Author: Clare at CatsEatDogs

The Books I read in 2019

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These are most of the books I read in 2019, only ‘most’ are in this pile because I own two which I can’t find for the life of me, I even wonder if they have been donated. The others are new at the library and all checked out and I forgot to add one to the pile! They are not a ‘best of’ selection as they are all the ones I read from the first page to the last.  I don’t finish a book if I don’t like it, so these are those I liked (and finished). I remember them all except one and I have more favorites than not. Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens.  I was late to this party as I didn’t really fancy it to be honest, but I am very happy that I eventually read it as I liked it, great characters helped by the main character’s talent for sketching and observing. The Salt Path by Raynor Winn.  This was a classic case of judging a book by it’s …

I like Friday. Art Witch Academy review.

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Art Witch Academy is a fairly new membership art website exploring the concept of ‘art as ritual and ritual as art’, which I like the sound of, so I asked the founding witches if I could have a preview of the Academy to review for Brush magazine. Brush is no longer in print, but the website still has lots of inspiration. The  A.W.A. website provides tutorials, inspiration and information with projects on a variety of art topics, all art witch and magic related. The witches run the academy in semesters and they are full of original projects and ideas. The Academy is the vision and work of three art witches, Vanessa (@dansmoncrane), Caroline (@freya.fennec) and Emily (@fern.and.oak.art).  Each has a unique take on their contribution to the Academy.  Their passion, knowledge and generosity is apparent in every part of AWA as you browse around the site looking at book recommendations via detailed seminars and tutorials. The website is clear and easy to navigate and revisit to carry on with a class or to follow an …

Snow on a Monday

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We have had a snowy day today here in the mid-west as the temperatures plummeted from the sunny sixties yesterday straight down into the frosty twenties by mid morning today. I braved the snow and wind to walk down to the YMCA to pilates class, I arrived looking like a snowman and with a slightly damp mat!  I enjoyed the work out though, so worth the wintery walk, and I got to stomp through the snowy woods and discover that one of my winter boots has a hole in the back heel…..ewwww wet cold sock… Apart from the trip out to pilates I have mainly been drinking tea, eating home made gooey butter cookies and doing a little bit of art journaling.  Oh, and I vacuumed the floor!! Hope you have had a good start to the week. Happy Monday x  

I like Friday – trip to see the Ai WeiWei Bare Life exhibit

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I liked the bikes! I went with a friend to see the Bare Life exhibit by Ai Weiwei at the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum here in St Louis and it was  well worth a visit. There is so much to see and learn here, and all for free!  If you are in the St Louis area, be sure to see this exhibit. Of course the other galleries of the art museum are worth a look too, I loved this mini hall of mirrors in it’s own tower. Happy Friday x  

Get Messy Season of Reflection week 1

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For this season I explored the Japanese stab stitch book binding technique.  I have to admit that I have always looked past this method as I didn’t think it would be a great journal binding as it doesn’t lay flat readily.  I always thought it looked too bulky to work with the papers I like to journal on and I was right, it would not work very well with a  watercolor paper even though I am sure it could be persuaded to open flat. So I explored some different papers. I followed the advice of the experts and went for the four hole binding to start with and I used a soft unbleached mulberry paper and my trusty waxed linen thread.  It opens nicely and I like the folds at the outside edge of the book. This technique does not require folded signatures, you can use single sheets or folded sheets with the fold at the spine or the open edge.  I am thinking of all the possibilities to be had with this book binding …

Taking Stock November 2019

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It is ages since I did a Taking Stock post, so here we go!  They are super fun so I have left a blank list at the end for you if you want to copy it and fill in your own Taking Stock.  I must say thanks to Pip at Meet Me at Mikes for the original concept. In fact if you just want to browse a fabulous blog, Meet Me at Mikes is one of the best! Ok, let’s get going – Making : Sketchbooks with lovely paper and the Japanese Stab Stitch bookbinding technique. Cooking : Frozen pizza tonight as I am at work! Drinking : Biscuit tea made by Taylors of Harrogate, it is completely delicious even though I don’t normally like flavoured teas. Reading: Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson, I have only just started but it is about twins who spontaneously combust and sounds hilarious. Wanting: A good night’s sleep. Looking: At the foggy evening outside. Playing: In my new stab stitch sketchbook. Deciding: What to do this week …

I Planted some Garlic!

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After much research (ok I read an article in a gardening magazine) and waiting for the first frost, I have planted half a pound of garlic. If it all grows I will have a stall at the end of my drive or I can be a French lady with a striped shirt and a string of garlic around my neck (stereotype? Moi? Never!). I even have a bale of hay at the ready for when the ground gets chilly and it needs a straw blanket, I also have a snack if any horses pop over! Happy Tuesday x

Weekend Finds

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This weekend my favourite antique store was open, it is only open for the first seven days of the month, so you have to get there when you can! This time I didn’t see much I wanted (which is a good thing really!), but I did spot this teeny tiny pot.  I have owned a less ornate one before and found it to be ideal for holding small amounts of ink to dip a brush or pen into. Unfortunately it met it’s end when I dropped it on the kitchen floor, so I was happy to see this one. I thought this was an old salt cellar, but on further research it could be a toothpick holder.  Either way it is the perfect size for a puddle of ink and for two dollars, a bargain! Happy Monday x  

Get Messy, Season of Habit pages from my Art Journal

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When I made this art journal a couple of months ago, I was sure of two things, I loved the look and layout of it and it has way too many pages to fill in one season of Get Messy. Turns out I was correct on the first one, I loved this journal every time I worked in it. It transpired over the course of the Season of Habit that my second assumption was very wrong, I filled this treasure up with maybe one page to spare.  Not only did I fill it, I added a pocket full of art cards and two mini accordion books. I used all of my favorite techniques, starting with making the book itself, machine sewing, collage, simplicity, spray painting through old doilies and using old photos.  These are a few of the pages from my completed journal. Happy Sunday x