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For the past few years, a very good friend of mine has kept me in regular supply of Computer Arts magazine, so I'm more than a bit excited to have been featured on their blog today as part of the 100 Houses publicity, raising money and awareness for Shelter.  You can view the post here, where you'll get to see Bristol based image maker Slumber's beautiful drawing.

Hooray!  Thanks guys!

the big house

I have recently finished illustrating this house which will be joining approximately ninety nine other houses of all shapes and sizes at the Bristol Tobacco Factory's upcoming exhibition 100 Houses on 16 November.  I am incredibly excited to be sharing wall space with so many extraordinary talents!

My house, which started life in a yurt in Wales, is based on 'The Big House' from the novel Evening is the Whole Day by Preeta Samarasan, a superb tale set in surburbian Malaysia.  The bright kingfisher blue house, the biggest on the street, and the subject of many tall tales from the prying eyes of its neighbouring homes, houses a complex and quite tragically dysfunctional family, all of whom are dreaming of escape.

Pick up a copy if you can, the writing is very compelling, intelligent and very beautiful.

city sketches

A few bits and pieces I have been drawing for a map I'm busy creating.  I quite enjoy the black and white stage before the final coat of colour.

I imagine I'll look at the Wills Memorial Building in a new, illuminated way now.

I hope he looks as proud in my drawing as he does in reality.

marvellous madeleines

Bristol has been one big party in the last few weeks (which perhaps accounts a little for my total lack of blog presence...I do apologise).  I think at least half of the population of Somerset must have been at the Harbour Festival last weekend, drinking cider, dangling feet above water, scooting around in little motorised boats, idly dotted across railway tracks, before half-heartedly slipping away at the sight of an approaching steam train.

One of the highlights for me were these delightful little Madeleines that we spotted on a French biscuit stall (I've been wanting to try some ever since I saw Michel Roux Jr cooking up a killer batch on MasterChef last year), enjoyed whilst snooping around a giant Naval boat.

(I love this city, I really do.)

mistaking clouds for mountains

Yesterday I snuck out of the house with Jon to see Andrew Bird and his clever musician friends huddle around a microphone and perform beautiful 'old-timer tunes' in my local record shop.  Front row seats (of the cross-legged on the floor variety.  The best variety).

taking shape...

Currently designing a piece of wooden bunting for Bristol's forthcoming BUNT exhibition, for Bristol's Big Green Week.  Each wooden triangle, designed by lots of different illustrators, will depict an endangered or threatened species found in the South West.  I have chosen to screen print the Cornish Chough, and am looking forward to giving him a glorious red beak...if I can only get the drawing right!!  I will update you with my progress...(eek).

In other news, it's your last chance to enter my little bag giveaway!  Just post a comment here for your chance to win a hand-screen-printed tote bag.   I will be deeply flattered.

I hope you're all having a glorious sunny day!  I will be getting a taste of the sunshine at the recycling centre (exciting, I know.  It is worrying how much I am looking forward to ousting the huge mound of recycling that has been slowly taking over our kitchen while the car has been out of action.  We cannot move for empty plastic bottles).

treasure hunting

Hello world! It's been a while, and I do apologise. I drew this colourful fella for a very special lady who gave me the best news I have received all year not so long ago (I'm going to be a bridesmaid!!), so I hope she won't mind if I share him with you. I feel like he should be integrated into an illustration of some sort...watch this space!


Having been in a sullen, sulky mood for most of yesterday, it was a relief to get out of the flat and do some treasure hunting around Bristol's finest second hand book shops and vintage outlets...I'm sure these beauties will come in handy at some point! (You can never have too many flower books, in my opinion.)

Also, I had to by the latest copy of Bone-shaker for this illustration by Rosie Gainsborough...

Little bit in love with her website now, too.


Currently reading: The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht
Currently enjoying: Lizzy Stewart's thoroughly beautiful and entertaining London diary
Currently looking forward to: First Aid Kit at Rise next Wednesday

It's coming...

Winter is on its way...it's almost acceptable to wear woolly hats again and I'm getting excited about hot soup, and Christmas shopping (okay, it's a little early for that).  But let's not forget about Autumn, my favourite season.  There are certain songs that sound even better in Autumn (like this one).  And the sun is shining but it's refreshingly brisk.  Bristol looks especially good in Autumn.

hello, twenty four

Well then, it looks like I'm no longer twenty three.  It's been a good year, which I decided to see out by rolling around in some Bristol snow, being swarmed by police as a by-stander in the midst of a student protest, purchasing a couple of snuggly jumper skirts, perusing the nicest of little galleries, being denied chips at a cafe (but making up for it with a warm veggie sausage roll) and eating my very first tarte tatan at the devine Demuths. But how did I get on with my 'twenty three things to do before I turn twenty four' list?  Ahem...

1. Build a website

2. Eat a Knickerbockerglory

3. Post regular blog entries

4. Fill two polaroid films

5. Go to Ryantown

Well, okay, not quite (I blame the weekend job), but I did see some Rob Ryan originals in London!

6. Launch a greeting card range

7. Re-pot my sad little apple tree

8. Decoupage my sewing box

9. Learn to crochet, make something

10. Get a First for something at uni

11. Watch a meteor shower (it's been so long)

12. Make one of these

13. Go to the Little at least once a month

I certainly had a good go anyway!!

14. Add a patch to Issy's quilt

15. Make fifteen recipes from my recipe stash

16. Order some fabric from Spoonflower

17. Say 'yes' more

Subjective, but I think so.
18. Learn to do silkscreen printing

19. Organise a photo scavenger hunt

20. Get work experience in a studio

21. Be an explorer of the world

22. Feel hot sand between my toes (please?)

Ha!  No chance.

23.  Discover five new authors

Six, actually!!

Eleven out of twenty three.  Pathetic.  I apologise, I shall set my self fewer goals this year and try much, much harder!!

the stars shine all day too

(Image pinched from this website)

Just to get across just how astonishing Rob Ryan's 'The Stars Shine All Day Too' exhibition was last week, I thought I'd sneak in this beautiful image.  The little gallery space on Dover Street in London's Piccadilly played host to several of Rob's large scale paper-cuts.  Each one contained a crazy amount of detail and an enchanting night-time wintery feel.  This one was by far my favourite (although I changed my mind several times before reaching this conclusion).


Thank goodness for the internet.  I spend so much of my time in galleries trying to commit every detail to memory for fear that I will forget something.

It looks like there are a couple of nice exhibits in Bristol next week, so I'll let you know how I get on with those!  If that wasn't already enough to entice me, I'm going to see a giant pin-hole camera in a tower!