Sooooo….it’s been a long time (again) but the beautiful beast that is Gromit has taken over my life, big-time! I can’t wait to finish him and show him off in the Briz (July 1st! eeeeeep!), but until then, here’s a sneaky peak. I don’t think I’m allowed to say where he’s going, or show you any more…but it’s all VERY exciting! There will be pictures a-plenty :)

www.gromitunleashed.org.uk

Gromit Unleashed…

The secrets out….I’ve been lucky enough to be picked as one of the artists to design one of the awesome 5-foot Gromit’s that will be featured around Bristol this summer for the Gromit Unleashed project :) eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep (SUPER excited but i won’t bang on about it on here)

It’s an ace project to be involved in and I couldn’t be prouder; 70 Gromits, 10 weeks, and at the end they get auctioned off for the fantastic charity, The Wallace and Gromit Grand Appeal-The Bristol Children’s Hospital. There are some totes famous artists in there too, like Raymond Briggs and Harry Hill, and lots more to be announced, so hopefully they’ll raise lots of lovely monies for a very good cause!

I’ll be taking lots of photos as I do my design, but sadly i can’t show anything or talk about it online yet, it’s all a big secret until the grand unveiling! Wish me luck :)

www.gromitunleashed.org.uk

Caitlin Rose

I saw the amazingly talented Caitlin Rose last night at The Fleece in Brizzle. I knew she was going to be good, but she was really f***ing good! I’ve had a girl crush on her since I was learning how to draw, and she tweeted me to say she liked the paisley detail I’d added to her collar on a picture of her :) MAJOR SWOON! If you haven’t listened to her music before and you like some country in your earholes, then I can’t recommend her enough! This is a personal fave:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJWiUOIpUS8

To add to the awesomeness of the evening, Jacknife Posters were selling their beautiful screen-printed posters, and they were freaking signed! BEAUTIFUL AND SIGNED!!! What more could you want. I bought a very similar one (both by Chris Hopewell) at a First Aid Kit gig a few months ago which is stunning, so now I have a set.

http://www.jacknifeposters.com/

Christmas Steps Valentines Artisan Market

This Saturday myself and the wonderful Laura, I Love Crafty, had a little stall at Bristol’s Christmas Steps Artisan market, selling our jewellery collaboration, my valentines day cards and lots of Brizzle-related cards and prints. Our bright pink and pastel stall brightened up a drizzly day in Feb, and with the help of warm mulled cider, lovely company and a super clarinet player, we had a ball :)

Tell that special someone in your life how you really feel this Valentines Day…that you truly…totally…WOULD!

Whether it’s for a dashing gent, or a dainty dame, you are sure to get the message across with these illustrated cards of loveliness.

Now for sale in my Etsy shop :) Merry Sexytime

www.etsy.com/shop/BernysPlace

The Staves-Winter Trees

The awesome band ‘The Staves’ have a wonderful new song out, and an absolutely gorgeous music video to go with it! I was lucky enough to get a little preview of it in the cinema here at Aardman Animations, with the super creatives behind this beauty, Karni and Saul, who also work here. Just enchanting :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lvtT8i8rOJY

Any thrift shopping/vintage loving/charity shop diggers will LOVE THIS TUNE!!! :)

Dank je wel Amsterdam!

Another cheeky bit of Dutch for you there ;) SO…I haven’t blogged about AMSTERDAM! Shocking! Just before Christmas myself and Farmer Ed went for a little birthday trip to the Dam. If you haven’t been I’d definitely recommend it, there’s something for everyone…and I mean EVERYONE, whether you’re into tulips and canals, or sex museums and beer factories (all of which I am happy to say I partook in). 

The days were amazing riding bikes along the canals, finding flea markets and vintage shops, then hiding from the drizzle in bars and cafe’s with giant beers and epic hot chocolate (mit slagroom…with cream, made me chuckle!) It’s such a beautiful, interesting and fun place, it amazed me how you could be strolling down a stunning canal and stumble upon the red-light district (casual)…which nothing could have prepared me for! I mean I’d heard the stories and read about it, but coming face to face (or glass, as they’re behind windows) with the prostitues of Amsterdam was shocking, but in a really interesting way…like you can’t quite believe this is happening…and is legal! Kind of the same way I feel about zoo’s. Equally as shocking, but totally hilarious, was the sex museum, the disclaimer ‘we do not accept complaints’ is enough to tell you it’s going to be GOOD! If you like penis-shaped furniture or creepy model flashers, then this is for you!

