Print, Print As Fast As You Can...

...You can't catch me because I'm the Gingerbread Man! I've printed another batch of these bad boys and they certainly are tricky little fellows to get right. The registration has to be fairly accurate added to which printing metallics is difficult because they tend to block the screen mesh quicker than regular inks. Probably not the best thing to print on a hot summers day.

Good Enough To Eat

I was wondering what to do with a stack of lovely yellow recycled card I ordered a while ago. Finally I decided to reprint my old 'Cakes Versus Fruit' design which was originally produced as a gocco print. It is true to say that 'Cakes Versus Fruit' is a constant dilemma in my life and unfortunately the cakes usually win. I like to think that a few hours screen printing actually helps to burn off the extra calories but who am I kidding?

More Folk Art

Over the last couple of months I've been working hard on some new Folk Art inspired designs for a group exhibition in London. I really wanted the chance to produce bigger silk screen prints, to experiment with coloured backgrounds and to use good quality printmaking paper. It took me alot longer than expected to both draw and print the designs, believe it or not it was actually the first time I'd done A3 screen prints. Luckily my efforts weren't in vain and a framed copy of 'Folk Tree at Night' sold at the private view as well as some of the unframed prints.

You Are My Sunshine

I should really be fed up of my 'You Are My Sunshine' design as I've been printing it since January 2010 but it's still one of my favorites. And as if the cards aren't enough there are also different sized 'You Are My Sunshine' silk screen prints, so all in all this design keeps me pretty busy.

A little bit of Magic

The Magic zine and colouring book is still one of my favorite publishing projects and it features allsorts of talented illustrators including Ruth Green, Mina Braun, Beth Morrison, Helen Entwisle and Sarah Lippett. I drew a series of Hopi Indian Kachinas for the Magic Zine and the cover was drawn by Gemma Correll. There is also a colouring book cover which was designed by Kate Hindley. I've lost count of how many covers I actually screen printed, it seemed to take forever but was worth it in the end because both designs look great. The inside pages were beautifully litho printed in dark green by Tuckey Print in Birmingham.

Endangered Species

Believe it or not I don't just make greetings cards, although it often seems like it. When I get the time I like to work on publishing projects and enjoy collaborating with other women illustrators to produce limited edition postcard books, colouring books and zines featuring our illustrations. 'Endangered Species' is the most recent example and contributors include Kate Hindley, Gemma Correll, Ruth Green, Beth Morrison, Mina Braun, Helen Entwisle and myself. Mina designed the colouring book cover with the panda and Helen drew the zine cover with the african wild dog. I then screen printed about 600 of the covers, which I don't recommend as it took approximately 6 days.The inside pages were litho printed by the nice people at Tuckey Print in Birmingham who also collated the books.

Yummy Mummy

I don't like traditional sentiments so always try and come up with more original ideas for traditional occassions. These 'Yummy Mummy' designs were created for Mother's Day but it was really just an excuse to draw more pictures of food. It's hard to say which I like more, eating, drawing or printing, I couldn't live without any of them.

A Few Of My Favorite Things

I spend alot of my time designing and printing greetings cards so the range is gradually increasing and sometimes takes over my life. There are boxes of cards and coloured envelopes stacked up in my house and the living room floor is littered with cello bags. Despite this I still enjoy making cards and these are just a few of my favorite designs, or at least the ones I'm not sick of printing, yet.

Valentine's Day

The 'Love Birds' design was originally part of the Folk Art series of silk screen prints but it was also perfect for Valentine's Day and weddings so I printed a selection of cards in different colourways.

Nothing But Navy

Following the 'Contemporary Printmakers Exhibition' I was invited to take part in the first ever 'Nothing But Navy ' Pop-Up Shop. The shop opened in Stroud, Gloucestershire, during December and was just in time for Christmas. As you can see I spent alot of time screen printing a range of Navy Blue products including mini prints and greetings cards. I also tried my hand at fabric printing and printed my first tote bags and tea towels, hard work but a good learning experience. I don't think it would have otherwise occurred to me to print my designs in Navy Blue so I'm really happy to have been involved in the project.

Folk Art Greetings Cards

As well as screen prints I also created a range of Folk Art inspired greetings cards. Because the designs are so detailed the cards are difficult to print and making them is a real labour of love. But I think it has been worth the effort, the Folk Tree designs have been particularly popular and they are now in the Yorkshire Sculpture Park shop, just below Rob Ryan's cards!

Folk Art Inspired Screen Prints

Last year I produced a new series of Folk Art inspired designs especially for the 'Contemporary Printmakers Exhibition' at Shirehall Gallery in Stafford. Over the summer I spent several weeks studying and sketching from examples of Polish Folk Art before beginning work on the finished designs in September. The series originally consisted of five different silk screen prints including the three shown here. 'Folk Dancing Girls', 'Folk Tree and Birds' and 'Folk Tree and Roosters' are all limited edition two colour screen prints on 240gsm watercolour paper.