I haven't written in my blog for a while but now the children have returned to school after the lovely Summer hols, working from home is possible again and semi-normality resumed! It's good to share and discuss this process of working from home because it's a funny one! I love it but the domestic environment just a room away can entice you if you're not strong willed! In order to settle into the work nest after some time away there is inevitably a bit of procrastination. I'm convinced tidying and cleaning are part of the creative thought process- who knows but once I've got all of that out of my system it can suppress any further domestic urges for a while and I can get down to some work. Once I've then cleared my desk of old bits of paper and reconnected with half done work that has been lying dormant for the 6 weeks I can feel the mind starting to wake up. It takes a while settling in and I feel like a dog walking round and round and round in their basket before they finally settle down to rest!!
By the end of the School hols I feel like I'm about to burst creatively! It is impossible to work when the children are off school and I prefer to spend my complete time with them anyway. To have work paused and always at the back of your mind can be a little frustrating. However now I get the time, I get sidetracked with one more little tidy up where I put away my latest Children's Book purchases from my holidays into my growing collection (more procrastination) and a book falls out of the shelf and onto the floor almost breaking again at the spine. It is from 1971 published for the Dairy Industry and one which my parents bought directly from the milkman! I'd like to share it with you- Here is the cover. . .
An old favourite of mine from my childhood and it flies me straight back there at an instant. It was full of recipes made from ingredients you could purchase from the milkman and has gorgeous illustrations by Frank Francis. How strange does that seem now!? To buy a book from the milkman!? But I loved it then and still love the pictures now. I wonder how many other people had this book or remembers Frank Francis' beautiful crayony work!? Here is one of the inside spreads with recipe. . .
I'd tried several of these recipes out as a youngster. The sellotape sticking it all together is the telltale sign that it was well thumbed! Frank's lovely palette of colours are set off so well in the white space of the page.
I think this book could sit alongside a number of new publications today and not look out of place- due to the strong vintage look that is being published at the moment- Books such as Jill and Lion by Lesley Barnes, I Really Want the Cake by Simon Philip and Lucia Gaggiotti and There's a Tiger in the Garden by Lizzy Stewart. I just love the colour choices these people are making. Going back to 1971-Look at Frank Francis' gorgeous endpapers!!
I just love those endpapers!
Well it's back to the drawing board, to immerse myself in my lovely illustration nest of paints and paper. No more distractions apart from putting the kettle on!! You can watch this space to find out about projects I've been involved with, my inspiration and my work bubble. Thank you for reading right to the very end!