I've posted this before but it has disappeared off my blog for some reason, and also, I need to send a link of it to someone, so I thought I'd post it again :)

I haven't posted in ages! Mainly because I put things on my facebook page now (Peaseblossom and Cobweb) and also because I'm not allowed to share the illustrations I've done yet. I can share a selection of these now, some of the illustrations I did for 'Cinderella' for Ustyme. You can see more of my illustrations on the Ustyme app. Firstly, I had to design the characters, so this is what I came up with that my art director liked.

Here's Cinderella running away from the prince. She's wearing a different dress because it's the next night (as I haven't included all the illustrations).

Recently, I had the lovely job of illustrating 'Cinderella' for Ustyme.  I can't post the finished illustrations yet, but I thought I would share some of the sketches I did.  Here's three of them...

Flipping heck! It's been ages since I last wrote on my blog! Sorry...  I hope people had a happy Christmas and new year? As I haven't posted anything in a while, I thought I would start off the new year with a drawing I did for my friend for Christmas.  She asked me to do a small pencil drawing of her dog, Titan, a black German Shepherd and here he is...

I was so excited when my illustration 'Wolfie Me!' was recently chosen by SCBWI (Society of Children Book Writers and Illustrators) for the 2014 UK Illustrator Member Showcase exhibition. This is the illustration that was picked.  It's from a picture book that French writer, Laury Blavoet, and I have been working on, called 'Sealy Me!' about children pretending to be their favourite animals. It was created using traditional drawing, scanned into the computer and coloured digitally.

Here's some piccies I drew for 'The Princess and the Pea' published by UsTyme, and the process the prince and his mother, the queen, uses to decide on whether the princess is real or not. I've posted two of these illustrations before, so sorry for repeating myself.

I forgot to upload this, back in January when I painted it.  Snow White, after eating the poisonous apple:

'When the dwarfs came home that evening they found Snow-White lying on the ground. She was not breathing at all. She was dead. They lifted her up and looked for something poisonous. They undid her laces. They combed her hair. They washed her with water and wine. But nothing helped.'

Last year I illustrated Rumpelstiltskin for UsTyme.  Here's one of the illustrations I did, this one of Rumpelstiltskin dancing around the fire.

UK SCBWI are holding an illustrators series in London (SCBWI is Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, for those who don't know) and there is an interesting event coming up, all about writing a picture book dummy.  I went to a SCBWI portfolio review last weekend with art directors and agents from the children's book industry and it was extremely helpful, so I've signed up to do this picture book dummy workshop. There are still 4 places left so click on the link if you're interested. https://britishisles.scbwi.org/events/illustrator-series-collaborative-with-agency-lab/

Here are some illustrations I did from the first book I illustrated for UsTyme,  a company that produces story time books for the iPad, for the family to read and enjoy together.  This one is The Princess and the Pea and was retold by Lisa Katz.  I hope you enjoy :) For more information on UsTyme, please visit: www.ustyme.com.

Sorry, I haven't posted much lately My dearest Scottish Terrier, Daisy-Belle passed away on the 30th December 2013 and I've been a bit neglectful of my blog.  I thought I would post some photos of her to remember her by, a little something for me and my husband, Colin, to look back on.  It was a hard decision to make, but she was very ill after being diagnosed with a tumour on her liver back in October 2013.  It had spread too far to operate on and so we just controlled it with pain killers. It was a double whammy for us, as we had lost our beautiful boy, Dougal Dog, back in January 2013.

However, we had a wonderful Christmas and she was so excited to see both sets of grandparents and all her aunties, uncles, cousins and the children; she didn't seem ill at all. My father even commented that he thought Daisy was faking her illness, hehe, as she was skipping about, playing with the children and the other dogs and helping my mother cook Christmas dinner in the kitchen (which consisted of my mum doing all the work and Daisy cleaning the floor for her if any food was dropped.  I  think my mum dropped more than usual this Christmas).  Then, after a fun filled Christmas eve with the family, and an exciting morning and quiet day on Christmas day, she became very sick early Boxing Day.  We were in Wales visiting family and so when we arrived back home, we decided it was her time to go.  I will never forget the beautiful look of thanks and love as she slipped away.  She was my angel and my shadow. She protected me when Colin was away and she slept at my feet while I worked.  I miss my dear girl.  See you again one day sweet Daisy-Belle.

