Hello, and Happy New Year for 2013! This space has rested for a while over Christmas and the summer holidays and is happy to be back now, ready for a shiny new year. I hope you have enjoyed some relaxing time with family and friends. We spent time at the beach, pottered about in the garden, went bike riding, walking, visiting and completed a giant puzzle! Among these adventures I have also been drawing and painting. The piece above is part of a poster promoting reading in May - so much fun to work on! There are other projects underway which I will gradually show further into the year, including a book which is coming out in September.

Our terrarium seems to be growing some tiny maiden hair ferns.

We have a tiny kitten arriving this week and I am knitting him a cushion.

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!

The kids and I amused ourselves by making these paper Peggies. A fun activity for a rainy day and very easy!

And if you are in the Melbourne this week check out the window display at The Little Bookroom in the city.

A friend recently sent me a picture of this flamboyant chicken who (originally from Perth) now lives in New York! Her name is 'Pittypat'. Peggy thinks Pittypat is her cousin. I think Peggy wants an excuse to visit New York! Either way she is beautiful and I thought you might like to see her finery too.

Can't wait for my 'feathered friend' workshop at Artplay on Sunday!

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!