getting a chicken coop but, with our visiting foxes
it's not a good idea!

Pop over to Michael's SCRIBBLE PICNIC today - our prompt is Chicken

and I'm hoping our creative scribbling group will come up with some 

interesting chicken art . . . . . and perhaps stories of chickens they've known!

Scribble Picnic ~ EXPLORATION

Our creative host Michael has resurrected SCRIBBLE PICNIC following a busy

 summer when we took a break. I've missed you all and hope you are ready to
share your fantastic art again.

Here's my story and art piece for this week's theme - EXPLORATION.

In January 2013 I took a trip to explore the bottom of the world. 

My first thoughts were probably the same as what most people think. 

Why on earth would you want to go there?

Because my best friend Paula invited me to celebrate 

our 50 years of friendship on an Antarctic expedition. 
We followed British polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton's
 amazing January 1915 journey.

Isn't it all just white ice and snow?  

No, definitely not - think every shade of blue, green, and turquoise.

Isn't it freezing cold? 

In January it was summertime - temperatures were comfortable

 around 40F with light snow now and then.

Remember, no bad weather, just the wrong clothes. 

Travel always requires that you be prepared.

What is there to see? 

Icebergs, some over 2 miles long. Cobalt blue ice.

Hundreds of thousands of adorable penguins, stately black and
 white adults, and fluffy brown juveniles who will waddle up to you
 and peck your rubber boots.

Seals so fat and huge they make one actually feel petite.
Giant birds such as petrels and albatross flying overhead.

Barnacle covered whales spyhopping next to your Zodiac boat, 
 making eye contact - such a thrilling moment.

 It's too far away! 

Maybe not an afternoon sail, but two plus weeks on a fabulous 

expedition ship being waited on, fed well, talking to interesting people from 
around the world, and seeing incredible wildlife is fabulous, even in heavy swells.
OK, I admit crossing the infamous Drake Passage was more than swells!

Surely it's awfully dangerous!

Much in life is dangerous - driving in traffic, crossing the street,

eating contaminated lettuce, being robbed or worse in your own

comfy neighborhood. . . . . . and much more! 
Why pass up the chance of a life-changing, awesome adventure, breathing
 the cleanest air on the planet and sailing through the purest water, all because
 it's a little dangerous!

If interested in seeing more of my exploration of the Southern Ocean, 
Falkland Islands, South Georgia Island and the Antarctica Peninsula, go HERE.

Meanwhile, consider joining us here at Scribble Picnic where you don't have to 
be 'an artist' (I'm not), but you can create something special to share with a lovely
 group of people from around the world.
Go HERE to read the FAQ's for the art co-op, then sign up and
join in. Hope to see you at the 'picnic' soon.

P.S.  For those of you who don't already know, I met up with Michael in

 Fort Collins, Colorado a few weeks back. Despite having followed each

 other's blogs for many, many years, we'd never met in person. 

Although too brief, it was an awesome time, and you can read my
 post on our time together HERE.


I am on my way to Canada - so am a bit late at the picnic!
Also, this hotel room is not the best place for WIFI so may have to 
leave my comments later, sorry!

Michael - Scribble Picnic Host!

Even if you don't know Michael you will know of him if you follow me and look

 at my Scribble Picnic entries on Wednesdays.

Right now we're taking a summer break as our little art co-op needs a

 chance to stay cool, well except for artist member Serena who's cool enough

 down under enjoying Australia's Winter months! Hello Serena.

Michael and I have been virtual friends for many, many years thanks to blogging.

He, like me, is a British ex-pat, and he, like me, is always somewhat homesick for

our former lives as children and teenagers in England. 

We each have stories to tell as to how we ended up here in America, bits of which 

we've gleaned from blog posts and comments over the years.

Now, at long last, Michael and I are going to meet in person! Bob and I plan to 

catch up with him in Colorado next weekend before he moves to Kentucky 

where his adorable wife/talented artist Alexandra has already settled in.

Would have loved to meet her too, hopefully that will happen sometime

 down the road.

Scribble Picnic Collage 2017-18

Soon we'll be heading west to enjoy a change of scenery and, most important, 

to meet up with a very, very special blog friend in Utah, followed by our visit to 

Colorado to meet Michael. 

Stay tuned for more this coming week.

After that dreary, damp post of yesterday, I'm happy to share good weather news. 

This morning the sun is brilliant, Bob is mowing the lawn before it gets too hot. 

I just gathered a ton of fragrant basil and am making pesto. 

Picked a few figs yesterday, added to sweet red plums they made a lovely

Gateau de Mamy - here's a link to another version as I forgot to take a photo of 

the fig-plum one.

I then cooked down remaining figs and plums with a little sugar and water

and puréed into a fruit coulis, adding crème de cassis once cooled.

Must say, served drizzled over the cake with a dollop of whipped cream

it was delicious. . . . . . . . . .and ruined my diet!

Iced Drinks for Summertime. . . . . . . . . .

Tomorrow's Scribble Picnic art get together over at Michael's 

is canceled!  Too much going on in many people's lives these busy

Summer days - even I missed the last two weeks due to 

travel and busy days when I returned. Perhaps the 'picnic' will

 return at a later date, I hope so.

I'd already worked on my piece for this week - theme 

Iced Drink - so decided to share it anyway.

For me, on late afternoons into hot, humid evenings here in the southeast, 

you may find me enjoying my favorite 'iced drink', Rosé wine.

I've taste tested many, some excellent and far too pricey, others not so

good, from all growing areas in the world.

This pretty shaped bottle of dry rosé (must be dry, no sweet wines for me)

from Provençe, has become my go to choice for this Summer. . . . and at

just $7.99 at Aldi it's a winner!

My original photo, taken on the dining room table, is edited in PicMonkey

 to a 'sketch' then I added back color with watercolor pencils.

I'm pleased with this effect - I love watercolor paintings.

I know there are some 'Watercolor' apps available that turn your 

photos into paintings - anyone use one of those and can recommend?

I use a MacBook Air so it has to be compatible. Unfortunately Waterlogue,

purported to be the best app, is not available for MacBooks or iMac.

It is available on the iPhone though so perhaps I'll try it there - can at

least use it on photos taken with my phone rather than camera.

Cheers, and a happy Summer painting days to all my artist friends.