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Some months ago, I was approached by Margaret Hiatt to produce a series of simple illustrations for her book, Stepping Up. Margaret Hiatt works to help people become more confident when speaking in public, and is a coach/mentor to all kinds of professional women. She also takes a good photo and bakes a lovely fruit loaf.

Stepping Up is full of tips and encouragement for people who aren't quite where they want to be with their work/work-life/life. I had a really good time doing the illustrations and, having also had a hand in the book's layout, I am happy that it's now printed and ready to go. As for the content, it's not really the sort of thing I would ordinarily seek out or even think about ... which is probably one reason why it's had quite an effect on me! - to have simple, practical ideas about such things as time management, goal setting, perfectionism and procrastination, rattling around in my brain.

Please click on the ill.s to expand.

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A birthday bake-off yesterday inspired a collaborative carrot cake from this book (which is proving a good resource), and a silly cat card (which I saw as being a study for an album cover).

Yes, Ish Vate is a real person. I mean cat.

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A fairly spontaneous stencil print (and pencil scribble), made for Mum yesterday.

Chrysanthemums, how inventive of me! Well, I had in mind just a large-headed flower and when I looked them up, I came across a wonderful/bad florist photo of Chrysanthemum clusters, in which they looked lovely and great and ugly and menacing.

Please click on the image - it looks 72 times better enlarged.

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Paper plates for Milly's window, inspired by the current Romance Was Born collection, Lil Lord Fauntleroy.

Even though the outcome is quite fetching, my palette (below) was the incidental masterpiece of the paint session ... that, and the inevitable foot-in-photo moment (above), which revealed to me how well I had co-ordinated my outfit with my activity.

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It is a good idea, apparently, to say Rabbits, Rabbits on the first day of the month. Unfortunately, it should be the very first thing that you utter, which I didn't manage (not to give the impression that I've said anything more sophisticated in the past couple of hours).

Anyway, Rabbits, Rabbits everybody. And Happy Easter. I drew some bunnies for my family on the weekend, and made a very hasty scan of them before they were separated for individual cards. At top, you can see small tufts and toenails belonging, no doubt, to a Flemish Giant.

For other great beasts, have a look at these drawings by Mirico Machiko, who is the artist that I can't get out of my head at the moment*. (Actually, I thought there was a ferocious rabbit among these animal portraits but perhaps I imagined it).

*thanks to Gracia + Lousie, who always post brilliant finds at the Book.

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Stencilled Christmas cards that I made for Milly's windows (and then sent to a quarter of my list, in mid January). The images look a bit wan here compared to the original prints, alas.

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These special hangers and hanging pot plant holders are currently on display at Milly. I linked them up yesterday, hurriedly, ahead of the appearance of a photographer... I expected them to look effective, I guess, but I am unexpectedly thrilled with the result. They are just the right amount of something and nothing by our tall front wall. And they look line drawings, don't they, in the images?

The hangers have been spray-painted and manipulated into holders by Gian Manik. They are available for keeps by visiting Milly, in person or online, in exchange for small donations.

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Milly is so tranquil today that, while I was writing this post, a man walked into the store, stood under one of our ceiling fans, and fell asleep.

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On a brief holiday, during hot dusty days in the car, I took photographs of relentless blue sky, played windmill spotting, and thought about giving some attention to this blog again.

Since I was last here, I've picked up and put down numerous projects and half-made thingies, tried with limited success to grow a small edible garden, grown out my fringe, and (after subsisting in my own disarray for nearly seven years) started living with somebody. I've forgotten how to use Blogger, forgotten how to exercise, and forgotten how to sit still (or so it feels) - things I hope to address in 2013.