New Design: Chintzy Roses and Bees

"Chintzy Roses and Bees"- is available at Spoonflower
(Photo also courtesy of Spoonflower)

Hello there, and hope all is well with you.

Am just dropping in quickly to let you know that my new "Chintzy Roses and Bees" design is available to buy on fabric, wallpaper and home décor at Spoonflower.

It's based on an original watercolour, and designed to evoke feelings of summer in your home, with romantic roses, and the whimsical addition of bees hiding in the pattern too.

There will be much more info about this and other new designs soon. As I said, I'm just sending-(or more accurately, scheduling) this at some speed. 

For the watercolour-rose-sketch-curious-people

Original rough watercolour sketches of roses, bees and lavender
by Clare Walker

If you're the kind of person who likes to see how designs develop, here's a pic of  some of the original rough watercolour sketches.

And yes, the lavender is still in the mix for later designs. Watch this space...

Even more importantly

Huge apologies if you were expecting this newsletter last week. Life is up in the air at the moment, but should be back to the usual sending pattern in a week or two.

In the meantime

In the meantime, if you like what you see of the finished wallpaper, that link to Spoonflower is here.

And in any event, thanks so much for being here, and my apologies once again.

More soon.

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Here's a Free Month of May Animated Gif...

If you'd like to use this "May" gif online.
tap or click here to download.
Credit and links back here are
 never required, but always appreciated

Hello there, and hope this post finds you thriving.

Over here, I seem to have fallen down a rabbit-hole. One in which, creating images for screens instead of print, just like Alice in Wonderland, I suddenly need to do everything in reverse.

The largest possible sizes in print become the smallest possible file sizes for screens, for example.

However, it is *loads* of fun.

Even more importantly, it gives me the chance to share some expressive graphics with you. Like this one, which I hope gives the feeling of "bursting into bloom," which is May at its best in these parts.

(And yes, Southern Hemisphere people, I hear you. Contact me with your thoughts about what *you*'d like to see in an equivalent image, and I'll get onto it).

Will there be more? I hope so...Thanks so much for being here, and...Happy May Day!

More soon.
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The Toucan Returns...

Please vote for this design if you use Spoonflower 

Hello there

One day, I promise I'll design something that doesn't involve our toucan friend. This isn't that day.

Note, if you're in a hurry, the upshot here is: if you use Spoonflower.com please vote for my Lilies, Toucans and Bird of Paradise tropical floral design in the latest Spoonflower competition.

Site visitors are welcome to vote too, I think. It's just that the process may be easier for those familiar with it already.

And yes...

The theme of the competition is "hot house flowers". So, I diligently drew all my lilies, found little-used (!) bird of paradise motifs on my hard drive, and spent a whole afternoon on banana and other types of palm leaf.

A peek at some of the "work whilst it was in progress,"
for this tropical floral project.

Then I noticed that the more fulsome instructions for designers said, "Consider including tropical animals."

So obviously, our extrovert toucan friend from a few weeks ago was a shoe-in for a spot of tweaking and inclusion.

And whether or not this design wins amongst the many other simply amazing ones (if you're reading this during the competition window, you'll have a lush and exotic time just looking at all the gorgeous entries, I promise).

The new "maximalist", style in the air at the moment might not be to everyone's taste, but I'm loving the colours, the richness and the joy of it.

Plus...

Even if you're reading this way after the competition (which closes around May 5th 2026, I believe), this is a surprisingly livable design, even at scale, despite all those bright and tropical colours. Eg, if we had stairs, I think I'd enjoy seeing the design beside them.

Find this design on wallpaper at Spoonflower

Finally...

Whether or not you vote in this, thanks so much for reading down this far, and for being here. It means the world.

The next newsletter is more likely to come out around the beginning of May. But there will be...

More soon.

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Lots of Blossoming, and a Sale...

It's Time to Blossom...

