and STOP.

I've been invigilating a GCSE exam at the school I used to work at this morning. I was so nervous on behalf of the kids sitting the exam I couldn't stop twitching and moving about, two hours of maths ain't my idea of fun I can tell you! I hope they've all done well.

This is a little collage I did the other day whilst reading/chopping up the Saturday papers. Poor Jacob, there's always an article he wants to read with a piece approximately 1cm square missing! Still, he could use these holes to his advantage and spy on people in the park! Perhaps I'll suggest it to him.

New collages

These three are now listed in the shop and have been really fun to make! I am especially pleased with the top photo. 

Have a lovely evening all, the sun's just come out here and there's a nice cold bottle of beer with my name on it :)

Pretty houses

My little collage (top right corner) has been featured in this beautiful treasury put together by Elsie Marley. I love everything she's chosen and her own cute soft toys. Thanks Elsie!

I'm itching to get some new things on Etsy but until the weather picks up a bit there's no point me taking photos. Fingers crossed for this afternoon!

Fore!

Ok, well I know people don't traditionally yell "Fore" when playing squash, but maybe they should. These guys look like they take themselves pretty seriously which is why I've surrounded them with pretty colours. Y'know, to make them chill a bit. 

It occurred to me, don't sports make us do the oddest things? After finding the book these chaps are from entitled "Squash Rackets (Completely Revised)" and wading through the tactical diagrams and shot angles I realised that maybe it's the fact that I do little to no exercise which makes this all seem so alien! Maybe there's a New Years resolution to be found amongst all this. 
Me...and sports. 
Hmm.

Don't tell....

...but this is what I've made my sister for Christmas! She's just moved into a new house with a  friend and I thought it would make a nice housewarming pressie. It's basically a collage, framed, with cup hooks screwed into the bottom so you hang your keys up! I've attached mirror plates to the sides so it can be securely hung. I'm quite chuffed with it! I wonder if people would buy this sort of thing on etsy...maybe I'd have to use perspex instead of glass for safety of shipping. Hmm, something to think about in the New Year anyway.

Windows

I am loving the slightly colder evenings we're having. This time of year is so exciting for me as I always associate it with the beginning of term and new experiences. Plus the way the sun sits quite low in the sky (and the amazingly clear days autumn brings) means it can be a magical time for lovely contrasty photographs.
Anyway, this little picture was made after leaning out of my velux window in my room for some time this evening. The composition isn't amazing but I quite like the feeling of it. It makes me want to wear tights and snuggle up at home.

Farewells

Today is my last day working at my university job before I begin my degree. Yesterday I said goodbye to everyone at my school job, I'm really sad to leave both. On the bright side, I was given the most amazing pencils EVER!!! So there's no backing out of Illustration now...

Above is a new collage called "I built you a village". I think it seems a bit sad for some reason but maybe that's just because I made it last night and was feeling a bit nostalgic. The trees are made from 20 year old marbled paper that I made at pre-school.

Next week I'm doing all my registering stuff at uni - I'm so nervous! I've got that beginning of term feeling! Hope you have a good weekend everyone, wish me luck for next week!

Cut it out

I was trying to make a complicated cutout picture thing the other day with different papers but got really annoyed with it and then discovered that all the bits that I'd discarded as I was cutting said complicated shapes out, were actually more interesting that what I'd been trying to achieve! I of course only realised this once I'd thrown them allover the floor in a rage. But whatever method works for you, right?
Hope you have a happy weekend all, I'm off to buy new shoes and colour pens...yum.

Geometry cake

I made this delicious looking geometric dollop this evening whilst watching telly. I was going for abstract and bold, I ended up with a graph paper dumpling. Nevermind. Dragon's Den was worth it!

Red graph paper!

It's the future! Yep I discovered red graph paper on Friday and am just a bit excited! I found it in two shades of red and I have one large sheet of orange which is to die for! God bless those cartographers at work who use the stuff. Hopefully they won't mind me using a couple of sheets to play with, it's like the best stuff ever!
I'm going to do more experiments later combining it with other coloured paper in a more abstract-y way. Watch this space for more paper-related geekery...