happy new year and some giveaways

Hello, gorgeous people. 

How is 2021 shaping up for you? I've felt such a fresh new energy these past weeks (although cannot even believe it's already February!) and I'm hoping things are okay where you are. 

I've just come out of an intense few months on book one of a new picture book series with Hardie Grant Travel, and I'm looking forward to sharing more with you soon. Above is a peek at one of the images and some more, below. Do you think it may be loosely based on travel???

Dream job.

I'm about to head into research on another picture book - on one of our most iconic children's book creators, and despite loving this recent illustration immersion, it will be great to change things up and do some writing for a change. The book will be out 2023, in time for an anniversary, and I'll reveal more soon.

After that, I'll be illustrating for two authors and then working on the next in the series of the above picture book. Then later in the year, it will be back to an enormous 104pp book. It's going to be a busy year.

Believe it or not, I've scaled back massively, and next year will be even quieter as I focus on other things, and that elusive thing called Real Life. Honestly, I think I've done my dash with social media. A friend recently gave Facebook the flick and the envy was palpable. I only really keep it for my work, and it will be a fine day indeed when I can let it go. I did delete Foxtel. God, that felt GOOD, though don't get me wrong, I love a spot of tele and have several streaming services. Have you watched The Queen's Gambit? OMG. A must. And speaking of queens, Ru Paul's Drag Race, how I've missed you!

Anyhoo, my goal, for some time, has been to create less books but spend more time on each one, and from next year onwards, I will be almost completely there. Goals Met is a good thing. 

 

It was super exciting to have I Heart the World released into the US (and the UK, which released the same smaller size but Australian 'language' version). Here is the US version, above centre, with the original Mama Bear Aus version at left, and the exclusive Kmart version, right. I'm hoping to share covers for several o/s translated versions soon.

On the Real Life note, husband and I have been in the garden and, thanks to the most unusual deluge (or twenty) we're experiencing in Canberra, our plants are bustling with life. We've had a glut of plums and crabapples, and a handful of clementines! I know! Our hydrangeas have gone nuts and we've planted white ones in our backyard, including several in pots. Scrumptious. Small things so happy-making.

I did burn the plums, though. I made a compote and forgot about it. I'm still scouring the pot a week later. 

Another thing I've been doing is propagating, yes indeed. Haven't done it in years. It's so rewarding. I've grown my own fiddle-leaf figs before but now trying devil's ivy (above) and arrowhead (below in terracotta pots). A neighbour has the most incredible protea (want pincushion proteas so badly) and I snaffled a tiny cutting and have it in one of the glasses (above right), hoping for a set of roots. Look at the new growth on my cactus, above left.

We have massive yuccas in an alcove at the back of our house and they are pushing against the pergola roof, so I've started chopping off the tops, stripping them of leaves, and whacking in pots after a few days to dry out the stems. They are thriving; it's so exciting. 

Oh, and check out the roots on the fiddle-leaf, below. I'll be potting that one as soon as I publish this post.

We've gradually added more native plants to our garden these past years - such a wise decision, if you've not done the same. We have some resplendent callistemons and kangaroo paw out the back. I'm also coveting leucadendrons for our garden, and recently found (after endless hunting) a beautiful grassy, spidery plant with tiny flowers that look almost orchid-like - it's called Gaura belleza white, below. We've planted three of them in our front garden, which gets the full heat of the summer sun and they're doing beautifully. 

Below is a shot through the branches of one of our enormous Manchurian pears - how divine it has always been, but this year, with all the rain, it's gone gangbusters.

I've long adored magnolias and I bought my first little gem recently. I potted it, so it sits outside our kitchen window on the decking. Looking forward to watching it thrive. 

We went for a lake walk on Sunday, first time in ages, and, as ever, took a shot of my favourite vista, below. Doesn't it look like Geneva, or something. Below that is some nearby trees, then a tiny little snatch from a conifer, in infancy, which I walked with for ages, tucked into my hand and fingers curled around. Then a random pic from Instagram that I've spent an embarrassing amount of time just staring at. #goals

Right, now re: the giveaway. I'm running a little card giveaway on Instagram. Hop on over to my account to view - it's to win a set of cards (two winners!) from AlphaKid - my latest picture book. The cards are produced by Nuovo Group - they look divine. I'll be having a Mamie card giveaway (so cute!) on Insta, too - so keep an eye out for the next giveaway.

I've been slowing down on Styling Tan, mostly because I just don't have the time. And after a pretty mega blow-out on clothing and accessories last year (I'm blaming Covid stress), I've had an almost completely dry January, just a pair of pants and a thrifted frock. I'd like to do more styling when I have time (maybe tomorrow!), so do pop on over and see what I've been up to... here on Instagram and here on Facebook. 

I did a post recently on beauty faves of late. Click the image below to view. I've since started The Ordinary's Pycnogenol (mega antioxidant). OMG. Get it. I have baby skin.

On gorgeous things, my beautiful sister made me the most stunning crochet clutch recently. Isn't it scrumptious? (below) There's nothing like something handmade with love. I carried it around the house with me all day. Do you do that? Just so you can gaze at something wherever you go?

Here, it takes centre-stage with my dinner that night. It's my version of a poke bowl. In fact, this kind of thing is almost always my nightly dinner - a poke-style bowl, drenched in MCT oil and balsamic vinegar. This version included rocket, baby spinach leaves, raw zucchini from my neighbour, beetroot sauerkraut, coriander, egg whisked and fried in sesame oil, sliced pickled onions and Asian fried shallots, topped off with a sprinkling of dukkah.

 

To finish off, here is a little peek at an image from an upcoming picture book with the lovely Emma Bowd - it's called Wonderful Shoes and it's the most adorable book for toddlers.

That's it for now! I'm having a quasi week off, moving my body, gardening, clearing out cupboards and rooms (entire pantry and fridge already done - laundry cupboards next!), cleaning, gardening and gardening. Maybe sleeping in and watching a bit too much Netflix, but to be fair, I worked all year, right through the festive season. I'm doing what I want this week! 

Stay safe and well and hydrated and book-immersed, won't you? Maybe do some colouring-in, too.

Tx