week four of my May Gibbs Children's Literature Trust Fellowship - A Productive, Creative Outpouring

My final week in Adelaide was my most productive yet. I called it 'A Productive, Creative Outpouring' in the Fellows' Journal. I really put my head down and finished all the stories for my junior fiction series. I also sketched up some more line drawings and did a little more on my ABC book.

I made a point of walking a lot, too, snapping some more photos of stunning local architecture. This block of flats, below... heavenly. It had a history, complete with plaque, but I forgot to take a photo of it, so can't tell you much more. But couldn't you imagine this as a grand old family home with picnics on the lawn?

Mamie book launch wrap-up!

What an absolute stunner of a day at Carrick Hill Estate on 25 November. This truly divine historical site in Adelaide is a must-see. The house, the grounds--wow wow. Enormous thanks to Christine and Ilonka and the team for the opportunity to launch Mamie onsite. It was such an honour and I know in my heart that May Gibbs would have heartily approved!

week three of my May Gibbs Children's Literature Trust Fellowship - Hello! Inspiration!

Week three! Getting there! If you're wondering about the Kate Greenaway book in the image above (who wouldn't!?), it was part of a silent auction of beautiful books during the MGCLT High Tea (read about it here). The lovely Mary Wilson, Patron, agreed to allow me to buy it after I'd got distracted and didn't put a bid in! How unusual of me to get distracted. Anyway--I adore this book.

Also in the image is a massive chocolate frog from Haigh's (from the Trust), and a lovely gin and tonic inspired by my hotelier daughter and her adoration for beautifully balanced cocktails. It has orange and rosemary in it. The orange is freshly squeezed from the orange tree outside the little cottage I stayed in. There's also gum blossom branches from the High Tea--they lasted until the end of my stay; I adored them. You'll also notice a pine cone--one of many I collected from the lawns of a nearby park, and the Fellows' Journal, which I wrote in, drew in and read from cover to cover, marvelling at the experiences of my previous Fellows--all, incidentally, with major similarities to my own journey. So very interesting.

In the journal, I called week three 'Hello! Inspiration!'

May Gibbs Children's Literature Trust High Tea + Scotch College visit

We all have those events that will stay for us a lifetime, and during my MGCLT Creative Time residency in Adelaide, I had one of those.

The gorgeous women at the Trust organised a beautiful high tea in honour of my Fellowship (and in celebration of May Gibbs!) at the Lenzerheide Restaurant in Hawthorn. Around 60 of us sipped champagne and gathered in the sun-strewn conservatory for a divine high-tea style lunch.

The MGCLT Chair, Julie Wells, introduced me, then I spoke about both May and my Mamie journey. It was a bit of an emotional speech and what a thrill to have fellow May Gibbs-adorers in the room, nodding and smiling and sighing as I spoke. I signed copies of Mamie afterwards, and had some beautiful conversations, including one woman who made me cry! (in a good way).

Trust Patron Mary Wilson closed the proceedings, and I presented her with an original watercolour--one of the versions of Mamie (before I decided on the final version for the book). This one (pictured above) is much more traditional in style, and includes gumnuts and gum blossoms. The piece will be housed in the Burrow residency in Norwood.

It was amazing to catch up with and meet people I'd only ever heard about over the years. Also loved seeing fellow author/illustrators Janeen Brian and Sally Heinrich. It was also a joy to have my friend Jane Brummitt and a group of her friends there to share in this special day.

Pictures speak a thousand words, so I'll wrap up this beautiful event with some photos, showcasing just how lovely and memorable it was. Thank you to the ladies at MGCLT.  What a joy it was.

week two of my May Gibbs Children's Literature Trust Fellowship - Hitting My Stride

My MGCLT Creative Time Fellowship gained momentum in week two. In the Fellows' Journal, I called it 'hitting my stride'. And I did. Much of that striding was performed in local cafés and can I just say the coffee is GOOD in Adelaide. My favourite spots were the Lion Hotel, First Pour (where my junior fiction series magically poured forth--'scuse the pun) and St Louis, all in North Adelaide. Oh, and the Art Gallery of South Australia's café in the city. Below is my view at the window at First Pour. I always sat here.

It was a much busier week, with lots of skittling around, working on several things including a new idea for an alphabet book. I collect ABC books, and creating one has been on my bucket list for about eighty-five years. I didn't want to just 'do one'. The right idea had to appear. And it did. Below is a peek at one of the images from the book, and I worked on a few more during my residency.

week one of May Gibbs Children's Literature Trust Fellowship - Dithering 101

I'm baaaack! Where to begin? This Week One post will likely be all over the shop--I just have so much to tell you. It was the most unexpected month away, and of course--it went in a gumnut heartbeat.

I've been wading though a million photos and I'm still not unpacked. It's already 2 December and there's nary a Christmas bauble in sight in our house (quelle horreur!). I'm melting the butter in a ray of afternoon sunshine as I type, because my annual Christmas cake is two months late.

Since arriving home yesterday, I've cuddled and yabbered with my kids, performed repotting surgery on two fiddle leaf figs, put on three loads of washing (ironically, most of it not mine), walked straight past the mountain of ironing without batting an eyelid (I'm a changed woman), picked up a custom-made gift for my dear friend Sylvia, drank champagne with my husband in celebration of signing for my first junior fiction series, got a heavenly night's sleep, and have completed a flurry of 'omgihaveboughtnoxmasgifts' online shopping (feeling awfully guilty, I'm committing to shopping local for the rest).

This afternoon I'm finishing the Christmas cake and prepping the goodies for tomorrow's Mamie (author copies were waiting for me when I got home!) window installation at Harry Hartog bookstore. Then I'm meeting my dear friend Sylvia (she is leaving me for another town) for coffee.