Weekend reading and and iris in colour pencil

What a warm day it was on Friday!  I was only at work in the morning so afterwards I went to the library and stocked up on some weekend reading.

So from the bottom upwards:
I have read the other books in the Sidney Chambers series by James Runcie.  I was waiting for the next one to come out so rather than buy it I decided to request it from the library.  I love the very English cosy mystery style of his books.
I read my first Fern Britton a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed it; its very entertaining chic lit.
The Max Tudor series by GM Malliet is great; this is the fourth one and I am looking forward to seeing how the Church of England is going to cope with their detective vicar in a relationship with a neo-pagan. 
I have never read Peter Mayles 'A Year in Provence'  and decided to give it a try.
The 'Yorkshire Shepherdess' by Amanda Owen is brilliant; my dad was a Yorkshire man and I can hear his voice in a lot of the dialect that is quoted in the book.  I have finished it but needed to take it back out at the library so the Engineer could finish reading it.  If you loved James Herriot you will enjoy this autobiography of a fan who decided she wanted to be a farmer. 
Death in Paradise was brilliant when it was on the TV, those warm sandy beaches and sunshine.  Sigh!  So let's see if the books are any good, starting with A Meditation on Murder.
Guy Martin?  He seems like a genuine man who is just a bit bonkers and very funny with it.
So I've got lots of reading to do.  I might chop up some nibbles and sit in a shady part of the garden with a cup of tea whilst I read.  One of the things I will start with are strawberries.  My strawberry plants have produced fruit and one of them has now ripened.

The strawberry tower is working well.

Yum.

It will be chopped up and used in my breakfast.

I haven't quite finished my iris yet but its looking ok.  I have made a couple of errors though: firstly I really struggled with one petal; if you look closely you can see where I have lifted out colour and reapplied, but the paper is now damaged and I cannot add anymore pigment to it.  I still need more depth and my edges need to be more defined as its not easy to see individual petals.  Oh well, once again I have learned a lot from doing it.  Add the depth early on. 

 

I started a new project today and I am quite excited about it; its a botanical drawing in which the subject is the correct size but next to it is the same subject over sized.  Its quite a challenge and I've just got to the "What on earth am I doing"? stage.  I will share it with you when I am a little further along. 

Garden Show

Yesterday we went to the Stansted Park garden show.  The Engineer and I have been to Stansted before just to look around the house and grounds, but this was our first visit to the garden show. 
We wanted to be there by the opening time of 10.00 but the Teen had quite some difficultly getting out of bed so we eventually arrived at 11.30. 

There was a queue honest.

We then queued for ages to get in; there was plenty of parking but only one entrance and the cars had to be marshalled into two separate fields slowing everything down.  The weather was sunny and the setting lovely so we didn't mind the delay.  Unfortunately I don't have very many photos as my phone was playing up.  Needless to say there were plants for sale everywhere and most of the seasoned attendees had crates on wheels to put their purchases in.  There was also a shopping crèche where you could leave your purchases while you walked around.


The is a photo from the Stanstead Park web site.

We had brought a picnic with us and after a while managed to get a table in one the café tents and had a cup of tea with our food, except, of course, for the Teen, who claimed she wasn't hungry.  We wondered around admiring the plants, tools in the case of the Engineer,  garden furniture, clothes, hats, food and everything else.  There were loads of garden sculptures too, but again I've got no photos, sorry.

Garden swing seat, and the Teen

 I loved the art tents and admired the work and the jewellery.  The Teen's favourite bit was the outdoor pizza oven where we purchased a freshly made margarita for her.  After some hot food she was much happier. 

The Dr didn't make an appearance

We went into the food tent and tasted cheese, fudge, pickles and bought some sweets and fudge. All the while there was the smell of cooking sausages, burgers, paella, pulled pork, pizza.  We could have eaten far too much just in free samples!  Instead, we made our way to the Pavilion restaurant and had tea and cake before heading home. 


An unusual vase in the restaurant

The Pavilion Restaurant, I can recommend the rich chocolate cake.

Blue skies all day.

We had a good time and I am sure we didn't see all that we could have seen and as I took a hat with me but didn't wear it, I have mild sunburn on my neck and face: my own daft fault! 

Balls!

Balls!

Lots of them.  I was doing so well on my granny strip crochet blanket, thoroughly enjoying the rhythm of the pattern of the colours and the way it was keeping my legs warm as it grew. 

