WLM Member Monday – Alison Teeshirts
Victoria Twead: Introducing Member Monday! Thanks to the very interesting Alison Teeshirts for allowing us to fire questions at her! A book from the header will be given to one random questioner. Alison is also giving away a set of 8 hand-signed hedgehog Christmas cards to another.
Jacqueline Brown: Pretty impressive handwriting skill, but doesn’t it make you go cross eyed?
Sharon Carter Figueiredo: Where on earth did you bowl for England, was it the Ladies English Cricket Team?
Alison Teeshirts: Morning Jacqueline, no i struggle to do that!, i can only wink with my right eye too!
— Hi Sharon, no it was Tenpin Bowling. two gold medals won
Sharon Carter Figueiredo: lol well done
Alison Teeshirts: Morning all and thanks Sue for inviting me into the madness1
–Thanks Sharon
Victoria Twead: What year did you win those medals, Alison?
Jacqueline Brown: I see there is no mention of food, but I like food and I’d like to know if you have a favourite delicacy from a Spanish cake shop please?
Briannjulie White: Mmm food! do you like Tapas, whats is your favourite Spanish dish?
Alison Teeshirts: 1997 Vicky… the year of exotic countries for tournaments; Glasgow!!!
–Cakes aren’t really my thing Jacqueline, but i do enjoy tapas enormously as its free in my neck of the woods. and of course a drink on the coast can mean all matter of seafood. yum yum
–Favourite Spanish dish then really Briannjulie has to be freshly caught fish simply done in garlic and olive oil
Micki Stokoe: You are an artist as well as a writer! Which comes easiest to you?
Alison Teeshirts: Sewing? lol. im not sure to be quite honest; when i am writing i have to ‘see’ what i’m talking about and when i illustrate i have to see what i am drawing in the words. currently working with Sue as well as on my own project and i think its very much chicken and egg!
Woofie Wotsit: OK Alison… seeing as you can write backwards with your other paw, what colour is the letter A?!!
Alison Teeshirts: Whatever colour pen is in the paw! lol
Jill Stowell: What’s your favourite medium for your illustration work or is it the choice of the customer/author?
Alison Teeshirts: Good question Jill, i know my limits and i’m not a ‘free’ painter, more fine art with a brush so i tend to use Cran D’Ache, pencils,rot ring drawing pens and similar, sometimes even biro!
Anne Wine O’clock Durrant: As well as all of your other accomplishments – do you do crafty things? ie. making cards, knitting, crochet etc. x
Micki Stokoe: That was my next question, Anne!
Woofie Wotsit: Dammit!!! There goes a brilliant scientific theory! Anyone wot can write reverse with left paw while writing normal with right paw should be able to see colours in letters and numbers!! Well the answer is maroon.. and that is pronounced “Mar- ohne” not “mar- oooooon” like some iggerant plebs insist on pronouncing it… Alison Teeshirts, you are gonna have to converse with the left paw side of yer brain!
Cherry Gregory: I’m very impressed with those gold medals and with your ability to be both artist and writer! Which did you start off with first, writing or illustrations?
Alison Teeshirts: Yup! i will have a crack at most things! my knitting is a bit weird as i have to have the right needle pointing upwards in my lap and crochet is,…well.. best left to those than can do it far better than me. i’m lucky working for myself in the design and print trade as i have card and paper resources as my fingertips, so a work day can go off at a tangent. just picking up my set of Hedgehog christmas cards later from the printers that i have drawn too!
–but i am left pawed Woofie! i’m just not colour biased!
Woofie Wotsit: Ahh.. a mollyduker.. no wonder you are so creative
Alison Teeshirts: Oh Cherry…. i think it would have been drawing with writing a close second along with sewing [my mom worked from home as a tailoress] . i can vividly remember making my Sindy doll a trendy flared suit in pink and blue satin and trying to understand how the shape of trousers worked!!
–Mollyduker Woofie? now theres a pen name!
Cherry Gregory: Wow! Bet you Sindy looked cool! Mine had to make do with a piece of cloth wrapped around her, pretending to be a night dress.
Woofie Wotsit : Mollyduker is an Aussie name for a left handed person. I have no idea where it came from, but it at least comes from Wozland, cuz that is what my spouse calls left handers. it is pronounced molly dookah..
