Urban Sketchers Bristol

Hello peeps, I forgot to blog about our last Bristol Urban Sketchers meet up (we have the latest one this afternoo) .  Usually we meet in town and chat, sketch, regroup for some lunch and sometimes a cheeky pint too.  Well, under lockdown this of course has to change so we have gone virtual!

We sketched using google etc in Alhambra, Spain at the suggestion of one of our members.  Well, what a beautiful location, some amazing scenery, small backstreets and amazing buildings too.  It was also great being able to catch up with the others and sketch whilst chatting to others too.

Sadly my notebook is not great for watercolour as the paint sinks straight in so ideally I should just use pencil or pen and ink (as we know from an earlier post on here its not like I don't have a "few" blank notebooks in the stash!!) but I keep forgetting that I am sketching at home and don't have to use my travel kit and could actually pop upstairs and grab the pencils!!

I am looking forward to being able to sketch again outside and meeting up with the group, but in the mean time, this is a really good alternative and a great way to explore other places, albeit virtually

Happy sketching

kyla

WOYWW

So, hump day and that means What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday where we share our desks thanks to the lovely queen of desks Julia here  and it is also the reason some of us know it is a Wednesday in these strange times!!

So, on my desk this week, dont be too shocked, some crafting!  I know, go me!!  I admit I have a couple half days off work in the past week so I was able (between the garden and allotment) to get some crafting done.  Not much I admit, but its a start and does use up some more stash so that can only be a good thing to be honest!  As well as a couple of handbag cards (I think I may have bought the card blanks at a WOYWW crop years ago and still have about 4 or so I haven't used so thought I could use some of the bigger pieces from my off cuts box up.

Also is a sketch of a lady picking lavender that was cut out of a calendar from last year (tell me I am not the only one who reuses/upcycles calendars etc to make cards/tags etc and it seemed fitting since I have just started cutting this years crop from my front garden ready for drying.

My "man bites dog" cards this week are 'Lost Blonde Blames Brave Nude'!!  Well, considering some of the scenes we have seen in Weston Super Mare and Bournemouth over the past week I could imagine this as an actual headline!

Happy crafting

Kyla

Allotment Update

Just a quick update, those of you who follow me on Instagram or facebook will know that a couple weeks back the allotment site was victim to another arson attack and 2 sheds were burnt out.  We dont have a shed (the plot is too small) but sadly the direction of the wind meant the top third of our plot was burnt and so we have lost these 2 beds of strawberries (I know many years ago farmers used to burn their crops to clear top growth so hoping the strawberries grow back for next year, just bad timing as we had just started to pick them for this years crop!)

the cloches all burnt and with that my beetroot, carrots, spring onion and lettuces

as well as the cabbages, garlic, onions, shallots and some sweetcorn

This was the lettuce etc all burnt through the cloche

HOWEVER-cutting off the burnt tops we noticed the crowns appeared to be intact and what a difference a couple of weeks can make!  This is my little gem now!  They have sprung back to life and I have now started to transplant the thinnings to another couple of beds so they can heart up over the coming weeks.  The burnt garlic we dug up and used as a wet garlic and the same with some of the japanese onions badly scorched, we have dug them up and are using them now rather than storing them.

On the positive, it also means that I now have almost an entire bed now clear after the fire so somewhere to plant some late summer/autumn crops!

Kyla

Woyww

Hello just a quick update and apology. 

I haven't been able to revisit any blogs or do many updates (this is via my phone again so fingers crossed it works!) when i finish work my body is screaming for some fresh air and non screen time so i am grateful for the allotment but i will try harder as i need to try and do some crafting, evening if its outside in the garden for an hr ! 

Anyway whingeing over, on my workdesk this Wednesday is a lovely card from Julia with some lovely words inside, it meant so much to receive it, thank you Julia 

Kyla 

Woyww

Happy hump day! That means sharing what's on our workdesks on a Wednesday. 

This week its a short update, hopefully it works as its done on my phone. Only managed to do this once before but i have a day off, am knackered and really dont want to turn the computer on! 

