From my living room window

 

It is still cold and grey here, and outdoor sketching has been out of question. But my hands were starting to itch, so I sat next to my living room window and started to sketch. The gated area is the Athelstan School car park, which was completely empty being the saturday before Easter. I used a Stabilo point 88 to draw the poles, as I didn't have a flat surface to rest my arm and it would have been difficult to paint straight and fine lines.

I found the winter poplars a bit difficult to draw/paint. I did some online search before painting them, but didn't find much. I just added some additional branches with my pencil after painting them, to make them look a bit better. 

13/52

It's week 13 and loving this project!

Sometimes my little miss O can be so very serious, but it doesn't last long and that's why I've chosen this picture for this week. It is a bit out of focus, but I love her face and her little finger pointing against her cheek. It was lunchtime and this is her way of telling me that what she's eating is yummy! 

This week you:

Tasted mama's face cream and drank some soapy water during your bath. And fun part was that you liked it! I guess we are entering the exploring phase...

Loved taking your socks off and stomp your feet on the foam mat.

Danced to the 'Grease' songs, and I loved it so much I made you go to bed a little late.

Enjoyed playing with our friends' cat "Sunny". You were not afraid whatsoever, and we liked it (your dad was so proud!).

Have been such an entertainer at our friends' house. It took you a while to settling in, but after that you were playing hide-and-seek with Ethan and SingStar with Adam.

My favourite portrait from last week was the one of Lamb @ Lamb loves Fox; loved her blue eyes and the 'I'm not so sure about this' face. Go and have a look!

If you are curious about this project and want to know more, you can check Jody's blog @ Che and Fidel.

My posts for the previous weeks can be found here.

The last of #30lists // 30. Mini-manifesto

I don't have many words to add to this last day of listing, if not that I'm missing this project already. It has been a great project to join and surely I will be looking forward to the next one. My mini-manifesto will be my starting point for what will come next and I'll make sure to have it displayed somewhere in my working area. 

I still have two blank pages left at the end of my notebook, I'm thinking of adding some pictures or more thoughts on this project before wrapping it all up. And maybe a wrap-up post to go with it.

In case you can’t read my handwriting…

30. Mini-manifesto

• Be true to yourself
• Smile
• Work hard
• Enjoy the everyday
• Dream big
• Don't be afraid of changes

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website.

All my previous lists can be found here. 

#30lists // 29. I'm grateful for...

It took me a while to decide what should make it to this list. There are so many things I'm grateful for, although I do often forget and this was an excellent reminder that life is good after all!

In case you can’t read my handwriting…

29. I'm grateful for...

• my family
• my health
• my job
• kind people
• the sun
• my hobbies (that keep me sane!)
• the life I'm living

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website.

All my previous lists can be found here. 

#30lists // 28. This week I chose to...

I didn't really think I had enough stuff to put on today's list until I started thinking about it. It has been a pretty quiet week, apparently with loads of choices made!

In case you can’t read my handwriting…

28. This week I chose to...

• Return to work even if still feeling down
• Spend the evening drawing rather than watching TV
• Re-launch my old blog even if it still needs some adjustments
• Take a nap after coming home from work
• Do some online shopping even if it was not really necessary

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website.

All my previous lists can be found here. 

#30 lists // 27. Quotes getting me through the day/week/month

I have been thinking about today's prompt all morning, and all I could think of was my monthly mantra. I wrote these quotes at the end of last month (here), for no particular reason, I just felt I needed to put them on paper. And they have been with me since. I look at them (or sometimes repeat them in my head!) every day when needed, morning or afternoon, and they make me feel better, more positive, more empowered. 

In case you can’t read my handwriting…

27. Quotes getting me through the day/week/month

• Today is your day
• Be quiet
• Be loud
• Just be

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website.

All my previous lists can be found here. 

Sketching in Colour

I’m excited to announce that "Sketching In Colour" is live (again!)!

I have been thinking about having a dedicated blog for my artistic attempts for a while now. My blogging adventure began about 4 years ago, 1^st February 2009 to be precise, with "Sketching In Colour", a place where I could record and share with family and friends all my sketches and drawings. I was attending a number of evening classes back then and the amount of sketchbooks I was consuming was enormous.

