Book Cover Competition - "The Princess and the Stinky Cheese" , "Goldilockup" and Mongoose's Holi Party

Final re-work...

Bonjour, good day and hi,  

The lovely Susanna Leonard Hill is running a competition for illustrators this month and as you can imagine I jumped straight in.  Last month Susanna ran a short story competition and there were 10 winners, you can read their stories here. The illustrators competition is to illustrate an 8x10 book cover for one of those stories... or more...

I choose, actually the story choose me... "The Princess And The Stinky Cheese" by Lauri Meyers.   I love love love Princesses ( I am one ) and the gooyier the runnier and stinkier the cheese I'm your gal.  Laurie's story jumped up and down and waved it's arms about and shouted to me to illustrate it...it wouldn't take no for an answer.  So there you have it, my illustration of Princess Peabody and the stinky cheese. Then there was Mike Allegra who in the comments section, jumped up and down and waved his arm about shouting "pick "Goldilockup", MY, story to illustrate".  What could I do... I couldn't ignore a writers' desperate plea,  so I whipped out my box of paints and charged to the challenge.  

Goldilockup

Loved Darshana Khiani's Mongoose Holi Party...so couldn't resist doing the cover for this one too... :) 

Mongoose's Holi Party

I'd like to say that it is was all plain sailing but who would have guessed that illustrating a darn smelly cheese would be so difficult.  Have popped some of my re-works below.  Love painting brick walls,  very therapeutic. Fingers crossed that the judges like my artwork... :)

Original watercolour :) 

Re-work stinky cheese take 3... still not working!!!

The cheese just wasn't working...

I'm happy to say that Lauri and Mike both love what I've done...

That's my Fun and Nonsense for now....let me know what you think.. :)

Cotton reels, teddy bear and sparkle. . .

I'm glad to report that my little Mojo is back. She went off on a round the world cruise just before Christmas, without so much as a by your leave.  She didn't even send me a postcard or a text to say she was ok and when she would be back.  She finally made it back to my Art Bunker early this week and everyone at Shelf Corner, especially me, is very happy to see her.

I knew Mojo was on her way back when earlier this week I was commissioned to do a logo.  One of my girlies and a cotton reel was the brief... I have a big mushy soft spot for cotton reels, especially the old fashioned wooden ones.  So I whipped out my old wooden reels and started sketching...

...as I sketched, my little Mojo came hurtling back suitcases full to bursting point with ideas. She plonked herself down and started to tell me about all the wonderful places she has visited over the last couple of months. (Umpf, alright for some).

A friend of mine became a Granny last week and I wanted to paint something for the new baby. Baby's Mum is a dressmaker...so cotton reels and teddy bears seemed just the thing... very happy to say that the sparkle is back.  Lets hope it stays for awhile... :)

That's my Fun and Nonsense... off to paint more cotton reels and baby teddy bears... :)
and to see what's going on at Sunday Sketches... :)

He's behind you. . .

Hello everyone,
My Christmas was quiet and New Year celebrations even quieter...which suited Mr Hollywood and I just fine.  Neither of us felt like dancing the light fandango till all hours, so we happily snored our way through the New Year and got up on the 1st feeling great, which was a first... :)

Shelf corner has been host to a little Panto, it being Panto season and all. Little Red Riding Hood and Alice have been bossing Wolf and Rabbit about all week.  Rabbit wanted to be Wolf and hide behind the oak tree and scare everyone. The girls however were not impressed by Rabbits impression of Raving Rabbids so Wolf got the Wolf part and Rabbit sulked off down his hole.  After that Rabbit was given the Prima Donna role so now we have one happy bunny... :)

That's my Fun and Nonsense for this week... what Fun and Nonsense has been going on in your world... :)

Two shepherds and one sheep. . .

Desktop Primary School is getting ready for the annual Nativity. Old stripy curtains and tea towels are being hunted down for shepherd costumes, any velvety plush ones are being reserved for the King's, of course. Darling little angels are ransacking the Christmas decorations for tinsel. Joseph and Mary are arguing about which one of them is going to hold Baby Jesus. Angel Gabriel's Mum is insisting that her Angel Charmaine, should have the bigger more glittery wings as she does have a starring role. She doesn't think that last years wings can be reused so has decided that she'll have the wings made by some designer she knows....

My young neighbours Josh and Ben thought it would be a good idea to take Dolly the sheep along for dress rehearsals. "We're the shepherds" said Josh "and theperds need sheeps" added Ben. 

I think Miss Lovelace the teacher is going to need a very large Sherry when she gets home.... :)

Just a little Fun and Nonsense here at Shelf Corner... :) xx

London calling. . .

I decided to keep with the Lowry theme but I'm a London girl so I drew the place I call home. London. That's where I grew up. I love London, I love the hustle and bustle and I love the smell. It's a city smell, car fumes, tarmac, dust and all sorts of  foody smells.  I haven't lived in London for years but every time I stand on Westminster Bridge and look at Big Ben I know I'm home. Every time I see a red telephone box or red London bus it time warps me back to when I was a young(er) girl.

 So now I have a new obsession, everything London, red and totally British and Lowry of course... :)

What Fun and Nonsense have you been up to this week.... :) xxx
Off to See Lottie  and George and Sunday Sketches.. :)

Messing with Lowry. . .

Hello...sorry I've been a bit quiet this week.  A nasty little Tummy Bug captured me and held me hostage for a day and it has taken me all week to get over the unpleasant experience.

I wasn't really in the mood to use my brain (seeing as it was feeling fragile after the whole Bug thing) I decided to copy a masterpiece. Copy is putting it a little strongly as you can see.

