Merry Twixmas

Backwards, Forwards and a gif Gift

Dec 30, 2022

I saw the word Twixmas somewhere (probably Instagram) and thought it was a good word for this inbetweeny week when many are reflecting back on 2022 and looking ahead to 2023.

So here is my contribution – some things from 2022, ideas of things for 2023 and a gift for you.

Looking back

In February, Mr P and I celebrated 20 years of marriage. I cooked steak and chips to celebrate. The latter part of this year has been very rocky for me and I don’t know where I would have been without him.

In May, I celebrated my first full year of Thomkat Illustrations as a limited company and we flew to Spain for our first holiday outside the UK in 5 years.

I attended my first ever festival (at 44!); the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care System Wellfest. I drew the festival map and some other fun pictures to capture the atmosphere and spirit of the event.

I painted Hope Tree murals at Parklands Hospital in Basingstoke for Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust. It was such an amazing experience to create these larger than life artworks right inside the wards, surrounded by the patients, staff and visitors.

We took the holiday of a lifetime as a family to Florida. We went to Disney and Universal Studios and then on to Georgia, to visit family. It was totally awesome. Thomas went on his first upside down roller coaster, Katelyn and I drank butter beer and wandered through Hogsmead and Diagon Alley. Keith peered in the window of the DeLorean and we met Sideshow Bob (among many, many other things).

Last month, My mother-in-law got married at 81 and had the most beautiful ceremony. The newlyweds joined us for Christmas day. We ate lots, watched Aladdin and The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse on telly and played cards and Outsmarted until late. It was all the things that make a perfect Christmas.

Throughout the year I drew lots of pictures on commission and for friends and family. I started creating small animations and gifs, and produced animated videos on commission for the NHS and individual clients.

I took lots of walks with the dogs, listened to lots of podcasts, read lots of books and listened to lots of music.

And I enjoyed lots of cuddles with my family. My absolutely most favourite thing to do in the whole world.

Humble plans

I am not making grand plans for next year. My humble plans are to just keep going. To explore and evolve and continue to draw pictures to make you smile. And to have as many cuddles as I can get.

I am excited to be illustrating my first book; a Children’s Christmas story written by my friend Lydia Saward, that we will be publishing in 2023. We have some other plans for our ongoing collaboration and when I think of it, I’m filled with delight at what the next year has in store.

What have been the highlights of your year? What plans do you have, grand or humble, for 2023? I’d love to know.