Writing and illustrated a book for my toddler

They say when you have children that they are your best source of inspiration. They would be right!

Last year I was looking at purchasing the Elf on the Shelf book but when I actually flicked through it, I really didn’t like the way it was writhen. I felt it featured too heavily on negative behaviour and the Elf’s behaviour was really naughty (really don’t want encourage bad behaviour.) I felt it used a lot of negative language which really didn‘t sit well for me in a children’s book.

I decided in my infinite wisdom I would draw and write my own personalised version of the book! I have always wanted to write a children’s book and now I can say I have (not published to the public but for Phoebe to enjoy which is the main thing!)

I was actually inspired by her Elves. I found some cute ones that were different to the normal “Elf on the Shelf” ones which I felt just weren’t right for us either!

Any way after finding her these adorable Elves, I loved the way they looked and I used that as my start point and the drawings just snowballed from there (quite literally in one illustration!)

Phoebe has a girl and a boy Elf, they have slightly different features and I just found that adorable. This was the first drawing I did to introduce the Elves. I think she’s so cute!

I drew lots of different scenes some from of the mischief the Elf’s did or special events and traditions we have started, like visiting Santa…….

Last year Phoebe met reindeer too while meeting him. We hope this year she may have Breakfast with Santa (I think it’s nice to do different experiences!)

or putting the cookies and a boot of milk out too with her special Christmas plate! (You can see them bottom right of the drawing!)

In this drawing I drew Phoebe‘s Doll house, her big Dolly that looked like a giant Toblerone and Santa snowy footprints, all little details which may not be obvious but are real life details of her Christmas just gone.

Some of the mischief…….

Like a snowball fight!

This was my idea of how the Elves would be having a snow fight! (Phoebe and I did have a mini snowball fight with these Pom poms!)

Phoebe‘s elves also brought her, her Christmas Eve Box

I drew her little antler ears which her Elves included to wear on Christmas Eve, including new Christmas pjs and her new book “The Night Before Christmas“ !

With Phoebe’s Birthday in the middle of December I’ve tried to create very clear Birthday themes for Phoebe so she can see it’s her special day!

Unicorns for her first birthday!

And then a Frozen Birthday…….

And this years it’s Disney themed, Princesses, Princes’s and Minnie Mouse and all the other character!

I’ve been making these for party bags for Phoebes birthday party! (I’ll be doing a whole blog on these and birthday prep!)

Back to the book and the last pages are of Santa flying over Weymouth (some of you eagle eyed people may recognise this design! I may have used my own Christmas plates design!)