I'm really happy that my illustration 'The Polar Bear Express' appeared behind door number two on the advent calendar on SCBWI's Word and Pictures website today.  Here's the link to the website if you're interested and here's the illustration they used. Happy 2nd of December! :)

Please click on the link to view the image in the calendar: SCBWI Advent Calendar 2013

I haven't done many fairy paintings lately as I have been working on illustrations for Ustyme. I've illustrated three books now and I'm presently working on my fourth book.  I thought I would post some of the illustrations that I did for 'The Emperor's New Clothes', retold by Lisa Katz and published by Ustyme. Have a good weekend :)

I've been working on some illustrations for Ustyme recently.   Ustyme is a free video-call app for the iPad, that 'creates deeper relationships through shared experiences around exciting content like books and games'.  You can find out more about Ustyme on their website: www.ustyme.com. 

Last weekend was spent in Glastonbury with my friend and business partner, Natacha Chohra, where we exhibited and sold our art work and crafts as 'A Cup of Magic' in the Avalon Faery fayre.  We caught up with old friends and had a wonderful time.  On Saturday evening we donned our fairy wings and danced the night away at the Faery Ball, but we had to be up again early the next morning for another day at the fayre. Here are some photos of our stall and the ball.

I'm working on the illustrations for 'Rumplestiltskin' at the moment and I'm not allowed to show anything, so I haven't had much artwork to post on my blog recently, then I remembered I haven't posted this painting I did a while back called 'A Walk in the Rain'. Seeing how it's been raining everyday this week in the UK, I think this illustration is apt.

I haven't posted in absolutely ages because I have been very busy working on two books for a new publisher, which I can't mention anything about yet, unfortunately, but I'm very excited about working for them.

I've also been doing an excellent online children's illustration course, run by Picture Book Academy.  I've been writing a story for it about a little dragon who has an unusual problem, but I'm having trouble with my story and still in the process of ironing out some kinks, so I won't give anything away right now ;) Instead, I thought I would work on some character sketches and here is a little watercolour character sketch of the main character.

A Cup Of Magic: Magical and Faerie Ball July 27th: A Cup of Magic will be appearing at 'The Blind Pig' in Sowerby Bridge, Halifax on July 27th.  The fair is free to enter and there will be lots of amazing artists selling there and lots going on, so it should be a great day.  The faerie ball in the evening is £20 and will include music, fancy dress and a buffet.  Details of how to purchase tickets are on the poster below.  If you're in the area, please do drop in and say hello.  It would be great to see you. 

It was sketch fest again last weekend. It's seems that lately, I can only manage two sketches each time.  Here they are: the first is 'The Littlest Fairy' and the second 'The Patchwork Dress'.  I've sold 'The littlest fairy' but 'The Patchwork Dress' is still available here if anyone is interested.  The next sketch fest is the weekend of March 15th, so I'm going to put that in my diary and make sure I make time to do lots more sketches. It's so much fun :)

Here's an update on that elf sketch I did the other day.  I've finished it and she's on her way to her new home in USA.  Here she is, graphite pencil on cartridge paper, influenced by renaissance paintings :)

It seems like an age since I last joined in Sketch Fest.  I've been so busy with lots of different projects that I've had no time, but I thought I would have a break from them this month and participate. I managed two: 'A Fairy with Attitude' and 'A Study of Elven Hair'. I'm in the process of finishing the hair on the elf sketch, so I'll upload the finished drawing once its completed.

'A Fairy with Attitude' pencil sketch.  She didn't turn out how I wanted though.  Looks like she has a mind of her own!

Natacha Chohra and I have finally started to upload our art to our 'A Cup of Magic' Etsy shop.  We have only listed a few items so far but we will be uploading more very soon.  If you are interested, please check it out :)