Illustration Friday - Unbalanced

A super-quick sketch done in front of the television.

A spot of Zombie Jenga anyone?

Special Guest Sally Murphy

Hi Everyone, my dear friend Sally has a fabulous new Xmas book out.(Squee! Look how Shiny it is!) And she is touring about the interwebs sharing the joy of her new book. Sam: Welcome to my wee little blog Sally. I'm going to tuck into my world famous banana cinnamon pancakes - with maple syrup, what's on your breakfast plate today?

Sally: My darling’s world famous bacon and eggs. Yumm.

Sam: While we are noshing, and having a celebratory glass of bubbles with our breakfast, let's find out a little more about you Sally, with these fabulous questions I "borrowed" from Inside A Dog.

My latest book is ... Snowy’s Christmas (illustrated by David Murphy and published by Random Hosue Australia)

It’s about ... a white roo joey called Snowy who hates being different to the other kangaroos until one Christmas he discovers that his difference is what makes him special.

My favourite illustration in the book is ... the final one, where Snowy and the other white roos fly over an Aussie town – because that’s what I like to imagine happening where I live every Christmas.

The best thing about being a writer is ... holding a published book in my hand and reminding myself that it’s MY name on the cover because I actually wrote it (sometimes I have to pinch myself in case I’m dreaming).

If I wasn’t a writer I’d be ... depressed. But seriously, I’ve been lots of other things – Mum (which of course I still am), teacher, tourist bureau manager, telecentre coordinator... but whenevr I do any other job, I use it as fodder for what I really love doing – which is writing.

My first published work was ... a book for teachers called Speak Out. It is still in print 12 years laer, which is pretty good.

Morning person or night-owl? Neither. I hate getting up in the morning, but also struggle to stay awake at night. I guess, though, I’m pretty good at mornings once I do get up.

On a quiz show, my special subject would be ... Australian literature.

My last holiday was ... a trip across the Nullarbor last year with five kids, a husband and a caravan. Not only did I survive it but I loved it!

My perfect Saturday is ... bacon and eggs (cooked by my darling), cappuccino from the local cafe, a little reading, a little writing, a little pottering – and all my kids at home, too.

The last CD I bought was ... Ladysmith Black Mombazo, for my husband (though we are both long time fans)

I’m currently reading ...Document Z, by Andrew Croome, a fictionalised novel about the Petrov affair.

Favourite film/tv show is ... Packed to the Rafters, or maybe Gray’s Anatomy (depenign which one is on at the moment)

My favourite book is … C-a-a-a-r Ca-a-a-aa-a-r by Geoff Havel The book character I would most like to meet is ... Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s dairy. I’m a huge fan.

The book character I would least like to meet is ... the kids from the Faraway Tree books. As a kid I loved Enid Blyton, but as an adult, I find those kids really annoying. Rather!

The worst thing I’ve ever written is ... prac crits for university English courses. For someone who went on to become a high school English teacher, I was HOPELESS at writing practical criticisms through three years of my BA. Then, on the first teaching pracc of my dip ed a teacher gave me a handout which explained it all and I had one of those lightbulb moments. How come no one taught me to do it in highschool or Uni?

When I was growing up I wanted to be ... an author. Seriously – I always wanted to write books and have six kids. And that’s what I’ve done!

Sam: And as I finish licking the maple syrup from my plate I'd like to thank Sally for stopping by and giving us a peek into her writerly world. Thanks Sally, it's truly been a delight having breakast with you today.

Sally: And thanks for having me Sam. It’s been a blast!

Sam says - check out Snowy at your local library, or in all good bookstores.

To Market To Market

So, you want a sneak peek at some of the treasures I will be selling at the markets next weekend? Oh, alrighty then, seeings you asked so nicely...

Made On The Left Markets

Saturday November 14th from 10am to 4pm

Hyde Park Hotel - 331 Bulwer St, West Perth

I'll be there, so come and say Hi! And have a looksee at my pretty cards and limited edition prints featuring my arts. Plus there will be supercool limited edition stickies. (Try your luck and see which pretty three stickers you will get.)

Aaand, my very favourite... why not order yourself a custom-painted pair of shoes featuring some of my crazy crazy arts.

See you there!

Jetlag, so worth it

Two weeks of new sights, sounds, tastes and delights - a whirl of touristy treats, artistic bliss and the sheer joy of time spent with two of the dearest friends of my heart. Sure, my brain is now not my own, and I have that odd achey, floaty, out of body experience thing going on. But, the emotional overload of the Kandinsky exhibition at the Guggenheim in New York alone - well that was worth it. Never mind all the other brilliant American fun we had.

And now, the panic sets in. A week and a half until the Made On The Left Markets. Eep! I'm sure I can get it all done, right? Ah well, what's a few more sleepless nights to a body already deprived?

PS - Keep your eyes peeled, a very special guest will be stopping by the blog in the next week or so...

A Very Big Thing

Those of you who are nearest and dearest to me will have noted my tiny little obsession with zombies and monsters and cake and sweet little oddities. Well, that tiny little obsession is soon to be a tiny little exhibition!

I will post more details closer to date, but it runs for two weeks from January 8th down at the groovy Leederville HQ. Zombies and cake and oddity will feature in an alphabet series of tiny little paintings. I am so very very excited!!

Watch this space for more news about Aargh to Zombie: A Tiny Alphabet

Loves Combined

If there's one thing I love it's shoes... and arts. Ok ok, if there are two things I love it's shoes and arts... and cake. Ok ok ok, if there are three things I love its shoes and arts and cake. And before you know it, it's the Spanish Inquisition.

So, on top of my usual doodly arty days, getting ready for The Exhibition!, and now getting ready to sell my bits at the Made On The Left market, I've started prettifying shoes. Squee!! Shoes and Arts - together at last. And yes, I'll be taking orders if you need some pretty shoes in your life... 

Illustration Friday - Germs

I have a very vivid memory of watching that film Fantastic Voyage as a little child. The one where they shrink down the scientists to zoom inside a human bean and Find A Cure!! Most vivid of all is that scene where the white blood cells Attack! (And conveniently dissolve most of the female scientist's outfit until all that is left is a saucy bikini) Wow Science!!

PS - Sorry for the dodge pic, uploaded from the iphoney and haven't the energy tonight to fix the colours. This is much more muted than the original.

PPS - I also loved the Placebo clip for Special K - a fab homage to Fantastic Voyage.