Monday, July 27, 2009

Front cover for a book I'm working on about the true nature of Jack and the Beanstalk. This version is more from the Giants point of view. Watercolour, pen and ink.
First page. I have decided to do this using a little bit of collage. I have enjoyed working with collage after taking a class with Adrienne Geoghegan

ANIMAL ALPHABETICS


ANIMAL ALPHABETICS
Originally uploaded by helencarter1001
proposed front cover for my ABC book.......Animal Alphabetics, a rhyming ABC book.

Sunday, July 26, 2009



























I have just returned from a fantastic holiday in Puglia, Italy. We stayed in an agritourismo place called Masseria Cappuccini (www.masseriacappuccini.com). It was fine, with a great swimming pool and not many other guests. But most of all it was cheap. We stayed in a 2 bedroom lodge for €100 per day. They have the traditional Trulli also but as I had two daughters with me I needed something a bit more practical. We were about ten minutes drive from Martina Franca and Cisternino and also within a short distance from Locorotundo and Alberobello. All lovely places. There are lovely restaurants in all of them but I didn't really find any to write home about in Martina Franca. Also I am a bit short on details about this place because didn't think I'd be writing a blog about it!!! but fear not I am off to Fano in Le Marche on the 31st July and WILL be taking notes!!! Safe to say I had a lovely holiday, hardly bumped into any English speaking tourists! But beware!! I have only recently started to learn Italian so my knowledge is niente(!!) and I did feel a little bit of a donna stupido, so take a good phrasebook.
My definite must see would be Lecce for the beautiful city and the Otranto area for the sea ( we never made it to Otranto itself). Apparently the Isola di Tremiti are supposed to be beautiful. We set off for them but have a problem with early mornings (we don't get up before 10.30am, try as we might) and it was much further than it looked on the map. Anyway we didn't find the ferry terminal until too late so we went to a local beach, had a good old swim and then set off home!! but next time I will definitely get up earlier.