it's the most wonderful time of the year again.

I went to the Solipsistic Pop launch party, cos I'm in it and all that. Few weeks ago. Nice night, drew Owl and Mouse on a postit. I always have postits about my person as a rule now. It's a thing. Anyway I gave it to them so you can't see it sorry.

I had to leave before the end cos it was a school night, I was well grumpy about this, although thinking about it, I'm pretty sure I mostly used to leave these things about 10 o'clock before I was a teacher as well.

This week sees the launch of the The memories project although I'm not sure if I'll make it to that one.

Check out this sweet commission I did for Ellie from Bristol (not the smelly one) inspired by my friendship alphabet, but with a food/kitchen vintagey theme,

here are some of the paintings a bit bigger for your eyes to see. I will probably be doing this as a prints series at some point - let me know if you are interested and I'll make sure your in the know you know.

here is a joyful pop triptych of Emma for the facebook project, slowly getting there. Facebook just recently made it so photos go backwards in time, instead of forward. What will they think of next eh? Jackanapes.

here is a consumer rage anecdote. Two days ago, I was seduced into GAP by their 30% off of everything sandwich board attack strategy. I tried on some stuff, apparently I am a size 8 in there now, which is not to say I am a size 8 anywhere else, just that Americans are fat. Anyway I enjoyed some purchases which I was looking forward to wearing about my person, but when I got up in the morning I discovered that they still had the security tags attached.

Instantly, I was consumed by consumer rage. I felt righteously wronged and wrongfully denied my new clothes experience of the day. Forced to go to school in clothes I had already owned. I'm over it now. When I went back in the girl on the till wordlessly removed them for me barely glancing at my receipt. I'm now not sure why I was so angry. It probably says something profound about our society. Or my state of mind. There was this interesting speech by Ben Hammersley that is not really relevant but you should go read it anyway.

HELLO, long time no blog. Sorry. Teaching is eating my life.

Anyway. There are some overdue reasons to be famous I need to tell you about. So there it is.

To whet your wimple, here are some recent(ish) portraits from the facebook project of friends beginning with the letter E.

Emily

Emily

Ellie (interactive!)

The memories project, an art book about the experiences of poetic cancer survivors to raise money for Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres, and including an illustration from yours truly and a number of tear jerking accounts, is now available for pre-order! good idea for christmas je ponse. Here is a snippet of my illustration, i cannot reveal the entirety obvs.

Read the sentence above, does it make sense? add the correct punctuation.

An even more exciting preview, here is a panel from my comic in the upcoming Solipsistic Pop, also available for pre-order and various other activities here,

as well as a talking cat, my contribution also includes zombies, dresses, butterflies, metaphors, water pistols, dance routines... basically I just frew what I fancied drawing and made it into a sort of story. The other comics in the anthology (and yes I have seen proofs) are the expected mix of extreme awesomosity, with spectaculazing artists such as Joe Decie, John Cei Douglas, Phillipa Rice (I've met her twice, i just put that in cos it rhymes), Lizz Lunney, Anna Saunders, besides many more acecakers.

There's also going to be a launch party, I went to the launch party of a previous issue, and failed to draw Robin Ince, that was very good so I expect this will be too.

The They Draw and Cook Book is also now officially available another great christmas gift option for all of your friends and family who enjoy food and/or art. In this video you see my page twice, I am practically the star.

That's How for Now.

oh and also this one, done in Norfolk while visiting with the amazing Ros Davis

sketchbook special summer 2011.

It is 2011 right? yes. good.

so here are some sketches I only just got round to scanning.

sketch of goings on at Paint it Make it

only sketch completed (well, started) at the beautiful Mattlivia's wedding before I became too drunken to doodle. I was a guest not there in a professional capacity, otherwise that would have been very unprofessional obviously.

Sketches from my trip to Dalyan, Turkey

After I wrote that I realised it sounds weird and American, like how they say Paris, France so you know they don't mean Paris, Texas.

I wonder if I could get married in Paris, Texas, just to confuse people.

London skyline as seen from the 'Heath

Sketch I did at the cleanup after the London Riots - it was a strange day.

I make no political statement.

Here you can see Sainsbury employees giving out free donuts to the enbroomed masses waiting for the police to clear the scene.

Jane Ellison at the Clapham cleanup talking into a megaphone at a camera man, hoards not pictured.

so as you may know I am starting my new teaching job in September, which is exciting and scary.

Till then tho I am illumustration central (and planning central of course) and pretty much broke of the pockets. So with the time and the poorness I thought I would have a bit of a

STUNNINGTACULAR ACEMAZING AWESOMEABULOUS

SUMMER SALE

UNTIL 21ST OF AUGUST

first 4 orders of sale will also receive a limited edition pink love zine

including not to be missed offers like

David

portrait commission for only £15 (that's very cheap you know, I'm good at portraits) - style and content of your choice.

30 by 30cm prints of my iconic Magpies painting for only £9.49

yes that is a weird price, it is because it is translated from dollerz on etsy

and most exciting of all a bumper suprise pack of awesomeness that will fill your life with joy. Made up from extra and special stock that I have about my person and some original art and things I found in my pockets.

Once upon a time me and Ellie Cryer used to fantasize about having an online business selling mystery boxes of STUFF. This is the closest I have come to date to fulfilling that dream.

If you buy one I promise it will be AMAZING

That is all.

just a few reasons why you should hire me as an illustrator

some long overdue pictures and stories from the Paint it Make it event for Illustration Rally, and poster for The One Hour Plays

me and Junesees collaborated on this live portrait

This was the recent London event raising money for Japanese earthquake related aid that has come out of the site - organised by super amazing people like Natzuki Otani and Erica Sharp (fellow ACOFI artists as well as June) there was giant origami, loads of crafts, tea ceremonies, cake etc. see a proper write up here. We did live portraits - fast becoming a speciality of mine - and it was an acecakes super fun day.

satisfied customers

live portrait of Rob. Yes, he does look that grumpy in real life.

poster I made for the One Hour Plays stint at Edinburgh Festival. Graphics is not my favourite thing to do, but I enjoyed this because there is bunting on it. And you can never have too much bunting.

Also in other news, I am going to be getting married to my Alex some time in the next few years. I may or may not blog about the planning process. I don't think I can be the kind of blogger that goes on about cupcakes and roses all the time. I mean I like cupcakes. I Love roses. But meh, you know, I prefer kittens and pretty dresses. we'll see.