Good turns all round

First, a big thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who rallied round and ordered cards after my little winge...I was overwhelmed by your kindness, and especially from other artists who I know are in the same leaky old freelance boat as myself. Thanks to you all, I will be able to get a new range of cards printed next year, hopefully without any silly mistakes. Nelliephant arrived and I have re-ordered a couple of designs which to my utter amazement sold out. I am now re-stocked and having a final push, capturing unwary friends and villagers with the cry 'have you bought your Christmas cards yet??"

I've been bunkered down, sorting out dreary admin-thingys and sorting out the small stuff of life. Waiting, like Billy Bunter, for a mythical publishing cheque (or in his case, a postal order) which only arrived last Friday. Thankfully we were given a generous load of wood by some kindly souls, who heard we were rummaging about in the forest for wood ends. A couple of weeks ago they turned up with smiling faces and a few sackloads of logs, leaving me quite speechless and on the verge of tears at such generosity.

After being given two brace of pheasant (shot this time, not roadkill) we were able to repay the good turn. We made them casserole ready - plucked, drawn, quartered and cleaned. Imagine us on a darkening, chilly November evening, reverting to caveman regime - Andy doing the macho, yukky business in the yard, me at the sink doing the womanly titivating and cleaning and Clover hovering in the dark, yellow owl eyes aglow, waiting for the main organs to be tossed her way, like a true cave-clan cat. So I was able to take a box of jointed pheasant and a jar of chutney to our good neighbours.

Eventually and in the nick of time, another illustration job has come in which will tide me over Christmas. Drawing is like any activity, if you don't do it for a while, you get rusty. For the last 3 weeks I have been sorting out Red Flannel Elephant amongst other things, and very little art work has been done. Getting going again, especially with a tight deadline, was like exercising lazy muscles. The first day I was in despair, convinced that I'd lost it forever. The next day I hid myself in research, always a good way to procrastinate with a clear conscience. I was getting a bit down in the dumps at my feebleness, and in the end, I bit the bullet, scribbled rubbish for a day and dragged my inner draughtsman out kicking and screaming. It's going ok so far.

My unexpected reward for perseverance was darling Andy buying me the dvd set of 'Planet Earth'. - he'd noticed my glumness and thought it would inspire me. Not having a television, we had no idea of what to expect, and I sat throught the first episode with my mouth literally open, stunned at the sheer magnificent glory of it all. I adore nature programmes, and it is the only drawback to not having a 'gogglebox' as my old dad used to call them. I am indeed inspired, and how lucky I am to have such a kind partner who notices when the grey clouds set in.

Tomorrow I am being visited by a fellow blogger, so I will have to fish out my best corduroys, brush my hair and try to remember the art of civilised conversation. We may go to the woods and there might be cake...

How not to set up a business

Sometimes I think my brain should be replaced by a large spongoid fungus...perhaps a giant puffball, or a morel...just lift this one out, it doesn't function very well, especially not nowadays, and pop t'other in. You can recycle the old one, if the council men will take it.
I am not very good at business-like-things. Dang me, it's not as if I had oodles of money to waste on stupid mistakes. I thought it was all going so well...my new cards uploaded to my printers and winging their way back to me, ready to be packed up and sent to happy customers everywhere. The first boxes arrived - very pleased. Very nice repro. Good colour matching. Glad I chose that font, it looks just right. The next batch arrived - very pleased. Very nice repro. Good colour matching. Glad I - oh. Bugger. Double bugger. Triple bugger in a marmalade sandwich. How the Devil did I manage to do that...

