the weekend

We tried to relax this weekend and get away from thinking about all the things that have been bothering me these last few days. So we went picnicking at the seaside, this time at Frinton-on-Sea where they have the most amazing Modernist and Art Deco seafront houses. I mean, jaw-dropping white beauties like this one and this one, and there are loads of them. Whilst I am all for Georgian farmhouses for my own home, I can't help but wonder what it would be like to own something as stunning as those. I can just imagine the kind of decor I would like to use inside!

We also went to play on the helter skelter at cheesy Clacton-on-Sea, and to explore the site of special scientific interest at The Naze. The latter borders Hamford Water and the creeks and saltmarshes where Arthur Ransome set his Swallow and Amazons book, 'Secret Water'. Being the geek (here and here) that I am, I was pleased to at least have seen a part of it from a distance. We never quite made it to Hamford Water itself, but the sailboats that now navigate those waters were clearly visible from our walk on the sea wall.

My Daddy

Happy Father's Day. I love you so much.

a bit of whimsy and nostalgia

I'm wondering if anyone has £450k to spare? (clockwise from top left) Which would you choose, an eight bed Georgian mansion for some serious refurbishment near Aberystwyth (two images) or a beautiful townhouse overlooking the gorge at Ironbridge? Or for £300k you can get the quirky old toll house in the same town. OK, so none of these are the right house, but it doesn't hurt to look, eh?

Ironbridge is upstream of where I grew up playing on the banks of the bestest river, the Severn. I have the happiest memories of wading thigh deep in the rough waters near Bewdley, impromptu picnics on its banks during the long, idyllic summers of my childhood, trying to build a bridge across it with pebbles, the feel of the water between my toes when I flooded my wellies. Truly I had a wonderful childhood and desperately miss that place sometimes. My parents no longer live there, and when I went back last summer to visit, the first thing I did was stand and weep in the spot where once we released a caught eel back into the river. I was caught off guard by my emotions. Sorry, looking at these Ironbridge houses has made me a bit maudlin and nostalgic.

Images from Nock Deighton and Aled Ellis.

seriously...

I think I'm going to have to wind down the blogging for a few days - this deadline isn't a joke any more and I am falling behind by the minute. I mean, animating a pair of lungs throwing themselves off a diving board is not to be laughed at. So I will be posting lightly this week, and then I will be away in Japan for the whole of the following week.

Hopefully I will see some amazing and inspiring new things to talk about, and maybe get some drawing done whilst I'm there. It's hard to get excited about something when you've got no time to think about it much. But I know I am really looking forward to it.

Today I thought I'd show you another photo of my family - this time with my wonderful Dad in flip flops and some quality knitwear.

this picture rocks

My sister looks like a little Liam Gallagher type here in her khaki parka. Look at the furtive expression on her face! Priceless.

some lucky person...

is going to get these silly egg cups in their Secret Santa gift next Tuesday, complete with awfully hand-crocheted egg cosy hats and something else. I am having Christmas lunch with my dear old friends at 12foot6 during which the giving of useless and slightly ugly gifts is a tradition. Please excuse the terrible night-time lighting.

I have been working on a few small illustration projects, none of which have really yielded much to look at, I'm afraid. So I thought I'd share one of my favourite ever pictures of my sister and I. The colours, the poses, the hands, the clothes! Everything is just perfectly sweet.



I promise I'll draw something to put up later today. I promise!

Looking back

I'm 29 years old today. When I was at home last weekend, my sister and I spent a lot of time poring over old photographs and laughing our asses off over our hideous teenage selves or our parents' fantastic early 1980s clothing. Some of the dresses my Mum wore were AMAZING - if only I could get my hands on those now, I'd definitely wear them. By my age, my parents had two very young children and were just starting out in England together - I'm nowhere near making a family of my own yet! I thought I'd share a couple of photos of my sister and I when we were as cute as buttons (if I may say that about myself). Why can't I be as cute as that now I'm an adult?


(left to right) My sister Wing, my trendy Dad and me.


Me and Wing.


Me and Wing.


An earlier photograph with all of us at a wedding.
More another time.