Jill Stowell: Do you illustrate mainly from your memory and/or imagination or from photos. You’ve got a camera in your profile pic, so I’m guessing photography is either a hobby or part of the job as an illustrator?
Alison Teeshirts: Ah but Cherry, you saw a beautiful princess and a best friend so it doesn’t matter!
–I think i might use that as a character name in my memoirs Woofie ‘Mollie Dooker arrived in town exhausted only to meet the builder who told her the beams holding her house up were rotten..’ sounds ok huh?
–Although i draw naturally Jill, i have recently got back into photography and take a camera to most places . it can form part of the job if i am creating corporate logos and shop facias etc but i also like to take arty shots and love catching people unawares. if i can find the shot i took in Lujana a few years ago i will post it as its one of my faves and tells its own story
Jill Stowell: Love to see it, photography is a magical art form.
Woofie Wotsit: Love it Molly Dooker,,, I mean Alison .. hold on till I do a google….
Alison Teeshirts: Can’t find that one for the moment but this is one from San Juan last year
Woofie Wotsit: Here ya go… http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=mollydooker
mollydooker
www.urbandictionary.com
–a left-handed person. Also mollydook. Australian slang for a left-handed person. molly: queer, odd dook: hand, fist
Alison Teeshirts: Kinda fits me Woofie; weird and out of the box!!!
Sharon Carter Figueiredo: Woofie Wotsit you left out cacky handed that is also Oz slang for left handed.
Bambi Flanner: I may have missed it, but why the name Teeshirts?
Woofie Wotsit: Yer right Sharon Carter Figueiredo! I had forgotten that one.. that is wot we used to call molly dookers on the East coast of Orstralia. I had never heard of the term molly dooker till me Spouse said it.. he is one of those culturally deprived/geographically-challenged Wozlanders so I thot it was unique to them
Alison Teeshirts: Sinistral also i believe!
–No one has asked Bambi, i changed it on facebook a month or two back when i was struggling to update my own page and my business one so at least you now know i produce t shirts with printing or embroidery; header needs changing too i know! lol
Susan Joyce: Good morning Allison. Getting to know you. Getting to know all about you. Congratulations on all your accomplishments. Gold for bowling! Very impressive.The one I’m a bit envious of is being able to write with both hands. Have you always been ambidextrous, or did you train to be?
Alison Teeshirts: Morning Susan, surprised you didn’t have a lie in! no, i’ve always been ambidextrous and when i started bowling i use to bowl with both hands, same with golf… then i had to choose the dominant one and leftie won!
–Thank you for the song Susan!
Anne Wine O’clock Durrant: Now I am retired (first day today) I would love to be ambidextrous, I can multi task – so I would be able to get so much more done – how did I find time to go to work I wonder!
Susan Joyce: Love the above photo.
Alison Teeshirts: oh Anne i can drink and eat too but working on two different things at the same time? nah! tried it for years but it doesn’t work!! lol
–Thanks Susan, will pop a piccy up of the cards you can win soon!
–These are my christmas card illustration that i will pick up later
Susan Joyce: Congratulations Anne on your retirement! Alison your Christmas cards are delightful. Very whimsical. Is this the style you are using in the picture book you’re illustrating?
Alison Teeshirts: Thanks Susan and yes, lucky you Annie! I’m not really thinking about the style to be honest; its more about transferring what Sue Clamp is writing about than what i want to draw. all important in any design work to listen to the client
Susan Joyce: Very true! Listening is an important part of getting it right. You are a natural comedian. Have you ever performed on stage?
Alison Teeshirts: He he, thanks Susan, i did actually do a half day course a couple of years ago as its something i would like to do. found it very hard to script something rather than just be off the cuff!
Samantha Vérant: Allison- do you have any bowling tips? (I need to beat my husband…) And what was your best score? P.s. love your Christmas cards- they are adorable!!!!
Alison Teeshirts: Hi Samantha, i use to love beating the boys! best score was a 299 with a 698 series. best tip… keep your hand behind the ball and keep your eyes on the target.. use the arrows on the lane as your target rather than the pins and follow through to them..simples! lol
Ciara Threadgoode: Good morning Alison Teeshirts! Can you tell us about the name Teeshirts?
