I am busily working on a picture book which was due in February next year and now is due in early Jan! Hmmmmm. . . it is hard to tell yet whether I will be able to finish it by then. This time of year is full of so many activities, end or year concerts, celebrations, shopping, getting together with friends, that it is hard to steal hours from the week for the book. I think there may be a few long hours to put in before Christmas. I am hoping a team of elves will help me out one evening. . .imagine that, a whole team of tiny, lovely elves who create beautiful illustrations and place them carefully in my plans press ready almost finished.

In other news!

• Today We Have No Plans is now available as an enhanced eBook. Available in the iTunes store, the enhanced eBook version of this our book features a read along with the author option, with audio of Jane Godwin reading aloud.

• I Don't Believe in Dragons is going to be translated into French! Hooray!

• The Kids Bookshop, a special project I worked on earlier this year. I was delighted to work on the illustrations for this online children's specialist bookstore, almost ready to be launched. Pop over to face book to have a look and I will keep you posted next week when the site is live!

Last week I heard a rustling in the letter box at the studio and thought it was probably another bill arriving. . . but on further investigation I discovered a BIG envelope full of lovely letters and drawings! The children in Prep at Coolangatta State School have been busy exploring Dragon adventures! I was beaming as I looked through them all. Thank you to the children for the special words and pictures, and to Mrs Jenny Waldon and Ms Caprice Schmida for sending the joyful bundle. I have pinned up the pictures next to where I paint, so that I can look at them while I work on my next book!

With the warm weather today and the public holiday it felt like Christmas time is here already.  The rain is coming down outside now and we are all pottering about the house after spending the day with friends. Last week we made the Christmas pudding which let the Christmas spirit trickle in.

In the studio I am very busy working on final paintings for a book, developing a storyboard for a new character, and completing some cards for the US.

As a reward for working so hard yesterday I let myself spend an hour on these little wooden houses which are from BLANK. They are not quite finished yet, but happy so far with the progress. I would dearly love to do a Christmas card but we shall see if I can find some time amongst the other projects calling my name.

And just a few other things that made me feel happy this week.

A beautiful review of Peggy.

Sparkly shoes

Traipsing around Fitzroy.

Christmas coming!

'Today We Have No Plans' has been officially launched! So many smiling faces gathered yesterday afternoon at Readings in Hawthorn to celebrate. Jane and I were thrilled with the event and even though we both felt nervous before hand, the afternoon was a lot of fun! Thank you to everyone for your support and kind words about the book. Alison Lester gave a wonderful speech and Jane's words brought tears to my eyes with her inspiration for the story being her family.

This morning the sun was shining and I felt so happy on my way into the studio with how yesterday went. After all the excitement sometimes it is hard to settle down into work but there are paintings calling quietly, so paints out and after over an hour of mixing colours I was ready to begin again.

'Tiger Walk' is one of the things I have been working on lately. It will be one of the artworks auctioned off, at the Carnivale exhibition in coming weeks.  I was inspired by the sleepy tiger at the Dubbo Zoo sunning himself in between blackened trees. Sometimes it is hard to find time to create work for an exhibition, but they are a wonderful opportunity to explore paths less travelled.

Over the last week I have been drawing, painting, writing, visiting Finders Keepers- happily looking at the colourful trinkets and treasures, chatting to friends about ideas and making plans for the launch of 'Today We Have No Plans'!