Clare Davis Etheridge

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Sketching with the Tinkersketch challenge.

For the month of February I have been joining in with Tinkerlab and doing the Tinkersketch daily challenge. I tried it last year and only made it part way through the month. This year I am loving it! We are half way through February (yikes) and I am still going strong.

I see some of the sketches on the #tinkersketch feed and these folks can draw, I mean really draw, their quick sketch is an accurate portrayal. I am more a shapes and colour kinda artist! That said I am very happy with what Tinkersketch has pulled out of my idea cache and I am looking forward to the rest of the month.

If you want to see what everyone has been creating, check out the #tinkersketch hashtag over on Instagram. My favourite sketchers to follow are @squiggleandswirl, @soulsk8r, @annofdoodlesandjots, @daintydora, @markonthemark and of course @tinkerlab.

Do you like to draw and sketch and make marks generally? I have only really just started to fill sketchbooks again and I am getting so many ideas, not just for drawings, for all kinds of things.

Keep the creativity flowing and guide it to where you need it most.

Here are some of my favourites from my challenge so far.

I drew a mirror I bought from my friend a few years ago, it is old and shabby and ace!

The prompt here was ‘Tiny Doodle’ so I drew a tiny picture of my camera using a fine Micron pen.

‘Bounce’! I used a bouncy ball and watercolour paint to get these guys into action. For the details I used a Micron Pen.

I made a very wet watercolour background for this picture, then dropped on a couple of ink splots. Once it was dry, I made a village of roofs with a Micron pen.

Oh boy was this one fun! I was right back at preschool with the Elmer’s glue and tissue getting in a sticky mess making tissue mountains. I only intended to put one lone tree at the top of the highest peak, but then the forests grew too.

This prompt was ‘Repeat, repeat repeat’ so I made some triangle trees (told you I was all about the shapes!).

Of course I had to squeeze in a mandala. I wonder if I can get another one done later in the month!

Happy Monday! We have a few inches of snow today and the kids are all hoping for a snow day off school tomorrow. We shall see.

Six Word Saturday

Published by Clare at CatsEatDogs

This week’s Six Word Saturday (got one? Do share!) is a public announcement because I have changed my name on Instagram to girlfifteen.

I made this Six Word Saturday in the Phonto app on my iPad and used some of my vintage button collection.

Happy weekend/Valentine’s Day/Mardi Gras x

Through The Lens Thursday #7 Candy

Published by Clare at CatsEatDogs

Rhubarb and Custard boiled sweets from the UK are the feature of my Through The Lens Thursday offering this week for the ‘Candy’ prompt.

I remember buying sweets in bags from the local newsagent in the village where I grew up. A quarter pound of sweets was a wonderful treat. I was never a fan of boiled sweets to be honest, I liked jellies and dazzle drops best.

What sweets did you love when you were a kid? Can you still get them?

Next week’s prompt is ‘Twisted’, should be a good one.

Onwards and Upwards. I am shutting down my small business and I am happy about it.

Published by Clare at CatsEatDogs

Last month I made the decision to shut down my small business, CatsEatDogs jewelry.

It wasn’t with a heavy heart or a sense of failing that I came to this decision, more the opposite. Once I started to close everything down I felt more and more that I was doing the right thing.

There was no ceremonials, no ‘closing down’ sale, just me edging everything over the side of the ‘I’m have made a decision to move on’ waterfall. I love that waterfall, it is dramatic and gorgeous and exhilarating, especially when you are at the top looking out over it taking big breaths.

I closed down my jewelry business because it wasn’t. It wasn’t a business, I have no clue how to conduct a business, small or otherwise. I bought beads, arranged them into something I thought was lovely and tried (quite badly) to sell the finished product.

I wondered if once I made the decision that I would start to regret it. I would have to close my Etsy store, tell everyone I was no longer selling jewels and move on.

I closed my Etsy shop with some relief actually, no more terrible photos to take and post. I don’t think I ever got a decent photo on that Etsy shop. Funny isn’t it, that when you absolutely need something to be good, it is a struggle whereas the rest of the time it is almost natural and something I love to do.