On my desk this week is my allotment planting plan for this year. Some of you who follow my instagram page (I'm on Instagram as @kylacotterell)
 will know we were sadly victims of an arson attack last week on our allotment site so i have lost about 1/3 of the crops so i now have ynexpected space for planting autumn/winter crops so thought i better update the plans and lists!

My man bites dog cards this week are Singer Defends Suspect Tycoon-ooh that does sound interesting!!!

Fingers crossed this posting works!
So, what's on your workdesk this Wednesday?
Kyla

WOYWW

Happy hump day and What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday

Only a short update as the sun has been out all week so I have mostly been on the allotment.

I did however remember (albeit a couple days late) that I hadnt updated my 365 journal so thought I should crack on so that I dont end up too many days behind!  LOVED the 11th anniversary updates, especially Jan's video-loved all those memories

My "Man Bites Dog" this week are "Lady Lawyer Stuns Tycoon Singer"!!

Happy crafting

Kyla

WOYWW

Today i have a day off so i am sitting in the garden with last weeks unfinished object and trying to make some progress. Also trying to update my blog via my phone as i dont really want to turn the computer on when i have a day off work-hopefully this will work! 

Not been able to do any return blog visits this week, so sorry and i will try better this week, honest! So, what's on your workdesk Wednesday? 

Kyla 

WOYWW 11th Anniversary

Happy 11th anniversary for What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday!  I cannot believe it has been going 11 years?  Where has the time gone?  I bet 11 years ago the lovely Queen of the Desks, aka Julia, never imagined it would go around the globe for all this time!

If you have NO idea what I am blathering on about the full details are on her blog here

Normally for the anniversary we would do cards, ATC's and even a crop/meet up (or cake eating exercise-OR the first time I tasted Fiona's amazing vegan curry) .  Sadly we can't meet up and rather than put additional pressure on the amazing mail system Julia challenged us with a task!  This year we have to pick a UFO (unfinished object) and finish it!!!

Well, there are SO many UFO's to choose from and rather than cards etc I thought I would ferret around in my fabric stash and came across a transfer design I ironed onto fabric MANY years ago then promptly did bugger all with!  So, I made a start, I am realistic that I won't finish it BUT I am planning to finish at least ONE of the roller skates as I can then look to turn it into something.  

When I was a kid I loved my rollerskates, yellow and orange/red just like these and I mean LOVED I even used to cycle my bike in them!  My dad used to work in a factory that made a variety of different items from racing car tyres, submarine parts and most importantly totally ball shaped skateboard wheels and bearings (not flat faced like these in the picture)!!!  This meant he was able to get them fitted to my skates and they were for speed skating and tricks as only the smallest area touched the floor!  I was in AWE of them!!

Anyway, seeing this I thought I would have a go at finishing one of the skates off, will take a while as my hands and rheumatoid arthritis means I can only do short bursts BUT I will post some pictures of my progress and of the finished article!

Happy WOYWW

Kyla

wine postcard

Hello peeps just a quick update as I am presuming this has gotten to the recipient by now as I posted it about 3 weeks ago (to NZ).  This was a postcard (as not able to post overseas cards at the moment as that means having to go into a post office for weighing them for the stamps whilst I had a couple international postcard stamps left over) that I made for my Uncle's birthday

The background bottles were stamped and distressed and the main topper was matted and layered, not sure where I got the image from as it was in my scraps box but they love their wine festivals so it seemed fitting for the recipient.

Hope you are all keeping ok and catch up soon

kyla

WOYWW

Happy hump day and joining us all for "What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday" where we bare our desks.  Mine this week is clean as been busy with the pay the bills job. 

A couple 5 min sketches I was doing on the Rob Biddulph sketch along on his youtube channel (aimed at kids but they give me a 5 min break from work).

My "Man bites dog" cards this week were a weird random plucking for the headline of "Bored Singer Shoots Fans Angel" - well, they don't always make sense when randomly plucked from the pack!!

So, What's on Your Desk this Wednesday?

Kyla