But, then I noticed it wasn’t just growing in length but it was also growing sideways.  A bulge sideways has happened several times and I’ve gone back and unravelled the errant row.  However this time it was too much so I unravelled the whole blanket.  Using my wonderful wool winder it took about an hour and left me with a load of colourful balls. 

I will now draw out the pattern so that I know I understand it properly.  It’s a simple one so I don’t need stitch markers and I shouldn’t be making too many mistakes.  I may get the Engineer to double check my foundation chain; being dyslexic I often need to double and triple check things.  Learning to sew with a sewing machine is especially challenging with all the measuring but the Engineer will usually double check things for me and even the Teen helps now and again.
 

Botanical Art Workshop: Irises

I have had a brilliant weekend.  It started on Friday so really its been a brilliant long weekend.  I went along to a botanical art workshop where we would be learning how to draw or paint irises.  When I arrived most people were already there; I knew quite a number of them from other workshops and it was lovely to see them again.  After getting teas and coffees we all sat down for a lesson on the botany of the iris.  This involved pulling an iris apart to see how it goes together which helps when you are drawing them.  It was fascinating and some of us even looked at the petals under microscopes.   By this time it was time for lunch, which was wonderful; a lovely salad and a very nice quiche. 
There was a slight hiccup after lunch as the irises we were to be drawing from had been kept outside so that they wouldn't open too early but they hadn't opened at all!  The chef who had provided such a nice lunch was dispatched to buy some more flowers.

Firmly shut

On his return, I chose my iris and positioned it before taking a photograph for future reference only.  All drawing is done from the actual specimen, not photographs.

Black background makes it easier to see detail

Then came the initial sketches; this was quite difficult as irises are complicated flowers.  But due to the earlier pulling apart I knew how many of everything there should be and how it all fitted together.
The sketches took a long time to get right but its very important to get this bit right as, if the initial sketch is correct everything else sits properly.  I then chose my colours; you look at this type of iris and think purple and yellow.  But when you start to look properly there are all sorts of colours on the flower from cream to greens and dark indigos to reds. 

I completed the sketch and then did a tracing from it and transferred it to hot press paper.  Then I began using my coloured pencils.
All this sounds like we were working non stop, well we working quite hard and you have to really concentrate to get this kind of thing right.  Three of the ladies present hadn't used colour pencils before so it was a different kind of concentration for them; the work was interspersed with tea, coffee, chocolate brownies and fruit cake.  Its important to step away from your work, to walk around to stop you stiffening up and to keep hydrated, at least that's our excuse.  We also talked and laughed a lot.

Day two was beautiful and sunny and we could really appreciate the garden which was full of flowers including irises.  Lunch was a wonderful chunk of salmon in a sticky sweet sauce, gosh the food was good!
We all kept plugging away at our work, some doing colour pencil and others water-colour.  With so many different styles, we learnt a lot from each other.

On the last day we carried on - I know this might sound boring to some, but it was my idea of heaven.  To be able to sit and draw uninterrupted for three days, bliss. 

Below is a collage of my progress; there is still a long way to go but I have brought my iris home so I can carry on. 

As you can see my picture needs more colour and more depth.  Its a bit wishey-washey at the moment and the petals are not easily distinguishable for one another   I need more contrast.
A quick thank you to Gaynor who taught us very well and showed lots of patience and Robin who fed us well and kept our coffee and tea cups topped up. 

As to all those irises that didn't open, well they were in a warm room for a couple of days.......

 I hope you all had a good weekend too.

Germinaing pea plant in colour pencil and graphite

I have almost finished the first stage of my pea composition.  After much practice, (shown below) I began my picture:

Sorting out colours.

But, half way through, I decided I wasn't happy with it, so I started again and finally now, I am pleased with the result. 


I need to work a little more on the roots as there are a few hard lines that need softening and I need to sharpen my edges.  However, I don't plan to do the edges until I have completed the full composition so watch this space.

My next task is the amaryllis which seems to have taken over the fire place.

I would like to capture its flowers all furled up but I don't know if I will have the time.

I am going to a botanical art workshop on irises over the weekend and this flower may well be out by then.

As it was a nice evening the Engineer and I went for a walk; we crossed the main road and then walked down towards the creek and past the allotments, which are looking wonderfully well cared for.

These leeks are huge compared to mine which look like slightly bendy needles at the moment.

