Sunny Winter day
A few weeks ago I spent a Sunday afternoon sketching in Uppermill, a village in Saddleworth, near Manchester.
I had never been there before. My 5 year old daughter navigated us with the SatNav on my phone. The sun was shinning for the first time in ages. It felt like a mini adventure!

We arrived early to explore before meeting up with other sketchers. After a walk around and visit to the local the park, we sat for a picnic on a street bench. While Katie finished her sandwich I sketched the church on the opposite side of the street.
The weather was bright but we were soon shaking with cold. We decided to go for a warm drink and see if we could find our fellow sketchers.
People sketching in Uppermill
Only two other sketchers turned up. Who wants to sit in freezing temperatures with stalactites at the tip of their nose when they could be cozy at home! We found a cafe with a heated terrace and blankets. I warmed my hands with a cup of tea and managed a couple of quick people sketches before heading back to the playground with my daughter.

Back in the park I sketched in my tiny Moleskine book while Katie explored the playground. After a while, I couldn’t feel my hands anymore. So we said goodbye to our sketching companions and headed home.

Cosy in-the-car sketch
I stopped for a quick painting of the beautiful landscape on the way home… Lovely to draw from the warmth of the car!!
