On my desk

I've forgotten what day of the week we do this, but this is a recent picture painted and drawn with a crafty soul in mind.

I wanted to paint it as if the sun was shining through the tree and it was a brisk spring day. The house was in a photograph of -- San Francisco, I think. I look at this and see how far I still have to go -- but a lot of distance covered, too. Halfway towards a goal and walking steady.

Inspiration and some aspiration have been coming from UPPERCASE today. Have an explore. I'll be showing some of my favourites this weekend.

--

Just joining in My creative space for the first time in months! Much more gorgeousness over at Kootoyoo.

Fun for me

I love buying myself presents. Today I wandered to the station and missed my train, so of course I just *had to* go in and explore the lovely shop in the Degraves St Subway, The Cat's Meow.

I saw many things I liked very much, but I'll be wearing my one of these tomorrow. Yay, Friday! Hoorah, pretty crafty clothes.

Tirrah, me luvs!

Toodle pip and what not, this is the Queen.

Hellew, hellew, that's the Royal Queen in the back, doing the Royal Wave.

We have just enjoyed ourselves immensely with the sewing peeps (I mustn't say plebs, so they tell me) at their dainty little shack, which is frightfully marvellous dreamy little place called Sewjourn.

(Hem, hem - whatever happened to simple names like Balmoral, wot? You could have a place called Sewmoral and then they wouldn't do all that silly business with the red wine and cackling over faintly off-colour jokes. Not morally lady-like, we can't help but feel).

Be it as it may, we are reliably informed that what happens at Balmoral - er, Sewjourn - stays at Sewjourn. I shall not pass judgement on the contents of the recycle bin at the end of the weekend

>crash, clank - sound of another gin bottle being chucked onto the pile< -- Whew, it's too exhausting being Queenie. Here's a quick picture show of the weekend's delights. The moral ones, that is. The mornings of looking at the view.
The days of sewing and talking, and the afternoons of messing about.

Bev and Serena: Hey, if we get a picture of our reflection in the window and the mirror ALL at the SAME time, that would be COOL!

Them: Didn't you say you were making tea?!? Come on, where are those hot steaming mugs of fuel for sewing superstars?

Us: ...oh yeah.

The evenings by the fire...

... my, my, I think the censors had to edit out some bal-morality problems with this image for the poor blogless Queen.

And finally, the product of a busy weekend:


And with borders on, resting on the sofa -- oh no, we have to pack up and GO!


What a great weekend, and a lovely, talented bunch of ladies.

Wonderful.

Ideas, ideas

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Originally uploaded by malkuth_ro

Always looking for ideas now... I'm about to head off on a lunchtime drawing expedition into the sunshine and lanes of Melbourne. Just before I go, I've been checking out some educational blogs and classroom websites for work stuff, and I came across this amazing image of a carved decoration. Looking at the caption, I realise it comes from the amazing castle we visited this time last year in Denmark. Synchronicity.

I'm drawing every day now, and it feels like all I have to do is pick up the pen and stuff flows out the ends. Some drawings are better than others, but it's not the result so much as the action.

Don't you love that groovy pose of the cherub on top?

Learning to fly

... with little baby wings.

I once had rather a nice boss, who recognised just how frustrating was the place we were working. Every time we accomplished something against all the odds, she used to say: "Just baby steps. Little baby steps." Every little forward movement was celebrated with that phrase I'd never use. "Little baby steps!"

So here I am, trying out my little wings on the tasks and ideas for the children's book illustration course, and thinking and writing every day, and so it comes to mind. A silly phrase, but so true. Taking little steps - or flops and flutters and bounces, in my case - towards something fun. I don't know what it is, but I hardly care. I'm having fun!

boing, boing.

(In other news: I got stuck in the lift again at work today. Popped out for a coffee, to get back in three broken lifts, ran up six flights of stairs; tried every floor all the way back down again, only to discover that all the doors were locked. And after 25 minutes? Ended up at the ground floor again. Cold coffee.)

bing, boing, bong. CRASH.

Verdict: the dog likes

.
Lemon delicious pudding.

After licking the bowls across the floor, he licked the rims of the bowls. Then he licked the outsides of the bowls. Then he licked the floor around the b0wls for good measure.And you may ask why I'm washing part of the floor at 10:15 on a Friday night?

Out and about

This drawing is not by me, but it encapsulates what is going on over here. A bit of skipping girl artistic life being gleefully skipped through. If that's fair to say. Now that I've been captured by a cold and forced to sit still, I can tell you a bit about what's been going on.

Lots of drawing!
I started my children's book illustration course last Saurday, and enjoyed myself enormously. Since then, I've been drawing every day. Everything from good old mundane things (traffic lights, rubber boots and a pot of anchovies) to wild characters (a dragon on a trampoline).
Also surreptitious drawing of fellow-commuters on crowded trains. One of them clearly paid me back by sharing their germs. (Atchoo!)

Lots of editing
Since I took on this job over six months ago, I've seen quite a few titles onto the page and off to press. The fun part is always choosing the designer, working on the design, getting illustrations (if the book needs it) and seeing the whole thing come together.

Last Friday, there was a little bit of dancing around our offices: the book closest to my heart came out and it's FAB! Super-fantastic material, great cartoon illustrations, fun design and the coolest program for kids to make and analyse videos. If you're a teacher, you need one of these. I've seen a lot of educational books, but don't you love it when one of them falls together so perfectly?

Lots of thinking
I'm still working on the Artist's Way program. This week, I'm supposed to avoid reading, to allow me time to let my own voice come back above al the words, words, words that fill my life (life, life - it's like a song!)

How does an editor not read? I asked myself this question with much incredulity and some angst. Well, very effectively, as it turns out. The funny thing is that my boss commented today on how I am hauling butt this week (not her words). The secret? Write contracts, briefs, emails and harrass people by phone. Next week I'll read.

Lots of organising
My passport expired. My tax returns were a mess. My bookshelves were dusty. My shoes in the closet were in a heap.

Did you notice the past tense? I'm getting to it. It's all going away.

Lots of sneezing
And finally, a cup of Lemsip and a little sit down. Sorry I've been away.