The final post for 2013

Helloo friends!
I'm excited today because its my last day of work before a whole week off and as i've been working my butt off recently this couldn't come soon enough.
As this blog post will be my last this year, I wish you all a very happy Christmas and an awesome 2014. Before signing off though I have a piece of work fresh from the sweatshop to show you.

I mentioned a few posts ago that Fiona Pullen from The Sewing Directory commissioned me to make a blog banner for a new website which will accompany a book to be published next year called 'Craft A Creative Business'. Fiona asked for a banner which would incorporate visual elements representing both crafting and business so after a few sketches I came up with this early draft of an idea:

Then after much re-drawing, refining and colouring the final product was finished. In the end two finished banners were produced because when the design was first being drafted we were not sure of the exact dimensions, so the initial one was done at 800 pix by 250 pix and the final one tweaked for the site was 1000pix by 200pix.
So here they are -

Had lots of fun designing these, thanks Fiona! Once the site is up and running I will put a link up on the blog.

See you in 2014 & have a good one :)

Character designs: Ali and Ollie

Around a week or so ago I was directed by lovely & supportive fellow Twitterer @janetedavis to a fantastic opportunity run over on Northumberland National Parks website.  The organisation put a call out for an illustrator to create characters for their website & printed material and of course I jumped at the chance to submit something. Was over the moon to find out about the call as it as right up my street and without the 'heads up' from Janet, i would never have known. So many thanks @janetedavis!
To help with the selection process illustrators were asked to submit a design for a female, outdoorsy, adventurous & approachable character with an animal partner in crime, preferably one native to North East England.
They received loads of submissions and unfortunately I was not the chosen illustrator but despite this i'm still really glad I took part; creating the character was really fun, plus its another one for the portfolio. Congratulations to the whoever was picked!

I was hoping to share these images with you last Friday but only finished them on Monday so instead here they are now. I decided to name the character Adventure Ali and Ollie Otter.

Happy Friday. I'll be off to town this week to battle the crowds and finish the last of the Christmas shopping. Byee!