My Mum has X-Ray Vision!

My next book is now available to pre-order from Amazon both in Hardback and paperback!

It's an exciting story written by Angela McAllister with illustrations by me. Publishing in January.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GEORGIA!

Today is my niece's 12th birthday!

I'm heading down to my parent's house today to spend the weekend eating cake and soaking in the fun of someone else's birthday.

It's strange to think that Georgia is now half my age. I can remember holding her as a baby and marveling not only at how beautiful and sweet she was ( and still is) but also at the fact that when she was my age I would be twenty-four! Now that moment is here and I'm just surprised by how quickly it's gone!

The day she was born was probably the most exciting day of my life. I had been jittery with excitement from the moment that I knew I was going to be an uncle and when her mum went into hospital I could barely keep still. 

It was a crisp, sunny, orangey autumn day when she was born and I was school. This was before I had a mobile phone so I didn't know she had arrived until the end of the day. I remember running like mad from my classroom down the path in front of the school field, racing out of school gates and hurtling down to the small car park nearby where my parents were picking me up. 

As I neared I squinted towards their car and my mum mimed holding a baby and I felt like jumping for joy! (I didn't btw- I was a twelve year old boy and although I was never particularly cool there were limits...). I dived into the car and zoomed off to buy my new baby niece a present. (And I've been conned into buying presents and 'essential' things ever since...)

I went up to the hospital later that night and it was really dark outside. I can remember holding this tiny little baby who looked like a sleeping doll and the glow from the bed lamp turned everything orange and Georgia squeezed my little finger.

Now Georgia is getting tall and beautiful and is giving me a run for my money in the artistic stakes.and sends me flying when I have a go on her trampoline (you know- when I'm 'forced' to play on there with her and her brothers...)

So, happy birthday Georgie, my quirky, funny, lovely little friend (and ear twin)!

See you soon for some cake, some bouncing about on the trampoline and some lolling about in front of the tv covered in dogs!

Love you lots!

Some of my favourite things Georgia has said:

Aged 8: ( whilst 20,000 ft up in the air in a plane to my mum who is a nervous air traveller) So how DO plane crash then?!

Aged 10: ( About someone in her class) we don't really talk to her because she licks worms...

GOLDFiiINGEEER!!!

Tunisia Blues...

We've just got back from a week away in Tunisia. 

A week of hot sun, sea breezes and swimming until sunset. It was a great break and a real treat for my eyes - lush pink flowers, fiery evening sun, pink ice cream! And blues! Wow! I think I must have seen every sort of blue imaginable!

Now, of course, I'm back in the UK and I'm having to face the other sort of blue - the post holiday blues. Not helped at all by grey and drizzly weather!

Here are some pics from my Tunisian sketchbook:

P.s. What to own your little piece of Alex T Smith handmade niceness? Some small toys and badges 

I've made are on sale now in my agent's shop!

Penguin isn't sure...

Sometimes it's nice to do something which doesn't involve using the computer. 

I'm a little obsessed with penguins recently, but more about that soon!

AOI Images

My work is on the left.

Last night I rattled down on the train to London to attend the private view for the AOI Images 32 exhibition. Three pieces of my work had made it into the book and the show and it was great to see the spreads from 'Bella and Monty: A Hairy, Scary Night' framed and up on the walls. I was in good company too as both Oliver Jeffers and Mei Matsuoka had pieces hanging in the children's book section. It was great to have the chance to look at their work close up as I've been a fan of their work for a while now.

Going to the exhibition was also a great chance to catch up with my agents - the lovely ladies from Arena. GROUP SHOT!

Tamlyn, Justine and Caroline.

(Alison was somewhere else at this point!)

I had to dash before it was all over as I had to catch my train home! I've never run so far in my life and was thoroughly exhausted by the time I eventually shlumped into my seat for the journey home. Only to have to endure two and a quarter hours of screaming children, the trials and tribulations of the woman sitting in front of me and a carriage full of dubious smells... yuck.

I'm still tired from the 6 hour round trip but it's ok... I have this to soothe me. Aah... fish... just the sort of place for a mermaid or two...

THE BOX