On Saturday I spent a few hours in the backyard doing some watercolour painting. It was a lovely day and it was so wonderful to spend it outside with my girls. We set up a table with all our watercolour paints, jars of water, paper, brushes and book.

You can see part of the tree I painted. What you can't see is the bit I messed up. I was having so much fun painting this scene using the instructions in the book, Charles Evans' Poet Book for Watercolour Artists: Over 100 Essential Tips to Improve Your Painting by Charles Evans.

I was starting to get tired but wanted to push on and finish it. My 14 year old daughter told me it was great as it was but I ignored her advice and kept going. Oh boy do I regret it now! Especially as she is a super talented artist, well versed in watercolours who definitely knows what she is talking about.

The painting is now propped up on the door of the sideboard in the kitchen so I can see every day and be reminded that sometimes it's better to stop and rest when you are tired and then come back later when you're feeling fresh.