Happy Holidays!

A Very Merry Book Loving Christmas to you all!

Doodling on the radio is it really possible?

Do not be fooled. I will stop at nothing to get you doodling... I even attempted a radio doodle last week.

Myself and Gráinne Clear attempted a Live Christmas Doodling workshop on RTE Junior's Little Pages Programme yesterday morning. We even got a mention on Tubridy last Thursday.  Ryan called it  'The nations first live doodle! Thinking outside the box...' Thanks Ryan!

Our interactive-doodling and doodle dinodeers left a tail of glitter all over the RTE radio studio. And if you missed it don't worry you can now down load it On The RTE Junior Page.

So is it really possible? Please send in some of your photos of your doodle to info@childrenslaureate.ie so we can see! 

Window Painting at Hodges Figgis

I had a deadly time painting the Hodges Figgis Christmas Window yesterday and I couldnt of done it without the  help from Griffeen Valley Educate Together from Lucan! Thank you to David Maybury, Inis Magazine and Children's Books Ireland for the amazing photographs. And to Hodges Figgis for the amazing setting on Dawson Street Dublin. 

Story Spark this weekend!

Don't forget I will be at The Ark this Sunday for the last weekend of CBI's Story Spark.

I promise plenty of 'Nonsense Smonsense', Hugglewug roaring and fun with Mavis and Marge too! I am on at 2pm, there's a few tickets left so get booking here.

Pop over and read Hazel Gaynor's interview with me on her fab blog, Hot Cross Mum.

Frabulous Sarah Webb,will be appearing along with Brianóg Brady Dawson and Gillian Perdue on Sunday too at the 4 o'clock session.

Bob from The Gutter Bookshop will be there in case you would like some signed books for Christmas pressies! The Gutter Bookshop has to have the best Christmas window display in the city...wise words!

Crimbo Critters!

I've been up late-night painting little critters; dragonflies and elves and their ilk, they'll be framed up for the Peas and Pods Family Market next week. Looking something like this...

If you want to buy some of these little critters do come along next Wednesday, it will be a cosy indoor mulled wine affair to get you in the Christmas mood. It's on at the Dublin Food Co-op, Newmarket, Dublin 8 from 1-8pm.

I'll be signing books and available for orders of Take-away Doodles too!

I'm doing a Christmas Market!

I'm going to have a stall at The Peas and Pods Christmas Market on the 22nd of December. I'll be selling signed books and Takeaway Doodles both framed and unframed. I will doodle while you wait! Monsters, cats, chickens, cows, you name it, I'll doodle it. I hope to have other Christmassy stuff like cards and creatures on my stall too :)

The market looks brilliant with wonderful crafty people. There's loads of cool crafty stuff for sale, check it out here. It will be on at The Dublin Food Co-Op,12 Newmarket, Dublin 8 from 1-8pm on Wednesday 22nd December.

Peas and Pods are promising 'mulled wine (and an alcohol free version for the drivers among you!) live music, and the usual great food, this will be one Christmas where last minute shopping will be a delight, not a chore! See you there, we’re very excited! Can you tell?!!'

If you would like to commission a Christmas doodle you can contact me at niamhsharkey@gmail.com. I will have it ready for take away that day.

Trócaire Christmas Cards

I am feeling so Christmassy today. It's been a weekend of snowy fun.

Starting on Friday night, I really loved the Toyshow. Thought it was the best one yet. Ryan Tubridy was a natural with the kids and full of quirky comments to keep the adults smiling too.

In fact it was so wonderful it made snow :)

My Trócaire Christmas cards are now available in all Trócaire stores: Maynooth, Cork and Belfast. Paddy in Skerries Bookstore will also be stocking them too!

If you would like to order the cards for your company please contact Trócaire directly on 1850 408 408

Can you spot a hidden character in this card?

Happy September Everyone!

Sorry I have been off the radar, I took two weeks off with the kids before they went back to school and I have been busy painting Christmas cards for Trocaire and Temple Street Children's Hospital. This year they will be available in Easons for sale so they had to be finished extra early! I will post up the link nearer the season if you want to order them for your bookstore or just for you.

My boy Oscar started school yesterday so we are in full autumn mode. I am totally free now to work on new ideas I have been cooking up in my notebooks. I have been cleaning my studio this morning I will post up some photos when it is all clean! I have so much to do. I was going to take Marie Louise Fitzpatricks advice and start to work in coffee shops. No distractions... coffee could give me the jitters though!

Lego nostalgia!

I know this is totally random but I love Lego men. They give me such a fuzzy nostalgic feeling especially at this time of year.
My favourite present that I ever got from Santa was Lego. I remember wriggling my toes down the end of the bed on Christmas morning to hear the rattle sound of a box of Lego. I used to sleep in the bottom bunk and I remember how thrilled I was to when I saw that it was Lego. It was wrapped in a pillowcase down the bottom of my bed on Christmas morning.
My kids are mad into Lego especially my son Oscar. I love the little characters they zing with humour and personality.

Busy Week

Been a busy week I just finished the Argosy Christmas catalogue. It features Santa and a reindeer on the cover. I will post the cover when its nearer the season. For now here is a little bug that's on the back cover, it's a bit blurry but thats because it's blown up from tiny. I am over in London tomorrow to sign the artwork for my exhibition in October so I won't be posting until next week.

Summer!

It is so hot in my studio, it's after eleven o'clock at night and I have both windows wide open. Is this Summer? It sure feels like it! I have been asked to do an illustration for the Argosy Christmas Catalogue so I have spent the evening thinking of Christmas, Santa and reindeers and cold things. This seems to be a recurring theme to my summers. I painted Santasaurus in the 'heat' of an Irish summer.  Another year I did a series of illustrations for the Ottakar's Christmas Window Display. Last year a Christmas card commission in July! Is someone trying to tell me something?