Pencils, Pastels and ... wow!

Sacreligious, I know, but I haven't touched a needle since finishing 'Branches'! I don't intend to give it up though, but I have been quite slack with stitching of late - unless I had to, that is!! I hope to get that 'Child of Spring' cushion finished up over the weekend, but I wouldn't hold your breath as it looks like a busy one in general. So, now what's new, huh??

I've been having a bit of a pencil and pastel fest of late and <-here's what I've been buying.

I love these Derwent sets of things, so I bought both of these (the 24 piece Pastel and Drawing Collections) on e-bay for about 35-40% of the retail price including the postage costs! They come up all the time there, but are often almost full price, so it's just a question of knowing what you're looking for and waiting for a decent offer. The set of 64 pastels here is only cheap, bought it at one of those bargain bookshops for £6.99 yesterday, but I thought they would be good to learn with - along with the other set of 24 kids' things I've got. I'm kinda saving the Winsor and Newton set (another e-bay bargain a while ago) until I can paint something more worth the quality pigments! I did Armes Mäusle with the good stuff. Shown here are also the watercolour postcards and the fab square sketchbook I got from the art place in Salts Mill about 7 or 8 weeks back.

'Branches' lands tomorrow lunchtime. I do hope that everyone remembers whose show it is (i.e. not mine!) and nobody makes a fuss!

Jane has kindly nominated me in the 'You Make My Day' awards. Thank you SO much, Jane! I'm sorry I won't be going to the M'cr show next weekend after all, so I can't meet you, but I really am stunned and delighted that someone would put my blog in for this! Again, thank you so much! I'll have to think about who I'm going to 'vote' for now....