Each plot was so well kept; there didn't seem to be an unloved area anywhere.

A quick cut through some trees and out onto some parkland by the creek.

We walked along admiring the view and listening to the wind making the yacht masts clank.

The waters edge

Lots of boats

This narrow alleyway is known locally as Frenchman's alley and leads through to some very old cottages.

Just back from the slipway is a group of older houses; the front one sometimes floods if there is a very high tide. 

The slipway

We then walked back home, where I spent some time in the garden watering my veggies.  What a lovely walk, back in time for a cup of tea and crochet.

Bank Holiday

This morning was lovely and bright, the perfect day for pottering in the garden.  As it was so warm and I am hoping there will be no more frosts, I decided to plant out my courgettes and beans. 
I have been putting them outside regularly so they should be hardened off by now.

Courgettes



Runner beans

Whilst I industriously dug, watered and planted the Engineer was at the other end of the garden practicing his welding.

As it was a Bank Holiday we hauled the Teen out of bed and suggested we go out for lunch.  Two burgers and a lasagne later we came home and the Teen went back to her bedroom with a bowl of Doritos and some dip!
The Engineer went into the garden shed at my request, to get out the bamboo to make a frame for the runner beans to climb up.  I knew where the bamboo was but I also know that large spiders lurk in the darkness of the shed and while I don't mind little ones, I do not want to get up close to a big one. 

So I have now watered all I planted and said a little prayer that they would be protected from black fly and slugs. 
The Engineer carried on with his welding and I sat and finished off the colour pencil section of the germinating pea I am drawing.  This is my second attempt and at the moment all has gone well; I am doing the roots in graphite I think this will give a good effect.   If I have finished I will show you on my next post.

Washing machine noises and a lovely walk

On Thursday the washing machine was making an unusual noise, then it seemed like the drum wasn't rotating so I hurriedly switched it off.  Once the Engineer got home from work he switched the machine back on to listen to its noises and sense its mood.  The drum turned slowly to start with but as it accelerated there was a very definite series of odd bangs and a final twang.  The motor kept running but the drum slowed down to  a stop.  Four screws later and the back panel was removed to reveal that the belt that drives the drum had snapped.

Ping!

The machine is pretty old so it took the Engineer quite a while to find the right belt online but he managed to order a new one and it arrived this morning in less than 24 hours and was then fitted within half an hour.  Its very useful having an Engineer in the house.

While we went for a walk we left the washing to slosh happily and the Teen elected to stay in bed.  We drove to Hunston and walked along the canal tow path back into Chichester.  Its not long walk but it was warm, sunny and very peaceful.

View from Poyntz(!) bridge - Chichester cathedral in the distance.

 There were water lilies and flag irises along the edges of the canal. 

Water Lillies

The irises with their yellow flowers were almost glowing in the sunshine.

Flag Iris

Once we got into Chichester we walked to the Cathedral close and broke out the picnic.  Homemade crustless quiche and homemade chicken nuggets, ham roll and salad.  Very nice. 

Yum

Our main reason for going into Chichester was to go to the Society of Floral Painters Exhibition at the Ox Market Gallery.

There was a minor disagreement about the location of the gallery which is almost hidden, down a narrow alley.  After a brisk discussion and a bit of walking it was decided that the Engineer's internal compass was a bit out of whack for once and we went in the direction I suggested, to find the gallery right where its always been. 

The Exhibition was lovely; it seemed that careful thought had gone into the placement of each picture, showing all of them to their best.  There was some beautiful work, from botanical to much looser mixed media pictures and all of it worth seeing.  The exhibition is on until the 7th of June and the gallery itself is a wonderful space, full of peace and light. 

We decided that after such a healthy lunch we should stop for a cup of tea and cake.  The Swallow Bakery is where I go when I want a good cake in Chichester and it didn't disappoint. 

Devil's chocolate food cake and chocolate brownie.



Didn't last long!

After a brief detour into the Cath Kidston shop, where I stroked the bags and sighed a lot, we walked back to the car along the canal path.  Dark clouds has started to gather on the horizon and it looked like a spring shower was in the offing, but the rain stayed away.

Below is a collage of the day; the butterfly is a sculpture that is by the canal basin in Chichester.  If you look carefully you can see the Engineer going into the Ox Market gallery which is in an old church - there are certainly plenty of those in Chichester.

I hope your Saturday was just as nice as ours.