Pretty as a Picture

Hello dearhearts, back again with a brand new illustration and yes, you guessed it, it's another addition to the Candy Doll Club!

so instead of wittering on about it (like I usually do) i'll just go ahead and show you...



Now you might have noticed over recent months that lately i've been heavily inspired by a few of the many lovely ladies I follow via Instagram and Pinterest, in fact this new piece is an illustration inspired by a very lovely British blogger named Megan aka Briar Rose and she is basically a real life Disney Princess!



Look at that amazing hair! WOW! I always enjoy seeing Megan's gorgeous OOTD blog posts and snaps on Instagram, she has the most incredible wardrobe, so she seemed like an ideal 'real life' candy doll to inspire a new piece.

I was actually inspired by the photos from this blog post, and although usually I cover my drawings with candy coloured tattoos and pops of neon colour, this one felt better suited to pretty paler pastels similar to those found in Megan's outfit post.


Although obviously in my version that 'Princess' hair has a few pastel shades thrown in for good measure! But then how could I EVER draw a Candy Doll without giving her Pastel hair?! Also, i'm dreadful at drawing hats, they never seem to translate well when I add them so this one gets a flower crown instead!

I also wanted to have a go at drawing a girl holding a camera, following on from my 'time for a selfie' illustration, so when I spotted the pictures of Megan with her nifty little Praktica camera it seemed like time to get out my pencils and pens!

I had a lot of fun drawing this one as you can probably tell, it's been nice just working on aimless projects these past few months while I take some time off from work, I can't wait to see what I conjure up next (maybe something special just in time for Halloween... wait and see!)  

anyway the design is now available via my Society6 Shop on various items + there's Free Worldwide Shipping on stuff in the shop until October 12th so if you feel like getting some early Xmas presents, go have a skeet!

alrighty then i'll stop babbling now. Hope you liked the new illustration, i'm pretty sure that the Candy Doll Club will forever be gaining new members! So thanks for the inspiration Megan!

YOU can keep up with all of her fashionable snaps by following her on Pinterest or Instagram + here she is on Facebook and Twitter and of course, here's her brilliant Blog

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in other news, I FINALLY finished my two latest paintings!

here they are perched on my desk (along with a recent diddy posca piece) waiting to see what i'm going to do with them next, I haven't a clue where to put them!

I suppose I ought to try and sell them but i've gotten kind of used to having them around now, unless someone else were to grow particularly partial to one of them of course...

 i'll do a proper Blog post about them soon + show you the process snaps of how I got from blank wooden board to finished piece!

AND i'm starting two more BIGGER paintings v soon, I haven't decided 100% what to paint yet but who am I kidding, we all know it'll be members of the Candy Doll Club.

so until next time, that's all folks!

Spring & Summer Fashion times

it's become a bit of a tradition here on my blog over the past couple of years that every new season i run a post featuring shots from the latest collection by one of my favourite fashion designers, the very fabulous and super duper Austrian designer Lena Hoschek




i see no reason to break the tradition now so today i thought i'd share some of the gorgeousness that is her S/S 2012 collection!

this is the 4th time i'll have blogged about her designs, to read the previous posts and see the lovely past collections follow the links. A/W 2010 Hats and Happy Times, S/S 2011 50's Fashion for Spring and A/W 2011 Autumn Fashion

anyway on with the new designs! i say this every season but i think the lovely Lena might have outdone herself (once again!) this year

the new collection is divine! super girly and feminine with flirty colours and cuts + pretty nautical stripes, polka dots, florals and funky patterns

Lena's collection shoots are always absolutely fabulous, i'm loving the Italian location for this year's collection, clearly shot on and around the beautiful lake Valvestino in Gargnano in Northern Italy

so far i think my favourite pieces from the collection might just be the peppermint candy striped blouse and skirt (although maybe not together...)

since they remind me of Mary Poppins' when they all go on the carousel, Mary's dress is white and red + Bert has a candy stripe jacket on. (yes so i'm a sad geek, move on, embrace it...) i just love these pieces! i especially love the skirt and i might just really REALLY need it in my life (i wish!)