No more awkward booths at markets where I stand and attempt to be that selling/outgoing person I am not!

I am still going to be making jewels and lots of other things, because I always have and it is what I love. There will be no pile of beads and supplies in my trash any time soon. I will be using them to continue make jewels, for projects to share and of course lovely gifts. I am hoping to make tutorials in the form of photo step by steps and video in the future, here on my lovely blog. Something else to learn about right there.

If there is anything you fancy making and think I can help, let me know.

There is going to be lots more making and experimenting and practising going on, I am terrible for doing something once then moving onto the next thing, I need to keep up with the learning and improving.

In my near future, I see pen drawing and mandalas and lip balm and solid perfume and scarves (I have seen the most gorgeous fabric…) and cooking and baking and stationary and letter writing and sketching and painting and jewelry and thrifting and treasure hunting and photography and polaroids and film and getting outside and lots of exploring.

This will all be mixed with a generous helping of blogging and hopefully teaching via this blog and in real life!

I am a maker and a Mum and I have ideas sprouting out the top of my head like a blender with the lid off, luckily I have a notebook and pen to catch them all.

I hope you are having the most wonderful week wherever you are and whatever you are doing.

Weekly Photos 6/52

Published by Clare at CatsEatDogs

1. I pass these dried Hydrangeas almost every day and I love how they still look so gorgeous even when they are all dry.

2. I snapped the full moon this week. Look at the mega bright star just above it!

3. We found this walnut shell on the way to school and thought it looked like an owl.

4. I made some ginger molasses cookies.

5. A selection of the smells we will be using to make body balm and solid perfumes. I can’t wait to get making and testing!

6. I also make pizza for dinner, mine is piled up with onions, mushrooms and kale.

7. I am loving the Tinkerlab February challenge, this one was following the prompt ‘Fairytale’. I found an old paperback of Hans Christian Andersen tales at an estate sale so I drew in it!

Have a wonderful and fantastic week!

Six Word Saturday

Published by Clare at CatsEatDogs

It is a lovey sunny day here in the Mid West today! Blue skies and balmy temps.

If you have a Six Word Saturday, share in the comments or on Instagram #SixWordSaturday.

Happy weekend!

‘I like’ Fridays

Published by Clare at CatsEatDogs

Well this week has seen all sorts of decisions and new things for me, all good things! We have seen snow and sun and ice in all kinds of order and the weekend is supposed to be sunny and warm so we are looking forward to that.

I have been drawing and painting and reading and catching the train and borrowing library books. I hope you have had a good week and are having a happy Friday.

Here are a few things I am liking today –

The new Jamie Oliver magazine which I bought today at the international newsagent nearby, I am sure I am at least one issue behind, but I get them eventually!

Magma sketchbooks are so gorgeous to look at and they make sketchbooks for specific areas like fashion or idea generation.

Home made scented balms and solid perfume, I am looking into the best ‘recipe’ and playing with scent combinations! So fun!

Our local Goodwill store, I got a lovely little vintage pyrex bowl and I found the boys a Nerf gun each, so everyone was a winner.

Getting the last of the colour out of my hair, I am now ‘au naturel’ in the hair department.

The calligraphy course at Creative Bug, I am planning to start today. Get the sketchbook ready.

Happy Weekend, Six Word Saturday tomorrow – see you then!

Through The Lens Thursday #6 Polka Dots

Published by Clare at CatsEatDogs

I found some lovely polka dotted vintage buttons in my collection and used them for this week’s Through the Lens Thursday in the snow.

Polka dots are hard to find!

Next week is Candy. That should be easy to find!

Taking Stock February 2015

Published by Clare at CatsEatDogs

I am taking stock for the first time in 2015, the prompts and the idea is from the ever lovely Pip at Meet Me at Mikes. If you fancy taking stock too, I have a blank list at the end of mine for you to copy and fill in.

