merry christmas

happy christmas friends! i'm having flu and the week hasn't been much fun, hope you're all having a better time.
wishing you all the best. will be back as soon as i feel better.
laters :)

sunday, lovely sunday

so it's been snowing again in London, it's freezing but our garden table sure is enjoying the fun :)

i also wanted to show you the very improvised christmas tree i made the other day. yes, it did help lower my high levels of season grumpiness...
today i had an epic sleep in and it was lovely to stay all snug in bed for as long as i wanted to, for a change. then i went to brunch at the local market and it was so nice, both brunch and spotting my work in the Picture House film guide and in Leros, a UK/ Brazilian monthly magazine.
now, i'm going to draw tomorrow's advent calendar and chill out for the rest of the day, all wrapped up in my slanket with two felines on top for extra insulation.
whatever your plans are, i wish you a very happy sunday too!

a special job :: Visual Editions newsletter illustrations

i'm so excited to show you these are the illustrations i created for Visual Editions first newsletter.
all jobs are special in their own unique way and i treat each with equal care and love but what made this one even more special to me though, is that it was commissioned by the amazing Anna Gerber, one half of Visual Editions.
this girl is one of my absolute design heroes! her wonderful book All Messed Up was my best friend and inspired me throughout my years back in uni and it continues to do so to this day... + starstuck indeed :D... can you imagine how chuffed i was to take on such a fun brief?!
the newsletter will be out in the world today and i can't wait to work with them again.

thank you Anna and Brit, you girls are real stars!

getting festive?

trying to get festive and totally enjoying doing the daily drawings for my advent calendar, but this is pretty much as far as i'll go with the nonsense this year...

i might still make another xmas village for the home decorations (time permitting). you guys who have been following my blog, year after year, know it by now: 'best thing about the season for me?' january 2nd.
but, of course, there are always some ace distractions to get me through it... so check out:
Lesley's Firebird giveaway ... best of luck if you enter, it's a real gem!
Amelia's Compendium of Fashion illustration looks a treat, jam packed with so many talented illustrators.... i'll definitely be getting one.

Ammo Magazine issue 5 has a wonderful line up of artists. i received my copy this morning and it's ace, as usual.

Gemma's royal commemorative tea towel. needless to say: yes, i'm having one too!

Sandra's wrist worms are wonderful. i finally got myself a pair and am so happy with them...

+ Kate's Magpie Treasures looks so amazing and i bought my copy over the weekend. cannot wait to get my wee paws on it :)

++ got beautiful festive post from Anke. thanks lovely! don't forget to check out her shop for lots of goodness.

+++ ohh Joe has a great new shop, for some reason i forgot to mention before. want everything from there :D

Kitty says meow from her tiny red cushion :) see you later friends!

Blanket Magazine :: cover collaboration

yay Blanket Magazine issue 25 is out now! it's the celebration issue and the cover is a collaboration between me and the super talented Simon Wild.
it totally cheered me up this evening as it's been one of those days: sore throat, freezing cold, deadline looming, late afternoon dropping off in the sofa, waking up like a fox with a sore head, work still waiting to be finished, argh
dear winter, i really dislike you. i suppose it could be worse...
ok, go grab your copy of Blanket, it's ace and this i can promise :)

happy face

some of the things that have been keeping me happy lately...
1. a little time with my moleskines
2. tea & swiss biscuits out of the most gorgeous tin illustrated by Sanna Annukka
3. my red Slanket, which just as i thought, doubles up as a magic cloak...
4. our christmas cactus
5. doing a daily drawing for my advent calendar
what's been keeping you happy lately?
wishing you all a nice and warm wednesday :)

icy babies 2010

this is what i like best about the snow. it always brings me lots of new friends :)
also see previous years' ones here
++ have a fab weekend!

advent calendar // happy december

ok, this year i've decided to moan less and draw more during my 'not favorite time of the year', so i'm doing my first advent calendar. you can follow my daily winter drawings here
happy december!

update :: Hanna, who inspired me last year to do my calendar, also has her 2010 up and running here and it's lovely!