a complete set

I've finished the set of cards that I mentioned in an earlier post.

I'm pleased with them I think and might try and adapt them to suit the US market.

Just need to get printing now so my Mum can

get on with selling on Sunday to raise money for Hawane Farm

Designer Forum

I'm off to the Designer Forum trend library today to get all up

to date for Autumn/Winter 2010. An inspiring day I do hope.

Designer Forum is part of Emtex and is a great organisation that helps designers,

manufacturers and companies from the fashion world in many ways.

I'm fortunate to have them on my doorstep...but its worth travelling to now and again if you live further afield. See here for more details.

ready for the bride and groom to be...

I'm working on a wedding invitation order this afternoon. Am hoping to get it done this week, ready for the soon to be Mr and Mrs to get posting at Christmas!

They look a little plain here but once printed, with some gold ribbon and pearls added they look very special indeed.

Peace on Earth

Imagine...Peace on Earth even if it was just for one day only!

Here's a design I've done today....one of hopefully

4 Christmas cards for my mum to sell at her church

to raise money for a home in Swaziland were the children are orphaned by AIDs.

Lets hope she sells lots!

looking back to the summer

its a cold rainy day here today so here's a summery design to brighten the day.

These pretty peacocks were printed onto some girls pjs and were available to buy in the summer months of this year at Tu

Hereford Contemporary Craft Fair

I had a very good day with my dad yesterday, we went to Hereford Contemporary Craft Fair.

We saw some very nice things and bought a present or too.

My dad bought a piece from wire artist Helaina Sharpley, it was lovely to meet her and her stand looked great. She's open to commissions and has work for sale through notonthehighstreet.com

I've got that Friday feeling!

Here's an old-ish design of mine....suitable to suit a friend filled!

Work is pretty busy at the moment, full of exciting new things that I can't share with the blog world yet....

but am looking forward to when I can share!

But now....Hoorah its the weekend! no matter how much I'm enjoying my work I'm always glad of a couple of days off!

I'm going to Birmingham to see family and friends. Cannot wait!

a day of remembrance

I confess....

at 11am today I was thinking about work, what emails need to be sent

and how I'm going to fit in going to the post office

AND I haven't even bought a poppy this year!!

BUT this certainly doesn't mean that I don't appreciate all those who have in the past or are now willing to put their life on the line to fight for the rights of other people.

Here's some poppies to show respect to them all.

Fantastic Mr Fox

We went to see Fantastic Mr Fox on Sunday afternoon....we enjoyed it!

The look of it all was good and the soundtrack too, though I still enjoyed the book more and I did find Mr Fox a little annoying.

I'm sure Roald Dahl didn't make him annoying in the book.

Valuev Vs Haye

On Saturday night I watch the Valuev and Haye boxing match...it was built up to be like David Vs Goliath! Valuev is pretty huge, 7 stone heavier than Haye, the equivalent of a heavyweight fighting a featherweight!

One report said Valuev's head was the size of a smart car....but I think that's getting a little far fetched!

But yes I enjoyed watching it and was even better as little Haye won!! Hoorah, it was a well deserved win, Valuev was pretty slow!

Hoorah for Sesame Street! 40 years!

Good ole Google is celebrating Sesame Streets 40th Anniversary!

I'm sure the show will go on for many many more years to come.

Wish I was in the US today...there is a special anniversary show with Michelle Obama!

How wonderful it would be hang around with Sesame Street gang for the day!!

My first 3D film....Up

Here's a speedy doodle of me last night viewing my first 3D film!

I'm getting fed up of my hair length so crimped it as a last resort....I'm sure it looked better in real life than on this drawing!

We went to see Up, it was such a novelty to see the 3D action,

even a couple of the trailers before looked so so fantastic! So clever.

I came out with a bit of a headache, not sure if this is common for these 3D films or just me being tired!

It won't put me off 3D though!

I wonder how long it will be before we all have 3D in our homes!

Happy Birthday Wallace and Gromit!! 20 today!

Can you believe its 20 years since Wallace and Gromit's Grand Day Out!?

Times flies...I remember watching it on video.

