Still here (and kicking).

Well, things have been whizzing along in HuggerBoo land, and I have found myself having a hiatus from blogging.  It's ironic that the time I have lots I would like to blog about, I can't seem to actually get around to blogging. 

There have been visitors (thanks for coming to see us Nicky, Anne and James!). 

There has been some 'nesting'.  I said goodbye to my cherished studio, now relocated downstairs to share Dadda Boo's office, to make way for baby's space.

There have been some extra 'zzzz's ' for pregnancy. 

There have been a couple of needles, some sickly glucose drink and a scan which revealed 'boy parts'.  All progressing well at week 27 with the little fella, though I do wish he would stop bouncing on my bladder.  And those night cramps - owww!

 

There has been a teddy bear outfit sewn, some pumpkins carved and some treats munched.

There has been enthusiasm for preschool and a promise of gnomes being made by Santa Bear's (there's fear of Santa around these parts) elves.  Better get sewing little elf.

There have been mushroom hunts (most fruitful in our wet corner of the world), trail tramping and sandbox-sitting.

There has been a Dadda Boo working around the clock at his busiest time of year.

 

 

And each week since the beginning of October, there has been for me, a class about children's book writing and illustration with the immensely experienced Kathryn Shoemaker (see a selection of her books here ).  And an attempt to squeeze in a few hours a week to work on developing my new book with the insight I am gaining from the course. 

 

 

So I went to the 'Fall Illustrator's Breakfast', organised the the Childrens Literature Roundtable of Vancouver in October, which was lovely, and was written about here by the fantastic author/illustrator Lisa Cinar, who was sitting on the table behind me.  The presentation was made by Pierre Pratt, whose quirky painterly illustrations are really inspiring.

 

And I have been learning much more about wizzardy illustrators and authors in the field, one of my top discoveries (how I missed him before I'm not really sure), being John Burningham, who was again written about by Lisa Cinar on her excellent picture book blog here. 

Little Bear Boo is calling for me again but I will try to come back to this space before too long this time... and do a proper 'in the present' post.