30.10.06

Holiday from home

So, that was quite a relaxing (and cheap) week's holiday. No painting, no blogging. Andy started a new vegetable patch...



We found some of my Pooh cards at Woolworths...


Spend an afternoon wandering the woods in search of edible mushrooms...


(Yes we do know what we are doing and no, we don't eat anything which we cannot identify 100%. Never pick anything you are not sure about).

And finally, the boring but necessary business of updating my website and organising a big mail out before we are forced into the poorhouse. One of the less glamorous sides of being freelance, punting out for work.





Don't forget to add your piece to Daisy Lupin's Giant Hallowe'en Story Circle, appearing for one magical month here. Looks like Daisy's written another humdinger of a story, which I am saving for tomorrow night, to read when the lights are low and the wind is moaning softly down the chimney...


14 comments:

Joanna said...

I'm trying to pluck up courage to go mushroom foraging. I have an old illustrated book which is lovely but after look at your link to river cottage tempted to get the book they recommand, not sure. Its so exciting seeing your cards in a shop. Glad you had a lovely week off.

Soozcat said...

Mm, amateur mycology! Delish! I have a great field guide to North American edible mushrooms which I've not yet had the chance to use. Its best advice seems to be, "If you don't know, let it go." Guess it's better to be circumspect than poisoned any day.

How fun to see your cards for sale! (How ironic, too, that Woolworth's -- which began as an American five-and-dime store -- has completely died out in America, but lives on in England. The last Woolworth's store in Provo, Utah closed when I was a high school freshman. Rather sad, really.)

Cathy said...

I discovered that I had honey fungus in my garden a few years ago. It's munching its way through the undergrowth. I felt the need to get something positive out of this negative situation, so I did a painting on the theme, and then discovered that the fruiting bodies are actually edible. I'm waiting for the little blighters to stick their honey-coloured heads over the parapet, and then I'm, then I'm ... going to HAVE them ...

joanna said...

I have been sorely tempted to go foraging, but my knowledge of fungi is so pitiful that it would be an extremely unwise undertaking at this moment in time!! How lovely to find your cards at Woolworths - I will have a secret smile to myself if I spot some next time I'm there; in my eyes, having your illustrations on cards at Woolworths constitutes fame! Wishing you lots of good fortune, a flurry of work, and some solid contacts from your mailings :)

tlchang said...

Blogger just ate the comment I tried to leave...

Published work out in the world! Wild mushrooms! Vacation! All sounds fabulous.

And how cool does your mailout look? Fabulous examples of your lovely work done up in stylish packaging. I'm sure they will be appreciated on their receiving end.

Someday I will get to update my website as well...

Lisa Oceandreamer Swifka said...

Are you taking orders?
I'm glad you were able to get a bit of R&R to just BE.
XOXO

natural attrill said...

Hi G, the postcards look so good with that middle band you have made, very professional. Good luck!
P.x

Sara Garrard said...

How do you know where to start with your big mail outs?!

Sometimes a weeks holiday at home is more restful and satisfying than a week away! I could do with one off work, all those paint jobs that cant be done over two days are still waiting a year after moving in!

Sara

Jo Bling said...

Lovely site PG (said one children's illustrator to another). Particularly amused by your pheasant escapades! :-D Found my way here via your post on Qurios blog. Notice you have Brambly Hedge down as heroes - I've met Jill and was lucky enough to do some work on one of the animated films.

CJ

Becky said...

Hooray for finding the Pooh cards! Your postcards look wonderful, I hope they bring in lots of interesting and lucrative work, I should be doing the same too rather than looking for boring temp work. Ah well, maybe both is possible.

What an amazing array of colours the mushrooms are, hungry now...

Gail said...

Well done on the fungi foray, they look lovely - I'm not brave enough although I guess I could learn.

Oooh, I envy you a week at home ... we always go away when I have time off work as I have a limited amount of time off and my boyfriend's main interest (fossil hunting) area is up the line in Yorkshire. I just feel I have so much I want / need to do at home without the pressures of my 9to6!

The mail out looks great - I want one!! ;) Goodluck with that, hope it brings in lots of work for you!

I must remember to have a look in Woolworths for your cards - I do love Winnie the Pooh ... and it's great to be able to say "I know the person who did those!"! ;)

Stephanie Roth Sisson said...

How exciting! Sending your cards out into the world where more people will get to see the waonderful, unique, charming work you do!

Joanna said...

Just worked out I must have the same mushroom book. I'm going to go out at the weekend and identify maybe not pick yet. I wish it had all the simailar inedible mushrooms on the page for comparison. Thankyou for spuring me on to reread it and hopefully pluck up courage

Pea said...

Hi,
Your postcards look beautiful- hope they get you lots of work. Please could you tell me where you get them printed? I love the rounded corners- really complements the softness of your work.