The launch of the South West Coffee Handbook, but the event was a great success , and i was informed that the prints went down a treat which is most excellent !

A few shots sent to me from the guys that put the book together at www.food-mag.co.uk, really happy how they came out .

If your a coffee lover go get the handbook - available now online and in waterstones.
and you can buy here http://www.food-mag.co.uk/shop/

leila

alomost finished editing the shoot i did with leila. I'v been so busy seems to have taken forever, but my first bout of tonsilitus and fever means i have to stay in and am getting ontop of my to-do list , silver linings.

heres a little peek

Ah France, land of artichokes, bread, cheese, patisseries and love. It has become an annual tradition of late, grab a bag and a board and head south. We have been visiting the Carcans area of France for a few years now, with the quieter location and more mellow vibe of the mid west we always are treated to quiet waves and blussfull glinting sunshine. I love to wander around the nearby towns in the mornings picking up fresh fruit and whatever fresh bread has just been baked, then surf all day followed by beers in the long warm evenings on the beach. It's like home but far enough away to switch off and be alone i love how it feels to be quiet.

Hey, its been a little while - busy sunny days!

Have been putting a lot of time into working with Gulfstream Surfboards, re designing the shop with the help of the talented chaps Josh and Edd at The Plank Company making some beautiful furniture, shelving and rails. Getting gorgeous new products in, like Georgie Roberts stunning and simple necklaces at Wonderlustlife. Then shooting a summer 'look' with the effortlessly beautiful Leila. In talks with some talented and wonderful people to work with and to put in-store.

http://bayahire.co.uk/

https://wanderlustlife.co.uk/

Spent a few days down in Newquay with the multitalented man of surf that is Rob (ROMA) Morgan seeing him do his thing with diplock surfboards at the finisterre pop up shop. I was asked last min to produce some illustrations to put on the walls, and after a surf with the gracious footed talent that is Ben Howey (in preparation for his comp at Boardmasters), i set up in the back of the van with the hound to do him some strange and inky drawings which is a way i really enjoy working. 

 www.romasurfshop.com 

 www.facebook.com/ROMAsurfshop 

 Also working on endeavour's first clothing prints. Been going through some designs with Matt the design wizard, had alot of fun doing these and matt's coming up with interesting ways to print them. Ensuring eco-responsibility as standard, its always a must for me with all clothing i work on and great to have like minded creatures behind the brand. some funky simple pieces will be available to buy soon at  www.endeavoursurf.com a little glimpse at the lino stage.

Its been a good few weeks, wishing health and happiness to friends and enjoy the warm weather bellissimo! 

'Crocoile Sister' children's book

ah a fun few things have been going on recently and before i forget , here is the kindle edition of a children's book i illustrated end of last year for the lovely Marilyn Wilcox. A fun story of a little girl who cant stop biting.

'Troy thinks his sister is turning into a crocodile! Can he save her? 

A humorous tale of fairies, witches and snails, that will leave you laughing and touch your heart.'

It was an interesting project as iv not illustrated a full children's book before, there were many learning curves and i enjoyed developing the characters.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crocodile-sister-Maz-Wilcox-ebook/dp/B00I3LE6DA

barbados

Away for the winter in sunny (and very rainy) Barbados.
it was an interesting trip, good and bad.  Unfortunately we weren't blessed with the best waves and 5 weeks of rather small unreliable surf was a bit hard on the soul. We had a few great days at Southpoint and Brandons with some fun clean waves and occasional small cover up. Soup-bowls was interesting, chunky sloppy and not really working like i thought it would, just some cut up feet and heavy set waves but was fun to try out a tricky bankhand didn't get many but it was nice to surf something different.

After a bit of worry over returning with broken bones/skulls/reef rash it was all quite fine- i have to say i really enjoy surfing over reef (beautiful open eye duck-dives) but the shape of the wave and the consistant peek. I was also very grateful that the local mass urchin population didn't cause any trouble other then to my traveling companion who misjudged and ended up with about 26 spines (holy balls theres more urchin then reef)  only a few dozen cuts and bruises, and one dislocated septum with 5 lip stitches and a long evening in hospital, that left me duck-lipped for the rest of the trip all thanks to a small wave at freights using a corky single-fin tufflite a friend leant me for the trip..... tufflite tuff, human face not so tuff.

But it was the first time ever wetsuitless , which was slightly mind-blowing, easy paddles , warm water and feeling fit, though it was a constant struggle to keep bikini on. Met some nice poeple and some not so nice, very americanised and rather pricey but the local flora and fauna,  turtles and pufferfish kept me happy.