Review of my 2013

Happy New Year to you all and thanks so much for reading my blog and for all the kind comments! May all your wishes come true in 2014! 

My new years resolution to see new places and do some traveling went off to a flying start! I went to Belgium for a few days in January. We had an amazing time we visited Bruges, Brussels, tried different foods and saw some amazing places and landmarks, you can read about my trip here.

In February, I was asked by Artbox in Japan if I wanted to be in their new book in the Spring. I was published in their vol.10 Book last year and couldn't think of anything better. Also began working on two illustrations for Delilah Magazine, a new magazine in the UK.

March began with booking flights for Canada (exciting!) My illustration of Princess Diana was published in New Empress magazine. My first real look into the world of black and white illustration, what a challenge, this made me focus on detail rather than colour and the contrasts between black and white space, a very useful tool to acquire.

Commissioned by New Empress in April for another black and white illustration, for a Groundhog film-time travel piece.Was featured in Burst magazine. the Animals issue, what a treat! So glad this issue got published! And Delilah magazine published my two illustrations, one of the Alexander McQueen catwalk model and the other of a 'muffin moment' a life changing moment.

May was filled with lovely commissions, some gift commissions and quite a few for magazines.

June brought exciting news, my little illustration would feature in a new and upcoming magazine, Urban Coco magazine. They are stocked around the world in Harrods, Selfridges and 20 countries worldwide. I also went to see Mr.Rod Stewart in Birmingham. An amazing concert, we'd been such fans for a long time it was very surreal to be just a few rows from the stage -- what a legend!

Going back to the magazine where I started contributing a few years ago; Amelia's magazine. I answered a callout and did an illustration for a Nadine Shah review. Urban Coco magazine came out as did New Empress , both featuring my illustrations. A nice weekend in Wexford followed where we went to the beach, soaked up the sun and drank prosecco -- bliss! 

  

Artbox arrived in the post all the way from Japan, and it was just as beautiful a book as last year's. 

Canada plannin' was in full swing! 

Arrived back in September after two weeks traveling around Canada and America. Another place ticked off the list. A once in a lifetime holiday filled with spectacular views, special places and memories to last: You can read about my Canada-Seattle trip here. I also had a little birthday at the end of the month, I spent the weekend with my favorite people.

There was an illustration comp called Pillow fight where you could submit illos for cushion designs. For a birthday surprise, my friend organized a really cool river cruise, even the sun even came out! Then we popped into Oktoberfest and into 'Brazil' for dinner on the way home. I also hung out with Jay Z with my homeboy, am now a big fan obviously, lots of showing our 'diamonds' in the air. Its a Hard Knock Life for us!

Are Novembers supposed to be this fun? Vintage fair perusing. Old paintings, seaside town painted tea-sets, lace sequined bejeweled dresses, quirky pin up girl, animal head brooches, hat pins and diamond rings, scarves from Paris, Thunderbird cards, corgi cars, clip on earrings. If you love vintage and snooping I highly recommend this fair.

Kodaline played a gig which we went to see, they were amazing live! Then afterwards we went for cocktails in the Vintage Cocktail Club, quirky decor, 1920s pianos, lamps, phones, candles lighting over vintage plates, black and white framed photographs on the wall, my kinda place.

Was very nice to have some time off this month. My first day off begun with an illustration of Orla Kiely SS14 collection, that had just come out the day before. A trip to the Seaside Aquarium (second time this year!) Cinema visits, steak dinners and cosy Winter nights with my favourite person -- river cruises around Dublin Bay-- all made for a fantastic November.

This year has been so good from start to finish, there has been more highs then lows and I feel incredibly blessed. 2013: Once in a lifetime adventures, visiting new places, meeting new people, creating and treasuring new memories, time spent with best friends, life-changing moments, making new plans, hope and excitement for what the new year will bring and knowing that no matter what happens 'every little thing gonna be all right...'

