Our primary school has an art show each year and I have spent the last while creating these prints for the gift shop. I have also painted some original artworks for the show (some of which have been used to create the prints), and I will show you the paintings once they return from the framers this week, hopefully in time for the exhibition art recieval!

Fred is enjoying the Autumn sunlight this weekend. He is a friendly soul who loves a cuddle and is known to be up on the bench in a flash searching for crumbs at any opportunity. We say 'Oh Freddy!'

There is one more larger print that I have framed and will be on standby.

The title is 'The Unexpected Truth'

In the heat of the evening I am finally writing some of the things that have been happening over the last month or so. Last week I received some excited messages from friends telling me that one of my books (written by Jane Godwin) was on The Block! Beautifully placed on the bedside table in the Children's bedroom that won that evening. The second time in the space of two weeks that I have had a book on television. There was a children's show reading 'I Don't Believe in Dragons' in the morning recently. It is great fun to see the books out on their adventures!

In other news the wonderful illustrator Sonia Kretschmar has painted a portrait of me for The Archibald Prize. The painting is called 'Basement Bird'. I was honoured and a bit overwhelmed when Sonia asked if I would sit for the painting. It has been an amazing and strange experience being the subject of an image but I am delighted with the result. Looking at the painting is like stepping into part of my imagination. Over here you can see the fascinating way Sonia creates the layers of the painting. Fingers crossed the painting makes it into the final exhibition!

Today was spent giving the studio an end of summer clean. I painted the floor again and it looks so clean and white, all ready for a busy day in the studio on Monday. My Frankie calendar is hanging up to remind me of some of my new year's resolutions. I have begun a course in Adobe Illustrator (improving my computer skills was one of my resolutions!). It has been a good start to the year and I am looking forward to the weather cooling down a little and beginning some new projects.

'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'!

Lately I have been busy preparing for some exciting events in the coming months. . .

26th August:  - Birds of a Feather Artplay, Fed Square (tickets now Sold Out)

1st Sepmember 4pm - 5pm:  Launch of 'Peggy' at The Little Book Room Carlton North

15th September 10.30 - 11.30: 'Making Paper Peggys', children's workshop at Readings Hawthorn

15th October 11pm-12pm: Reading and booksigning at Hill of Content Melbourne

15th October 2pm - 4pm: Painting and booksigning with Books Illustrated at Fed Square in the Atrium!

28th October 2.30pm - 3.30pm: Launch of 'Today We Have No Plans' by Jane Godwin and illustrated by me, at Readings Hawthorn

During this time too, I will be releasing a new special range of prints which will be available from Books Illustrated after the 1st September.

Would love to see you at one, some or even all of them!

It was a quiet weekend with the clouds and the rain keeping us close to home, spending treasured time with the family.

In contrast Monday arrived, along with a friends' puppy which we are babysitting for a few days. From the minute the puppy arrived it has been very busy. 'Sunshine' our labrador taught the puppy to swim in the pond within minutes of arriving. Fortunately I saw the golden haired pup scrambling among the goldfish and pulled her dripping to safety! (The pond is now safely covered!) Not long after, I discovered our wayward bunny had escaped, and this time from our yard. In between making sure puppy was going to the toilet outside, I hear a knock at the door and let in a very kind lady with a miserable looking rabbit tucked under her arm! Flopsy was up the street, if rabbits could only talk . . . We bundle Flopsy into a towel and pop her safely in the chook house. I can't believe I didn't think of putting her in with the chook before now. The chook and rabbit are so happy together they are even sharing apple cores (this makes me laugh!). And the chook house (made by my clever dad) is light, warm and has room to jump around! Perfect.

Sunshine and the puppy have been capering around in our muddy back yard most of the day - and dancing in the rain. I had to give Puppy a bath and make her warm and dry again this afternoon. As a result of all of this, I have not been doing much work but there has been much wagging of tails!