Monday, May 08, 2006

Mrs Bling expects...

It is with a huge dollop of pleasure that I proudly announce that Mrs Bling and I are expecting another addition to the Family Bling. Should be arriving on earth sometime towards the end of September, beginning of October, and is a welcome addition to the dynamic duo of Andrew and Evie. We went for our first scan this morning, what would ordinarily be the 12 week one, only to find out we're actually 18 weeks along! Baby had a nice strong heartbeat and was very mellow, unlike it's sister, Evie, who danced and jigged like a proper nutter when she had her first scan. I'm quite surprised at how mellow the bump was, to be fair, as mother did a good job of demolishing oodles of fizzy sweet goodness over the weekend which were a gift from our mate Daisy...
All very happy!
To celebrate our news I'm posting this image on here which has never been on the net before- it's my earliest sketch submission for BOB THE BUILDER, and as you can see, he's changed a little along the way.
There were a number of tweaks I was forced to make:
1. Bigger feet. He'd have wobbled and fallen over like an old lady on those spindly pins. After all, this is a puppet show, we can't defy gravity with melon-headed lead characters...
2. Bigger hands. No way was he holding tools with those little flippers!
3. I thought it would be tremendously funny to give him no hair, bar the sideburns. Ergo, he takes his helmet off to reveal a baldy bonce to hilarious comic effect. The producers said no, give him hair. I insisted it was funny. They asked if I wanted to work on the show. I decided to give him hair...
4. I had to lose the 'tache! Apparently preschool kids don't like their characters to have facial hair. How they discovered this, I don't know. I like to think a team of producers wearing fake beards and moustaches hid in some bushes outside a primary school before waiting until hometime and leaping out of the bushes and yelling BOO at the poor wee ones... that's what I like to think, anyway...
So there you have it. Bob Mk One. A rare sneak peek from my folio. Image copyright of HIT Entertainment PLC/Keith Chapman.
Bada Bling!
PS: I still think he should have been a slaphead...

27 comments:

dragonhead said...

Hm... Hiding in the bushes.... So that's how they determine what to programming to show the kids.

Gongradualtions on the new kid. :) Gosh, didn't find out about it until 18 months along? That's a pretty long time.

Anonymous said...

No, 18 months along would be leaving it REAAAAAAAAAALLY late since they're generally born after about 9. ;o)I don't think you could ignore their existence for 9 minths after their arrival....

However, Mr Bling and I had thought perhaps I was about 14ish weeks along, rather than almost half way through. Ho hum. No wonder I'm so rotund. Almost as round and shiny as Mr Bling, infact. Sadly, all his babies are smelly and brown.

Anonymous said...

Minths, is of course me channelling Inspector Clouseau...

Doh!

dragonhead said...

Ooops, I seem to have replaced weeks with months.

Anonymous said...

Never did trust men with facial hair. Always a bit dodgy hiding behind hair.
Congratulations about baby, can I add bump to family tree?

Anonymous said...

Congratulations you two, I'll add the bump to my family tree, along with my sister's bump. Snap - ten years ago I went for a 12 week scan, only to discover I was 16 weeks, it was great "losing" a month of pregnancy!

Don't like the baldy moustached Bob. Sorry!

09.05.06, 1pm

Jo Bling said...

But baldy moustache ROCKS! Do indeed stick the bump down on the trees but maybe put TBC (To Be Confirmed) by the side of it ;-)

Andrew Glazebrook said...

He does look a lot older though in these pics,far too old for that hotty Wendy !! Anyway I've seen this pic before so there !!!!

Jo Bling said...

You've seen it before? You're a portfolio rummager and no mistake, Mr Glazebrook, and if that sounds euphemistic I make no apologies!

Bada Bling!

Gordon Fraser said...

Oi Mr Bling!! Our Mad Tom has hardly any hair and a cracking goatee to boot....SOD THE EXECS BALDY BEARDIES ROCK!!!

(Mucho congrats to the family Bling on your news......'Can you deliver it....YES YOU CAN!')

Andrew Glazebrook said...

Baldy beardies rock !?? Does that include this guy ? http://tinyurl.com/ejmdm I somehow doubt it !!!

Gordon Fraser said...

naughty,naughty Glazy....you ain't going to heaven!

I. N. J. Culbard said...

Baldy beardy chaps certainly do rock.

Congrats to Mister and Mister Bling!

paulhd said...

Congratulations on the baby, baby's are the new black (getting my own soon!)
Is it ok to mention that Bob with facial hair looks a bit Village People?

Anonymous said...

Mister and Mister Bling, Mr Culbard? That's harsh.

Jo Bling said...

Hey there's nothing wrong with our "alternative lifestyle", don't you worry my darling man!

Jo Bling said...

Thanks to all, especially Gordon and Ian for their baldy beardy support! :-D

Also, big hello's to Paul who I suspect visits us by way of Mr Culbard. Glad to hear you also have a nipper on the way and always nice to hear from someone from near my old spawning ground (Blackpool!)

I. N. J. Culbard said...

RE: Mister Bling and Mister Bling

We all know who wears the trousers and who wears the dresses in that house!

Okay, running for cover. A gross typo. My humblest humbles. Blush blush blush, bow bow bow, walking out of the room slowly. slamming door shut. Sound of comedy clogs running off into distance over hills yonder.

Judith said...

Hey you guys JUDOH! Here -my complete congrats, I have another addition too! Must get to chat properly too - mama and dada god be with the days when you where mooning in front of the custom house.. congrats any how jude

Jo Bling said...

GOOD GRIEF! JUDE! How the divvil are ya, ya big oirish monkey ya!?! Great to hear of your own new addition, wonderful news. We're gonna be over in Dublin next year as I've been asked to speak at the inaugural animation festival. Should be a hoot, and a craic to boot!

And please, no mention of the fair twin moons over the Liffey... that was nothing to do with me...

I. N. J. Culbard said...

Are we colonising another planet on the quiet or what?

Congrats everyone.

Jo Bling said...

The klaxxon sounded! Plumes of hot vapour erupted from the bright red rocket-ship's exhausts. Jobling charged onwards, elbows out, pipe in mouth and almost losing his Trilby, all the while ushering his 23 kids to the front of the queue while they dragged his suitcases along behind them. He was first in line for a seat on Mars 1!

"Make way for the Joblings" shouted the puffing patriarch, as the family pushed their way to the front of the queue of refugees.

Behind them, the lava continued to erupt from the fracturing earth's crust. The planet was doomed, as were the inhabitants, but he didn't care: there was no way Jobling was going to lose out on HIS seat, not with his unfeasibly enormous gaggle of children as insurance...

Judith said...

hey if youre going to be in dublin you just gotta get your arses back here for old times sake (I) LOL Tell EJ I said congrats and I will mail you in a more personal fashion real soon ;o)

paulhd said...

Yup, all the way from near Blackpool via Mr Culbard. The Blackpool connection's nothing though, I also went to Cleveland College of Art and Design (the one at Hartlepool not Middlesborough), how's that for coincidence!

Jo Bling said...

Paul! Another Boro art school fella? The world is too too small, especially with the Blackpudlian thing going on. I welcome you into the fold like a long lost cousin, sir... :-)

Bada Bling!

I. N. J. Culbard said...

Even spookier Paul used to live in Notts, where I, ex-Cleveland College of Art and Design student, live now! And he now lives where my sister (who lives up in Ulverston) teaches writing courses!

I sense that Paul is a nexus point, like Kevin Bacon.

I. N. J. Culbard said...

You know, one day, we'll realise. England isn't that big after all.