100 Happy Days!

Ok, so I've been doing this project for, surprisingly, the last 100 days. There's a site you can sign up to here: 100 Happy Days for more information. Basically, you choose something each day that has made you happy, take a photo and pop it online. People have asked me whether it's felt contrived, but do you know what? I've flipping loved it. Here are some hits:

My friends in London town. Miss you Luke Marsh.

 Got my braces off, it was a beautiful warm, sunny day and my mate The Bird drove me to an amazing garden centre, complete with tiny train track! Bought a bbq and it pissed it down every day since. Soz about that.

 Gorgeous day in the Lake District, met a new pal, Arne.

 Best Easter ever with family, my awesome sister Catherine and her lovely husband Simon. Love you guys.

Ella's birthday curry, laughing so hard I thought my belly would burst. Mega amounts of love for these berks.

It's been so nice, man! I've thought about things that will make me happy, made an effort to get out and about, make plans and be a generally joyous bastardo. Some days I've been spoilt for choice about what will make the cut, others have been slim pickings, but it's really made me think about what makes me happy, so thank you for: friends, family, being with people, drawing, dancing, music, living joyfully, celebrating, loving, laughing, running, being ridiculous, choices, gratitude. Pow. Do it. I've had a really nice reaction to this project, despite my fears that I'd do everyones nuts in with smugness. Ta dudes.

This is one of my favourite songs, ever. I can't get enough love.

Here is my genuinely happy face! Fanks Birdy! (just out of shot is my 'Happy' necklace that Cath sent me, because she's a babe) xxx

World Fair Trade Day

This seems like a timely post prompt for a spot of bigging up my business! World Fair Trade Day. I did a lot of research into ethical fashion while studying for my Masters in Textiles at MMU and as a result all of my baby wear is organic cotton and fair trade. I have a couple of suppliers that I use, Continental Clothing and Mantisworld, so you can check out their credentials! The thought of producing a lot of stuff that is destined for landfill does not sit easily with me, I think we should be careful in our choices and buy less, spend more on good quality items that will last, rather than buying up loads of things that have been made in terrible conditions by people earning a pittance. I know this is not always easy and I have been guilty in the past of shopping at Primark! Shame on me.

Anyway, I try in my own small way to be a Good Egg. As all my stuffs are hand printed in little batches, there is minimal environmental impact too. Winner!

 Printing Grumpy Bears in my studio in Manchester

Motivation

Sometimes I find it very hard to get motivated. I'm quite disorganised and also suffer from bouts of anxiety and depression, which make it hard for me to get started on things. I have lots of ideas, get hyper-excited by projects and then start to worry that the end product will be rubbish. The best way for me to work is little and often, then my brain feels sustained and ideas will flow almost effortlessly. I need to let go of the idea of perfection in order to be happy. It's all progress, it's all just a game.

I'm not really motivated by money, I just want to make things. But I need money in order to buy materials to make those things and also to have a nice time, which I do enjoy. Basically, I've got it pretty easy, some might say too easy!

Collaborating is a great way to stay motivated, I recently completed a project with my friends Rachel (Lines Form Spaces) and Lindsey (Lindsey Vigurs Illustration). They started Draw A Letter a Day and I gegged in on it for the numbers. Thanks ladies, more of this in the future, please!

Draw a letter a day project. Number 0.

Think 2 was my fave.

Sketchbook experiments keep the ideas a-coming.

Local History Month

I live in Chorlton, a suburb of South Manchester. It's very nice and I feel extremely fortunate to live here.
A few groovy things about Chorlton - Cosgrove Hall used to be based here and I know a couple of people who worked there on various animations, notably the lovely Andrea Lord of &made and Luke Marsh.
I once queued up behind Bez at the fishmongers. He was buying salmon. Badly Drawn Boy once nearly mowed me and my friend down in his car.

Aside from that, I don't really know that much about the history of the area. There's a really beautiful park about 10 minutes away from my house called Longford Park, which was founded by John Rylands of John Rylands Library fame. He used to live in a big old grand house which he built, it's no longer there, just an archway remains. I like to go running there, it's so pretty, birds a-plently to be spotted. There's also a gym and athletics track, where I have spent many a painful hour being shouted at and doing multiple weak lunges. My house is very close to Chorlton Ees too, great for walking, running and cycling. You can get to Dunham Massey and Lymm via the Trans Pennine Trail, it's flipping great!

 The canal at Stretford.

River Mersey.

Chorlton Water Park last Summer.

Gadgets

This blogging prompt doesn't really fill me with passion. Although I have to admit to loving my phone, it's a bit of a double-edged sword. I spend too much time mindlessly checking various social networks, which distracts me from the job in hand of how to be brilliant success and lead a fulfilling life. Having too much 'stuff' makes me feel panicked. I like to feel free. My mind is already filled with loads of clutter, I don't need to add to that by buying up loads of crap. I'd rather have experiences than possessions.

That said, you're not keeping the fucking Gaggia.

Passion Projects

The title of this post is Passion Projects - what do you love and would like to make money from. Well, I do love what I do and get a lot of satisfaction from working for myself and being able to be creative every day. That said, I am giving myself some time this Summer to work more on things that are completely non-commercial. I love all my little creatures and critters, but sometimes I think I would be quite happy never to print another lion bib ever again.

I have been working on some geometric drawings and while I'm not really sure at this point where I'm going with them, I've had a really nice reaction and feel excited to develop them over the coming months. A lot of the dot work drawings take several hours each to complete and I love that intensity of work, focusing my usually pretty scattered attention and really zoning in on them. I've been posting these up online and have been asked by a friend to design him a tattoo, so that's a promising start!

Dotwork octagon

Dotwork mandala

Cinco de Mayo

I have family in Mexico and am lucky enough to have visited for a couple of weeks back when I was a teenager. My Auntie moved there years ago and lives in Irapuato, Central Mexico. I absolutely loved it, I have a big extended family over there, which I adored as I come from quite a small family. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming, we got along great despite the language barrier. We travelled around a bit and visited Mexico City as well as Cancun and the temples of Tulum. Many iguanas were spotted and much delicious food was consumed. I'd love to go back there, it's such a beautiful country. Much love to Tia Margaret and Tio Pedro!

Image from Beers and Beans

I just found a few photos I took while I was there, but frankly they are too crap for human consumption, so I've swiped this one of Tulum from elsewhere.

This is a 4 piece lino cut print I did at school, inspired by drawings I did while away. It's a 2 colour print, using reduction technique. It's about A3 in size. I had another version in a better, more juicy, colour way, but I can't find it! Such is the life of an obsessive maker and hoarder of STUFF.