STOP PRESS: HAPPYDESIGNER HAVE MOVED! As announced in our September blog, we are pleased (and VERY relieved) to announce that we are now settled into our new home, and the studio is back to full operation. The move proved to be far more problematic than we ever anticipated, but, in hindsight, we should have expected…
Need to unwind? How about reading or writing a book!
November is National Novel Writing Month and what a great way to encourage people to put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard) and start writing a story. The challenge for this annual event, which started in 1999, is for people to write 50,000 words of a novel during the month. At Happydesigner, we live…
Autumn is here with a bang – and we love it!
Oh boy, do we love autumn – and here it is, in all its colourful glory. This year, more than ever, there seems to be a rich abundance of autumn colours and autumn produce. Wherever we walk, we are bombarded by conkers, acorns, and spectacular hues on the trees. We’re always looking for inspiration for…
Why children’s books are essential in schools…
Of the hundreds of appeals that schools make for additional support, have you noticed how many of them are asking for help with buying books? This isn’t just a whim. It’s because books are an absolutely essential ingredient in school life. So often, schools fundraise for books because they don’t have enough to go around,…
How well do you know your children’s classics?
Here’s a bit of fun for the summer holidays: a fun quiz on how well you know your children’s classics. Are you au fait with Anne of Green Gables? Could you wax lyrical about Winnie the Pooh? Are you cognisant of the Cat in the Hat? By classics, we’re, of course, talking about books that…
Here comes Summer: five things for Children to do!
We may have just passed the longest day, and the nights are about to start drawing in, but summer is upon us, and school will soon be breaking up. So, dig out the shorts and sunshades, grab a picnic and head off outside. Here are five things to do in the summer that won’t break…
Writing Tips for Budding Young Authors
Are you a young person who is burning to write a book? Do you love reading children’s stories and want to see if you can write too? It’s never too soon (or too late) to start. Some people start young. Did you know that Mary Shelley was only 18 when she began work on Frankenstein?…
Why adults should read children’s books
Shh… we want to let you into a secret. At Happydesigner, we may all be adults but we LOVE reading children’s books! And this isn’t because we are reading them to children. Nope – we are reading them because we enjoy them. We know we’re not alone. Even if many adults don’t like to admit…
We’re helping get children outside and into the garden
If there’s one thing that’s at the heart of Happydesigner, it’s a love of the outdoors and nature. You can see it in so many of the children’s book illustrations we create for our clients. So, we’re really pleased that at the end of the month, from May 27 to June 4, is National Children’s Gardening…
