100 days of the ruddy nineties

In a moment of madness at the end of April I decided to take part in the instagram project #the100dayproject. For the 100 day project the challenge is to make, create and stick at something for 100 days. I chose to do #100daysoftheruddynineties and in typical me style, mentally and emotionally signed up to it before I had thought it through and realised just what it would be like to produce a drawing or painting every day for 100 days. Ha! As it happens I have totally loved it so far!! Not going to lie, there have been times I have got in at 1am and really not wanted to draw a bloody Furby but I have committed to it now. My old boss Sandra commented the other day on Facebook saying: 'I am soooooo impressed - you go girl! I keep waiting for you to say "sod it" - but I truly believe you will make 100 days now you NUTTER!' Which made me really proud. Thanks Sands, love you!!! People have been really getting on board, as let's face it the nineties fucking rocked. Feel free to message me your '90s ideas and there is a strong chance I will draw them! At the end of July when the project ends I'm having a little show of the work, which will be 100+ pieces and it will all be up for sale. 100% of all money will go to Freedom from Fistula a charity working in Africa helping girls and women injured in childbirth. So please follow my madness on instagram @clairespakedesign. And thanks mum and dad for having sex in 1981, birthing me in 1982 and letting me have the best childhood and life ever in the 90s. C x

New children's book

I had all these great plans to be really good at updating my blog and then...the book came along.

For those of you who don't know, last December one of my husband's most fun-loving, positive and crazy mates died of a brain tumour. Both of us were totally devastated at Iain's death and the fact that he left behind his wife Caroline, also our very good friend, made things even sadder and more awful.

Not too long after Iain died, Caroline approached me about illustrating a book she had written for children who had lost a close family member, to be called Davey's Really Magic Carpet. We got over £10k of funding from Kickstarter and since July not a day has gone by that I haven't been working on it.

Today we got our hard copy proofs through the post and it's looking amazing! I can't believe it is actually being printed next week! 

Illustrating the book has been a bittersweet project. I have loved every second of drawing it, even the sad pages which have been tough at times. But of course more than anything I wish Iain was still here. married to Caroline, and there was no book to illustrate at all. I really hope that it helps the children who read it to see that death is not the end and memories live on forever. C x

Wedding fairs a go-go!

So last weekend I was at the Eclectic Wedding Extravaganza in Shoreditch. I had a really great time and it deffo didn't feel like work, especially as my pal Karen Whybro of Rock the Frock was there too and my stand was next to the lovely Jodi of McFayden Millinery. I met so many lovely couples, almost all of whom ended up in the bar afterwards ( I obviously drove them to drink) and have some really exciting weddings *hopefully* on the horizon. I also met some great suppliers and fellow wedding industry peeps. This weekend coming I will be getting out my travelling salesman case again, this time at Most Curious on Brick Lane. Hope to see you there! 

Hope to meet EWE this weekend!

I will be at The Eclectic Wedding Extravaganza  (EWE) in London this Sunday 1st March. Here I will launch my new 'off the peg' wedding stationery ranges, based on collecting and nature. I will be running a show offer of 10% all "off the peg" stationery. Hope to see you there! x