Shall we say I was Lowry inspired. I really enjoyed walking into that painting.  The girl with the red bow was all dolled up and off to meet her boyfriend. The little boy was on his way home from school but first he was going to go into Mr Wibbley's grocery shop to buy some sweeties. (Blackjacks and Fruit salad - hehe who remembers those?).  One girl was off to her art class and the others had lost their little dog and were looking everywhere for him.  I do hope they find that dog...

That's my Fun and Nonsense....there's a storm raging here so I'm off to see everyone at Sunday Sketches... :)

Hubba hubba. . .

Hello, grab a cuppa, a slice of cake and take a pew dears...

Here in my art bunker, there is the town of Desktop with it's colourful neighborhood of Sketchbook (all sorts of Fun and Nonsense goes on in there). Up on the hill you'll find the village of Shelf Corner and in the valley the teeny tiny hamlet of Underdesk. Not to mention the traveling circus that has spilled out of Sketchbook (all to do with the White Deer appearance) they are still causing quite a whoha. It's chaos here most of the time with comings and goings.  Anyway, this very afternoon there was a lull in the toing and frowings, a delicious quiet moment.

So I decided to get a bit of sketching done (all part of my PiBoldMo pledge). I asked Bur Wood to pose for me. Bur is Desktop's resident top male model. Between modeling contracts he doubles up as a lumber jack, which entails sharpening my pencils. The office girls, Cigar smokin Maud, Beryl and Thing wanted to model too. More the merrier I said and everyone took to their positions.

I was sketching my lovely models when in the distance we heard the 4 o'clock Tea Train pull into Art Bunker Station.  Oh lovely I said, we'll stop for a short break. Well, not only was there the delivery of tea and cake but also a new arrival to Desktop...

"Miss Hubba Hubba" -  Bur said with his wooden jaw dropping with a clunk. The office girls (except cigar smokin Maud) were agog. They had never seen anyone so pretty. Miss Hubba Hubba's real name is Kooki Kimono. She's a writer and wanted to apply for the job I had advertised in The Paper for, A Writer.

And that is my Fun and Nonsense for today...I'll be sharing with Lottie over at Paper Saturday, Sketch's Scribble's and Stuff and Sunday Sketches

PS.  I love to get back to everyone that leaves a comment on my blog but there are a lot of you that are (no-reply blogger) which makes it difficult and in some cases impossible.  To fix the problem you need to change the email setting in your Google+, just tick the box.. :)

Home is where you hang your chandelier. . .

 This little house started life as a tampax box. Yes humble beginnings but  it has that handy dandy little insert flap for closing.  Which is great for the front door.  The dolls house is loosely inspired by my real life farmhouse that Mr Hollywood and I are renovating.  (I may start another blog just for the Charentaise Farmhouse - that's if anyone is interested in my old farmhouse).  

 It's been a beautiful sunny week here in SW France and I've been busy decorating the tampax box and turning it into a dolls house. I was just finishing up painting the roses on the  wallpaper when Céleste wondered by. She's been looking for a house in this area of Shelf Corner. We chatted for awhile and I invited her to stay for a cup of tea and slice of cake.  Anyway, cut a long story short, she moved in that very afternoon. I helped her hang the curtains and put up the chandelier... apparently  according to Céleste once the chandeliers are up and in place, it just feels like home!

 She's French. . .!!! Never mind the chandelier, I'm just happy if I can find the kettle. . .

Talking of kettles, I'm off to have a cup of tea with Lottie over at Paper Saturday. . .come with me, she loves company, then I'm going to Sunday  Sketches :) x  !!!

That's my Fun and Nonsense, what's yours? :)

Angel . . .

Here's a little Angel that I've been working on.  

She's off at the weekend to live with my friend, it's her Birthday.

I've never painted an angel like this before, am really pleased with way she turned out. You can't tell from the photo but she has sparkly wings....of course.

That's my heavenly Fun and Nonsense today.... :)

Toodlepip Caravan. . .

Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening to wherever you are in the World... Yes it's Paper Saturday again today and I'm on holiday for two whole weeks...YIPPEEE!

As I have two whole weeks off I thought I'd go on a little trip. 

SO....drum roll please.... ta da.... I made a Gypsy Caravan, with  lacey curtains and all.

Little ol' me, Master Fox and Pony are off in Toodlepip Caravan for a two week long trundle round the world, to see what we can see.

Our first stop is over at Paper Saturday to see Lottie.

Lottie luv, get dressed and get that kettle on.....we'll be there in a jiffy!

Good Morning Sunday Sketches :)

Join me for a little Fun and Nonsense...

Paper Saturdays with Lottie. . .

It's Paper Saturday with Lottie today and every Saturday from now on...

Last week Lottie sent me a little message to tell me about her Paper Saturday get together. Just bring paper she said! 

Ohhhh what fun! 

I baked some little cupcakes last night in Princess's new Pink Aga...

Hopped into my little boat and sailed off very early this morning to join in the fun at Lottie's Paper Saturday party....  there's room in my little boat for passengers...so come with me :)

 Lottie luv...get that kettle on, I've made cupcakes and  I'll be arriving any minute now. ..

I  love a bit of Fun and Nonsense...
and I'm sharing this with Sunday Sketches...busy weekend  :)

Phew..TG it's Friday. . .

Where do Top Model's go for their holidays?... Miss Stikin Sek here likes nothing better than staying at home in her Pj's and doing the couch potato...and catching up on a little light reading... she may if pushed join the fun over at Paint Party Friday's
                                                 
Just hope she doesn't bring any Pink Elephants home...  hope you are all having lots of "Fun and Nonsense" xx