Two of my favourite items from Mexico are the shell my husband picked up for me and a Mexican milagro. Milagros are small metal religious charms. The word milagro means “miracle”. I have always wanted a folk art piece and I love how this one was made out of reclaimed tin. It was even more meaningful since we arrived during Easter and the end of Holy Week. Plus, the bonus was that these included images of Frida Kahlo whose work I viewed in the Carr, Kahlo, O'Keeffe: Places of Their Own exhibit that I saw in Vancouver in 2002 and again at the MOMA in San Francisco last year. Once I returned home, I wanted to incorporate these two pieces into the weekly visual journal that I began in January. So far I have really enjoyed adding to this sketchbook. I think that just doing a spread once a week works well for me...no pressure. Using a small sketchbook (5.5" x 3.75") certainly helps. I typically have been adding an image whenever I feel like it and then incorporate writing on Sundays.

I've decided that this year, instead of purchasing cards for special occasions, I will make my own again. This is something I used to do with my girls when they were growing up but, being involved in arts & culture in my community along with my art career and working when the girls were older, I stopped. Yet, it is so much fun to plan & create something for someone that is important to me. Especially now that I've been working in watercolours so much more, I find the process to be so much fun. I've decided to incorporate images of the things around me, just like in my daily sketchbooks. Fingers crossed that I can keep it up!

A friend purchased this little plate for me some time ago in a home decor shop and I have to say it's my favourite watercolour palette. There is something so beautiful about seeing those puddles of beautiful colour. Plus, I love being able to re-wet and re-mix new colours on previous palettes. This palette works so well as a brush holder, as well, which makes me especially happy. It's always a surprise to find the best art tools in unusual places.​

A few of my favourite memories...

While I was in Mexico, I used the 6 pans of colour which are currently in my Art Toolkit Demi Palette in my larger Pocket Palette. The colours worked great in Mexico as they included:

• hansa yellow
• gamboge
• opera pink
• perylene red
• manganese blue
• French ultramarine

I used to use ultramarine all the time but don't enjoy using it so much anymore but I had received a free tube from Daniel Smith so I decided to add it. Unfortunately, the Daniel Smith paints didn't hold up well in such a humid environment as they remained sticky the entire week, which meant that I always had paint on everything (I'm a bit of a messy gal) though they're not as sticky as M.Graham.

When we were in England, I used Winsor & Newton exclusively and they worked like a charm in spite of the humidity. So, I decided to re-fill my Pocket Palette with the W&N paints I had used in England which consists of:

• new gamboge (Turner's favourite yellow which has also become mine)
• burnt sienna (a great orange or brown)
• rose madder genuine (can swap in for red or pink with more water)
• manganese blue (I prefer this to cerulean - nice sky blue that reactivates more easily)
• indigo (love a dark blue, especially for mixes & makes a great 'black' mixed with sienna)
• permanent sap green

I've travelled with both palettes at different times but find that I prefer the Demi as it doesn't take up too much room in my shoulder bag or when I paint...it attaches to my sketchbook easily with a butterfly clip. Unfortunately, I ran out of paint on my 16-day trip to England last summer so if I take it next time, I will be sure to pack 6 more prepared pans in a mini mint tin that I can keep in my luggage and then swap out as needed.

I've tried several other brands of paint for travel painting and though I love my Beam Paints to work in my studio, they are a little bulky for travel. My favourite travel watercolours, hands-down, has to be Winsor & Newton. Beautiful, rich colours that dry quickly so I can keep moving.

While we were in Mexico, my husband picked up this Frida image on bark cloth for me. I knew I wanted it at my desk but wasn't sure how I would like to display it until I saw this inexpensive unfinished wood frame. I decided to paint it using design inspiration from ceramics we had picked up in Mexico a number of years ago and I'm so pleased with it. Perfect inspiration while I continue my school work.

“Going to the mountains is like going home” ​
– John Muir

I didn't manage to paint as much on this trip since we travelled with my daughter and her husband, but I was able to fill a travel sketchbook that I began in 2013. Whew! It's fun to look through as it began with our first trip to Bucerias in this region, and includes trips around western Canada and the United States as well as a trip to the Dominican Republic. I really like this sketchbook as it's the only one that encompasses many short trips instead of a single trip. I'll post a few more pictures later this week.

The second mountain I have painted recently focuses on the sunset over snowy Cascade Mountain to compliment 'Rundle' which is heading to a local exhibit. I love how these two pieces look together and am still considering adding embroidery but will wait for now. They will be on exhibit at Kraft & Co Law until August.