Then during March 2010, I decided to share my interests in crafts and created "Crafting In Colour", where I started to write about all my various craft projects.

Things started to get a bit too complicated, looking after two blogs was a bit too much at that time, so in summer 2010 I merged the two and "Creating In Colour" was born. I loved it from the start! I could write about everything I wanted in there, no restrictions.

And yet, recently I started to miss a place specifically dedicated to my sketches. It felt like my ‘art’ got lost in all the other stuff I started to write about, the projects, the challenges, the photos. My drawings do not really stand out in my blog, and so the urge to re-instate my old "Sketching In Colour" started to grow. 

Because patience is not my virtue, one evening (about a month ago) I copied all the relevant posts that I have been publishing here and pasted them in "Sketching In Colour"; job done, the blog was live again!

Since then I have been planning a blog re-do and a proper re-launch. So, here we are. I'm still planning to make some changes to the blog, like adding tab bars and moving things around; but the main layout has been set, and that's good enough for me, for now.

I still haven’t decided if I’m going to publish double posts, or hosting a monthly sum-up of "Sketching In Colour" here on this blog; we’ll see what work best.

In the meantime, pop over to "Sketching In Colour" and let me know what you think!

Up in the snowy mountains

Aschi Alto - Abruzzo, Italy

We went visiting my in-laws back in February this year. They live in central Italy, up on the mountains and it snows a lot during winter. This sketch was done on location, during one of our afternoon car trips. We pulled the car over the side of the road (we only saw one car driving on the same road that afternoon!). It was cold outside, so I stayed in the car. Shame about the electricity lines, which I love in general; they came out too big, but I didn't really have a flat surface to keep my sketchbook steady.

#30 lists // 26. Last year at this time, I was...

I have lots of good memories of this time last year! We spent two months (Feb-Mar) in Italy visiting our families with our 2 month old baby girl. It was good to have a lot of attention and support while we were still trying to figure out our new role as parents.

In case you can’t read my handwriting…

26. Last year at this time, I was…

• In Italy visiting my in-laws
• Breastfeeding my daughter
• Tired and sleep deprived
• Enjoying our daily walks
• On maternity leave (bliss!)
• Trying to adjust to my new life of being a parent

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website.

All my previous lists can be found here. 

#30 lists // 23. 24. 25!

I’m playing lists catch up again! 

My lists for prompts 23 and 24 are a bit boring; I wish I could say more, but this is really how things truthfully are and there is not much I can do about it.

In case you can’t read my handwriting…

23. Past injuries

• 2 stitches at the back of my head
• A cracked front tooth
• And fortunately I can’t think of anything else!

24. Pets (past & present)

• A white cat for only a week when I was about 3 years old. We were fighting all the time and my parents decided to give it away. That was the end of me having a pet!

List 25 made me thinking; the way I deal with things is really not the way I would like it to be. I normally have a really good start when trying to make a decision, evaluating all the pros and cons, making lists, thinking it through. But then when it’s actually time to choose, it seems that all the hard work done before to make an informative choice goes out the window and the irrational part of my brain takes over and does the rest. Uhmm…definitely something to work on!

In case you can’t read my handwriting…

25. When faced with a tough decision, I…

• Ask my mister for advice
• Think about it too much until my head hurts
• Procrastinate
• End up making an irrational choice (most of the time!)

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website.

All my previous lists can be found here.

12/52

We spent the whole week inside trying to recover from the fever and cold as fast as we could, we played a lot and watched a lot more tv than allowed. And we danced and danced, and listened to music all day long. And I could not decide between these two pics, so I used them both!

 This is you relaxing in your bed, while looking at yourself in the mirror

This is you reading mama's book

This week you:

Wore your Christmas pyjamas, as somehow we managed to soil all the other ones.

Played peek-a-boo with yourself in the mirror; any mirror, including the bathroom taps and the oven door.

Had antibiotics for the first time in your life, but you managed pretty well.