anyway we all know i'm a big Lena Hoschek fan, so without any further rambling and nonsensical gushing from me, have a little look at some of the glorious new designs for S/S 2012

isn't it all gorrrrgeous! 

once again, the amazing photographs are by the Austrian photography team - Lupi Spuma 

and to see the rest of the collection + to find out a bit more about the lovely Lena, check out her official website here - Lena Hoschek

and to see past collections + to buy your very own piece of Lena Hoschek loveliness,  (+ the A/W 2011 collection is currently on sale... ) you can head over to the shop here - Lena Hoschek Shop

oh and be sure to 'Like' the Facebook page - Lena Hoschek

All images featured in this post are from Lena Hoschek©

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so there you have it, more ridiculously pretty and gorgeous clothes that i can daydream about owning

oh and i know i said the blog was going on mini hiatus but i couldn't resist sharing the new collection with you all 

so until next time, bearing in mind that i genuinely have no idea when that'll be, that's all folks... xX

Discover Vintage ★

so today i went to Leamington for the day with my dear mama + my lovely Vintage-obsessed cousin Aimi to go and see the 'Discover Vintage: Home and Fashion Show' 

... for which i designed the flyers and posters!!!

it was sooo SO amazing to finally get to see one of these shows! i've been designing the flyers for them since June but this is the first one i've actually been able to visit in person

it was also the first time i got to meet Keeley, the very lovely lady that's been commissioning me to design these flyers for the past few months

it really was an amazing show though, the stalls were just divine! i think Aimi and myself were in our element! gorgeous vintage stuff left right and centre! Aimi got a few cute vintage bits

my mum didn't get anything but she did have fun trying on hats...

and i treated myself to a lovely vintage copy of 'Heidi'! it was always one of my favourite stories when i was little + i just LOVE collecting vintage books

but apart from that the place was PACKED with all manner of gorgeous vintage bits and pieces...

including some really gorgeous dresses and sets of china! 

Keeley even had one of the little toy dogs EXACTLY like the one i drew for the shows flyer! she takes him to all the shows now, his name is Charles...

it was surreal to see my flyers all stacked up on display as well, weird but very cool :)

as well as the fun flyers for Keeley's vintage shop in York (see this post for more info + pics - Vintage Times) there was also one of the other flyers i designed for the Vintage Wedding Fair being held next month in London

but i'll admit that i might have gotten a little bit over-excited when i spotted my posters/flyers out and about in Leamington...

i fell in love with some of the gorgeous vintage jewellery as well! the brooch collections were to die for!

i also grabbed a copy of 'the Vintage Directory' 

and was delighted to spot 'Rockalily Lipsticks' on the first page

and then later on i also spotted this...

and the venue itself was just as divine, the Pump Rooms in Leamington are so beautiful and with the lovely music from the 40's and 50's piping around the room, the setting was perfect for a vintage show

it really was a heavenly day, i absolutely adore Leamington! it's always a pleasure to visit such a beautiful town

the Vintage show was really fab and i recommend it + similar ones up and down the country

+ there were amazing stalls from the likes of - 

More Tea Vicar - vintage china and kitchenalia 

Rock Follies Vintage - vintage clothing, jewellery, bags and luggage

Blighty Boutique - vintage and handmade fairs

Retro Bazaar - collectables and furnishings

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so it's been a busy few days here so far in Coventry, this is the first real chance i've had to post a blog since the night i got here!

the other day i spent the day in town with my gorgeous little nieces Madison and Daisy (although they're pulling funny faces here so you can't really tell how adorabubble they both are!!!)

anyway we had a great day mooching around Cov, shopping and people watching + getting stuck in car rides...

then, as a special surprise, in the evening i took them to see my favourite movie at the cinema, can you guess what we went to see...

that's right, it was GHOSTBUSTERS!!!

despite having originally come out in 1984, this week Ghostbusters is being shown at various cinemas up and down the country so i've had this planned for weeks since i was 100% determined to see this movie on the big screen

obviously... it was amazing :D

i was like a little kid in a sweet/toy shop, sooo ridiculously excited and giddy! it was brilliant though!

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i've a bit more to tell you but i've got a bugger of a headache so it'll have to wait for another night!

so until next time, that's all folks... ◕‿◕ ★ xX