Typical!

I draw a picture of Jack Frost and it warms up!  Monday it was freezing, yesterday it was slightly warmer but not by much, today it is positively balmy, but with that horrible mizzly stuff and endless grey skies. 

I had a busy morning,  sorted out what I needed to do: pay bill,  get heat pads for back, branston beans... cat food.  I chose to go to Crosby for a change and use Sainsbury's, bad move,  they have Felix on offer and that means Harvey's favourite Felix won't be on the shelf, and it wasn't!  Rats.  Worse, only took half the bill to the post office, chap said he needed the bar code bit,  something to be said for the old fashioned way... mmmmm.  Did get heat pads and my favourite beans (for half the supermarket price), then back to Tesco, braving the bloody roadworks.   Great time of year for road works, wet, cold...  

Anyways I got home hungry and tired, and with a sore back.   So slapped on a heat pad.  Had lunch,  the tea did the trick then wondered how to amuse myself,    a bit of sketching was in order I thought.  I was out yesterday, the idea had been to attend the art therapy Xmas part, which I sort of did.  I made it for 1pm, but couldn't see any famliar faces save for the tutors,   but I knew a friend was coming so  I found a seat, couldn't see anyone else I knew.  The anxiety grew, and kept growing, I'm not good in social situations at the best of times, so I nipped out for a cigarette.  As I stood outside I spotted my friend, phew,  but we then both decided to bail out of the party, it was a small room and so very noisy.  We had a nice cuppa and a catch up,  then headed for home, well sort of, she went to the market and I decided to see if the Clarks shop had any shoes I liked - eureka, they did!   Result, I've been looking for new shoes for ages with no success.   Then I popped into Smiths and spotted a one off art magazine on sketching, so bought that as well.  By  now it was getting dark, so on the drive home I enjoyed seeing all the Christmas lights. 

Today has been quiet,  was tired after yesterday.   Didn't feel like painting, so that is why the sketch pad came out.  I half watched a soppy Xmas film on C5,  and drew Jack Frost and a Snowman, plus a polar bear, who isn't quite finished.  I have found my confidence returning,  now the lines are bolder,  I know that what I am aiming to do is achievable.   I go over the pencil marks with a fine liner.  The pro-markers are being well used,  just a couple seem to be drying out, not sure why as I've stored them properly.  The rest are fine, and they have come way down in price.   Going to continue with the Xmas sketches,  may make some toppers out of them for next year.  Not made any cards for ages, but think the rest has done me a lot of good, I was getting very stale.   This stint of sketching should also help me with the painting.  

Christmas wise the spirit keeps coming and going.  And I'm still feeling weepy.   Not sure why this year feels worse than last year, second Christmas without mum is much harder than the first one.  

Not long to go now till the big day,  got my characters, so will be making use of CraftArtist soon to make a card.  

Thanks for stopping by...