Google are celebrating this 20th anniversary on their home page, see image above.

Squint a bit and you can read 'Google'!!

Click here for an interview with the

very talented Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park

instore at Tesco.....2008

this was a little while ago now...Spring 2008 I think....

but I was so delighted to see this range of products with my designs on in Tesco.

The artwork was on photo albums, giftbags, gift wrap, pens, erasers,

pencils, rulers, notebooks, folders...

I spend way too much but just couldn't resist!

I've popped the original designs in the background. Doesn't show too well in the pics but the colours turned out really well on all the stationery and other products. Thanks Tesco!! :D

more pumpkins!

two more pumpkins! One cheeky, one evil!

There was lots of scary folk about on saturday night...

think pumpkins are the best thing about halloween for me!

I loved carving these, I found my old lino tools from school so they helped a lot!

Got me thinking about lino cutting again so watch this space!

On with work now...has been a very lovely weekend, full of family visitors,

would be so much better if we all lived closer.

my first grown up pumpkin!

a day to go...but I carved my first pumpkin of my adult life yesterday!

A little gift for a lovely friend who cooked me tea last night.

Going to get carving again later ready to decorate the house for our weekend family visitors.

Hoorah for the weekend! :D

Matte Stephens

I've been a fan of Matte Stephens work for a little while now, he has a lovely blog

where a lot of his work can be viewed. He's based in Portland, Oregan and has an impressive client list. He's represented by Lilla Rogers.

It really is a joy to see his work, such lovely colours and painted in his really very charming style.

AND....I've treated myself with some birthday money and

bought this print from Matte's Etsy shop:

Oh I just can't wait for it to arrive!

I have just the right wall for it in our living room and its going to finish of the room just perfectly!

Boo!

Halloween is coming round fast now!

I bought some vampire teeth yesterday ready for the weekend!

they were 3p...yes 3pence! Good old Wilkos!

Storytime.... Little Red Riding Hood

I created this little sketch to submit to a company who needed an

illustrator for a range of storybooks.

They seemed to like it but it wasn't what they were looking for.

..though it was great to have the chance to go for something new....

a change from the fashion and greetings world.

I really loved creating this.

Birthday Tea Party!

Its my Nans 80th birthday this weekend....its very hard to know what to buy an 80 year old so I thought instead of a present I'd put on a little afternoon tea party for my Nan and have made her this invitation.

Now to find out what her favourite cake is and put my baking skills to the test.

baby baby

I think cute lions and birds are some of the my most favourite things to draw!

I'm ready for the weekend...

a brummie family weekend coming up for me!

Hooooorah! :D

Jan Pienkowski

Do you remember Meg and Mog!? I'd forgotten about this Little Monsters pop up book too!

Thanks to a recommendation from another blog (I wish I could remember which one!)

I have just listened to Desert Island Discs with the Meg and Mog illustrator Jan Pienkowski, a nice little something to listen to as I work listen here if you fancy it.

He's silhouette work looks so intricate compared to his childrens illustrations, is interesting to see.

Tigerprint competition

I decided to work on a submission for the latest Tigerprint competition this morning.

I really enjoyed working on the little brolly birds.

Its for a handbag size notebook, see here for more details.

Rachel over at rahrahrepeats has entered some great designs

....you can see them here

Yamas! to the weekend!!

This is me...enjoying a glass of wine and forgetting about my mountain of work!

Just what weekends are for I reckon!

Its been a busy weekend...good but busy!

We had lots of guests, it was great! Very nice to see good friends.

We went to a lovely greek restaurant on saturday night and ate a feast of greek tapas!

Busy busy this week.......the start of exciting new projects!

Dreamstate

Always such a privilege to see....

another range is out within which my work is featured.

I produced the repeats, embroidery and add on details for the new Mamas and Papas Dreamstate range, see here for more garments.

I was very excited to see it on sale.

If you fancy a treat for a little one you have or know all can be bought instore or online at Mamas and Papas.

The girls in house do such a wonderful job of designing the garments and yet again the models are just too too cute!

all copyright of the designs belongs to Mamas and Papas