When the clock strikes four..

The 'Girls Who Draw' are planning an new exhibition at The Solihull Arts Complex at the beginning of April. The show will be a follow up to the 'Magic' postcard book which came out last year.

This week I've been printing the 'Magic Brew' illustration, which was included in the book. I've made a very small edition, and am working on a printed box, continuing to use found and recycled objects for printing and painting. Simon found a great selection of tree shaped wooden bowls at the Malvern Flea last weekend- and these are being painted ready for the show too.
The new edition will be called 'Everything Stops For Tea' , and will be on the website very soon!

Waking from Winter

I've been ignoring my allotment recently. It's either raining, or I have a cold- excuses, excuses. February seems to do everything it can to make me hate being outdoors. But it won't win!

I've been reading the two volume opus that is 'Tender' by Nigel Slater. It has had the effect of making me put on my wellies and start dealing with the wasteland which is plot 51. Amazing what the prospect of a home grown asparagus tart can do.
Anyway, as you can see, it looks a bit unloved, but there are signs of stirring. The rhubarb is beginning to show through. I cleared up the patch, and was very pleased to notice that the alpine strawberries are really beginning to get a hold here.

I spent a couple of hours tidying, and found some spuds and parsnips to bring home. The salads and broad beans are starting in the greenhouse too. Oh, and garlic!

Maybe it's not so bad after all.

Favourite Flowers

I've just finished watching the Carol Klein series that's been on over the last few weeks. It was so inspiring to see the changes that happened at Glebe Cottage from the deepest Winter to the peak of Summer. It gives me hope that the mudbath that passes for a garden at the back of our house might actually be green and lush again in a few months.

I've been making some drawings of my all-time favourite plants, and making prints from them. Here's the first one of 'Cornflowers', it will be on the website soon.

Advance Copies of Noisy Neighbours- A little peek!

Here's a little look at some of the images in my new book! I got the advance copies last week, and very excited I was too!
The official release date will be March 14th, pre orders can be made at Amazon

Witch Hazel

The Witch Hazels have been flowering for over a week now. This has to be one of my all-time favourite plants. It is the first to flower, beating even the snowdrops, and the scent is so wonderful it can stop you in your tracks.

This one is Hamamelis 'Pallida', which Emma got for me 2 or 3 years ago. Pale yellow flowers, and, the BEST scent of all of its group. It's been confined to a pot, but hasn't seemed to mind too much. My plan is to make an early flowering bed at the front of the house, with two or three of these taking the centre stage.

I got a small 'Orange Beauty' from Badger Nurseries at the weekend- a bargain at £5.49. The flowers are darker than Pallida, it's also very fragrant.

Inspired by Carol Klein and her passion for propagating plants, I took a few cuttings from 'Pallida' last year. I didn't expect them to take at all, but they are still alive, and have buds. Both of the plants that I have are grafted, so I've no idea what I will get from my cuttings! What fun!

Lovebirds

This week has seen a bit of experimenting with different materials. I've been thinking about different objects and surfaces that I could print or paint on. It's been absolutely ages since I did any painting. This little wooden cheese board offered itself up in a charity shop- and being vaguely tree shaped, it seemed like an open invite.

Anyway, it feels good to stretch those muscles again, and I'm planning to adapt the subject of this painting into a print edition. My new exposure unit arrived last week, so more experimental fun coming soon!