Foraging & making Elderflower Cordial

I love Elderflower cordial, every year i say that i am going to forage and make some. This year I have actually done it!

Thought I would share with you my first attempt. Very happy with the finished cordial, I would definitely recommend giving it a go. 

I used roughly 20 heads of elderflower 

500g of caster sugar

4 tablespoons of honey

2 lemons.

1 litre of water.

Melt sugar & honey in 1 litre of water. Gently bring to the boil, until sugar has melted

Grate in lemon zest and add the Elderflower to the melted sugar water.

Squeeze in the lemon juice from one lemon and slice and add the second lemon to mixture.

Take off heat, cover & infuse for 24 hours.

Strain cordial through muslin and add to sterilised bottle.

Enjoy! 😊

Watercolour nature illustration for July's nature journal opener.

 Hello July! Lots to enjoy in nature this month. Look out for the Hummingbird hawk-moth 😍

 They are sometimes found hovering in front of tube-shaped flowers like Buddleia.

This is the final hand painted watercolour artwork from Homecoming: A Guided journal to lead you back to nature. Written by Melissa Harrison, published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, will be published in November 2024.

 Really enjoying spotting different plants and animals, with my new knowledge from working on Melissa Harrisons's amazing nature journal, "Homecoming".

Today on my walk, I found Dog Roses and Elderflowers.

Watercolour nature journal illustrations

Finished artwork for one of June's nature journal illustrations. Wild grasses and meadow brown butterfly. I have also included some of the photos and pencil sketches for creating the final artwork.

Who else thinks grasses are massively underrated? I love walking in open fields of long wild grass, blowing in the wind. That gentle swaying motion has such a calming tranquility, I could watch it for hours😊.

British Wild Birds Watercolour illustrations for Nature journal

Some more of my illustrations from "Homecoming." The nature journal written by Melissa Harrison, published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson.

I'm a bit of a bird nerd, so very happy to get to illustrate lots of my feathered friends for this book.

This is a selection of some of the birds featured throughout the book. On the left are the rough pencil sketches which get approved by my client before I begin the final watercolour paintings

June - Hand painted Watercolour botanical illustrations

I love the month of June in the UK. There is so much to enjoy and appreciate in nature at this time of the year. 😍

This chapter opener is illustrated by me and it's from "Homecoming", the nature journal beautifully written by Melissa Harrison, Published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson.

(Due out in November 2024).

If like me, you love nature, this journal is absolutely amazing! You can follow along, watching and observing all the changes in the seasons unfolding around you month by month. I have learnt so much from working on this book with Melissa.

I will continue to share with you some more sneaks from inside Homecoming over the next few months. Stay tuned!

Watercolour Dandelion clocks.

Who else loves a fluffy Dandelion clock? 

Did you tell the time and make wishes with them as a child?

Hope you enjoy this sneak peek of another illustration for Homecoming, the beautiful nature journal written by Melissa Harrison and Published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson.