New Year

Already 3 good things have happened this year ...

I'm so proud of my niece Alice - her painting was recently exhibited at the prestigious

Pallant House Gallery in Chichester.

It stopped raining, the sun came out and ...

I baked my first successful loaf of bread. Finally an edible loaf that was not so heavy it could have been used as a door stop! I hope your 2013 is off to a good start.

It's a dog's life!

Last year Alfie spent Christmas in a dog's home, this year was a bit different . . .
He was really up for having a good time, unfortunately his friends had other ideas.

Merry Christmas

                       
Merry Christmas to everyone . . . .

I've neglected my blog recently, no Illustration Friday either - I'm hoping this will change in the New Year but I'd better not make any rash promises. It's been so chaotic lately work wise - does anyone else find that deadlines are non existent now - to be replaced by "needs to be done immediately"? When work is like this I find it virtually impossible to be creative for myself. Here's hoping for a calm, slow, kind, gentle and creative 2013. A bit of sun wouldn't go amiss either!

Luckily we are not at risk of flooding although lots of roads in the area are closed but my heart goes out to the people whose homes have been wrecked by flood water, just a couple of days before Christmas.

Illustration © 2012 nicky linzey

Available from gibsonholt

Rare Brands

I've been asked by retro furniture company Steel Magnolias to provide prints for their new range of frames. They're exhibiting at the Rare Brands Market this Friday 7th and Saturday 8th at the Corn Exchange in Brighton. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area, maybe see you there!

blown in from afar?

It was crowded at the harbour on Sunday - a beautiful day and excitement because Hurricane Sandy has apparently blown in a Hooded Merganser from North America. I had never heard of one before so I googled it and found this weird looking bird! I hope it is happy in England.

Tree

The theme for illustration friday - a subject i love to draw and photograph.

© 2102 nicky linzey

starlings

Apparently the British starling population is down by nearly 80% because of the change in their habitat and they are fighting for food with the invasion of the European starling. I still get a lot in my garden but am yet to see a murmuration of starlings - which I would love to do.  My grandmother hated them - she said they were greedy and took all the food from the little birds but I rather like them. There were about 12 on my yucca tree but by the time I'd found the camera there were only two left. I love that the pattern on the birds matches the blossom on the yucca.

A murmuration of starlings © nicky linzey 2011