Apples, Travel Art Kit, and sunsets

"It is remarkable how closely the history of the apple tree 

is connected with that of man."

Henry David Thoreau

Wherever we go we plant a fruit tree, and I love that.  A walk through the garden this afternoon, and I stopped to admire our apples.  Considering this tree was planted in Bundaberg 2 years ago, then transplanted and spent 6 months in a pot, and was only planted in the ground this July - I think it's doing remarkably well!  Covered in cute little Tropical apples, we are just waiting for them to grow bigger and ripen.

My Peerless Watercolour Palette... This is what I used on my recent travels to sketch while on the move.  I essentially followed the instructions using this youtube clip, but I used the whole width of the card, and wrote the name of the colour lightly in pencil.  I also have a second page by adding a 'flap' of watercolour paper into the middle using the washi tape.    As a lucky accident it was the perfect size for my small watercolour landscape moleskin journal, and it tucked beautifully inside ready for travel!

So - my travel kit, that I used on the Marvelous Melbourne Holiday...

of course I sketched it too...

What I used:
1 small, cute kitten pencil case ( the cute kitten part is optional)
1 small, landscape watercolour Moleskin journal
pilot V pen (runs with water which I like to add a little more atmosphere to sketches)
Artist Pitt pen, medium, black
prismacolour pencil, in a earthy red
Charcoal pencil
2 aquabrushes
copic marker, medium
mechanical pencil
My Peerless Watercolour Palette
A bit of eraser
A small piece of flannel cloth ( not pictured, used to clean brushes, dab up excess etc)
A small watercolour set - optional, but I like to take it

This was pretty perfect set-up.  Most days I took with me in my handbag  the journal, a pencil or pen, the watercolour palette, and an aqua brush - so easy for a quick sketch at the cafe!  When we got back to the apartment,  I did a little journalling or sketching from photos I'd taken that day, or what I could see around me.  If I was going to change anything I would leave out one of the black markers, but otherwise I'm really happy with this set-up. 

Artist Playroom challenge this week is Sunsets!   One of my favourite things - Sunsets here in sunny Queensland, Australia are often rather spectacular... so I can't help but share a few photos...

And how fortunate for me, I already had this work in progress!   Acrylic taken from the view from our local bay, at sunset, 

with the reflections on the water...

Wishing you all a colourful, sunsetty, applely kind of day! :-)