Gah!! It's been so long since I blogged anything but hey better late than never right? 
The month of May has so far been absolutely dismal weather-wise so I have fully drenched myself in glorious colours for the Pattern-A-Day May Project #patternadaymay over on Instagram http://instagram.com/weirdzebra/ . 

I've based this month on digital patterns (using of course Serif DrawPlus) and although I am actually missing using my sketch books I am really loving the variety of patterns and the ease and speed which I can create and replicate them. I've had some lovely comments as well which is so encouraging.

I am seriously needing to get to grips with Spoonflower as some of these patterns would make for some great quirky fabrics, wallpapers or gift wraps. 

I've also had some really great ideas for other goodies but I can't tell you yet because it's all a surprise... definitely watch this 'multi-coloured' space!!

Spent last evening creating Facebook pages pages for both Cowshed Art Courses and Cowshed Holidays Bed & Breakfast. 

There is still a fair amount of work to do but I have created the cover pictures and profile pictures for both pages using Serif Drawplus. These are based on the spotty cow logo and I have used the same fonts (Maiandra and Youngsook) as on the other promotional work and main websites so as to keep to the overall 'look and feel' the same.

ericka eckles makes beautiful comtemporary hand sewn gifts using vintage fabrics and threads giving her items a wonderful nostalgic charm. I've recently been editing photos and updating the gallery page on the ericka eckles website with some of the commission pieces which she has produced. 

The website is managed through Gandi which I have found to be rather complicated and actually had to delete all the original gallery work I had done and instead add in a widget for a carousel which is now working fine.

There is a link on the ericka eckles website to her Folksy shop where you can see lots more items and maybe treat yourself, or someone you love, to a little something special.

I'm having this week off work as holiday. I'm not going away anywhere as I was planning on having a good sort out of things at home. Instead I found a scarf which I had started knitting a few years ago and had put aside unfinished, well I picked it up again and while watching a couple of films managed to get it finished... it's one of those soft fluffy yarns (like frayed ribbon) in a jewel bright pink and purple blend. It took just 4 x 50g, balls, cast on 35 in plain knitting, and I used large 9mm knitting needles so it has a light lacy feel.
I found another 4 balls in a blue and green blend so gonna knit that up today!
I also found up a ball of I-cording... I was planning to re-knit that up as a scarf (wow that would be seriously chunky) but I've decided instead to make some massive knitting needles from dowling and knit up a blanket!! That may take me some time.

There's going to be an open exhibition at a local gallery 8th - 26th September. An artist friend suggested I enter a couple of pieces and I have been much encouraged by my ceramics tutor Viv. Of course I'm only a beginner but I'm thinking it might be fun to see what other people think. The only trouble now is choosing which two pieces to submit!

Recently I thought I'd have a go at creating some body art... temporary tattoos. Sometimes I do children's face painting and body art at local fetes, parties, bazaars etc. I have previously always used commercially bought ones but I was never happy with the designs which came as standard and just wanted to create something with my own style.

I have sourced and purchased specialist paper online (you can get it suitable for either laser or inkjet printers) and created a small range of designs using Serif DrawPlus (you might recognise some of the designs used from other projects!!). I've yet to get these printed up but when I do I'll let you know if they're successful. 

Well this is just a quickie post testing out my new Weebly app installed on my iPod... How nifty is this?? Now I can check my site and update on the go wherever I'm connected!! YAY!!

A quick, fun little job for a chocolate shop in Bungay, Suffolk.  70mm x 40mm Label for a stick of rock. 
There are many tales (or tails) of black dogs in Suffolk folklore and Black Shuck is the famous dog around these parts. I created a silhouette image of a running dog and roughened the outline. I toyed with the idea of blood red eyes but decided against those as it didn't really work for me.
I had originally gone for a more spiky font... Blood Omen (seemed appropriate I thought), then thought maybe something a little less scary such as Viner Hand before finally settling on old faithful Cooper Black (after all we don't want to prevent children from buying it). I can't wait to see the final result printed up and wrapped around those sticky treats!!