Baron Bears Web Site

I am delighted to say that Sam came round this week (so we could knock our heads together) & we have built her web site. The address is: baronbears.com but just click on the picture below to see it. Much less hassle than typing.

She makes hand made bears, memory bears, bags, cushions, baby stuff & much more. It really is all hand made too - not even a sewing-machine in sight.

Designing a New Web Site

Tomorrow I start work on a new web site for my friend, Sam. She's coming over so that I can build it in front of her & the end result should look better than the mock-up I did some time ago. Below is a sample:

All the pictures were drawn using a mouse & are just intended to give her an idea of the layout. They are, I admit, pretty awful though! If you click on the picture you can see the whole page in all its glory.

Sam designs and makes hand-made bears (amongst other things) & her business is called Baron Bears. And they really are made by hand - not a sewing-machine in sight! I'll post a link to her proper site as soon as it's built so you can see for yourselves.

All Happy With the Christmas Doodles Book

I'm happy with the colour work I recently did for the Christmas Doodles book; Buster Books are happy with it & so are the US publishers - although I have no idea who they are! I must ask!

It's always a relief when the publishers are pleased with the end result & I'm looking forward to seeing the book when it's published in time for Christmas.

I start work on another new project tomorrow. Yet again it's a secret. All I can say is that it's different from my usual type of thing & it's not a book!

Web Design

I haven't written anything for ages for two reasons - I've been busy working on the Christmas Doodles book for Buster Books. Here's their logo:

The dog is called Buster Bob, and that makes me laugh. No idea why, it just does! Anyway, this book is now finished - unless the USA want me to make any changes.

The second reason I've haven't blogged is because I have been working on a new web site to advertise myself & my friend, Alex, as web designers. This is something that we've both wanted to do for a while and we've just finished building the pages. Below are some sample pages &, as we're very new, they're from each of our illustration web sites. I suppose that everyone has to start somewhere! We do have a commission already though.

If you click on either of the pictures you can see our web design site.

Christmas Doodles Book in Colour!

Anyone who read my last blog on March 31^st will know that I mentioned the latest project I was working on - but couldn't say any more until I had asked the publisher's permission.

Bryony at Michael O'Mara / Buster Books has given me the go-ahead so I can now let you know that Christmas Doodles (one of the most fun books that I have ever worked on) is going to be coloured - or at least part of it. I have to leave some areas white for the kids to colour, which is proving hard to do.

This is a sneak preview of one of the doodles & will have a caption at the top saying something like Fill the plate with Christmas Cakes. The new coloured version, as far as I know, will only be on sale in the United States - but who knows what will happen in the future?

Finished my Web Site!

I've finished my web site at last! Hopefully it is now clearer to look at, easier to find your way around & faster to download, etc. etc.

Now I have to get on with some work. I can't say much about it at the moment because I haven't asked the publisher's permission - but the picture above is a clue.

Web Site Revamp

I'm actually embarrassed to write this but, once again, I have redesigned my web site. It was for a number of reasons - I wanted to practice my html5 skills & I wanted to learn how to put a favicon on it. This is it:

And, most importantly, the previous web site was too cramped and oppressive. At the time I liked all the grey but, after feedback, realised it was just too much. Now I've gone the other way, researched on minimalist design, & learned to love white space again.

If You Love a Bear

I had some very good news at the end of last year. Walker Books wrote to me to let me know that one of my books, called If You Love a Bear, was being republished & it came out this month. They've brightened up the cover by adding a stronger blue background & I'm really pleased with it.

It's one of a set of ten books all about bears, is called the Bear Hug Picture Book Collection, & sold by the Book People.

These are the ten books:
This is the Bear - Sarah Hayes & Helen Craig
You and Me, Little Bear - Martin Waddell & Barbara Firth
We're Going on a Bear Hunt - Michael Rosen & Helen Oxenbury
The Sniffles for Bear - Bonny Becker & Kady MacDonald Denton
Kiss Good Night, Sam - Amy Hest & Anita Jeram
Snow Bears - Martin Waddell & Sarah Fox-Davies
The Little Bear Book - Anthony Browne
My Friend Bear - Jez Alborough
Down in the Woods at Sleepytime - Carole Lexa Schaefer & Vanessa Cabban
If You Love a Bear - Piers Harper

Canvas and Thread Xmas Fair

I took part at the Canvas & Thread Xmas Fair yesterday at the Grange Institute and had a really good time. The idea of these events is to encourage anyone to get creative, have fun & make something - anything - painted, knitted, sewn, stuck together, etc. etc. It's all low-key & the whole idea is to enjoy making stuff.

The next event will be held in Spring. I will be going & hope you can make it too.

Christmas Card on the Way!

It's all starting to happen at last! I've been in touch with the people printing my Christmas cards (who have been brilliant, by the way) & they're sorting out my order. They will be ready for the Xmas Fair held by Canvas & Thread on December 1st at the Grange Institute in Grange Over Sands. You can click on the link below to find out more.

Also sorted out my copyright infringer. It all turned out to be a bit surreal (you can read what he wrote on Facebook) because he emailed to tell me that his ebook version of my book was only online because my "representative" (presumably my publisher) could only view it that way. Apart from the fact that this is nonsense, does he not realise that I am in contact with my publisher? They'd never heard of him, of course, & the YouTube video was promptly removed. It's good to know that YouTube take copyright infringement so seriously.