Author: Clare at CatsEatDogs

Get Messy Art Journal. Season of Connections Week 1.

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The new season over at the Get Messy Art Journal community has just started and I have gracefully dived in headfirst. Today I have had nothing but ideas pouring out of my brain. I am not kidding when I say I am surrounded by index cards and scraps of paper with notes on them! I had no intentions of gathering a pile of supplies together, but it organically happened so I didn’t argue. I may stick with them to make the first pages only, or I may use this base ‘kit’ through the whole season. I have some vintage threads to sew photos and other ephemra into my journal along with some needles which are equally vintage. I like the idea of sewing stuff down and I have already done some machine stitching in my book, inspired by the wonderful Vanessa at Dans Mon Crâne. I love vintage thread spools for the thread and the graphics on top of the wooden spool! I made a new journal for this season and this one is a …

Daily Moleskine 2017. September Pages.

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Another month flies by and here we are in October.  The weather is just starting to cool off and Autumn temps are on the horizon here in the mid west.  I completed my September pages in my daily Moleskine planner and the book is looking very full! I am really enjoying how these small art pages reflect what I am doing or learning and what is influencing me at the time. I love to see the variety of colours I use and what techniques I go back to time and time again.     This past month I have used blind contour drawings, gelli plate prints directly into my Moleskine, a list of new paint colours, vintage National Geographic pictures, inky moons and dried flowers and petals. Lots to do and lots to see, I am looking forward to what October will bring to my ‘arted’ days! Happy Wednesday x

Weekly Photos 2017. 39/52

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1. Shadow of one of the ferns I used to make prints with this week. 2. A mini collection of bits and bobs, including matchboxes, gummed stickers and vintage index cards. 3. Getting ready to photo the prints for a blog post, blu tac and camera at the ready! 4. A circle print on one of the aforementioned index cards. 5. We went for a hike this weekend at Rockwoods Reservation and enjoyed the cooler weather. 6. Sign on the trail. 7. Looking up. 8. Lots of steps! Happy Monday x

Gelli Plate Leaf Prints.

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While out walking the dog today I saw and snatched some fern leaves which I brought home to use with my gelli plate and the ever faithful Paynes Grey acrylic paint. While I was at it, I popped across the road from my house and snipped some frothy grass which I thought would print well too. I used my large rectangle gelli plate and my small circle to pull prints of the outlines of the leaves as well as prints of the details of the leaves. I always start with a layer of paint then I put down the leaf.  To get the reverse silhouette print I press down the paper and smooth it out as carefully but as firmly as possible to get as much outline as I can. Once the paper is pulled off, I remove the leaf and press down a fresh piece of paper to get the detail print of the leaf left on the plate. If there is enough paint left on the leaf itself I press it onto the …

Taking Stock September 2017

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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.

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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?

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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

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  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.

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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 …