Oh Chrimble Tree, oh Chrimble Tree

It's a that time again. Decorations clambering to make it near the top of the tree, lights twinkling, mince pies calling your name several times in one hour and the not knowing what to buy Aunt Betty other than a bumper bag of Murray Mints and a bath bomb.

Oh i do love christmas. It's the time when i see lots of smiles from family and friends, which makes me glow rather a lot.

Today i received my first christmas card and it's beautiful. It was created by the artist Faye Durston. Her style is reminiscent of the great Arthur Rackham and a couple of others whose names aren't coming to my mind at the moment. I love the colour use and pencil work. I sit there wondering if i am doing the right thing when i see Faye's work!! (Brain settle down).

Here's something i'm working on at the moment for Egmont (above - can anybody tell me how to insert the image between paragraphs please?), another rough but still i'm enjoying the pencil work. Quite a journey for me as there was a time when i hated using pencil, i mean REALLY HATED it. I used to use architects blue pencil to draw (still do) but refused flatly to use leaded pencil. I think being on the M.A with so many students who could draw so well (Faye and Cass in particular), really made me step back and realise i needed to improve on something that i didn't think i could actually improve on. But the last few months i have been perservering and trying very hard to accomplish at least a few roughs from my practicing. I like what i have done and feel chuffed when i look at it (although getting wonderful cards through the post doesn't help my confidence...lol).

Well who knows where my practicing will take me eh? Just have to 'keep on, keeping on'. tis a bit lonely though being an illustrator who practically lives in her studio. I need to get out more. Now where's that mince pie making group, i need inside information. Amen.