Had more fruit pouches than ever. Strawberry and apple was your favourite and papa had to ran to the supermarket three times to get some more.

Loved watching all the kids going to school in the morning from our living room window. You liked when the lollipop man stopped the traffic to let them cross the road. And we know that in no time it will be you crossing the road, and us watching you from the window!


If you are curious about this project and want to know more, you can check Jody's blog @ Che and Fidel.

My favourite portraits from last week were those portraits of  Meg Pie' s beautiful children; loved the peacefulness and the splash of colour over the almost white backgrounds. Go and have a look!  

My posts for the previous weeks can be found here.

Note: From this week, I will be changing the title of the posts for the project 52, and actually use the one I should have used from the start!

#30 lists // 22. Roadtrip playlist

I'm not the one in charge of playlists when we travel, my mister is. He's the one spending a good 10 minutes getting the music up and running before we even switch the engine on. 

In case you can't read my handwriting...

22. Roadtrip playlist

• Lagwagon
• All systems go
• Filastrocche per bambini (for little Miss O, only!)
• Steven Egerton
• Lemonheads
• Weakerthans

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website.

All my previous lists can be found here.

Pick of the month: March / Green

1.Salter Weigh Electronic Kitchen Scale from amazon.co.uk / 2. Succulents Plants In Ceramic Pot from dunelm-mill.com / 3. Easter Dress from etsy.com / 4. Scarf from hm.com / 5. Vest from boden.co.uk / 6. Converse All Star from legendfootwear.co.uk / 7. Desert Boot from olivelovesalfie.co.uk / 8. Sunglasses from hm.com / 9. Zaza Crayon Dress by Louche from twoseasons.co.uk.

I’m rolling with the colour scheme for the pick of the month edition. Winter is almost over and I really need some colour in my life to cheer me up. I have always had this image in my mind, since I was a child, that each month has its own colour and GREEN is definitely the one for March! With all the new fresh green leaves starting to appear, the first green buds on the trees, and St Patrick’s day if you wish, this is the colour to pick!

To celebrate this month, I pulled together a few favourite items for me and little Miss O. And since green is the colour we picked for our kitchen, I’ve also chosen some favourite accessories, some of which have already made their way home!

#30lists // 21. Today's weather remind me of...

Oh the weather! If you live, or ever lived in England, you sure know that the weather is #1 topic of conversation here. People are always complaining about it, rightly so, and it changes so many times during the day, that really you could talk about it non stop. I'm not really impressed with the English weather at all...growing up in southern Italy I'm not used to grey skies that last for more than one day; and being today the first day of spring I was expecting the sun would make at least a shy appearance. No luck so far!

In case you can’t read my handwriting…

21. Today's weather remind me of...

• I really wish I could say 'Spring'!
• Afternoon tea
• The last stretch of winter
• A B/W film
• One of the reasons why I can't live here
• Last year's holiday in sunny Italy

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website. There's still time to register!!

My previous lists can be found here.

#30 lists // Catch up!!

My baby girl and I have been sick for a week now! It has been hard for our family of three, but we made it almost to the end (almost!). So I'm playing a catch up here, with a summary of the eight latest  lists. I did made the list on the day, just didn't manage to post about it.

13. My causes

• my family
• a simple life
• love of nature
• healthy heating

14. My role models

• my mum
• my partner (who is taking care of her two sick girls just now!)
• anyone  who can reach success without losing their true self

15. Ways I save money

• paper-less bills
• charity shops
• car boot sales
• SALES
• online shopping
• don't buy if you don't need it (no excuses!) 

16. This month's soundtrack (aka Olivia's soundtrack)

• Postman Pat
• Bob the builder
• Torero camomillo
• Volevo un gatto ner
• Il gatto puzzolone
• In the night garden
• Madama dore'
• Il grillo e la formica
• Il coccodrillo come fa 

17. My biography would include tales of...

• How I met my mister
• me living abroad
• the nine months I was pregnant
• me being a mother
• all the amazing things awaiting for me in the years to come

18. So far this year, I...

• started two challenges
• started two new projects
• completed one challenge
• finished a book
• had the flu!
• watched series 2 of 'Up all night'
• baked 4 cakes

19. In the next year, I will...

• start painting again
• complete one sketchbook
• turn 37
• attend my friend's wedding
• have a summer holiday
• move house
• have another baby (maybe!) 

