Etsy shop update and the start of autumn

Hello, It's Monday morning and it looks like it's going to be a nice sunny day! That always makes a good start to the week. Yesterday I uploaded some more products to my Etsy shop so I thought I'd tell you a bit about that today. I've added five new art prints including an Autumn themed print, some nature themed prints (including an owl print of course), and a fruit and vegetable print. They're printed on 400gsm silk card and are A5 in size so they could be used as a postcard or as a print for the home.

 

What do you think?  I'm so happy to finally have them up in my shop.  I've got some more items coming soon, I just need to get them all photographed and listed.

Other than that I've been getting used to now being in autumn.  The weather has definitely changed here, it's got colder and I've got my woolly socks out.  I'm looking forward to the season of cosiness.

I hope you're all keeping well.  I'll be back soon with another shop update, now it's time to drink my coffee and get on with the day :).

The end of Autumn

Hello,

I hope you've had a good week.  Just a quick one today, I wanted to share this illustration I created all about autumn before it comes to an end!  I can't believe it's almost December already and winter is almost here.  It has certainly felt that way this week, although thankfully today was warmer :).
I loved drawing all the detail in this one and thinking of all things Autumnal to include.  I hope you like it.

I've been working on a London themed illustration this week which I'll share with you soon.  In the meantime have a wonderful weekend and week :).

Autumn sunshine

Hello,

Brrr, it's been a bit nippy this weekend, but the sun has been out so I've been enjoying a day of sunny painting, hurrah!
So, I've now been reunited with my laptop, all back, fixed, (even cleaned!) and earlier than expected so I'm feeling a lot happier, (and very relieved).
I mentioned previously that I'd spent a few days in the Norfolk/Suffolk countryside just recently so I wanted to share some illustrations inspired by the trip.  I always find taking time out of regular life and going on long walks out in nature refreshes me so much, and I always come back full of ideas following what I've seen.
The Chicken below was one of the few (some more willing to pose for photos than others!) found in the gardens at Felbrigg Hall.  They are free to roam around as they wish and have some rather fancy homes.  There were also some beautifully coloured and knobbly squash dotted around the gardens.  Along with lots of lovely plants and a few flowers.

I made this swan pattern following a walk along the river stour, on a lovely sunny day.  

I love the colours of the lichen on this tree contrasted with the blue and green :).

Ok, that's it for now.  I've got an early start tomorrow so I need to start organising myself.  I'll be back later in the week with more updates.  I hope you had a lovely weekend! 

Autumn time in the country

Hello,

I've just come back from a little break in Norfolk/Suffolk visiting my family.  Very nice it was too.  I was lucky to have some lovely sunny days (along with one rainy one but luckily I was inside for that).  I love those crisp autumn days and I really enjoy having a good stomp around in the fresh air.  I've come back full of ideas from my trip.
Before I went I finished this illustration of a blackberry and apple crumble, something which is definitely missing in my life, I can't remember when I last ate one :(.  It's one of those perfect colder day puddings, yum.

A few pictures from my days away.  I always like to go and visit the sea.

I love the light at this time of year in the late afternoon and the long shadows it casts.

I do have a berry obsession, I don't know what ones these are but they have the most gorgeous colour.

 This was the late afternoon sunshine, perfect.

Autumn, :).  I hope you have a lovely weekend (and get to eat some crumble!) 

Autumn loveliness

Hello,

There's been a bit of a gap since my last post, whoops!  It's been a busy time but now I'm finally getting back to it.  I've been working on some festive illustrations which I'll show when they've been published, and just recently it's been all about Autumn for me.  I absolutely love the wonderful warm colours that are around at this time of year, and I do like this cosy time of year even if it is sad to wave summer goodbye.
Today is a totally gorgeous sunny day and I'm looking out onto some lovely golden trees in the garden :).  These two illustrations are inspired by this, (what always feels very brief) time of the year, full of rich colour.

I also (as with every Autumn) have been taking lots of leaf photos :).

I love the colour combination below.

Ok, that's it for now, I'm just finishing a lovely cup of tea, then I must take a walk in this sunshine before heading off for dinner tonight with friends :).  Have a great weekend!

Walking and mapping at Ickworth

Hello there,

I hope you're having a lovely weekend.  This week I've been working on another lovely commission for Women's Health magazine which I'll share once it's published.  In the meantime I thought I'd share this Ickworth Park walking map that I created purely because I wanted to.
A couple of posts ago I talked about a visit I took to Ickworth Park whilst I was at home visiting family.  It was a gorgeous sunny day and I loved wandering around.  I really enjoy visiting properties like this and spending time in the gardens.  The map is created based on the walk around it that I did. There were some beautiful Dahlias in flower when I went and I'd like to see the wildflower garden when it's in full bloom in the summer.
As it's autumn I really wanted an autumnal palette, and I have been really inspired by the colours I've been seeing out and about on and off the trees.  I adore those gorgeous rich colours and they are gone so soon!

I really enjoy making work like this, figuring out the most important aspects and working out how to combine them all to make sense as an image, but also as a walk that you can follow with a bit of imagination.  If you've been I hope you recognise some of the sights here.

Right, back to work, I need to start sketching for this years Christmas card (I'll say that very quietly!) Ta ra!

 

November 5th

Hello!

Tomorrow is Guy Fawkes here in the UK.  When I was a child this was one of the highlights of the year!  Often we would go to see a big display somewhere which was very exciting and then at the end have a sparkler.......sparklers are the best!  I still find fireworks hugely exciting and luckily from my flat I get a really good view of lots of displays :).  Although admittedly it's not the same without a sparkler.
So, I was commissioned by The Simple Things magazine to illustrate their November identifier page and it was for, fireworks!  I had a lot of fun playing around with different media to get what I wanted.  Maybe this guide is helpful if you're watching tonight, as I think the majority of the displays will be this evening :).

Here's a few of my favourites in close up.

I hope you're having a lovely weekend and if you're watching fireworks tonight, enjoy!  I'm off to have a cup of tea and start on some roughs for a new commission :), yay! bye