Be My Valentine (i.e. make me a cup of tea)

Prints of some illustrations I created a while back. I think these are cute enough for children, but also silly enough for big kids (like me!)  Remember, cups of tea and love-sickness are for life, not just for Valentine’s Day.  These are currently available in my Etsy shop.

Etsy UK ‘Pimp My Table’ Festive Knees-up

Etsy UK Christmas party is taking place in London on December 14th (tomorrow!)

Everyone is welcome, you don’t need to be an Etsy member.  The idea is you bring some unloved crockery or nab some at a charity shop.  Hang out with fun, like-minded peeps in the Etsy Christmas Grotto where you can doodle on your ceramics using special markers from our pals at Pebeo!

We’re also giving away free (cheeky) wrapping paper & tags that I designed for Etsy (see my Twitter background) so you can gift your amazing works of art as Christmas presents.  Upcycling and re-gifting is the name of the game.  Etsy will also provide winter edition tote bags & other items, free drinks (alcoholic + soft drinks), & munchables.

Check out the photos from our event last week with the lovely peeps from Crafternoon Tea Party!

The event is free to attend but space is limited, you can book in advance here to avoid disappointment.

Hope to see you there!

 

My month in pictures

Here are some photos taken on my phone in the last month (Oct to Nov 2011). I’ve been working on some creative designs too, but cannot reveal anything at this stage, hence attempting to fob you off with photos… watch this space!

Moon drawings, journals, and handwritten Haiku

As the nights grow longer and the atmosphere has that familiar autumnal ambience, I notice the moon more.  This is the best season.  Then again, I say that about every season because each has those beautiful changes in nature that one can observe and admire (with a cup of chai tea mmm.)  Do you feel the nostalgia of autumn?

The moon is unhinged
From its pivot. Thoughts hang slack;
With immense longing.

As some are aware I’ve been suffering with creative block for months now, but hooraaah; this change of season, and personal circumstances appear to have me drawing at any given opportunity.  I’m talking dormant volcano of creativity and ideas erupting here!  (Though please don’t run away from the metaphorical lava, it won’t burn ya.)

Anyway, my point .  The moon!  Henceforth some lunar-inspired little artworks from the past week.  These are special to me;  the ravine through the solid ice of creative block. (Yes, love being over-dramatic, thx.)

Check my Etsy shop listings if you’re interested in adopting one

Each ACEO comes with an original hand-written Haiku poem on paper, folded into an origami paper star.  I enjoy writing these little poems.

The moon surrounded
With blinking little urchins;
Uniformly so.

I altered some Moleskine cahier journals too.  Here’s one of them.  More to show soon once the photos are taken.

Also, on topic, I love this song: ‘The Moon‘ by The Swell Season.  Isn’t it beautiful?

What’s in my bag?

What can you tell from looking inside someones bag?

New illustrated business / contact cards

My ‘business’ cards have always been created from drawings or paintings but often with digital typographic elements.  Turns out it’s much more enjoyable doing it all by hand.  I really had fun with these and threw any knowledge I’ve obtained about how business cards should look out of the window, I’m no graphic designer.  This follows a general re-awakening of my personal creativity and the decision to sod the rules.  Yee-haw.

Primarily these cards are sent out with orders from my online stores (Etsy, Folksy & Moleskine). The website address is slightly premature as the site isn’t finished yet, but there are links to my work and contact details on there in the meantime.

The light of morning

“The light of morning decomposes everything”

Illustrating one of my favourite Haruki Murakami quotes using pencil drawn typography. Quote is from  A Wild Sheep Chase.

Pencil on paper.

Girl with a peacock feather earring ACEO

In an attempt to get my ‘creative groove’ back I decided to make some small original pieces for my Etsy shop. I love drawing and painting people from imagination, so portraits seemed like a good direction. Here’s my one-of-a-kind watercolour and pencil ACEO portrait illustration on Bristol paper.

ACEO stands for Art Cards, Editions, and Originals,  which are small collectable artworks with the specific dimensions of 2.5″ x 3.5″.

Available to purchase in my Etsy shop.

Rain, rain

Rain, rain
it falls outside,
a storm within.

One of a kind watercolour and pencil illustration on 300gsm/140lb acid-free watercolour paper listed on Etsy.

The Old Man and His Grandson

Just listed on my page of Moleskine Artist Marketplace, a one-of-a-kind altered/illustrated Moleskine cahier journal depicting a scene from the folktale ‘The Old Man and His Grandson‘ by the Brothers Grimm.

The Old Man and His Grandson is a great moral story about treating others as you would like to be treated. My painting illustrates the hands of both the grandfather and grandson. You can read the story here.

It’s been brought to my attention that someone has been copying my journal concepts and designs and is selling them on Etsy. It’s taken years to develop my concepts and style, by working hard and digging into my imagination! So it makes me sad that someone has come along and copied the results of this. I’d appreciate it a lot if people support me by not accepting imitations

Imitation = limitation!

If you’d like to know more about my journal work, please see this post!