Orange Monster

Ok so today’s picture is a bit of a cheat for both 100 Birds in 100 Days and the working on children’s books monthly challenge but the picture contains birds (they are seagulls incase you were wondering) and I now plan to write a children’s story around the picture.

I drew it yesterday after seeing an old man picking litter by himself on the outskirts of Gloucester – I couldn’t get a photo and it was beginning to rain heavily so I sketched him when I got home, inked it in and coloured it with coloured pencils.

I put it out yesterday on my personal blog and stuff yesterday and have since been sent this cool link about local litter picking heros!

I just found it inspirational and heart breaking – heart breaking that the litter is there but amazing that he was doing his bit for his local environment!

So as part of my trying to spend 30 hours this month on my Children’s books I have dug out the paintings I have half finished for What Can You See Under The Sea. My now 7 yr old saw them got very excited – she has only ever had the felt tip drawn version but is desperate for me to finish the paintings so that she can read the book to her little sister.

There is a sad/pathetic story attached as to why they are not finished – I am quiet sensitive to others comments about my work – not once it is finished but whilst in the creative process (I consider rearranging and editing to be tweaking). The paintings were drying on the floor when my husbands aunt came in and a) walked al over them but fortunately they were dry enough and acrylic to be saved from the experience and b) she picked one up and asked me what it was. I told her it was a picture of a jelly fish to which she responded with a diatribe of hate against inaccurate pictures in childrenss books ‘why does it have eyes? Jellyfish do not have eyes…’

I packed the paintings away and did not begin again for 2 yrs really. I drew felt tip pictures for the girls but no painting. Of course I have done lots of painting since then and now want to finish the pictures. But I have a horrible feeling they are not all there and as I painted the back grounds in a batch so the colours would all be the same – this maybe a problem :/

Also I need to get some more paints and paint brushes.

I have finished Picture Book Writing Week for the first time within the time period and more than that – EARLY!

It is really just amazing!

So now I am pondering what next 🙂 There are a set of paintings from ages ago that need finishing – for What Can You See Under The Sea so that is going to be quiet high priority for me.

Then I am going to move onto the final parts of publishing the Little Books of Spoogy, Festive, Easter and New Baby Poetry. This includes all the audio, ebooks, stories and songs to go with them and what not.

Apart from that lot which in all honesty will take up more time than I have planned to spend on Children’s projects this month! There is working on illustrating Mother Langs Farm and my graphic novel script and story board which I didn’t get too finish for Script Frenzy last month.

I finished writing the English bits of three books today one on numbers, one on colours and one on shape. I am also thinking of combing the idea into a bigger book from slightly oder children. So I have finished the draft of book 5!

Tomorrow I plan to write the Baby Animals and Transport books 🙂

I finished the second language book last night – again just the English bit and began formulating more in the series. The next one I am working on is a counting book, then colours and then shape, and then animals and their babies, and then cars, planes, trains and food….

And that brings me up to the challenge of NaPiBoWriWee. I plane to stop there and then work on illustrations and finishing off books that are almost there for the rest of the month but no doubt I will just have to tinker!

I started writing at the stroke of midnight and got a page and a half done of a language primer and then thought – yes but this is for older children I want to do some simple picture books as well so I broke off from what I was writing and wrote the first draft and story board of From Head to Feet with Lojbani chicken and Anglo Squirrel. Of course only the English part the rest will need a translation.

I then began work on an animal book based on the same concept but for even younger children!

It is that time of year again!

NaPiBoWriWee or National Picture Book Writing Week – the challenge is too write seven picture books in seven days!

I shall be attempting the 7 stories in 7 days – not entirely sure what I will be writing yet – I may focus on the Lojbani Chicken or House Dragons or do a complete mix. As I have done in previous years I am also going to be using may as a working on picture books in general month. I will try and do at least an hour a day.

This challenge always produces good results for me so wish me luck!

100 birds in 100 days

I took this photo in Cheltenham – I love the way the bird is sitting there cleaning itself whilst framed by the blue sky.

This is the birthday cake I made my husband – you will be seeing close ups of each chick in the coming days 🙂 And some of them might end up on Wiggly Pets as a little kids story or something like that 🙂

photo 10 of the 100 birds in 100 days challenge