The Commute

Since 2012 I’ve been commuting loads for work and I actually really enjoy it ! 🚂✨ I value the distance between work and home, I enjoy knowing two cities really well and getting involved with both and I find travelling by train quite romantic ~ the scenery, the time you get to listen to an album all the way through, time to read, write, draw, knit (or sleep!) I also definitely have one of those faces that people want to talk to, and like it or not I’ve met some right characters on my commute. Some joyful, some obnoxious, some silly, some friends even ! I started to draw the characters on and off during my long commutes south and back up north again - not a face mask in sight, unlike today. I have complied them into an illustrated 28 page zine printed by the awesome Ex Why Zed ✨ 

My plan was to pop some of them randomly back out on my commute - I liked the idea of some of them travelling around on their own journeys maybe brightening up a lonely journey for someone or cutting through the monotony of the everyday ~ but that’s unlikely now ! Who knows when we’ll be able to travel in the same way... Here are a few pages - see more here 

Plaques

Last year I used the laser cutter to play with bringing some of my characters to life on wood. At the same time I was really into collecting lots of different hooks to make an eclectic wall in a hallway in my home to hand coats and scarves. The odder the better really, I wanted each hook to be flamboyant and different.... and then, as I usually do - I think : let's make my own, and then, as it usually does, it became a mini project / production line in my studio, helped by my lovely boyfriend who enjoys a bit of woodwork and was keen to get involved. As well as creating to add to our wall at home, we produced runs of these chicken, zebra and dog plaques. All are completely hand-made, painted and varnished! You can see more and purchase your own here. 

Lucy + Yak / Black Cats

Over on the fabulous Luck + Yak instagram/website they have launched an awesome dreamy competition where you can design your own dream yaks! Click here if you fancy having a go during these lockdown days. My dream yaks would definitely be cat pattered ones. I wish they were real, I'd absolutely wear them everyday! Unfortunately they only available in my dreams... but they are based on my pink and black cat show pillows, pictured below and available in real life from my shop!

Illustrating Geography

I wanted to share an ongoing project - illustrating Geography for University Centre Peterborough in Cambridgeshire - these illustrations will aid the GCSE and A-level curriculum. You can see more on my recently updated website! 

Collaboration with Earthy Roots

Here are a selection of prints I illustrated for Earthy Roots. Bees are in decline and I wanted to create something where 50% of the profits go towards helping a sustainable company, like Earthy Roots nourish the bees, through their bee keeping on various sites in Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire. 50% of all sales will go directly to them which will help them to expand their apiary's and sustainable business. Check them out here. You can find my prints here. 

Aardvarks to Zebras!

Recently my lovely friend welcomed a new baby girl into the world! They named her Ziva and I wanted to make something fun for them and her. So, I took her name and illustrated Aardvark fabric, Vole Fabric, Iguana fabric and Zebra fabric, which I then made into these fun cubes that could be displayed on a shelf in the nursery. They also have little bells stuffed inside so they jingle when they shake, so can be played with too! 

I have to say that my favourites are the Aardvark and the Zebra! I printed a bit extra of the Zebra print and made some items that are in my shop right now and pictured below, pouches and little bags! 

The Chicken Collection

Around Easter time last year, I created a limited edition chicken screen-print which was sold at the Hepworth Gallery's Print Fair - the money raised from the prints went towards supporting The Art House print studios, which is where I print a lot of my work. I handed over the prints to them not to be reproduced until after November last year. The response I got from the chicken was amazing when I posted them up on instagram. Lots of you from all over the place wanted to own one, but lived far away to take advantage of getting one through The Art House. There are still some for sale in The Art House shop, where the money will go towards supporting the print studios, but I have extended the range so that more people can enjoy my chicken print! I made cushions, oven mitts, hand-cut and handprinted wall hangings/plaques and a range of prints. These are available through my online shop and from The Art House Shop! All of the original screen-prints have sold out now, but I have included some really affordable reproductions of the screen prints.