But aside from the sleaze, it’s a really wonderful, gorgeous place, and I have never met people so friendly in my life! So Dank je wel Amsterdam again, you’ve been just lovely.

Vintage with Mrs.M

The mothership, Mrs Patricia, came down for a little Christmas Brizzle trip recently, so I thought I’d celebrate some of our fab finds. From the unusual found at Bristol Spiegeltent (note the stuffed fancy fox rocking the vintage sunnies!), to the AMAZING illustrated wallpaper at the The Birdcage cafe & vintage shop (with delish gingerbread latte’s), we had a ball! Even picked myself up a ‘Pat Butcher’-esque leopard print coat…now where are those massive earrings!

Lionheart Mag, Issue 3

I’ve blogged about the wonderful Lionheart Mag before because, not only is it just STUNNING, but my good friend Hels created this little beauty, which is a huge inspiration to anyone!

Issue 3 is all about ‘Adventure’, so as you can imagine it’s wildly creative and fun and gorgeous, if it doesn’t make you want to travel and explore, then well… read it again! :)

I was also lucky enough to have some of my own little illustrations in here again, to accompany the ‘Seven Steps to Eternal Wonderment’ written by Freya Hardy. It’s great to have my little bits and bobs featured alongside some super talented people, so thanks Hels for asking me!

Go and have a looksy, it’s in awesome shops (Harrods!!!), or you can buy it online.

Hoi Amsterdam!

Yeah that’s right, I just did a little bit of Dutch then! That’s because I’m going for a festive trip to the A-dam next week! BOOM!

My absolutely amazing friend Thorneybum got me this ace little guide and map to the city, to help us find the ‘usual and the unusual’, aka, the red light district and the cat museum! It’s a winning combination (make your own ‘pussy’ puns out of that)

It’s by Herblester, and has stunning typography and iconography throughout, if you fancy checking out their other goodies :) 

In the meantime I will brushing up on my Dutch; “Het spijt me, ik spreek geen Nederlands” (I’m sorry, I don’t speak Dutch) Bosh!

It’s time to dust those ugly xmas jumpers off (my contribution above) and get fat and jolly, because it’s almost CHRISTMAS!!!! Yep, I’m one of those people! (the phrase ‘are you really going to be like this for the next 25 days’ has already been voiced)

Expect lots of over-excited, food, drink and film-related posts soon! EEEEEEEP!

Now must get back to Wham and Mariah :)

I’m taking you back…..

to the last few months, where I have been so rubbish at updating me ol’ blog, that I forgot about the awesomeness that was Halloween!!! Sadly Aards didn’t have a Halloween party this year, so we turned up, in style, to Rich T’s secret warehouse exhibition/party/scare-fest! Complete with trick ‘or’ treat holes in the wall (I got a very gooey trick!), grave stones, and punch from a pumpkin scarecrow, it was a wicked night! And lush artwork and zines for sale, winner!

(and I did my skeleton make-up myself!) BOO!

To celebrate the fabulous year us Brits have had (the Olympics, the Jubilee, the…weather?!) I thought I’d pop a cheeky discount on my Etsy shop, so all our British jewels are 15% off, and just in time for Christmas too!

Just enter the discount code JOLLYJEWELS at the checkout, and a super sparkly treat will be coming your way :)

Merry mince-pie eating times!

BAFTA BAFTA BAFTA!

So Sunday was no ordinary Sunday…it was kid’s BAFTA awards Sunday! (catchy)

Aardman Digital were lucky enough to be nominated for our game Deadly Planet on the CBBC website, in the Interactive category! We were so freaking excited, and although we didn’t win, the whole experience was amazing! I was totally star struck all night, particularly by the likes of David Jason, Eddie Izzard, and, wait for it…Mcfly! (totes name-dropping) :)

BUT, the best part of the whole night was meeting/stalking Caitlin Moran, who I absolutely LOVE! She’s so cool in person and was really friendly, and my god, the HAIR! Anyway, enough Moran gushing, it was an honor to be nominated and I bought fancy new shoes, so it’s all good (apart form going to bed at 5.30am and going to work the next day! shocking)