20. I do not regret...

• moving to London
• become a parent
• buying a house
• taking time off work to do the stuff I like
• the career I have chosen (some aspects of it!)

...but now it's time for a change.

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website. There's still time to register!! 

Previous lists can be found here.

The 52 project: week 11

It's week 11 and I'm still keeping up with this project! This is you, with us, on your first day at nursery. We can tell form this picture that we were more excited than you were!

This week you:

Started nursery and cried every time I dropped you off in the morning. It has been hard for both of us baby girl. I just hope you will like it eventually!

Discovered the tongue. You started licking the floors and made us stick our tongue out so you could touch it.

Tried to put your shoes on, and almost did!

Had a temperature for over three days (still has!) and missed one day at nursery.

Spent more time in our bed than usual, but that's ok if it makes you feel better.

#30lists / 12. Things I do every night

My evenings are not very exciting any more. Most of the time I’m too tired to do anything but relax on the couch with my mister watching some TV. But some days I do find myself inspired to do some work after the little Miss O has gone to bed and those are the best!

In case you can’t read my handwriting…

11. Things I do every night

• Kiss Olivia goodnight
• Load the dishwasher
• Clean the kitchen
• Put my pyjama on
• Brush my teeth
• Publish #30lists post
• Check my emails
• Check Twitter
• Watch TV
• Go to bed
• Play Ruzzle (since last night!)

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website. There's still time to register!! 

Previous lists can be found here.

#30lists / 11. Things I do every morning

It's cold and snowy today, and it's Monday! this makes me hate my morning routine.

In case you can't read my handwriting...

11. Things I do every morning

• Wake up when Olivia wakes up
• Open the curtains
• Have a little play time in bed
• Make coffee
• Cook breakfast
• Get ready for work
• Get Olivia ready for the day
• Kiss my family goodbye
• Walk to work
• Wish I was still in bed

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website. There's still time to register!! 

Previous lists can be found here.

#30lists / 10. I'm craving...

Today I'm not craving any food! What I'm craving is another life, in another country; it might not happen just now, but we are working on it.

In case you can't read my handwriting...

10. I'm craving...

• the sun and warm weather
• a full body massage
• an entire day to myself
• a family holiday
• time off work
• a bigger house with a big garden
• Italy (but not all the time)

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website. There's still time to register!! 

Previous lists can be found here.

The 52 project: week 10

It's week 10 already, and couldn't be happier to have started this project. I had lots of photos to choose from this week, but this was my favourite...I'm in love with her tiny white teeth and this face shows what type of little person she has become, she is so funny sometimes she makes us laugh with tears!

This week you:

Learned how to scream from the top of your lungs and practiced every time you wanted to get our attention.

Had your settling sessions at nursery. It went better than expected, and apart from some tears when your dad was leaving, you did enjoy it. And apparently loved the chicken curry!

Turned 15 months (time is flying!).

Attended Sylvia's birthday party on Saturday and had fun playing with your friends. You tried to blow the candles on the cake, clapped your hands when we sang 'Happy birthday' and had chocolate cake for the first time.

Ate soapy bubbles with gusto during bath time.

Had loads of new toys to play with...your dad went overboard :)

Danced and danced and danced! Practicing tiptoeing this week.

If you are curious about this project and want to know more, you can check Jody's blog @ Che and Fidel.

My favourite portraits from last week were those B/W shots of Aila and Elliot @ Tea with Lucy; it must be the white teeth, but they are just adorable. Go and have a look!  

Post for the previous weeks can be found here.

#30lists / 9. Today's 'ought do' list

Today's list was easy. We don't do much on saturdays, we just relax, have fun, see friends, go out. And today's was no different! 

