From Susan LeBarron

Namaste By Susan LeBarron

This beauty arrived from Susan a couple of days ago and I finally got around to scanning it this morning.

Susan believes that she and I are one, that she is the procrastinating, less accomplished side of me. I think we can all see, from this fabulous sketch, that Susan is wrong!

I love it Susan, thank you!

From Shevaun Doherty

These two beauties arrived from Shevaun this week, a coloured pencil piece and a watercolour.

I love them both!

Shevaun was kind enough to include a little information with each and I learned that Egyptian coffee is brewed in a small pot called a cannaca and served in a small cup or glass. Often flavoured with cardamon, it is very strong and aromatic...YUM!

The camel's name is 'Nandu' and he spends his days under a plam tree on the beach. His obliging character makes him a huge tourist attraction and Shevaun's Daughters often clamber on his back, stroking him and feeding him cucumbers and carrots.

I love little bits of information such as these Shevaun especially when they arrive on the back of such beautiful artworks...Thank you!

To Cindi Bessent

Doddington Clock Tower by Anita Davies

Cindi sent me a beautiful pen & wash painting of a local chapel, so I thought I'd go with this theme and paint our local church....However, just recently, every time I try to park in a decent spot to sketch from someone has beaten me to it...Hence the delay with my reply.

So, instead I decided to go with the 'local history' theme and this morning I parked outside The George public house and sketched the clock tower in my village; Doddington.

The clock tower was erected to commemorate Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee in 1897, costing just £80. The spire and weathervane were added later in 1911, but in 1937, the county surveyor suggested it should be removed from the middle of the road to its present site.

Hope to post it out today Cindi, sorry for the delay!

From Cindi Bessent

'Wedding Chapel' by Cindi Bessent

Wendy sent me this gorgeous pen & wash postcard of a wedding chapel on Elkton Main Street.

Apparently Elkton was once known as the wedding capital of the East because of it's short waiting time of just 48 hours. In 1936 Elkton issued 11,791 marriage licenses and chapels lined Main Street. This is the last remining one.

It was such a wonderful bonus to have this snippet of history included with such a lovely painting.

Thank you Cindi.

To Margaret Hunt

Margaret sent me the most beautiful fabric postcard, hand stitched from back to front with tender care. My Dad does all my sewing, so a similar creation in reply was going to be a little difficult!
Then I remembered the quilt I sketched, from imagination, back in October 2007 and realised I could send Margaret my very own 'handstitched' postcard using a pen and a little coloured pencil.
Above is the result. A magical, imagination quilt that can take you anywhere you wish to be with one simple hug.

Enjoy Margaret!