Granny O'Grimm hits the big time!

Irish animation company Brown Bag have been shortlisted for an Oscar for Granny O’Grimm! I am developing one of my picture books I'm a Happy Hugglewug with Brown Bag Films into a preschool animation series and having great fun doing it. They are a super dooper bunch of incredibly talented people, check out their website here.

They have sucessfully brough a new look to Noddy and the infamous Olivia. The Olivia title sequence is my favourite preschool opener.

Wild sea on right

I was out sick with tummy bug last week so just catching up now. I am on the dart zooming past the wild sea.
I'm heading back into town after judging the Sightsavers Junior Painter of the Year Award.
What a morning there was over 2000 entries which was brilliant for the first year.
The standard was fantastic, regional winners will be informed next week but you will have to wait to find out who the national winners are! They will be announced next February.
Keep doodling until then:)

Voting Open for The Never Too Young Book Award!

The Ravenous Beast is thrilled to be shortlisted for the Never Too Young Prize from Coventry City Council. The public can vote and comment for thir favourite picture book. If you loved The Ravenous Beast you can find him here!

Time bending and Trocaire Christmas Cards

Trocaire Christmas Cards will be available in Skerries Book Store from this week. There are 4 designs in all. They are also available from the Trocaire shop Tel: +353 1 6293333 . I really enjoyed painting these cards in the middle of summer, it seems so long ago now!

I was chatting to my eight year old about this flexible nature of time and the way that it speeds up over the weekend. You know, Saturday seems like a long leisurely day where you fit loads in.

My Saturday involved getting up early, driving to Dublin, interview on FM4, getting new winter boots, coffee and chats with my friend Dermot at his wonderful gallery, buying presents for 2 birthdays, driving home, going to first birthday, painting kids faces as vampires, spotty dogs, going to second party, going to dinner in friends house with the kids... just your typical Saturday. But then on Sunday for some reason, time is speeded up. So one minute its breakfast time, next minute it's bedtime! Very little achieved and it went so quickly!

Is there a theory for this or is it just our minds time bending? Or does time go slower when you have a jammed packed day!

Junior Painter Deadline 20th November!

Deadline is fast approaching for the Sightsaver's Junior Painter Of The Year Award. You still have a few days so badger your teachers to let you paint, doodle and draw this week. Info is here in case you missed the earlier release.

For inspiration the above picture is by one of the winners in the Junior Category from the UK last year. Get Painting!

Viviane Schwarz's There Are Cats in This Book

This is an absolute favourite in our house, I love it, the kids love it, the hubbie loves it, even Rosie the dog loves it! So I was delighted to see that Viviane Schwartz has made a video.
It is charming, fresh, really interactive and one of the most original picture books I have seen in a long time. Enjoy!

Christmas Cards for Temple Street Children's University Hospital

This year I have designed the Christmas Cards along with Steve Simpson and Adrienne Geoghegan for Temple Street Children's Hospital in aid of much needed funds.
They are available online here and soon will be in will also be available from McCabes Pharmacies and Woodies stores.