Happy Birthday Lovely Jamie!

And what could be better than a hamster cage cake??
(Geoff our Roborovski hamster was the inspiration)

Around Here

Hello! Sorry I haven't been around lately, it doesn't seem like there has been much to show and tell. All there has been are bad colds, lots of taxi-ing of children, work, washing, cleaning, ironing....you know the story!

This Monday sees the 40th birthday of my lovely other half. I have been wrapping up a few bits for him to open but his main present is a sneaky few nights away during half term while the kids are on holiday with their dad. A nice little hotel in a cute village in North Yorkshire. Good food, a few walks and plenty of veging out! I love having something like that to look forward to.

Here has seen the sun encouraging me to get planting, a bit of cooking (Nigel Slater's Mascarpone Tart for the birthday boy) and finishing a picture for two girls that like to wear pink tiger print onesies! I have just started my next order this afternoon, it been so miserable here that staying inside seemed like the best option. A prolonged rainy spell meant that even Morten only ventured out to bring a rather nasty toy back inside.

As for the little hamster made out of marzipan, well that is for the birthday cake. Will show you more as it is finished!
Have a good weekend everyone xx

Beryl

This is our new friend.......she joins Gunther on the window sill.
She is very sweet and has one ear quite a bit longer than the other.
Morten is quite keen on her too.

Happy weekend, love Nick and Morten xx

Oliver Jeffers

Do you ever pass up an opportunity because you think you are too busy/tired/stressed/broke ?

Today I am very grateful to my friend Sarah whose phone call at the last minute meant that I was able to meet Children's book illustrator and author Oliver Jeffers. We dashed to our lovely local book shop and had our purchases signed. Oliver kindly wrote a birthday message to my husband and drew him a little duck! He was very friendly despite having been signing books for hours (and I have met other authors who were distinctly grumpy!).

I expect most of us have read and loved his books. Isn't it nice to know the writers are the nice people you imagine them to be?

Happy weekend, love nick xx

Finished At Last!

Here it is, the tricky one I mentioned.
Including swimming goggles, skis, an ipad, snowy mountains, a Manchester City shirt, a Porsche Boxter, a coniferous wood and the family home was a tall order but its done. Phew!
I never charge what I should, the time it takes to paint all these tiny details would mean each picture would cost a fortune but that's just the way it goes.

Hope you all had a restful Bank Holiday xx

Happy Easter Everyone!

Have fun and eat too much chocolate xxx

Cold

This is how I have been painting lately.....
The heating isn't broken but I find sitting still for hours at a time makes me freeeeze!
The sun was warm today but that wind was still pretty chilly. Come on Spring!!