Now, it's a real shame I didn't actually get this finished in time for Valentine's day, so you now have a whole year to wait before you can put this highly useful piece of information into practise!

According to superstition, if a woman sees a robin on Valentine's day, it means she will marry a sailor. If she sees a goldfinch it means she will marry a millionaire, but if she sees a sparrow, she will marry a poor man but be very happy.

I'm not sure where this tradition comes from, I haven't been able to find out any more information about it, but you will have to wait until next year to see if it works!

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Here is my fineliner first draft for the children's riddle trail map I am currently illustrating for Castle Howard in North Yorkshire.

It's A3 in size and it's been quite tricky getting all of the elements to fit on the page! There will be a riddle in the white box in the top left, which will direct the child to one of the sites marked on the map, where they will find the next riddle.

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I've decided to start illustrating some interesting facts and bits of odd but interesting trivia, here is the first one.

Now how's this for an ice breaker?

Queen Catherine the Great of Russia was a great fan of sliding down perilously steep hills on a block of ice! "Block of ice?!" I hear you say, well I will explain.

What we are talking about of course, are Russian Ice Slides.

In Russia in the 18th Century, there was no more thrilling (and quite frankly dangerous!) pastime than sliding down giant wooden slides covered with ice! For added speed (and no doubt a frostbitten rear end) the 'sledges' themselves were just hollowed out blocks of ice, lined with straw and with a length of rope to hold on to.

Queen Catherine is said to have been a great fan of sliding down these Russian 'Ice Mountains', and is said to have had one built which had wheeled sledges, so she could continue to slide during the summer months. These steep wooden ramps with wheeled carts, were the earliest incarnation of the roller coaster.

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Two illustrated scenes showing old fashioned Sheffield trams. Young Fred and his friends used to have hours of fun switching the points to make the trams go the wrong way, or go into the wrong tram shed. Top(from left to right): An angry teacher after he has been pushed into the swimming pool, Boys' Brigade Camping trip. Bottom (left to right): Little boy (Fred) marching uphill with a giant Bass drum which is too big for him, Little boy (Fred) peeping out from the Sheffield Police Box, Little boy (Fred) sitting amongst the rubble at the bombsite where hi and his friends always played. Cheeky young boy (Fred) letting all the milk from the milk cart flow away down the road
Top: Young boy (Fred) learning to sew with girls at school, Right: Old fashioned cinema usherette, Left: Second World War solider returning home


Above are a selection of the illustrations I have recently finished for local author Fred Alcock who will be publishing a book of stories from his childhood, growing up in Sheffield in the 40s and 50s.

The illustrations show young Fred getting up to mischief and into trouble, and the stories have a 'Just William' feel.

These illustrations were drawn in pen and ink, and have a nostalgic period feel.

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Victorian Paper Doll Cut Out Sheet for Children (and big kids!) 

Wednesday, 6 January, 2010, 9:13 AM
Posted by Emma M

This is a Victorian paper doll which you can cut out and dress. I made this worksheet to hand out to children at my stall at the Kelham Island Christmas Market, but found it was more popular with nostalgic adults!

If you'd like to print the doll out, then click on the image above for a larger A4 size version of the sheet.

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