Hello!

Hello, just thought i'd better post on here so if any readers are still reading they know i've not died!

Basically, i've been doing very little in the way of artwork recently that I can show on here. I have been working on a commission for a Christmas present that is taking ages and I've done a bit on vada the cat's portrait, however it's such a small amount an update would be a bit pointless! I've been doing loads of extra hours at work and I also have baby rats that were born 4 weeks ago, so the rats have been taking up an incredible amount of time - I have three separate groups to free-range at the moment and try to let them out for at least an hour each! But don't worry - very soon me and the 'vermin' are moving out to a studio, which means they can come out while I draw. The studio is a section of our workshop/shed/garage that has been partitioned off. It has two windows and central heating. Steve is currently putting up shelves and building me a desk and I am painting a rat cage. The room has been painted - it's a very pale, girly pink and I'm looking forward to having my very own space where I can pile up rubbish everywhere without Steve moaning at me. I'm planning on putting up photos and posters on the walls - hmmm, I've got an Orlando Bloom one somewhere.

My waiting list is growing - I now have six commissions:

• A birthday gift of a lab and his owner (required mid Nov)
• A welsh cob (required early Dec)
• Two German Shepherd Dogs (required mid Dec)
• Vada, black cat (started)
• Christmas surprise commission (started)
• A Terrier cross - Taylor

My plan is to get Vada and Taylor's portraits done first as neither of them have completion dates and I am very bad at getting stuff done without a date looming over my head. The lab will get done alongside these and all three will be finished by mid November. That then leaves me free to do Christmas commissions.

So now you know what i've been up to and what i'm going to be up to and hopefully there will be some portraits to show you soon.