This finding coincided with a small painting commission, which just about covered the cost of reprinting the offending articles. Never let it be said that I aim to make profit where breaking even can be achieved. Now, knowing how popular the 'Three Kings' design is, I thought I'd be show some business savvy and splash my last pennies on getting 250 printed. We are talking very small print runs here, you won't find RFE cards in Clintons. And just 100 of Nellliephant, play it safe. Good, that's that sorted. I was a bit puzzled though, when only 100 'Kings' arrived, a week later. Maybe they were sending them in batches? Then a box of 250 'Kings' arrived too...I had of course, reordered the 'Kings' twice. Time to reorder. Again. So now I am just waiting for 'Nelliephant' mark 3 to come trumpety trumping through the jungle, as it were. How do I manage it? Am I some kind of genius?

"I know I left it here somewhere..."

So, as usual, my cash flow is pretty much stuffed, and we are foraging in the woods for firewood until my last cheque gets here, then I can buy a proper load from the men who cut down trees. Ah well, it gets us out of the house; we LIKE the woods, hurrah! But I am about to sacrifice my best paintbrush to the Gods of illustration in the hopes they will send me a job.

Moaning aside, there have been some lovely pink fluffy moments...not least a kind fairy godmother putting in a large card order today, which has helped enormously. (THANK YOU!) Times like this you realise who your friends are, and one day, with luck, I'll be able to see this as just a learning curve.

At last, after much mutual worrying, some SOSF booty has arrived...belated but enchanting, these teeny tiny origami cards, a little late for Hallowe'en, but it does not matter one bit. They are mind bogglingly bijou...

(Sooz, confess, you are only inches high, aren't you? How else could you get those little folds so perfectly creased?)

And after many weeks swimming their way round the globe, beautiful cards and fairy dust from sweet Miss Robyn, (you can breathe easy now MR, it arrived safely after all!)

So in the grand tradition of 'if life gives you lemons, make lemonade', I am off to make - appropriately enough - fairy cakes. With rainbow sprinkles. Next week is shiny new and waiting to be filled. Watch this space.

Cards in particular

Many months ago, when this blog was cutting its first teeth and dribbling down its bib, I was working on a commission from Disney UK which, for confidentiality reasons I wasn't able to write about. This is how slowly these things can take. It is a year and a half since I was summoned, half quaking, half thrilled, to their offices in London, and only this week have I been sent the first cards, designed and printed by the card company - Gemma International - who licensed my designs. As I was working under the stern pencil of the chief 'Pooh' artist, most of the work was not my own. But hopefully the flavour of my style has crept through - that was the idea, anyway. I believe they are now on sale at all good branches of Woolworths and 'other outlets'. Possibly supermarket sections. Ah well, it's it's all gravy, as Andy likes to say.

Moving way down the greetings card foodchain, I have finished the last two designs for the first Red Flannel Elephant Christmas range. Many, many thanks to my blog friends at 'Magpie Magic', 'On the Blossom Trail' and 'Natural Attrill' for plugging them so wonderfully and linking to the site. Now I am waiting for the first printed batches to come thudding on the doorstep.

'Three French Hens'

'Elebauble'

Another card of a more ethereal nature has popped into my inbox - another Society Of Secret Fairies event, with the most gorgeous invitation by my lovely friend Maya, who is the acting admin fairy for this one. To apply, please visit the SOSF blog. This does not signify the absolute end of the autumn event, and we hope that if you and your fairy match liked each other you will continue to keep in contact.

Almost unseasonal

Finding myself unemployed and almost penniless, I have actually managed to design a set of three Christmas images in time for the season. Nearly. Just one more to go. I'm going to be getting these printed up into bijou cards, and will be selling in sets of 6 and 12, so watch this space. Let me know if you'\re interested. They'll be no more than 6 UK pounds ($11.00 US) for a pack of 12 with envelopes and all, and three UK pounds ($5.50 US) for a pack of six. This is the start of my little card company I dreamt of a few years ago, Red Flannel Elephant - next year I'll be going full-wing.

'Three Kings'

'Angel Cat'

Due to a wave of nasty recurring headaches, (trepanning anyone?) I've been off the old PC for a bit. So apologies to my favourite blogs, if I haven't been round or commented. They are starting to clear up now, so normal service will resume shortly.