Greetings from London! I have been here a week and feeling quite at home already. My first weekend was spent doing what I do best in cold countries, waddling around in a thick coat and stuffing my face. I figure hearty roast dinners are the best way to acclimatise myself.

Over the weekend we stumbled across Craft Central, a bi-annual open studio event. We were walking down Clerkenwell Road and I spotted this little goldfish in a window.

Turned out we were peering into the studio of Sarah Perry, an artist specialising in Trompe L'oeil, Fresco and Mural painting. Sarah's studio was just one of a whole building of studios open to the public over the weekend. We paid a small entrance fee, picked up some mulled wine and spent the next hour wandering around the variety of craft studios in 21 Clerkenwell Green. I was really taken with Sarah's intricate paintings. As you can see, they combine two of my favourite elements in illustration... teeny detail and natural fantasy. Up one floor, I fell in love with jewellery maker Jessica de Lotz's studio. It was a world within itself. Outfitted like a curiosity shop, every surface was covered with bric-a-brac and Jessica's antique inspired creations. I was too shy to take pictures but I'm sure Jessica's jewellery below will give you an idea of the olde worldly opulence her creations evoke. Her signature is wax seal inspired jewellery with a steam-punk edge. I love how her pieces are at once romantic, humorous and feminine. Sarah and Jessica's work was just a small sample of what we saw. I loved getting a sneak peek at the processes behind such highly skilled work. I immediately felt invigorated to return to my own sketchbook and begin working on a print I had been procrastinating over. To witness that all art/craft/design is a labor of love no matter what level you are working at, is a humbling reminder to keep honing my craft. My first weekend in London reinforced for me the best things about living here-- That there is always something to do, that the weather may be harsh but is always beautiful, that art is so accessible.

It's good to be back!