Santa's coming...

I was delighted to see a sample of my card I did artwork for long ago at Hallmark (seems like long ago anyway...) for Waitrose. It was one of my first designs I did when I started freelancing for Hallmark and I'm quite fond of it because the card itself is very much just like the original artwork - I combined line drawing and paper cutting on one piece of paper. It is on nice uncoated board with embossed design. A different designer added the page 3 so it was a nice surprise to find my illustration on the inside too. Time to put on your snazziest christmas jumper and get yourself to your local Waitrose now!

Twelve Days...

Hooray! A box of Christmas cards I worked on for Hallmark have hit the shop floors of Tesco. They are Tesco Finest charity cards, contributing to Cancer Research UK. I just drew the pictures for this and another designer formatted them, added text etc. It can be nice to work like this sometimes because it's always a nice surprise to see someone else's spin on my illustrations.

More of my cards...

These are a couple I have designed for Hallmark that are in Waitrose. I think I've got a few coming out at Christmas too so once I know they are in the shops I shall share with the world!

Ta daa!! A post.

Goodness, it's been a while... My blog has become a little waste of space where the grass had stopped growing! I've just kept my head down really for the last year having an amazing time working at Hallmark. Until the end of July, I had kept on my second job too so all together I was working 6 days a week for a year since graduating. So... after getting made redundant from that job I've had some time now to start thinking again about what to do. So watch this space because I'm gonna start planting grass!

Here's some of my cards I've done at Hallmark that have made it on to the shelves of Tesco...

What I've been up to...

I've been so very busy since finishing uni, I can't believe my luck really.

June was a mad month and the madness has continued since then! There was the degree show at Uni, then I went to London the following week to attend a children's book portfolio day. The next week was D&AD New Blood in London - my work was featured on the stand for the University of Huddersfield. It was inspirational to see so much talent in one place and so it felt good to be part of that. London was extremely hot, and I had forgotten just how busy it is! Give me Leeds any day! But it was good.

Two of my illustrations are currently on show at Mr Thomas' Chophouse in Manchester, in an exhibtion called Unleashed: The Best in the North. The exhibition is on until the end of August, when it will then move to Tom's Chophouse, Leeds. It was such an achievement to get my work into this show anyway, but I was also one of the final 25 (from 190 students) to be shortlisted for the Best in the North award.

Very excitingly, some ladies from Hallmark came to visit our degree show! Our tutor had told us in advance, so that we could be there ourselves to be introduced. I really didn't know what a greetings card publisher would make of my portfolio. But hoorah!!! Hallmark did indeed get in touch and offer me a placement! I went there for a two week placement and I have now been there four weeks - they wanted me to stay to keep illustrating for them!! I am getting so much practice, drawing every day, trying new ways to colour my work, getting better with the digital side of things and getting to illustrate such varied subject matter every day! Plus, I love the idea that all my work is intended to make someone smile - that is so my cup of tea!!!