Author: Clare at CatsEatDogs

Taking Stock September 2017

Published by

Time for a stock take!  I have attached a blank list at the end for you, respond to each word in as many or few words as you like. Thanks to Meet Me At Mikes blog for starting ‘Taking Stock’. Here’s my latest! Making : Sketchbooks and more sketchbooks! Cooking : Waffles, egg and bacon for lunch. Drinking : Coffee with home made pumpkin spice syrup even though it is a thousand degrees outside. Reading: The Book of Polly by Kathy Hepinstall Wanting: To read my massive magazine pile. Looking: At a cloudy sky. Playing: BBC Radio 2 – Steve Wright in the Afternoon. Deciding: What to make for Friday’s dinner. I am still not the best at working all day and getting dinner organized and made! Wishing: I could get the shopping list just right for good dinners and snacks! Enjoying: The month long class on Creative Bug hosted by Faith Hale – Daily Book Art Challenge. Waiting: For the kettle to boil to make a cup of tea. Liking: The home made rice krispie …

‘I Like’ Friday – Treasures from 1930’s and 1940’s National Geographic Magazines.

Published by

I recently had the good fortune to come across a pile of National Geographic from the 1930’s to the 1950’s and as I rifled through them,  I came across some wonderful images along with some equally wonderful captions. They are totally of their time and I love the fashions, the optimism, the language of the time. The man carrying the giraffe and the policeman about to go headfirst into the Thames are my favorites!   Old magazines are so interesting to look through as well as wonderful images.  These National Geographics swept me back in time. Happy Friday x

Are ‘creative’ prompts helping my creativity or hindering it?

Published by

I make every effort to do something creative each day, I keep a Moleskine planner which I fill with a different ‘arty’ thing every day so I will at least do that page if nothing else.  For this I have no rules, I just paint, stick or draw what I like, consequently some days are all the details and some are a wash of paint. Usually I manage something extra in the creative genre,  but I have been noticing more and more that this ‘something else’ is often a prompt or an idea from someone else.  What’s wrong with that?  Prompts are great for creating ideas and the accountability which often comes with prompts – share on Instagram or to a website for example – will usually keep the momentum going for as long as the prompts are there.  This is usually a monthly process and every month of this year so far  I have had at least one prompt based challenge on the go. I have noticed that most of my recent arting has …

Weekly Photos 2017. 36/52

Published by

  1-5. Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. 6. Seasonal ‘Count Orlok’ pumpkin beer at Urban Chestnut on the way home. 7&8. Making some pages with vintage National Geographic images and some ‘moons’ I have been experimenting with. I try and mess about with some form of art every day, keeps me on an even keel!Do you have something you have to do on a regular basis or you miss it? Happy Monday x

My Daily Moleskine 2017. August Pages.

Published by

Following one of the daily creative prompts over at Creative Bug, I decided to make a blind contour drawing every day of August in my daily Moleskine. A blind contour is a drawing done without looking at the page, only the subject, and without removing the pen or pencil from the page. I don’t think I have made any masterpieces, but I drew quite a lot of self portraits, and about one of them had my facial features inside the outline of my head!!! Abstract, let’s call them abstract! Front Porch – fan and chair. Wineglasses from Goodwill, $1.00 each. Self portrait. Why can’t I connect face and head?! Orange jug of brushes Art Jug and found sticker. Washi tape peeled off mail and a gladioli. Pile of books from the book sale $8.35 total. Ruby asleep on the sofa. Me with sunglasses on my head and my features somewhat inside the outline!! Chair at the hair salon. Dried Honesty and stickers. Self portrait. Polaroid Land Camera. Blind contours are very fun to draw mainly …

‘I like’ Friday. The book making edition.

Published by

I have been making my own books for a relatively short time, but now I have started I consider a book I can make for any occasion be it a journal or a watercolor project. I have sewn books on the sewing machine and I have hand sewn pamphlet books as well as adapting vintage book covers to make a new journal or sketchbook. I love to add all kinds of paper from heavy watercolor paper to atlas paper pulled from old books.  I have even used brown paper bags from the grocery store to make a book which I love!  See that one here . Here are some of the ways I have learnt and continue to learn about making books. Book making books I like are: How to Make Books by Esther K Smith Journal Your Way, Designing and Using Handmade Books by Gwen Diehn Make your own idea book by Arne and Carlos I mentioned that I like to make books using old book covers and I find those old books at the …