Karen Knight: Good morning Alison Teeshirts, what is your favourite genre to draw, i.e. Animals, people, buildings etc?
Alison Teeshirts: Morning Ciara, i changed it on facebook a month or two back when i was struggling to update my own page and my business one so at least you now know i produce t shirts with printing or embroidery; header needs changing too i know! lol.
Sandy Giden: What is the Gadget Show?
Alison Teeshirts: Hi Karen.. i love people with character same with animals; trying to capture the essence rather than just the physical presence. buildings i love to photograph in black and white form odd angles that show their architecture . landscapes, again more photography wise than sketching. love to sit on top of a hill during a walk and just look across the hills. amazing what you can see from people going to work on the land to animals etc
–The gadget show Sandy is a show on UK tv channel 5 that is a bit whacky scientific… let me see if i can find the link for you!
–Here you go, I’m the gobby one in the purple berghaus!
–http://gadgetshow.channel5.com/…/series-18-episode-2…
–And this is when i was on you bet; need to go in about 5 mins!
—http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGetFNULIRw
Susan Joyce: Wasn’t able to get the first video to play in Uruguay. The second was great fun to watch. You’ve done lots of fun things in your life. Go girl!
Alison Teeshirts: Thank you… i’m still trying to do fun things to be honest! craziest [even though you didn’t ask] must have been buying my little town house in Lanjaron… being single focusses my mind; i would never have done that if i was married!!!
Susan Joyce: Sounds like a good place to be. Are you near others in the group?
Karen Knight: Where do you see yourself on the next few years Alison? Xx
Alison Teeshirts: I’m close to Kiersten but I’m not sure about anyone else. In the uk I’m close to Dave
— Ooh Karen.. I’d love to have been able to move to Spain but can’t afford it just yet ( no lottery win!)
I’m in the process of changing my work around and would love to doing more writing, illustrating and mentoring people in start up businesses!
Susan Joyce: Always good to have friends nearby.
–Bet you’d be great at mentoring. A nice combo with your other talents.
Alison Teeshirts: Thanks Susan. i do a lot with Young Enterprise working with students as well as working with what was the Business Link with start ups
Susan Joyce: Alison, there’s a group called Foreignators on FB. Check them out.
Karen Knight: I hope your ambitions come to fruition. Will follow you and your progress xx
Alison Teeshirts: Thanks Susan, i have just; thank you!
–Thank you Karen, i appreciate that
Susan Joyce: Alison, follow your dreams. They’ll take you far. I’m out of here to head into the big city of Montevideo to get my Uruguayan passport.
–Enjoyed getting to know you Alison!
Alison Teeshirts: Thank you Susan; i’m getting some good support after a difficult time so i am trying!
–Thanks Susan, speak again soon!
Karen Knight: We are all here for you Alison. Thank you for opening up and answering our questions. Wishing you all the luck in the world for whatever the future holds for you xxx
Alison Teeshirts: Thats lovely Karen i really appreciate your sentiments; thank you very much
Karen Knight: Sincerely meant xx
Alison Teeshirts: Thank you. i really do appreciate it. received with the grace it is given
Cherry Gregory: What sort of books do you enjoy reading. Alison?
Alison Teeshirts: Hi Cherry, i like thrillers where its more about working out how and why that blood guts and gore.. chick lit sometimes, memoirs reveal so much and i’m not afraid to say decent erotic fiction! i do some poetry too but prefer to write rather than read…unless its John Cooper Clarke! anything that can grab me?
Cherry Gregory: An really interesting range. I’m really into memoirs at the moment and agree with you that working out how and why in a thriller is much more exciting than blood, guts and gore!
Karen Knight: I love the Roy Grace series of Thrillers by Peter James His books are set around Brighton where I live x
Alison Teeshirts: When i was younger Cherry, i was Stephen King mad, then John Grisham. never read those Karen, but i love reading about places i know; brings it more alive!
–Here’s a little bit of poetry for you!
— Because
And all because of kids.
Not the naughty ones especially
that you endure when they’re not yours.
Not just Miss Goody-Two-Shoes
with ringlets, satin and bows.
Nor ‘Nigel’s’ with their fallen socks,
dangling shirttail and luminous greenies.
Or even plain little Jessica, doe eyed,
Clarks sandals and button nose.