Looking forward to 2014 and all its adventures & challenges. I'm ready for you!

'Follow your dreams, they know the way'
~ Kobi Yamada

Aquarium by the Seaside

A lovely trip to the seaside, we went to visit the Sea Life Aquarium and it was very interesting. We watched videos about seahorses, watched the stingrays being fed (they can detect human contact if you keep your hand just above water level) and if a lobster loses a claw its grows back by itself.

Cruise around Dublin Bay

I had a week off recently in November where we went on a cruise around the bay. Some beautiful views of the bay!! Then we went for tea and brownies. We don't always pay attention to the places and surroundings that we see everyday but doing tours and cruises like this really makes you appreciate your city. Recommended, wasn't even that cold or maybe that's the mulled wine talking!

Hope you've had a lovely weekend!

Pillow Fight Illustration competition

So I seen on twitter that Ohh Deer were hosting a competition called Pillow fight inviting people to take part in something fun. They’re looking for a new contributor to add to the collective. This time round they wanted to see cushion designs!

This was really great to do as you see what your design will look like. Here are my cushion designs::

Kodaline & cocktails...

We went to a see a little Irish band called Kodaline last Friday and they were amazing! Not before we went for a spot of dinner and then for cocktails in the Vintage Cocktail Club. I'd heard lots of good things about this place, so I rang the doorbell (yes, really) and I was not disappointed. I ordered a Tequila Mockingbird (the clever play on words got me) and it was delicious. The place has the quirkiest decor, 1920s pianos, lamps, phones, candles lighting over vintage plates, black and white framed photographs on the wall, funny illustrations and floral wallpapers of every variety and the type of patterned carpets and kitsch ornaments your Granny used to have.

Then we snapped out of the 1920s and rambled down to see Kodaline. Back to the 21st century with a bang! They seemed virtually unheard of a few months ago but now everyone knows their name and all of their shows were sold out in minutes. They sang their best known songs like Perfect World, High Hopes, Pray and then some of their newer ones from the new album. They also did a rendition of 'Dirty Ole Town' before launching into Love Like This. The great thing about the gig was that there were no frills, no fireworks and gimics.. just plain, simple, good music. I also discovered some new music James Bay, if you like chilled out, indie, acoustic vibes check him out!

Orla Kiely Spring Summer 14

An Illustration of Orla Kiely's new collection, illustrated from a beautiful photo from Carrie's blog here. I've just recently watched the Wes Anderson movie Moonrise Kingdom and the style of outfits and scenic back drops remind me of this. The show was styled by Leith Clark. Sixties dresses, whimsical prints I can't get enough of, am loving this zebra print tee. O.K. really does put on a good show!

And there will be a collaboration with Clarks for a shoe range in Feb 2014. There is 6 styles - platforms, mid heel sandals, wedges , slingback and Mary-Janes. I kind of love the 'Orla Mary' wedge, yes please!

Vintage Fashion and Decor Fair

The Vintage Fair was on Sunday in a lovely hotel near the sea. The hotel had a vintage tea van outside and old cars parked up front. A nice young man dressed immaculately with slicked back hair offered to take our picture outside, then we wandered into the hotel where there were tables upon tables of jewels and we were transported back to the roaring 20s where people dressed up in furs and turbans, rolled up hair and perfect make-up, clutching turn-lock handbags with leather gloved hands. 

There was memorabilia like old record players, tvs, books and postcards too. Some postcards had been written before the war and told of shootings and old love stories. Old paintings you could stare at for hours, seaside town painted tea-sets, rouge compacts with a hidden music box, lace sequined bejeweled dresses, quirky pin up girl and animal head brooches, hat pins and diamond rings, scarves from Paris, Thunderbird birthday cards, corgi cars, bold clip on earrings. There was something for everyone and I don't think a single person left without buying at least some piece of nostalgia as a reminder of the day. 

(I came away with a beautiful deer brooch from Strictly Vintage, and two rings.)