Introducing...The Springtime Garden Collection

Tap or click here to visit
the "Springtime Garden" collection

Hello there.

This week's post is a simple invitation. Take a nice deep breath, and come for a stroll in the fresh air of a whimsical springtime garden, filled with yellow, white and blue wild flowers...

That's the feeling I most wanted to create in my new "Springtime Garden," collection at Spoonflower. In addition to fabrics, the designs are also available on wallpaper, as this picture shows...

Delicate Blue "Forget-Me-Nots on Cream" Wallpaper...

(Seeing that wallpaper may also solve any mystery you might have felt around just why I was drawing all those forget-me-nots a few weeks back, too...).

Floral "Springtime Garden" Curtains

The image above shows the "Springtime Garden" design after which the collection is named, in action on some happy curtains, lifting everything in the space around them.

But I'll leave you in peace now, so that you can have a proper stroll around the full collection here.   

Have fun, and I'll see you next week.

More soon.

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The Happy Land of Bears on Bicycles...

Just a bear on a bicycle...

Hello there, and may life be treating you well, wherever you are.

This week,  I found myself yearning for something more. A deeper, cuter, and more profound level of escape. And I found it in a brilliant new course run by the illustrator Lisa Glanz.

"Drawn to Whimsy" has reminded me that, some time ago, I used to draw lots of whimsical animals, like this one, or these marmots.

The Drawn to Whimsy workbook (besides being a permission slip to spend extra time in the happy land of bears on bicycles) has given me just the encouragement and structure I needed to approach it all in a more unified way. As well as *the* cutest course notes I've ever encountered.

And a whimsical whale with a suitcase.

So both the drawings you see on this page are informal coursework and work-in-progress, rather than having any final outcome or destination as yet. (And no, I'm not an affiliate for Lisa's course-just enthusiastic about it).

Also, yes, the flowers will return (and/or join the animals...). But in February here, the fastest route to a world of whimsy, just for now, has been these cuties and their friends. I hope you've enjoyed it too, and as ever, thanks so much for being here.

More soon.

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Everything's Coming Up (Sketchy) Roses...

Tap or click here to see my "Sketchy Roses"
whimsical floral patterns on fabric, home decor
and wallpaper at Spoonflower...
(Product images courtesy of Spoonflower)

Hello there

Hope this post can help you find some much-needed whimsy in the world.

In truth, I was going to blog about something else today. But this collection became finished and on sale today...And so I couldn't resist sharing the news, and an initial pic or two, with you.

The story behind it...

The "Sketchy Roses," collection is designed to bring the country-cottage feeling of a sleepy Suffolk village into your home and life, but with a modern, line-drawn, and more whimsical twist.

Like quite a few of my designs, it's a homage to centuries-old house we lived in when I was small, complete with multiple fabrics, textures, and yes, roses growing by the door. Whether you prefer maximalist bright pink roses and dopamine decor, tiny subtle petal textures, or a more traditional print in between, there will be a pattern or print in this collection with your name on it.

Spriggy roses take the stage

This design, with its sprigged roses...

Watercolour Rose Sprigs & Leaves
 Patterned Fabric-
(Image courtesy of Spoonflower)

 
has somehow become a central piece, with its country freshness being the spirit behind the whole collection. And if you happen to be a Spoonflower member, please do vote for it amongst the other lovely designs in their latest competition (if you see this post before the competition closes on Feb 10th 2026).

Yes, it's also confession time...

If you've been reading this blog for a very long time...First, thank you. And secondly, yes, there was a previous "Sketchy Roses" collection. It was (and is)  on printable papers only, and after weeks of work, I managed to list it in the wrong section of my Craftsuprint shop, and then fail to promote it properly...

So these designs are both a re-birth of those original papers, and a complete re-imagining of the collection. Some designs, especially the tiny blender patterns, are completely new. Other very "loud" designs from the original collection have been taken away completely.

I hope that this collection will bring you the joy it was always meant to, but in a much bigger way, in its 2026 version.

Finally...Let's Not Forget the Forget-Me-Nots...

Finally, as promised, here are the answers the "Forget-Me-Not" quiz from last week.

A2

B4 (Digital Acrylic brush/pen-either brush or pen is a correct answer)

C1

D3

As I said last week, there are no prizes, but hope the guessing was fun. More on those motifs anon.

In the meantime, thanks so much for reading down this far, and for being here. I really appreciate it.

More soon.

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Lots and Lots of Forget-Me-Nots...And a Quiz...

Hello there

If you're in the mood for something completely different today, you're in luck. 

During the past few days I've been experimenting with drawing and painting forget-me-not floral motifs in various media. This has left me with lots and lots of images of forget-me-not flowers.

So, just for a change, I thought it might be fun to set a quiz. Participation is entirely optional, and totally  for the fun of it only. I'll give the answers in next week's newsletter post.

The image (A-D)

Each of the following sets of forget-me-not image motifs (labelled A-D below)  have been drawn and/or painted in a different way. 

Your task is to match each lettered picture below, with its corresponding technique, numbered in the next section below. 

Image A

Image B

Image C

Image D

The Technique Options (1-4)

1. Line and Wash Watercolour

2. Soft pastels from an eyeshadow palette

3. Acrylic paint pens

4. The digital equivalent of one of the techniques 1-3 in this list. (give yourself extra congrats for naming the technique too).

Finally...

Hope this is fun for you, and as I said, stay tuned for answers next week. (Update on Jan 29th 2026 -the answers are now at the bottom of  the post at this link).

 Have a good one until then,

More soon.

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Drink in These Colours-And Their Story...

Hello there

Now, I do realise that the design in today's post might very much either be to your taste, or not.

But as it's the middle of January, even if a  bright pink crochet effect pattern isn't your thing, I thought you might at least enjoy drinking in the colours...

1970s-Inspired Bright Pink
Crochet-Effect Boho Pattern

And if, on the other hand, it's made you go. "That would be perfect for my 1970's-inspired [insert your project details here]," then you're in luck.

It's available at Spoonflower on fabric, wallpaper and other goodies (and indeed as an entrant in the "Craft Maximalism," themed contest on there at the moment). 

Every design has its day

Here's a fun fact about this design. The actual motifs in this pattern have been on my hard drive for several years. But I could never see a use for them until that contest (and a big swing in the world towards bright colours) came about.

I guess the comforting moral of that story, if there is is one, is that every dog (or design, in this case) really does have its day.

Thanks so much for being here, and have a great week.

More soon.

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