I have only been able to catch a few hours in the studio in the last week or so, so the tda work is still not yet started in ernest but i couldn't resist a little bit of work while my daughter was sleeping :) bliss!! so only a few changes to the desk but i think you can see there's some stuff on the go...

I'm going to be trying to document my progress by working on one table top, probably per month, but maybe for the whole project and taking a pic of it every time I use it... So here's the first pic with a very clean table and then the second with a slightly more busy table... It feels great to begin.. :)

I'm super excited to tell the world I have won a talent development grant!! yippee, some funding to develop the illustration side of my portfolio and work on a possible new illustration project... I'm of course very pleased and grateful to Aspace Arts in Southampton for this, I'm one of 8 to win a grant and you can follow all our progress on the Aspace website... here: http://www.aspacearts.org.uk/
Of course I'll keep a record of my progress here too, stay tuned..

A while ago I discovered a dangerous new technological addiction - Pinterest. Many of you probably already use the site (and if you do, you'll know what I mean when I warn people they need to have a couple of spare hours free before they log on!). It's a fantastic 'scrapbook' tool not only for personal use (I store craft ideas for play activities with my daughter as well as interiors and furniture ideas etc) but also for businesses - particularly small ones like mine.

28 February is a red letter day for aspiring young illustrators and seasoned professionals as it is the deadline for submissions to the Association of Illustrators’ (AOI) Annual Illustration Awards. Described as “the Oscars of illustration”, it is the most prestigious award in the field. I have taken the plunge this year and submitted my upcycled antique table top featuring Waterloo Station Tower Block for judging.

What says ‘I Love You’ more than a home-made gift and wrapping? Valentine’s Day is a great excuse for getting crafty and that’s exactly what we’ve been doing at home this past week. My one-year old daughter and I made some super cute gift labels to decorate our present (see above) using a paper bag and some home-made non-toxic finger paints (there are lots of recipes for making these paints online). For great holiday/celebration day projects, we love Design Sponge (go to http://www.designsponge.com). It’s always crammed full of inspirational ideas!

I'm very excited to have several items of my work featured in a gorgeous new book, 'Contemporary Tableware' by Linda Bloomfield (published by Bloomsbury). Linda herself makes beautiful, tactile ceramics in a range of ethereal colours and is a lovely person to boot so it was a real honour to be included in her selection of makers/artists. You can buy copies of the book (described as "the essential guide to modern tableware for potters, designers and buyers") from Amazon at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Contemporary-Tableware-Bloomfield-Linda/dp/15749....

I have in the past been a bit dubious of creatives who claim to be 'giving back' to the community around them, not that this is in anyway a bad thing just it often seems like a thinly veiled attempt at self promotion (i know there is a little of that involved but I'd hope it was the secondary motivation to the charity element)... but i have had a change of heart...
I realised i was already quitly doing it myself.
I have now contributed a couple of drawing and collage pieces to my local communities magazine/newsletter called the Dever.

Some of my work is showing this month and next at Aspex Gallery in Portsmouth as part of their 'Nest' show.
Apsex gallery is lovely, and well worth a visit a bit of a gem in Portsmouth and I'm really glad my work is on show there :)
My work is there fomr Jan 9th and 27th Feb and you can find lots of info about the Gallery here on their website...
http://www.aspex.org.uk/