our trip to Norway

In

2012 is a big year for our family, my folks 50th wedding anniversary, my lovely Fran's 21st birthday, and fast approaching my 50th! (eek!) so we all went on an amazing cruise to the Norwegian fiords....breathtaking scenery and some beautiful stops in Bergen and Stavanger.....

I have been working on a set of illustrations for the Little Red Riding hood which is probably the most illustrated fairytale that ever was!....has nt made it any easier though,- I have drawn the images, scanned them into the computer and then using illustrator programme I have added the colour....

I have just returned from he most amazing 3 days in Paris! I went to visit the fabulous Maison et Objet Fair which was as wonderful as everyone had told me...then a couple of mad hours racing round Paris in sweltering sunshine then in pouring rain. A delightful lunch with Sam - La Petite Violette in a superb cafe in the Rue des Rosiers was the icing on the cake! We even squeezed in a whirlwind trip to the Musee D'Orsay....stunning

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puzzle ball

have just made this puzzle ball out of scraps of gingham...took me all evening to figure out a pattern and then to make it up, but the result is a very tactile and groovy, squishy ball that children can throw, squash or simply dribble all over...

Oh dear this poor blog is being neglected as the day job, the evening job and then the extra part time job eat up all my time....will try to post some more creative bits soon...in the meantime, despite having too much to do, I sneaked off to Oxford with my fabulous BBC chums for some overdue inspiration and enlightenment! Christine took me o the amazing Pitt Rivers Museum, what a treat, and how come I have never seen it before...V&A eat your heart out.....( the reason they are both pulling such funny faces is that it was pouring with rain!!!

Our annual pilgrimage to the RA summer Exhibition...requested this year by our eldest....funny to think we used to drag her around art galleries kicking and screaming when she was little.....and this year there were a fair few bunnies in the publics' paintings! Top Hats snapped in Jermyn street...love London...

Had to share this all with you...Youngest son turns out to be a great painter! not bad for a 15 year old who says he does nt want to do art!!