Sunday Sketches (From England)

Just a quick note for this week's Sunday Sketches and terribly sorry it's so short. We're boarding a train this afternoon and are on our way back to London to send the youngest back to the US. It's bittersweet as we've had a lovely time with each of the boys here but also thankful to have had the time with them.

This week's sketch came to life in an adorable coffee/cake shop called, Lovebrew Cafe. A darling shop with fantastic cakes and cups of tea. If you're ever in the area, you must pop in and say hello!

When we return to Scarborough on Monday afternoon, I promise to catch up with everyone from last week and this week. It's been quite busy with family coming and going, as well as, helping Michael's sister with various things and so forth. I'm looking forward to catching up with everyone. Love to all!

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If you're participating in Sunday Sketches, you can grab the NEW Sunday Sketches button HERE.

Submit your artwork by signing up below with a link to your blog. PLEASE make sure to visit each other! One of the biggest reasons for this co-op is encouraging one another in our creative endeavors. Thank you!

Sunday Sketches (From England)

It's hard to believe the week is over and it's time for another round of Sunday Sketches - let alone week 4! Good golly, Molly! We're still getting acclimated with the area and settling in as much as we can. Yesterday, I shared with you my temporary studio until our actual home is ready to move in to here. It's quite cozy and a lovely view!

Today, although not feeling well, I ventured off to potter around at a church stitching event and then lunch at the Raven Hall Hotel. Let me tell you what incredible views it had! (As you can see above) The hotel in an 18th-century Victorian building is set in North York Moors National Park and overlooks Robin Hood's Bay. 

Of course, with all of the wind and rain here the past few days, nothing seemed more fitting than an illustration featuring a darling girl wearing her favorite scarf and jumper! I wonder if she'll let me borrow her scarf?!  :)

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If you're participating in Sunday Sketches, you can grab the NEW Sunday Sketches button HERE.

Submit your artwork by signing up below with a link to your blog. PLEASE make sure to visit each other! One of the biggest reasons for this co-op is encouraging one another in our creative endeavors. Thank you!

A Very English birthday & studio view

If you haven't already read it on my art Facebook page, yesterday was my 45th birthday! Uh huh. It was delightful and filled with various cakes and pressies, starting at breakfast, all the way down to afternoon high tea with family. Both my niece and youngest stepson baked the evening before, making cookies, red velvet cupcakes and this delicious chocolate cake above...with bunting, to boot! Isn't it so cute and so me? I felt blessed to be surrounded by those I love and experiencing new things this year. I couldn't ask for more.

Earlier today, Michael's sister helped me rearrange the front room to set up a temporary desk/studio space. It's quite the cozy spot, overlooking rooftops leading one's eyes all the way down to the village and out to the seaside/ocean. You can't really see it in this photo as it's been raining all day. When the sun is stretching out its arms again, dancing across the blue sky, I'll snap another photo for everyone to see the incredible view.

With that said, I'm signing off for the night. In North Yorkshire, it's very late in the evening; almost 11:00 PM. We're 5-7 hours ahead, depending on where you might live. Until Sunday...sweet dreams.

Sunday Sketches (From England)

We're enjoying our last weekend in London for awhile. Tomorrow, our holiday ends and we board a train to make our way back to Yorkshire so we can settle in our new home. Michael returns to work and we both also begin the next steps in helping his sister care for his mother. There are so many unknowns but we're confident, despite any challenges, this is the best decision we could have made at this point in time.

Over the past few days, we've been puttering around, popping in and out of the quaint and lovely mews here in London. The home above is from the Hyde Park Garden mews, thus inspiring my daily doodle shown here. It's amazing, the architecture and culture, filling London. Some days, I'm overwhelmed at the beauty and history. One of the exciting things we stumbled upon just 5 minutes or so from this mews was the very heavily guarded home of....the former Prime Minister, Tony Blair. Who would have thought that would have ever happened! Michael quite enjoyed chatting up the guards out front. :)

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If you're participating in Sunday Sketches, you can grab the NEW Sunday Sketches button HERE.

Submit your artwork by signing up below with a link to your blog. PLEASE make sure to visit each other! One of the biggest reasons for this co-op is encouraging one another in our creative endeavors. Thank you!

South Kensington's Paul Patisserie

We have been enjoying exploring the various parts of London and all it has to offer...especially tea shops and bakeries. If you know Michael and I, you know our life isn't complete without one or the other! Yesterday, we popped in at Paul's Patisserie tucked in between other quintessential shops/buildings at South Kensington and fell in love with their leek quiche´ and chocolate filled miniature donuts.

As you can see in the photo above, it's quite popular. Inside is a tiny but delightful area filled with every baked delicacy you could ever want. To the right of the entrance is a steep, wooden staircase, winding it's way up into a cozy room where one can sip on their latte while getting lost in their favorite book....or blogging!

With that said, I couldn't resist quickly doodling out a sweet image of a little girl having her very own teatime out front of the patisserie. Isn't she precious? Keep an eye out for her appearing on an upcoming greeting card.

Free State of Coffee: Writing Home

With the oldest (step) son now back in the US and the youngest off on new adventures over in Paris, Michael and I have been taking advantage of some alone time on our holiday (before it ends on Monday) to check out new tea and coffee shops. Yesterday we visited two over in Mainstay-London and today, we popped in at two over in Holburn. We quite enjoyed puttering around in the early morning hours and discovering new shops along the way. Such as, the London Review Bookshop and the Blade Rubber Stamps, situated next door to it.

After picking up darling greeting cards to send family and friends, we cozied up in the Free State of Coffee just down the street from the Holburn Underground Tube Station. It was the quintessential coffee shop filled with old wooden tables and chairs, (some of which were quite comfy, adorned with dark green felted backs and padded seats), all atop old but beautiful wood floors. High above hung gold light bulbs while the windows were filled with giant gold and green lanterns. It was perfect for sipping on the best latte I've ever had, nibbling a croissant and writing letters. One never knows what they might find tucked away on the streets of London...

Sunday Sketches (From England)

Just a quick hello and wave from London as it's been pretty non-stop since we've been here. I do hope things will settle down over the next week or so as I'm missing my daily sketching. For now, enjoy one of my recent illustrations for my upcoming book with Ms. CJ Rains, "Ladybug! Ladybug!".

Happy Sunday and I'll catch up with everyone very soon! I'm missing all my lovely peeps.

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If you're participating in Sunday Sketches, you can grab the NEW Sunday Sketches button HERE.

Submit your artwork by signing up below with a link to your blog. PLEASE make sure to visit each other! One of the biggest reasons for this co-op is encouraging one another in our creative endeavors. Thank you!

Good morning, London

It's the wee hours of the morning here in London. (Barnes, to be precise.) While Michael and the boys continue to sleep upstairs, I sit at the kitchen table, gazing out the window at the beautiful trees, shrubs, vines and old iron cast fence surrounding the lovely home we've been blessed to stay at while here.  With my tea cup in hand, I slowly begin our first morning together here in London. I quietly start the laundry, carry out the rubbish and recyclables to the curb, hoping not to make a peep so the "men of the house" can continue on with their rest before venturing out to the streets of London...