NOT many of us get to spend the weekend away doing face and body painting on a ferry ship, but Jennie Roberts is familiar with such unusual venues.

The 33-year-old lunchtime supervisor at Caister Junior School combines her job with the unusual business, which involves her visiting everything from children’s birthday parties to themed wedding receptions to practice her trade.

And the married mum-of-two, who lives in Caister, has now gained safe certification from FACE, the Face Painting Association, meaning her work can now be displayed in the industry’s magazine, FACE.

One of her more unusual jobs was to visit Brittany Ferries services between Britain, France and Ireland last summer to carry out face painting, but she has also done themed Halloween weddings.

She has also done special Stars and Stripes body painting based on scenes from the video for the Lady Gaga song Telephone when the pop star dances with R&B singer Beyonce Knowles in a cafe.

Mrs Roberts, who is married to Nathan Roberts, 31 and has two children Alana, eight and Jade, 11, practices from a spare bedroom at her home.

The Dorset girl, who moved to Caister 14 years ago, was bitten by the painting bug while assistant entertainment manager at Haven holiday park in Caister and has not stopped since, even painting the stomachs of pregant women.

She has also worked at BeWILDerwood treehouse adventure park at Horning and Wroxham barns.

She said: “I am really pleased because obviously I have been accepted as a member for passing the certification test.”

Going under the trading name Smartyface, she will be holding a special face painting festival called Paintopia at Dunstan Hall near Norwich in May.

For more information, visit www.smartyface.co.uk or www.facebook.com/smartyface.