Happy Fourth of July!! Hope u r enjoying yours. I know I am.  

You know when you have a birthday you look back or forward so since I am traveling I thought that it might be good to share some of my favs I posted on my blog in the last year or so. 

The French sketches. Some of my very favorites. Love this collagey one of our day in Normandy. The Bayeux Tapestry was amazing at 72 meters long. 

I drew this on the bus as we went to different places. A fun thing way to journal. 

The Canadian WW2 Museum at Juno Beach commemorating the 45000 Canadians that died in WW2. From above it looks like a maple leaf.  

One of my fav sketches I did in France. It was quite a challenge. I drew this sitting on the beach above La Manche “The Sleeve” as the French call the English Channel. 

The Canadian WW2 cemetery and Bién Sur Mer. Our guide was just excellent. This was Armistice Day Nov 11.  Really like the fall trees and the way the guide turned out. She’s the lady in black. 
Eglise de Ranville at Basse Normandie France. 

I drew this standing in the cemetery while a storm was blowing in so I am blaming the odd perspective on that. 

 This was the first village freed by the Allies in Normandy invasion June 6 1944. It’s still pock marked with bullet holes. 

Parts of this sketch I love and parts well I think they need a do over. However a lot of people just love it so input it in.  It got a little grey and muddy  to me. I do like the way the tower and the cemetery turned out. I wanted the whole church to look like the tower. Next time. 

Bytw I started the church and the Canadian museum by coating them both with Quin gold before painting them with a mix of cerulean and Quin burnt sienna. Sometimes you win like the museum and sometimes you get a grey blustery day like the church. 

More France tomorrow. 

Thanks for checking by
Margaret who is planning some sketching trips this week. Stay tuned!!