Volksworld 2014

What a selection of colours!

Awesome Dodge campervan

Awesome Art work by Sea Side Neil

A stunning split screen van, and it's beautiful interior

Check out the awesome door cards! Covered in retro wallpaper

A few weeks back me and Joe went to our 4th Volksworld Show at Sandown Park in Escher, covering it for Air Monkeys Magazine. It was an absolutely terrific weekend, lots of brilliant vehicles, great people, food, drink and sunshine. 

 It was quite a treat for us, as it was only the second time in our 12 year relationship that we stayed in a hotel, obviously owning a camper we normally stay in that. Above is a very small selection of some of the things we saw there.

Some new work

Quote from one of my favourite films- Little Miss Sunshine

Just a round up of some of my latest illustrations. Been having lots of fun on these recently.

On a roll!

I have had a good month or so for winning prizes, as well as winning with Pedlars, a few weeks ago I won this awesome print.

It is the work of Mick Statham, a printmaker that is based very near me. He ran a giveaway on Twitter which I, as a pug owner, and lover of screen prints, was very eager to win. He was originally going to pick just one winner, but due to interest he picked 3, and I was one of them! Woohoo.

It really is a beautiful print, of brilliant quality, and it came with an adoption certificate for "Vinnie" the pug dog!

Check out his work here

A new year resolution done

Old stencils pinned up on the wall of the studio

 The tattoo has begun

2 months old and all healed

Straight after tattoo number two

2 weeks later

I had wanted a tattoo for quite a few years, but as I'm so indecisive and an over thinker I hadn't done anything about it, except look at lots of pictures, pin them like mad and change my mind about what I wanted. My husband had his first one a few years ago, and last year I had planned to get my first, but the appointment fell through, so I ended up getting one the first few days into January.

I got tattooed by a very talented guy, Darren McDonald, we were on the same course at University, and since leaving I had seen his awesome tattoos on Facebook, he has a very distinctive style, and a great sense of colour. Finding out he was only based about 40 minutes away, I decided I wanted him to be the one to do it, and I finally decided what I would have, a bird based on the work of the amazing illustrator Charley Harper who is one of my favourite illustrators of all time. Before hand I was extremely excited, but very nervous. Obviously I knew it would hurt, and the main thing I was worried about was if I twitched while he was doing it, or what if I couldn't cope with the pain, and I couldn't let him finish it (as I said I'm an over thinker!) 

The stencil was placed several times, until we were both happy then the buzzing of the tattoo gun started, and as it hovered above my skin, I held my breath waiting for the needle to make contact. There was pain, a stinging, scratching sensation, similar to what I had expected to be honest, and a relief really, as I thought, "OK, it hurts, but I can deal with this"

I watched the whole thing, and was fascinated. The needle moves so fast, you can't see it going in and out, it just looks like your being drawn on. I watched as the image built up, and got really excited as the colour went in, as any one that knows me, knows I love colour. As Darren finished the bird, he suggested a few circles might look awesome, I didn't really want any more pain, but agreed with him that they would look good, and I'm really glad I let him go with it, as I think they work really well, and make the whole think come to life. 

I was a little alarmed to find that I'm a bleeder when it comes to being tattooed, some people hardly bleed at all, but I'm not one of them!

When I went in to get my bird I really believed it would be the only tattoo I would ever get, but now I understand what people mean when they say it's addictive! Less than 2 months later I was back to get a squirrel on my thigh, based on the artwork of Andrew Pavitt. Once you have one, it's so much easier thinking of others you want, and the excitement of seeing a piece of artwork on your body is something you want to feel again. 

Again, as my second one was happening, I was lying there thinking, "two will be enough, it's a nice amount, I don't really want to go through this again", but the day after, my mind was firing away, thinking about what I could have next! Oh dear! 

A massive thanks to Darren for doing such an awesome job! Find his work on Instagram as @magicmutant 

Pedlars Competition

Our Living room

One of our cool boxes, providing a stand for my cacti and succulent

Vintage milk bottle and Mickey Mouse alarm clock (that is ridiculously loud!)

My winnings! Lucky, lucky girl!

Now we have the full set

I just love old packaging!

Pedlars is an awesome company based in Wales, that sources amazing vintage products, along with ace new products too, they are super friendly to boot as well.

We first came across them when they used to have an outlet in Birmingham Selfridges. We were really disappointed when it disappeared. Since then my lovely husband has bought me several cool vintage items from there. They regularly run competitions on instagram, and I was incredibly lucky enough to win one of them! @pedlarsfridayvintage asked people to post photos of their vintage items, and to hashtag them #myvintagehome. There were so many amazing entries, (some of mine are above) and I was bowled over to be picked as the winner, being given £100 to spend at Pedlars! Amazing!

Me and my husband chose a Newgate Clock, which is now pride of place in our living room, a vintage popcorn holder, that doubles up as a hailer, (Joe had bought me the red one for Christmas), some vintage chewing tobacco packaging, and some blacking pencils, which are wonderful, I have just tested them this evening.

I feel like a very lucky girl, thanks Pedlars!

Autumn Inspiration

I have always loved the colours of Autumn, maybe partly due to being an Autumnal baby. As the temperature begins to drop the colours get so warm. It's like nature is giving us that last intense burst of colour before it goes into hibernation. The sunshine is also at it's most gorgeous, casting an amazing glow across things. I always find this time of year so inspiring, so here are a few photos I have been taking and some illustrations I have created, I hope you enjoy them.

Paper toy workshop

During the half term break I had the opportunity to lead a workshop at Sheffield's Children's Hospital, on making paper toys. I had a fantastic day. I only worked with a very small number of patients, but they all loved it, and it was really great to see what an impact it had. One girl would barely grunt un response at the start of the day, but by the end of it she was laughing and joking. It would be amazing to do this all the time!