Or just the little menace [not usually called Dennis]
who exasperates the many and amuses the few.
Or quiet little Peter who talks in a whisper,
a patch over one eye behind NHS specs.
But for every single little kid on Earth
who drives you for that moment
into temporary insanity.
To hair pulling exasperation for
eye rolling clarification;
of facts.
A place of calm and tranquillity
for temporary sanity and edifying clarity.
A place to find the answer to relative infinity
or even E=mc2
Welcome.
To Why
Cherry Gregory: Lovely and so very true. Children really make you think!
Alison Teeshirts: Thank you… i don’t have any myself! lol
Terry Bryan: I’d like to know if you see colors when you hear music or noises.
Cherry Gregory: Re Your poem: My daughter set off as she meant to go on, and at age four asked (whilst sitting on the toilet) “Mum, if God make Adam and Eve, who made God?” Sitting there looking at me, waiting for an answer!
Alison Teeshirts: Gosh Terry never really thought but i suppose i do, pastels for light relaxing all the way to blacks and purples for rock. interesting question!
–Love it Cherry… what did you say? lol
Cherry Gregory: I had to admit I didn’t know the answer! I was relieved when she accepted that and didn’t seem bothered at all!
Terry Bryan: Maybe an ugly camouflage for ugly noises…like a jackhammer?
Alison Teeshirts: Think thats what I’m thinking Terry
Terry Bryan: The colors I see when I hear a terrible noise are hard to describe…almost like a kid finger-painting and getting the colors all mixed up, but the reds and oranges show up most.
Alison Teeshirts: shapes to; curves for soft and spikes for annoying!
Terry Bryan: Next, are your Christmas cards for sale or just for you to send?
Alison Teeshirts: They are for sale. the design was originally a bet with a friend… oops.. have to go and see some young enterprise students in school.. i’ll disappear for a few hours but back later and i will tell you how they came about!
Micki Stokoe: Back from a bit of shopping in the markets in Leeds! Enjoyed reading the questions, answers & the poem. I agree – follow your dreams & I hope they lead you into a bright future, Alison! I see clashing colours with loud noises, laced with black & dull red, Terry.
Victoria Twead: Alison, am I right in thinking you won a night in a milk-float on an alpaca farm? Lol!
Sue Clamp: What great questions! I’m a bit late coming into the room… been at work and doing other ‘stuff’. Following on from our carbolic soap discussion last night, what’s your favourite smell?
Alison Teeshirts: Thank you Micki!
–Yes Victoria, I have won a night at an Alpaca farm in a milk float that was featured on George Clarkes Amazing Places courtesy of reporting a feature that Alan posted!
–Moor View Alpacas!
–Favourite smell… Country smell has to be natural farmyard manure! Perfume, CK or Joop on men. A good curry scintillates the nostrils as well as a book… That intake of breathe, old or new tells it’s own story, thanks Sue
–As I’m back now from my clients and a nice pub dinner I’ll explain about Higgy.
I had an old friend around for dinner and in a slightly alcohol induced state of bravado, I said I could write a poem about anything… He said a hedgehog riding a motorbike! Hmm, thanks for that.
I saw Higgy first before the poem evolved that is on my blog the I got in contact with a provider for Spice West Midlands who has a Hedgehog sanctuary in Solihull. In talking with her I decided to get a small print run done and donate some to the Happyhogs Hedgehog Sanctuary in Solihull to help her raise funds. Am in the process of amending it but decided some cards would be good and they are here back from the printers!!!
Alan Parks: Alison, sorry I haven’t been about much today. Whats the weirdest thing you have ever seen in Lanjaron?
Alison Teeshirts: That’s ok Alan… You mean the weirdest I can write here? Hmmm…
A jack Russell riding a donkey …
Clouds that look like space ships.
1970’s fashions and haircuts ) it gets to you… I now call bad hair and clothing days, Lanjaron fashion)
….nope, don’t think I’ve seen anything weird at all!
Victoria Twead: And the weirdest you can’t write here?
Alan Parks: Agree, I’m interested now, spill…
Victoria Twead: Nobody’s looking, you can tell us…
Cherry Gregory: I’m not looking.
Karen Knight: I’ve got my eyes shut!