In case you can’t read my handwriting…

9. Today's 'ought do' list

• Spend time with family
• Enjoy life
• Smile

I've added a picture of us to today's list. It's an old one we took back in December while we were on holiday, but it's still one of my favourite. 

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website. There's still time to register!! 

Previous lists can be found here.

#30lists / 8. Comfort foods

  

Why on earth did I write this list just before lunch time! I had to concentrate very hard not to go overboard by listing all the food that I would actually love to eat right now just because I’m hungry.

If I have to choose, I’d rather have sour food than sweet food, a good plate of chips does to me more than an ice cream. But, whipped cream is my weakness and nothing can beat my mum’s strawberries and whipped cream cake…it’s my birthday’s official cake, the one and only!

In case you can’t read my handwriting…

8. Comfort foods

• Veggie burgers + chips
• Cannelloni al forno
• My mum’s strawberries and whipped cream cake
• Dark chocolate
• Hazelnut ice cream + whipped cream
• Pizza
• Junk food in general, depending on the level of comfort I need!

As you might have noticed from the picture above, I have finally changed the black pen Ihave been using to write down the lists so far, and that caused a mess on yesterday’s list! As of today, I will be using a black Muji ballpoint pen 0.5,and fingers crossed, for all the remaining lists.

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website. There's still time to register!! 

Previous lists can be found here.

#30lists / 7. In my bag!

I love today’s list prompt! Since I’ve gone back to work, my daughter’s pram bag has been replaced with a big shoulder bag which I never leave! My bag is full of all the important (and less important) stuff that I might need during my day away from home. Needless to say, I hardly use any of the stuff that I carry around, I do work 9-5 after all, but it makes me feel good knowing that if I need it, it’s there for me to use!

My bag weights a ton and there is complete chaos in it, but I love it!

In case you can’t read my handwriting…

7. In my bag!

It’s complete chaos, but I love it!

• 2013 diary
• A6 notebook
• A5 notepad
• 30lists notebook
• Moleskine watercolour notebook
• 2 pentel water brushes
• 2 mechanical pencils
• 2 permanent black markers
• 1 black felted tip pen (the one I’m using)
• 1 red felted tip pen
• Watercolours box
• Small post-it notes block
• USB pen drive
• Phone + charger
• Plastic carrier bag (don’t know why!)
• Wallet
• Umbrella
• Sesame snaps (probably expired)
• Headphones
• Glasses cleaning cloth

This list could really benefit from a picture of the bag (and its content!); I might add one to notebook when I get the chance.

The black Staedler pigment liner I’ve been using so far gave up on me today. I tried to fix the text by rewriting on top messing things up even more (I’m the queen of bad fixing solutions!) and ruining the page with today’s list. Following today’s mess, I’m going to use a different pen from now on!

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website. There's still time to register!! 

Previous lists can be found here.

#30lists / 6. My talents

My first reaction to today's prompt was: 'Oh my god, I'm going to have a blank page in my #30lists notebook!'. Then I had a look at Amy's and Kam's lists for some inspiration and started thinking. I wouldn't call these 'talents', but for sure these are things that I can do relatively well, except for the arrows as bullet points!

In case you can't read my handwriting...

6. My talents

• I finish whatever I start, no matter what
• I am reliable
• I can draw and paint
• I speak two languages
• I am good at almost anything I set my mind on

There is still some space available in this page to add another talent...maybe I will discover a new one by the end of this challenge, who knows!

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website. There's still time to register!! 

Previous lists can be found here.

#30lists / 5. Things I would like to do/accomplish by the end of themonth

I was flicking through the filled in pages of my notebook for #30lists today and realised I'm so loving this project! 

Today's list is my wish list for this month. I'm saying wish list and I don't feel very positive about it, but this exact same list has been my February to-do list too. Now that it has been written down and published, I will actually try harder to get things crossed off. Come back by the end of the month to check what I actually managed to accomplish!

In case you can't read my handwriting...

5. Things I would like to do/accomplish by the end of this month

• Get through 30 days of lists
• Have a blog re-do (SketchingInColour.blogspot
• Go on holiday
• Complete current sketchbook (only 12 pages left)
• Finish at least one collage
• Start thinking seriously about opening an Etsy shop
• Go to a car boot sale - it has been too long!