Making : Molasses Crinkle cookies, they are chilling for an hour and then I get to bake them.
Cooking : Bangers and mash for dinner with lots of gravy and peas.
Drinking : Coffee coffee and another coffee.
Reading: I am having trouble sticking with a book at the minute, Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi, is pretty good so far.
Wanting: My fragrance oils to arrive in the mail.
Looking: At the sunny sky get darker.
Playing: With scent combinations.
Deciding: What to draw today for the Tinkerlab challenge
Wishing: I could bottle all of my ideas.
Enjoying: Making lots of little art works.
Waiting: For the snow we have been promised this afternoon.
Liking: The idea of some snow.
Wondering: What to photo tomorrow for Through The Lens Thursday, the prompt is Polka Dots.
Loving: The bag of Victorian calling cards I picked up at the weekend.
Pondering: Who the people on the cards were and what they did.
Considering: Researching calling cards, they are so lovely and interesting.
Watching: The Great British Baking Show.
Hoping: That the cookies I am making will be delicious.
Marvelling: At the lovely full moon we had last night.
Needing: To close my small business down.
Smelling: The crisp cold air.
Wearing: Boots, gloves, scarves and coat to keep warm on the walk to school.
Following: The Adventures of Quinoa at That Summer Feeling blog. Hilarious!
Noticing: That the ‘Great British Baking Show’ is not called ‘The Great British Bake Off’ here in the States. I wonder why?
Knowing: I want to do lots more drawing and get better.
Thinking: About all things I want to make and do and draw.
Admiring: Talented people like Lisa Congdon, Kal Barteski and Ashley Goldberg who create and teach art.
Sorting: Out charity in a bid to get rid of some stuff.
Buying: Bread and Goldfish crackers for my kid’s lunches.
Getting: A haircut tomorrow – the last of my dyed hair will be cut out and only my natural colour will be left, at last!
Bookmarking: Creative Bug, for new classes to take.
Disliking: Cold feet.
Opening: New doors of creativity.
Giggling: As we walk home from school.
Feeling: Chilly.
Snacking: On nothing, I am trying to loose a few pounds. Oh go on then, pass the chocolate digestives…
Coveting: New snow boots.
Wishing: People would be nicer.
Helping: Make lip balm and solid perfume with my fab friend.
Hearing: The dog snore.

Here is the list for you! Happy Midweek x

Making :
Cooking :
Drinking :
Reading:
Wanting:
Looking:
Playing:
Deciding:
Wishing:
Enjoying:
Waiting:
Liking:
Wondering:
Loving:
Pondering:
Considering:
Watching:
Hoping:
Marvelling:
Needing:
Smelling:
Wearing:
Following:
Noticing:
Knowing:
Thinking:
Admiring:
Sorting:
Buying:
Getting:
Bookmarking:
Disliking:
Opening:
Giggling:
Feeling:
Snacking:
Coveting:
Wishing:
Helping:
Hearing:

Photo a Day January 2015

Published by Clare at CatsEatDogs

1. The Sky.

2. Something Yellow.

3. Me Today.

4. I hear…

5. Square.

6. Round.

7. Currently Reading.

8. Landscape.

9. Pattern.

10. Hello.

11. I see….

12. Bright.

13. Lucky Number.

14. New.

15. Old.

16. Nature.

17. Jump.

18. Today is…

19. Homemade.

20. Window.

21. In a Row.

22. Collection.

23. Something Far Away.

24. Playtime.

25. Black+White.

26. Three Things.

27. Morning.

28. Strange.

29. Summer/Winter.

30. Fave Food.

31. On Top.

Well January zipped by and here we are at the second day of February. I hear Phil the groundhog saw his shadow today on this Groundhog Day in the USA, which means we will have another predicted six weeks of winter. Maybe we will get some snow after all?!

So, another month of Photo a Day is completed, thanks to Fat Mum Slim for providing the prompts.

I think some of my favourites are 5 and 24 my new cameras, I have tried the SX-70 which works great, I still need to get a film for the Big Swinger to see if it works!

I also like 9 and 26 marking a return to making more art in my life, mandalas and collage are just the beginning.

The marbles in 22 are all from the local creek, one of them is a half marble.

Do you take a photo a day or another daily challenge? I hope you are enjoying it! I am doing the Tinkerlab sketchbook challenge through February which I am hoping will help improve my art skills.