Illustration book - self publishing?

I'm not sure if many of you are aware, but i like to draw.

I'd call myself an illustrator, but i don't like to.

I feel like my drawings are nowhere near as good a quality as some illustrators i admire.

So i feel like a fake calling myself one!

Let's just say i draw.

Something i've always wanted to do is make a little art book of my drawings.

I've always been too afraid though.

Not anymore. 

I want to do it.

I need to do it. I'm having an existential life crisis at the minute.

I don't know what i want to do.

The only thing i am certain of is, i want to make my book.

Ever since i bought Mistakes in the Backgound by the ever wonderful Laura Dockrill, i knew i wanted to do something like this.

I remember finding it in Borders [r.i.p] one lazy sunday afternoon.

I never knew this kind of art existed.

It opened my eyes to a whole host of other artists.

David Shrigley and Marc Johns being two of my favourites. 

My project now is to make this book happen.

My drawings are super simple.

Black pen on white paper.

Line drawings.

Sometimes text.

I need to now research someone to publish my book.

I want really nice paper, something i can be proud of, i love good matte paper.

Does anyone have any experience in self publishing?

Or know anyone who does?

Help would be massively appreciated!

Neon shelves D.I.Y

After 3 years of on and off living in Berlin, 12 months ago we finally took the plunge and rented our own place.

We're into the industrial, urban, design type look when it comes to interiors i guess.

That's what my sister said anyway, lol, we just find things and like them.

One of the things we found and liked was a set of shelves for the kitchen.

They had neon green wall attachments, and simple wooden shelves.

Checked the price tag....€180.

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY EUROS.

Now, we're not skinflints or anything, but paying that much for 3 shelves that will hold ketchup, no.

Too much.

So we decided to make our own.

After a small trip to our local d.i.y shop and spray paint shop,

[yes, it exists, we are in Berlin, home of graffiti],

 we were ready.

We bought this standard office shelving unit, which i swear, is exactly what the expensive shelves were made out of.

It cost us around €12.

Then we chose a neon orange can of spray paint for €4.

Lovely boyfriend spraypainted the unit and we left it to dry overnight.

Next day we fixed it to the wall, attached our ikea shelves.

Et Voila!

It looks even better than the expensive designer one!

This is our shelf the week we moved in, we now have a separate 'hot sauce shelf',

a condiment crate, and these shelves are full of pasta jars and flour.

It may have taken a day or two for things to dry etc, but this was well worth it.

It looks so different as well, people really love it.

Enjoy your weekend guys, i'm full of a cold so plan on watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Yep.

I am awesome.

Homeward bound

Side note...

Did anybody else love Homeward Bound as much as i did as a kid?

Psssht, who am i kidding...

i love it even now!

I went back to the UK last week for my mum's birthday.

She's German and hasn't seen her mum, my Oma, for 3 years.

So the whole family conspired for months to get my Oma, her boyfriend [!!], my uncle and his lady friend, over to Warrington for her birthday.

And you know what?

We pulled it off!

My Oma arrived on the Friday before her birthday party, and my uncle arrived on the actual day of her party. Her face was a picture. 

Both times. 

Success!

Yum!

I have a butt-load of photo heavy posts coming up.

I hope you'll all enjoy.

If not, then bear with me :)

I took a lot a lot of photos while home!

Sunday Summary

Morning sleepy heads!

1. Made a peg bag  2.Standard lunch  3. Roasted veg, cous cous, halloumi  4. DOG IN A BASKET

5. Repping the Make Do And Mend boys  6. BBQ in Mauerpark 

We're heading home on Wednesday for 10 days and i cannot wait!

As a result of this, my week has been busy and repetitive.

I feel like all i've done is make bunting, make washi tape toothpick flags, and do load after load after load of washing. Doesn't make for a great set of photos let me tell you!

Poor washing machine.

Tomorrow marks my first crisp free week in a long time!

Pat on the back for me.

I'd rather celebrate with a bag of crisps but hey, i promised myself to wait until we get to the UK.

I love sundays.

Sundays in May mean a new Game of Thrones episode.

So after my workout tomorrow, i get to settle down and watch episode 6, 'The Climb".

I CAN'T WAIT!

I'm a book reader, so i'm most excited for episode 8 as i know what's coming, but every single one so far has blown me away.

I am astounded,

The writing, the special effects, the way they've handled the story.

Just brilliant.

Ah, getting goosebumps just thinking about it.

Hope you've all had a good weekend :)

Any GoT/ASOIAF nerds out there?

And when there was buntin', they knew a party was a comin'

Just a sneak peek of what i'm up to tonight....