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website. There's still time to register!! 

Previous lists can be found here.

#30lists / 4. On an average day, I...

Because life isn't complicated enough, I made two lists for today's prompt...I couldn't really make up my mind with which one I should have gone for...

One is a boring timetable of all the planned activities I do on an average day, one is a shorter list with all the things that I do, but that maybe I shouldn't do!

In case you can't read my handwriting...

4. On an average day, I...

• Work 9-5
• Drink two coffees and two teas
• Eat pasta for lunch
• Skype with family
• Surf the net while Olivia has a bath
• Spend the evening watching US comedy series with my mister
• Plan an alternative life

4. On an average day, I...List #2

• 7.30am - Wake up
• 8am - Breakfast with Olivia
• 9am - Work
• 12.30pm - Home for lunch
• 2pm - Work
• 5.30pm - Back home
• 6.30pm - Olivia's dinner time
• 7pm - Olivia's bath time
• 7.30pm - Skype with family
• 8pm - Dinner with my mister
• 8.30pm - Olivia's bed time
• 9pm - TV time
• 11.30pm - Bed time

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website. There's still time to register!! 

Previous lists can be found here.

#30lists / 3. This_, I am going to_

Day three of listing had me writing down my Sunday to-do list!

In case you can't read my handwriting...

3. This Sunday, I'm going to:

• Clean the kitchen
• Online grocery shopping
• Print Olivia's pic for nursery
• Publish #52 blog post
• Start planning a book blog re-do
• Book Easter's holiday
• Tidy up mu work space - wishful thinking
• Bake a cake

I was planning to use one of those empty boxes as a bullet point, so I could tick them after completing each task, but I forgot to do it...so here we go, star point it is!

Please check the blog later today, to see what I have really managed to accomplish today!

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website. There's still time to register!! 

Previous lists can be found here.

UPDATE. This is a list of what I really accomplished today:

• Did our grocery shopping online
• Printed Olivia's pic for nursery
• Published #52 blog post
• Started planning a blog re-do
• Baked a cake

5 out of 8, not bad for a Sunday!

The 52 project: week 9

It's week 9 and I'm liking this project more every week. This is you this week, after recovering from a viral infection, smiley as always!

This week you:

Started to eat properly again, which was a big relief for us.

Screamed the place down when we went to see the doctor on Monday. Dont' worry baby girl, mama doesn't like the doctor either.

Learned how to turn on the oven. The kitchen will be off limits for you from now on.

Did a lot of dancing. You danced to us singing, you danced for your grandparents on Skype, you danced to all your favourite tunes.

Had fun helping mama cleaning. You loved dusting the floor and cleaning your high chair tray.

#30lists / 2. About me

It's day two of listing!

In case you can't read my handwriting...

2. About me:

• I'm Italian and petite
• I'm a mum and partner
• I'm very stubborn
• I'm obsessed with stationery
• Yellow is my colour 
• I'm fascinated by botanical art
• I'm an impulsive crafter
• Watercolour is my medium
• I'm still looking for my 'thing' in life

I'm still using a black Staedler pigment liner  0.1, although I'm thinking to start using something different as the tip doesn't really flow on the paper. The text in yellow was written using a Stabilo point88 fine 0.4.

I've also added the today's date using a red stamp (although I'm still mastering the technique), and some extra text at the bottom of the page to record any additional comment/thoughts on the list.

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website. There's still time to register!! 

Yesterday's list can be found here.

#30lists / 1. I am a Lister because...

And so the 30 days of lists begins!

In case you can't read my handwriting...

1. I am a Lister because:

• I like writing stuff down
• It keeps me focused
• It's a great excuse to use pen and paper
• It frees my mind
• A list is easy to understand
• Verba volant, scripta manent

For this first list I used a black Staedler pigment liner  0.1 and a red edding 1800 profipen 0.1.

If you are curious about this challenge and want to know more, check the 30 days of lists website. There's still time to register!!