working away...

I spent hours this week making my portfolio book for Surtex...gonna order it this weekend.
I adapted one of the pages for the front of my website... cos I've got loads of time for faffing about with pictures :-)
Next job...postcards, stickers and a flyer...

all work and no play....

....would be a bit dull wouldn't it?. So we spent all Saturday at a party for our friend's kid's birthday (foam party on a bouncy castle and everything)....Sunday night in the pub (bank holiday tradition, got to be done)....and today we took the kids and the dog to Knaresborough...got a boat down the river as you do when in Knaresborough.
I thought it was the dog's first adventure on a boat but the other half tells me she's been on one before. I clearly missed her maiden voyage.

happy easter

I don't think I've ever done so much work in 2 weeks before. And I've done a lot of work in my time! I have literally just WORKED non stop for 2 weeks. I'm trying to get all my commissions out of the way so I can do some work for Surtex....because (as Virgin Atlantic kindly informed me this morning) it is 27 days, 21 hours and 2 minutes till I fly!
So that's it, no more commissions. For the first time ever I am gonna have to say NO. So don't ask. Cos I'm rubbish at saying no! 
But I'll be gutted if I get to NY with no work won't I! I'm on a mission now....4 weeks and counting....
Happy Easter peeps, hope you have some time off x

just chillin'

I went away for the weekend.
To a Spa.
With the girls.
It was our annual weekend away.
It was lovely.

Well...it was lovely apart from waking up both mornings in a state of uncontrollable panic that here I was lazing round with Grazia magazine in a fluffy robe when clearly I should have been spending my time furiously coming up with some super-ace designs to take to New York in FIVE WEEKS TIME cos during the week my days are completely chocca with proper mortgage-paying-work and there's just no time to be creating extra super-ace designs then.

But hey. Everyone needs to indulge in a little "thermal journey" every so often don't they? Chill! It'll be fine!

march 2014

Well March was a bit thin on the ground on the old blog! Anyone would think I was busy doing something important. But actually I've just been sitting around in the sunshine sipping champagne and eating canapes. Kind of...

mother's day

Happy Mother's Day to all you mums out there. Especially my mum. She had a crappy year last year fighting Lymphoma but she did a brilliant job of it and is looking great now! After spending far too much time in hospital she's living life to the full and is pretty much back to her old self.
Well done Normski, you're the bestest!! xx

mothers day card

It's Mother's Day this weekend folks...hurry up and buy this card for your mum....she deserves it!

uppercase...surface pattern design guide

Yay! My work was selected to go in the Surface Pattern Design Guide in the new issue of Uppercase Magazine! 
You can see it online now :-)
The other Dotty Wrens also made it so I'm in good company.
This was one of my patterns...

bear with me...

I used to do it two or three times a week. Nowadays I'm a once a week sorta chick. No time. Too much work. Too tired. 
It's not you. It's me.
But fear not.
Surtex is only 8 weeks away.
After that normal service will be resumed. 
I'll be back to my blogtastic best.
I promise!

work work work

Apologies for my absence. (In case anyone noticed. Which I'm sure you all did. How dull was life with no blog post from me?)
(Don't answer...)
I did over 50 hours work this week. And that did not include a single Surtex second. Am I panicking? Er yes, just a bit. 8.5 weeks to go!! No work to show!! **** (insert suitable swear word of your choice)
Anyway I had a bit of a day off today. We went to my fave place, Salts Mill. The other half and the little one always go to the boring cycle shop next door while me and the big one head for the 1853 gallery and art shop. (David Hockney dahlings, fabulous)
Today we wanted to buy some fabbo brush pens. But I didn't have a spare 132 quid so the big one got some Pro Markers and I got some lovely new pens. For drawing and everything. I drew some bunnies in my sketchbook with them. 'Cos that's what you do with new pens when it's only 8.5 weeks to the biggest show of your life.....

life is ever so slightly a little bit hectic

Had a mad mad mad busy week.... we took the mother-in-law on a birthday trip to the seaside on Sunday then I worked non-stop all week. I even did 2 days in-house for a company which was a bit of a shock to the system! 40 minutes drive each way and having to put clothes on that people were actually gonna see was a complete change for me. I haven't worked anywhere other than my house for 11 years! But I really enjoyed it and I'm going back for more next week...should be able to drag out a couple more outfits before people realise I just wear the same clothes everyday with a nice coat on top!
Going out with the sis and various kids and dogs tomorrow for some much needed fresh air...it's meant to be sunny and warm! Yay! Spring is on the way people...unless you live under the equator...then I'm afraid you just have winter to look forward to...

february 2014

Well that was a short month! Only 28 days. March tomorrow...that's practically Spring! Woohoo!
Here's February on my blog...

so... sew

I used to sew most of my designs. I liked sewing. Most of them were sold as appliques on kids clothes anyway so it made sense. Then at the end of 2012 my agent went bust. I lost loads of money. And my steady income. I stopped sewing. I haven't really sewn much since. 
I've mostly been doing work that I email to people anyway so sewing's no good 'cos you can't email fabric. But I haven't really felt much like it since. It brings back terrible memories of wondering how the hell I was gonna pay the bills and those horrible months when I thought everything I did was crap.
But today the sun was shining in my office. That's where my sewing machine lives. I decided it was time I got over the big trauma. Time to move on. I sewed a design! To take to Surtex. Woo! Another one on the pile people!

half term

It's half term this week. A week later than the rest of the country for some reason. 
I haven't seen much of the kids so far. The big one stays in her room all day. She only comes down every couple of hours to open the fridge, stare inside and then shut it again. 
And the little one has so far been to 2 parties and on a day out with his friend from school. He's off to another friend's to play tomorrow then straight to Cub Camp till Friday. That kid's life is one big party!
The big one and I will use his absence to go shopping in peace. She needs a new school skirt. There's only one flipping shop we can buy it from and it's miles away. But she might be expelled if she carries on wearing the current one. It is VERY short. She likes it like that. She's gonna be gutted when she has to wear the frumpy new knee length one next week.
Did I mention it's brown? And polyester? Poor kid!

don't panic!

I am in a constant state of panic these days. When I'm doing proper work that I get paid for I'm panicking that I'm not gonna have any work to show at Surtex. And when I'm working on stuff for Surtex I'm panicking that I'm not doing proper work and I have like a zillion bills that need paying every month.
What I really need is a rich benefactor to come along and support me for the next 3 months. Anyone know of one?