have you got your Christmas cards yet?

Last year, I made this card as my personal one to send to friends and family. Now, it's in my shop ready for you to send out to your own loved ones! It's a very cheerful card, lovingly illustrated with a festive cupcake... topped with snowy white icing, and adorned with a string of red...

adding a bit of festive cheer to our home

This morning, the wreath I'd ordered a while ago arrived. And it's so beautiful! I got it from Casa and Flores, a small UK business. It was required to prevent people from using the knocker in addition to the bell, but also to have a lovely thing welcoming guests in the festive season. The wreath...

the ugly stage of art

The reason I never show clients artwork in progress is because it's pretty ugly. These two pieces are in the middle stages... I've done the base coat on the dogs, and a little more detail on the cat, but both are unfortunately looking quite scary at the moment! Half-finished pet portraits can look pretty creepy!...

a mini art haul…

To paint the bisque blank baubles I purchased (see my last post), I made a few purchases from ny favourite shop, Jackson's Art*. My mini art supply haul! I had run out of fluid medium, so got some more of that. Bisque fired clay requires something that will adhere well to its porous surface, and...

a very exciting delivery of bauble blanks

I've finally managed to find ceramic bisque bauble blanks that are made in the UK! In Dorset, to be specific. They might be a little late for this year, but it's next year I'm planning for. There are three different shapes and I will be experimenting with acrylic paint as well as gouache on them....

having someone purchase my work via my instagram was exhilarating

A total stranger commented on one of my Instagram posts today. They realy liked the print I showcased and wanted to know how to purchase it. So I replied, saying they could either tap on the Instagram post to view the tagged products and buy that way, or click through to my profile and purchase...

i made a very happy mess today

Making a mess doesn't come naturally to me. Having stuff all over the place has always bothered me, and I constantly clean as I work, whether I'm painting or cooking or sewing or anything else, in fact. All my bits and bobs on the table, instead of putting them away as I go. Yes, this...

sometimes it’s simple to find tools to use for your art

I've been seeing a lot of posts lately about ceramic palettes, or even ones that are handmade, with artists bemoaning how expensive they are, and how they can't afford them. Last night, our dinner provided us with a simple solution, that reminded me of something... You need not purchase the best of everything in order...

seedheads really inspire me to do more nature journaling

There are beautiful shapes and such depth in seedheads at this time of year. It's so tempting to pick them and take them home, but I only bring back things that have already fallen off the plants. The colours change, too, every day when I pass them. And they warp and shrink too. Nature is...

visual art in hospitals massively reduces my stress levels

Today, for what feels like the millionth time, I had an appointment at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead. If you're a longtime follower, you'll know why, so I won't go into it now save to say that I have chronic health issues which necessitates this. Usually, I only see art in the main corridors...

this is not a ‘pretty’ sketchbook tour

Hi everyone, welcome to my new sketchbook tour! A quick tour of my Strathmore Artist Tiles sketchbook, filled with pencil, markers and gouache. I showed you how I filled the last pages of this one in a previous video post, and here's the full tour. Enjoy! You can also watch on and subscribe to my...

postcards are art too

Postcards are mini prints. If you forget about the name, and just think of them as small but beautiful pieces of art, you'll realise that they're ideal to put in a frame. And that frame can go anywhere. Lemon postcard in a frame Because they're small, they fit in inexpensive, small frames, which are lightweight....

it’s so nice to receive a lovely review!

I received a very lovely addition to my reviews page today, for a print that was purchased back in the summer of this year. The customer is very happy with her print, and it's so lovely to hear that! Here's the review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Lovely colourful kitchen printsI really like my 'topsy-turvy kitchen' print from Arati. It's...

studio vlog #5, behind the scenes again

Hi everyone! Here's my new studio vlog! Another month full of art, chat, packing orders and visiting art shops in London! Enjoy! You can also watch on and subscribe to my YouTube channel. There are subtitles available, and the transcript is below if you need to read as well as watch. I'd love to hear...

the van Gogh experience

Somehow, I never did get around to sharing my visit to the van Gogh experience in Spitalfields, London. There was a rather small and not very good quality selection of digital prints of the artist's work. Explanation of the series with a small selection of works printed on canvas The display and some of the...

my dad is a true marshmallow

This beautiful quote really sums up my lovely dad... This past weekend, it has been nine years since he gave me a second chance at life along with one of his his own kidneys. That's why I thought sharing my painting of this Richelle E Goodrich quote was particularly appropriate. Share your favourite quote that's...

the pros and cons of commissioned work

Hello! I've finished the Fish Pie recipe illustration you might have spotted in my vlogs and here is the full process! I'm also having a chat about commissioned work and why I love to do it. You can also watch on and subscribe to my YouTube channel. There are subtitles available, and the transcript is...

a work in progress

Unfinished work. How rarely we artists show this stage of our process on social media! I, like others, am definitely guilty of preferring a pretty grid to one filled with work in progress. Painting a Christmas card idea And yet, a lot of my pieces are the most interesting in this stage. There are so...

painting my Sculpd air dry clay pieces

Hi everyone! I got this kit for Christmas 2020 from my family. In this video I'm showing you what I made with it. Don't forget to keep an eye open for part II coming soon, in which I'll paint the pieces in gouache and acrylic! Hit that like button if you enjoyed it, and subscribe...

old work i still love today

A long, long time ago, I can still remember when pastels used to make me... SMILE! Well, they still do now... this is a 2004 painting 'Feather and Egg' I made using oil pastels (Pentel, I think) and it's a piece I still really love today. Feather and Egg pastel painting Thankfully I still have...