Author: Clare at CatsEatDogs

Holiday art journal/sketchbook all filled up.

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I filled my holiday sketchbook!  I made the sketchbook before I went on holiday at the beginning of June, the post about that is here. I didn’t put a million pages in because I wanted to be able to fill it and I could have done with a few more to be honest! On the inside cover I swatched the paints I took and for the inside ephemera I used books I found in the ‘outside’ section of Parnassus books in Yarmouthport, MA.  This is where the less worthy books reside and prices don’t exceed $3.00. Bargain! I bought a 1938 book called Gloucester and Cape Ann for $2.00 and The American Almanac Year-Book Cyclopedia and Atlas for 1903 for $3.00. Both full of pictures I could use. I also found a tub of vintage photos at the Wellfleet flea market, so I used some of them in my art journal along with stickers and bits and bobs I found along the way.  I even managed to get a print from a crocheted doily I …

Get Messy Season of Starting

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‘Start where you are’ is my motto for the beginning of this new season over at Get Messy Art. I am on vacation with limited supplies and no book making stuff. So I made a quick trip to the local and historic hardware store and picked up a roll of kraft paper and a three inch wide paintbrush. How cool is this place! I unrolled a nice long piece of paper and cut it to size with some mini scissors (that took a minute and I have very ‘organic’ edges) which I then concertina folded and glued between two cut down paper bags. While I squashed this one flat under some heavy books, I carried on to make more books! I then persuaded some more of the tightly rolled paper to lay flat with a couple of books from the cottage we are staying in. I had three sheets ready to paint on, so I made some marks and brush strokes to get my pages moving in the direction of a mini art journal or …

Eventually, I am reading ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’

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I am very late to this party, in fact I think I may have arrived in time to sweep the floor, but I am pleased I came because it is so good! People have been recommending this to me literally since it was published and each time I read the synopsis, I have not been moved to read it. However, now I am a captive audience on holiday with the local library to entertain me, so I grabbed a copy and it is captivating. Each page is crying out to be made into a Wes Anderson movie! I am only part way in and it is looking like I may finish it before we go home. The large print was the copy I grabbed but I don’t mind because I am a secret member of the ‘I love large print’ club! Happy Thursday x

Wellfleet flea market finds

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Wellfleet flea market is a staple whenever we visit Cape Cod and this year is no exception. Last Sunday was a $1 entry day which usually means there are not many stalls, but the showing was small but mighty. Lots of vintage sold from tables in front of vans and cars by characters full of stories and information. I bought the Birds of America book with the intention of chopping it up but I see copies in my future as it is such a lovely book. I snagged the whole box of vintage photos plus a couple of postcards for $12. The mini awl and scissors may not make it back through the airport, but I will cross my fingers. How cool will those lace gloves be if I print them using the gelli plate? I have tested the nib pen and it still writes well even though it must have been a school pen (it has ‘public schools’ embossed on it). It is neglected and the nib is well used but I will enjoy …

A New Sketchbook for my Holiday.

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I am going on holiday soon and as usual I have to have a sketchbook ready and waiting, preferably one I have made specially. So I squirreled about in my old book stash and Enid Blyton’s ‘Five Run away Together’ popped out as bring just the size and thickness I needed.  I got this book from the library sale cart for nostalgia reasons although I never really liked the Famous Five, I thought the Secret Seven were way cooler! I removed the book block and kept a few illustrations for future art journaling use and added my own pages. These consist of watercolor paper and a few images from an old book of photographs. I used clear gesso on the photo pages so that I can add marks or paint when I am filling the book. Some pages are smaller, others fold out and I included a mini accordion page because I love to work on fold out pages of all varieties. I am hoping to find some book paper while on holiday so that …

100 Days of Creating with Blue, Days 41-50.

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Half way!  Still enjoying working with all blue.  It is very freeing to only use one colour, it means I don’t have to worry about a new palette each time, I can just concentrate on the content, which this time has been a mix of collage and ink in brush pens. If you are doing the 100 day project, I hope you are still going and enjoying it. Find all of my project as I complete it on Instagram at #100daysofcreatingwithblue. Happy Monday x