There’s always a mix of excitement and nerves when a new product arrives from the printers. After months of drawing, tweaking colours, finalising the layout and ordering samples, it is always a relief to finally open the box and see the finished tea towel calendars stacked neatly inside.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been immersed in my sketchbook, carefully hand-drawing each illustration for my 2026 Calendar Tea Towel in ink, before layering in watercolour washes for detail and colour. It’s been lovely spending time on the little details – the bright splash of a robin’s breast, the patterning on a thrush’s feathers, or the soft texture of moss for a nest.