Shirley Hughes, 87 today: happy birthday!

Shirley Hughes is 87 today. I'd like to wish one of my all-time favourite illustrators a happy birthday.

I've admired the children's illustrations of Shirley Hughes for as long as I can remember.  As a child I've lovely memories of being read to by my mother. As an illustrator I find her work really inspiring.  And now, as a mother I'm reading the Alfie series to my son Remy, who is showing all the signs of becoming a fan, too.

Shirley Hughes has written over fifty books and illustrated over two hundred. I thought I'd read most of them but it appears I was fooling myself.  So I've more to discover, which is an exciting prospect.

I adore the way Shirley captures the postures, shapes and characters of little ones. She spent many years taking life drawing classes at Liverpool Art School and then Ruskin School of Art, University of Oxford - it shows. 

I adore her attention to detail - it's what I remember most as a child - I'd spend a long time being mesmerised by the illustrations.

Shirley Hughes has a daughter, Clara Vulliamy, who is herself a children's book illustrator. You can visit her website here. 

Clara Vulliamy with Shirley Hughes

If you're interested in finding out more about Shirley's life and work, I'd highly recommend her autobiography 'Shirley Hughes, A Life Drawing' published by Random House - a must-have for all fans like myself!

ALL ARTWORK IS COPYRIGHT OF SHIRLEY HUGHES

Bits and bobs for baby...

Time's whizzing by, and I can't quite believe I'm already seven months pregnant! Suddenly my bump feels huuuge, the reality of it all's kicked in, and I'm feeling the need to get organised now.

I've had lots of fun in recent weeks starting my collection of bits and bobs for baby.

Finally I have an excuse to buy Sophie La Girafe - I've wanted one for such a long time!

I was most impressed when I realised this lovely giraffe serves a purpose as well as being a little beauty to look at... William Morris would've approved! Might have to buy another, though, once little one gets his/her milk teeth into it...

Thought this rabbit nightlight would be nice and calming in those sleepless nights that await us...

A little library is growing nicely... a kind cousin gave us a lovely hardback version of this classic to start it off...

And then there's all my old picture books Mammy-dearest patiently kept, boxed up in the garage, for years and years...

I'm hoping to put them all in this wonderful bookshop-style bookcase by The Great Little Trading Co.

or maybe this one, if little'n turns out to be a girl...

I haven't purchased anything from Moulin Roty yet, but I find their little world very enchanting indeed...

Frenchie and I are both very lucky in having kind and thoughtful families. Lovely sister-in-law sent us over boxes full of gorgeous clothes and a Moses basket that's been passed down in his family for years and years.

And I hadn't realised I had such creative aunties until now... we've been inundated with beautiful handmade knitted cardigans, blankets, booties and even a little beret for le petit bebe! 

There's something very special about a little baby wearing clothes that were made with love. They'll be very treasured, just like him/her.