Okay so I realize that this sketch of a mixer is not very exciting. But what you can’t tell is that this mixer is seriously as tall as a person. That’s why I felt compelled to draw it. But I should have drawn a person or something next to it to give an idea of the size. 
By the way this was done at the Crystal Creek Sandwich Shop in Flagstaff, AZ where they make their own bread.
A couple weeks ago my husband and I went with his family on a trip north to Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon. We went up there to celebrate my mother-in-law’s birthday, but I have to admit that I had such a great time that I sometimes thought it was my birthday.
Here is the first sketch of the trip. I drew this of Richard while we were having breakfast at the Flagstaff La Quinta, which earns a five-star rating in my book because it has the trifecta:
1) Fitness center 2) Jacuzzi 3) Free breakfast
Additionally, the La Quinta is pet-friendly, which I–being allergic to all creatures great and small–was a little worried about. But the hotel was very clean and I don’t think I sneezed even once. Also, having an elevator open to reveal a beautiful labrador standing there is not the worst way to start your day.
Next came the main purpose of the trip: The Grand Canyon Rail Road!
I am crazy about trains, but have had very few chances to ride them. I have been wanting to ride the Grand Canyon Rail Road forever, so this was a great adventure, as well as a perfect opportunity for sketching.
Here is a sketch of Richard, his ‘rents, and the ‘phews on the train as we rode from Williams to the Grand Canyon. I’ve been working with colored pencil ever since my Rim to Rim trip a couple weeks prior (see this post for more on that). In this sketch I’ve learned to pull back a little on the pencils, using them to splash a bit of color on the drawing, without completely saturating every inch of paper.
Here are a few more quick sketches of the fam on the ride up. That’s my nephew Ethan saying his trademark phrase, “I hungry!”
One of the great things about the Grand Canyon RR is the on board entertainment. There are musicians, train robbers, and lawmen. We chatted for a while with this sheriff who turned out to be from my home state of South Dakota.
And what’s a train ride without a little cowboy music?
Once we got to the Grand Canyon we had about three hours to hang out before we had to get on the train to ride back. We enjoyed a fantastic lunch at a place on the south rim called “El Tovar” where my Arnold Palmer was so beautiful I had to document it.
Then we walked the rim trail and enjoyed the beautiful weather until it was time to catch the train back to Williams. I spent much of the ride back coloring the drawings that I did on the ride up.
The next day we drove back to Phoenix by way of Sedona where we stopped for lunch at a place called Shugrue’s (which was amazing by the way). I did this awful sketch while we waiting for our food.
The girl in the glasses is my sister-in-law Christa and these sketches do NOT do her justice. She is a beautiful woman and yet for some reason she is one of the most challenging people to draw. I have been trying and failing to capture her likeness for over ten years now. Some day I will get it right.
On the plus side, I don’t have to worry about forgetting the name of that restaurant. That is another benefit of carrying a sketchbook everywhere you go. When you go to someplace great you can write down the name so you won’t forget. I have also noted “get the quiche’.”
Please note that I did NOT do the following drawing. I found this in a newspaper in Flagstaff that was talking about a local exhibit and I found it so inspiring that I cut it out and pasted it into my sketchbook for later reference. The artist’s name is Susan J. Klein. I have since located her website which features many other lovely pieces.
At some point during the trip Christa told me about a crayon holder that her friend made for her kids, which inspired me to draw up these plans for a new pen and pencil holder for myself. Since I like to draw on the go I am always trying to figure out easy and efficient ways to carry around all my stuff (or my “instruments” as my boss Kathy calls them).
I have since purchased some fabric, and with some sewing tips from my pal Sharon, I have begun to make this new and improved instrument holder. I haven’t finished it yet but when I do I will post some photos and report on it’s effectiveness.
Thank you Paula and Jim, for such a great vacation.
Last Sunday my friend Janet and I took a day trip up to Flagstaff with big plans to do all sorts of productive activities.
Shortly after we arrived we set off for a long walk/hike at Buffalo Park and ended up getting caught in a heavy rainstorm. By the time we returned to the car we were completely soaked and wishing we’d had the foresight to pack extra clothes, or at least an umbrella.
So we found our way over to the mall and wandered off in separate directions to seek out new clothes and towels. We met up afterwards, all dry and newly attired, to discover that we’d bought the same T-shirt. Luckily the shirts were in different colors, so it wasn’t that obvious.
We continued shopping and walking around the mall until it closed and we simply had no other choice than to relocate to Pita Jungle for dinner. After we’d verified that the Flagstaff PJ was every bit as awesome as the ones in the valley, we headed over to Starbucks where Janet got to work revising her play and I read the paper and did this drawing.
Although the rainstorm ordeal may have made it sound like the day was a bust, we actually had a really fun time throughout the entire adventure. When the Starbucks closed down at 10:00 PM we finally decided to call it a day and head back to Phoenix.
By the time I got back home and into bed it was 2:00 AM, only four hours until I had to get up and get ready for work. I usually know better than to start the work week off on so little sleep, but sometimes you just have to say to say “screw it” and enjoy the moment.
These are from a snowboarding trip I took with friends. We had a great time and a lot of laughs. I don’t often put word bubbles into sketches, but I did this time because I thought they helped capture the spirit of the trip.
sketchbookfactory 