Laura Mallaghan Illustration

It's Saturday and it's sunshine here. Two weekends ago I received some new best quality watercolour kits! Pack of 4 watercolour pads, watercolour paint and a pack of fine detail/mixed media paint brushes. I bought them from Amazon, I thanks to my Auntie J, Uncle P and cousins for the Amazon gift card from Christmas. I had my first try of Kingfisher and the outcome is amazing, I didn't expected myself water painted that brilliant, compared to what I painted before with normal sketch paper and, cheap and old watercolour paint. Take a look at my first attempt of watercolour Kingfisher. Plus you can see the feather details clearly, so I'm amazed by it. I have also water painted another Kingfisher, that I will show it for the next blog! Good day. :)

It had been quite a while since last blog, the past few months have been difficult. With my grandma's health problem.  She was admitted to hospital from end of September, returned to care home beginning of October. Her health was in balance for a while, but suddenly decreased. She passed away at the end of October, at the age of 94. I was absolutely heartbroken, she was my favourite grandmother. My mother was devastated as well as my uncle, they're missing their mother very much, they only have each other since both of their parents has passed, 21 years ago with their father, then their mother few weeks ago.  My mum, my uncle, his girlfriend, my brother, my sister and I had been to my grandma's funeral few days ago. There were some of relatives and grandma's close friends there, also my mum's friends for moral support.  It was really hard to think of her gone and saying goodbye, yet the weather was really lovely, despite the fact that it was quite chilly....

I went to London on 11th August with my mum, both younger brother and sister, a day out for my wonderful mum's birthday. Hopped onto the train at 10.26 in the morning, an hour travel to St Pancras station. The weather was really warm and sunshine, luckily. Firstly we were having a lunch in Russell Square garden, before going to the museum. Into the entrance, the building looked magnificent, either Greek or Roman style, as I have history interest of Greek and Roman. Once we went inside, we were given 2 hours to look around because we planned to go to Fortune Theatre to see Woman In Black. As we decided to go in British Museum for our spare time before theatre. Walked into the entrance from the photo above, we were draw by the enormous, majestic stair on the left side. And that lead us to the history of coins and money, we have seen the tiniest coins, the largest coins, stylish, shapes, and so on. Next room was the Greek, one of my favourite eras. They showed the jeweller...

I have graduated yesterday! I did it! Bachelor of Arts Honour in Illustration with 2:1! Three years of hard work in university, now i've got a degree! Yay. I was quite nervous in the morning, thinking i have bit of stage fright, worrying i could trip over, might forgot what i was suppose to do? But it was all great! Done well. The ceremony was in the morning and it was about an hour long. Getting ready in the morning in my bedroom, hopped into my mum's car and drove to Park Campus, fetched my gown and a hat. Brushed myself up for the photograph, looking fine in this photo below here. Photo done, went outside, get some photos with my mum and little sister. Photos done, hopped into the shuttle bus, drove to Royal & Derngate where the graduation ceremony hold. Here's some photos of me walked onto the stage to handshake the Chancellor and received my degree certificate. The hood was a bit annoying, it won't stay in place... Once the ceremony w...

I have discovered that my two ancestors from my mother’s side who are my great grandmother and grandfather. My great grandmother sold her handmade owl calendars to Harrods or Selfridges, which I realised I am following her footstep of crafting. My grandfather’s passion and hobby of photography, I have found out that one of my hobbies is nature photography, also following his passion. And finally, my mother’s skill of pottery from her school, she used to enjoyed it and made it much better than me.

I went to Highcliffe for a week holiday with my family and my dog. So these are some photos that my family and i were scrolling around the Highcliffe castle and beach.  And here's my family moment in Highcliffe.