an update and a sketch

©2010 Jacqueline Hudon-Verrelli

The reason for my recent lapse in posts is that our internet connection hasn't been very reliable. But I am still here, in Edinburgh, plugging away in my sketchbook. One exciting thing to report is that I recently completed 2 illustrations for a magazine here in the UK. I'll post them closer to when the issue comes out.

As for our European Adventure, we're starting to plan where to go next. Perhaps France. And we might be visiting the Balkan countries during the summer.

I also recently updated the children's section of my website. Check it out at jacquelinehudon.com .

then and now

It was around this time five years ago that Dario and I had our first date. We met up at SAIT, a post secondary institute near where I lived, and walked around talking, eventually going for tea at Weeds Cafe. I was smitten.

This evening Dario and I went for a walk and ended up at the Elephant House Cafe, where J. K. Rowling wrote the Harry Potter books. It's one of the only coffee shops open past 7:00 in this city. We drank lattes and shared a piece of pecan pie. When we had finished the pie, Dario licked the plate and got whipped cream in his beard. That's my fella.

trip to belgium

My hubby and I just got back from a trip to Belgium. It was wonderful and beautiful. Ghent is my new favorite city.


Brugge:



















Ghent:













Brussels:

the little boy and his bear - finished pieces

as promised...









©2010 Jacqueline Hudon-Verrelli

in progress

I'll post the finished series tomorrow.





©2010 Jacqueline Hudon-Verrelli

the good stuff from 2009

• the big one: decided to move forward with our plan to live in Europe in spite of the fact that it didn't seem like the best time (recession, no good job prospects, not a great time to sell a house...) It still ended up being the best time for us to do it in terms of where we are in our lives.

• sold our house, our car and most of our furniture

• quit my job after five and a half years with the same company

• was a bridesmaid at my brother's wedding

• visited parts of Canada I had never been to: New Brunswick, Quebec City, Ottawa. Also went to England, Scotland and Poland

• met my in-laws

• started participating in couchsurfing.com and had so many positive experiences - I can't say enough good things about this way to travel and meet people.

• made some new friends

• celebrated 2 years of marriage with my hubby

• learned how to make zurek

• although a slow year in terms of paid illustration work, a pretty big year in terms of personal growth as an illustrator

Happy New Year!

hogmanay

New Year's Eve in Scotland is called Hogmanay, and in Edinburgh it's a really big deal. They block off one of the main streets, Princess Street, and people come from all over for a huge street party. At midnight there was no countdown that i was aware of, but there was a bagpipe player, they fired a cannon from the castle and there was the most intense firework display I have ever seen.

The big drunken street party wasn't really our scene, so my hubby and I opted to spend the evening with some new friends at their flat. There was good food, wine, baked cheese, smoked salmon, coffee, and key lime pie. Dario and I also experienced UK television for the first time since we've been here. We drank Scotch at midnight.

It took us around an hour to get home, we mostly walked, and there were so many people everywhere during our entire trek. It was a really great night.