Alison Teeshirts: It’s more what I smell than see.. Visual of chilies drying on a washing line next to Bridget’s ( big pants) and a certain pungency in the air as herbs are dried… And they say longevity is down to the water!!!
Victoria Twead: Cherry’s not looking and we won’t tell…
–Ah, that could be our village… Have you been down to the hippy camp, the one I wrote about in Chickens?
Alison Teeshirts: I’m not sure if Lanjaron is unique-I doubt it but things that in the uk would seem strange, seem strangely normal there. No one bats an eyelid at anything… Including little kids lighting the fireworks that would
Never pass a Brocks firework inspection that are so loud cats leap 6 foot in the air and dogs run up walls
— Lol, no Vicky this is town not campo but now new laws have come in the oldies will be a little more careful!! Lol
Micki Stokoe: Do you need silence to write or do you like background music?
Victoria Twead: Good question!
Terry Bryan: And don’t forget to tell about the cards…I love hedgehogs…
Alison Teeshirts: Great question I agree. Initially silence as I find music can influence my feelings an I lose track but I am actually more productive if I sit in a pub or cafe with that white noise type burble going on around me. I relax and drift into my own little world
–Ooh Terry I did earlier, hang on let me find it for you
Terry Bryan: I see my question, but not the answer…
–Got it…didn’t read far enough..thanks!
Alison Teeshirts: Off to bed shortly guys but as we are world wide on here, I’ll happily answer questions in the morning that pile up over night
–Thank you all for being so kind and asking interesting questions; it certainly livened up my working day, thank you!
Terry Bryan: Hold on…can people in the states buy them?
Micki Stokoe: I like noise I can tune out too! Have you ever had a ‘man from Porlock’ moment?
Alison Teeshirts: I don’t see why not! I’d need to sort out postage but it shouldn’t be an issue
–My memory isn’t playing Micki even though I know the phrase, help me out please! Lol
Micki Stokoe: Coleridge didn’t finish his poem Kubla Khan because he was interrupted by a man from Porlock!
Alison Teeshirts: Ah ha, I remember now! My Own thoughts interrupt me usually more than anyone around me.
— I just get looked at as the batty middle aged woman with a loud laugh and scribbling away ! I quite like the air of mystique!!
–Occasionally I get chatted to by someone and it’s always interesting to listen and discover their thoughts on life: there is usually a hidden gem
–Thanks Victoria and Alan for letting me loose yesterday and thank you all at WLM for all your questions and support! Next!!!! Happy Tuesday all.
Karen Knight: You have set a high standard for next weeks member memoir. Thank you it was fun xx
Alison Teeshirts: Lol, thanks Karen. We are all different so no bar to reach I don’t think!
Sue Clamp: I really enjoyed it, even though I was a bit late coming in. Thank you, Alison
Alison Teeshirts: Thanks Sue, great questions that made me think of things I take for granted… And Tony’s jack Russell does ride his donkey down the street! Lol
Micki Stokoe: Thank you Alison! I’ve enjoyed it too!
Alison Teeshirts: Thanks Micki!
Cherry Gregory: Thank you, Alison. Good fun hearing your thoughts on so many topics.
Alison Teeshirts: Was a pleasure being given to be naturally nutty!
Susan Joyce: Good work Allison. I adore anything nutty.
Alison Teeshirts: lol, thans Susan
Alan Parks: Thanks for joining in Alison
Alison Teeshirts: it was fab! just sorting cards on fb! learning curve moment!!!
–phew.. think i am sorted with an extra page on my personal one if people want to follow that?
Terry Bryan: Hey, Alison…I would like to purchase some hedgehog notes if possible…as they say, I’s serious.
Victoria Twead: Alison Teeshirts has given me the link to her lovely stuff – I think this is it –
https://www.facebook.com/…/Charlotte…/616455928400816…
Julia Merrick: As a writer your mind must be very active, do you find yourself deviating from the actual story in mind and how hard it must be to pick a suitable name that has not been used before! .
Alison Teeshirts: yes it never seems to blooming stop! lol i tend to have a couple of things on the go so when i am worn out with one i can flip to something completely unconnected. names i seem to just pluck out the air but i try not to use names similar to people i know
–Terry, just loaded new extension to my profile as above so you can use paypal and pm me