Hello there

Despite everything going on in the world, here, we're lucky enough to be experiencing all the joy, and the feeling of unstoppable blossoming, that the spring brings with it. So, I just had to capture that in a digital watercolour in Krita (the result of which is above).

Not even just blossom...

It isn't just blossom. During my time off, there were sooo many parks and gardens that suddenly seemed full of flowers, sunshine and hope, as if the world had gone from grey to colour in just days.

Here's a selection of the gorgeous spring inspiration that we (well, OK, mostly The Computer Man) managed to photograph since I was last writing to you...(I love the sleeping duck, too...)

Hope you can feel some spring from these photos...

And it even goes even further...

There's also been joy and blossoming of a different kind here, as a family member has received so much benefit from this course for adults who stammer that they participated in a live story-telling event this week, in front of 150 people.

(And yes, you're right. This is waaaay off-topic for an art blog. But I very much wanted to give a shout-out to such an important resource, in the hope that it can benefit others as well). 

Last but not least, there's a sale...

Firmly back in the world of illustration again, I'm delighted to let you know that there's a sale on all my items at Redbubble from April 16th-20th 2026. How that works in practice and different time-zones etc is up to Redbubble, So if you're reading this close to the time it's written, now's the time to visit my shop.

Personally, I'm eyeing up more stickers (they're so useful for sending to others to make cards etc a bit more special) such as  last week's toucan, my ever-popular, "bear-hug" design, and of course, this week's encouraging cherry blossom...

It's Time to Blossom Sticker
Click or tap here to buy on Redbubble

And with that said (thank you so much for reading down this far, and for being here). I shall leave you to your week. May it blossom for you too, in whatever way will give you the things you most love.

More soon.

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The Tale of an Encouraging Toucan...

Want to encourage yourself
(or someone else) with this toucan?
Tap or click here...

Hello there

And as ever, I hope you're well and flourishing in these crazy times.

Here, I had so many " Spring wildflower" intentions for you. And this post is the tale of how they got overtaken, by a toucan.

He (and he is a he, because, as I found out, they seem to have have brighter beaks and feet than the females), came flapping into my mind, full of life and joy, about a week ago.

Apart from checking online how many toes toucans have, and their beak size relative to their bodies (answer: huge) this image is pretty much that which I "saw" in my mind's eye from that first evening...Which definitely doesn't always happen. :-).


At first...

At first, I thought this was an entirely private thing, great for sending a boost to a friend. then, as this bird absolutely wouldn't leave my mind, on he went onto some products to inspire and cheer.

Here he is on a fridge magnet...

Being great on a greeting card...

And absolutely rocking it
on a tote bag...

But when he still wouldn't leave my thoughts, I modified this image, and a new toucan pattern was born. So if you're up for happy toucans on, for example, a mug, or cushion/throw pillow, here they are.

Happy toucans on multiple mugs...

And yes, this is how much a toucan throw-pillow

or cushion can brighten up a space...

So...

So, adorable cute and joyous though he undoubtedly is, this is one toucan that clearly wants to multiply, and bring as much joy to people as he can. If he floats your boat, please make him happy too, and grab some toucan joy here.

Finally...

As you can imagine, the "problem" of having an unexpectedly happy toucan is an absolutely excellent one to have. But if you're craving considerably smaller birdy/ easter type designs, if you tap or click here, you should find a selection of all my previous offerings on that theme.

I'm not sure whether they'll be a post next week-it's more likely to be the week after.

(Update on April 9th: Yes, the next post will be on or around April 16th. But if you need even more toucan joy until then, this toucan has joined friends and made his way onto fabric...

Happy Toucan Fabric,
available on Spoonflower.Com

But in any event, and whether or whatever you're celebrating or not at the moment, I wish you lots of joy (whether toucan-related or not) and send you huge love and thanks for being here.

More soon.

P.S To get details of new posts by email, please join the newsletter here. Many thanks.

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