iPad time on the couch.
The Sketcher Twins are getting older, 10 years old this month and I’m losing them little by little to their gadgets. But then I’m just as bad plus this morning I welcomed the chance to get my little sketching fix 
🙂 Plus it’s nice listening to them giggle together.
Time to put pens and gadgets down now though and get out in that glorious sunshine. Enjoy your weekend everyone 🙂
This week I was at the Edinburgh Science Festival press launch and as it was half term, I took along the Sketcher Twins (now aged 7).
To mark 50 years since Neil Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the moon, this years festival which runs from April 6th to 21st takes Frontiers as its theme.
In science to push the frontiers of knowledge must be an everyday occurrence as more of the unknown becomes known in all aspects of life.
And after an initial look at the programme of this 31st Edinburgh Science Festival shows that the frontiers of size have certainly been pushed with a huge number of events planned in both familiar and new locations around the city.
Being half term I thought the Sketcher Twins could come along and they were glad they did so when presented with an ice cream seller making fruity deserts using dry ice and a mixer. The blast of smoke and resulting sorbet topped with popping candy made for quite a spectacle.
I was very impressed with my mini sketchers drawings from the following auditorium talks too, both ST1 and ST2 were so well behaved and sketched as I did, whilst listening and watching highlights of the upcoming festival.
Below are their drawings from the morning, although I am not sure where the digger came from!
I look forward to seeing as much as possible with my kids, who are already circling events to go see in the programme!
For more details see the full line up of events here:
Enjoying a long lunch in the garden today with my beautiful Sketcher twins!All this week I am working at a printers in Leith, covering for someones holiday. On a day like today I am thankful it’s only a 9-1pm shift so I still get to enjoy my lunch with the Sketcher Twins.
This afternoon we had it in our garden, too hot to move much I watched and sketched as they made mud pies and ‘saved’ creepy crawlies from the garden!
Special days with loved ones, captured in a sketch.
This sketch is drawn in pen and watercolour, brushed on with my new (and brilliant) Pentel Aquash Water Brush Pen, more of which to come in future posts.
At the weekend the Sketcher Twins and I soaked up some Summerhall magic.The Edinburgh creative hub for the arts is home to studio and workshop spaces, and is situated close to the east end of the Meadows park in Edinburgh’s south side. It’s a favourite place for me, drop in for a coffee or bite to eat and there is always some interesting a new artwork or creativity to see.
From the 1st to the 8th of July the venue, and others around the city has been taken over by the Edinburgh International Magic Festival. I took the twins there on Sunday for the ‘Magic Fair Family Morning’ which ran on Saturday and Sunday.
The twins loved it … as did I
The entrance fee of £12 (under 7’s were free, children over 7 £7), got you 4 hours of access to various magic shows, magic related craft and even a mini magic school.
The twins loved it (as did I – the magicians were very funny) and combining the shows with the arts and crafts was a good way of breaking up the day and avoiding too much queuing or waiting around.
Although that particular session was only on for the weekend there are plenty of other shows to see before the finale on the 8th July. Click through the links below to find out more, and remember to book the Magic Fair Family Morning next year!
The sketch above was drawn from photos taken on the day, in black ink and watercolour.
Here is a portrait of the Sketcher Twins during the week they began their final year in nursery.They are are growing up quickly and were this week raring to go and excited to see all their friends at nursery.
I find drawing portraits harder than buildings, the more detail I add the older the pair seem to look. In fact they are only four and a half although here they look older. I think I’m getting better though, as with most things, practice makes perfect.
Until this Sunday 24th August you can visit the BBC@Potterrow for family fun, live shows and festival highlights.Check the link below to see what is on offer each day but within the ‘festival garden’ (next to Bristo Square) there’s bags of free stuff to experience. The Sketcher twins had a great time producing musical notes with fruit and vegetables, completing a huge jigsaw and even just sitting in a huge pink tent.
The biggest excitement and probable memory of the afternoon though was this huge sequined BBC sign which shimmered and shone across the garden, and provided a great backdrop for many a parent taking pictures of their kids 🙂
See what’s on below or just head along and chance your luck like we did, great for families it is free and interactive.
BBC – Edinburgh Festival website
I and the wee Sketchers (seen here sitting at one of the sunflower tables) were soaking up the sun in Charlotte Square yesterday afternoon. Surrounded by books,authors and illustrators I have to admit we got a little carried away in the shop.
There is so much on in Edinburgh at this time of the year I sometimes only find my way to the Book Festival on the last day and rush around in a blur trying to take it all in.
This year however I and the kids were there to soak up the atmosphere (and sunshine) and enjoy being amongst the wonderful world of words, illustrations and knowledge that is a book festival. After buying a (rather lovey) canvas bag full of books in the children’s shop we spent an hour cutting and sticking in the kids craft tent.
And with a week still to go I will definitely be back, although next time perhaps on my own… those deck chairs look great for a wee snooze in the sun.
To celebrate St Andrews Day this morning the twins and I made this ‘St Andrew’s Day Number 8 Bus’What do you think?
This morning the clocks went back in the UK, which pre kids meant an extra hour in bed, post kids means an extra hour playtime 🙂
I used my extra hour this morning for sketching with the kids, here they have a snack on the couch before joining me for drawing at the table. Their beautiful works art are below…
Yesterday the family and I had fun sketching on the floor. Luckily we had some huge pieces of paper to put down first.
The kids are showing great promise as mini sketchers, when they can get the crayons off dad that is 🙂
