Learning New Apps-and Valentine Work in Progress

Valentine card front work-in-progress...

Hello there

If you've just looked at this Valentine-themed image and thought, "Surely the year can't be going *that* fast," then, if you're reading this close to its posting date, I have good news for you. You can relax, it really *is* only January...

But that also means that I need to get a move on with a fresh clutch of Valentine's ideas for crafters (though if you need one right this second, the designs from previous years are also here and here).

Everything's going well, (despite my gradual move to an entirely new set of design apps, of which much more in a later post). The move will eventually mean that I can give you much better designs, much faster.

Right this second though, the learning curve is steep, and so designs are appearing more slowly. So, rather than toughing everything out, I thought it best to 'fess this up to you, show you that there *are* going to be brighter and more beautiful designs soon...and dare to post a, "work-in-progress" picture...

If it's whetted your appetite though, check back in my Craftsuprint store in a few days, and this one should be finished and up for sale.

In the meantime, hope all's well with you, and thanks *so* much for being here, and for reading down this far.

More soon

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"Keep Growing" Plant Gif For a Bit of Inspiration

"Keep Growing"  Money Plant Gif, by Clare Walker
Click, tap or right click here to download
and use this free gif if you wish

Hello there, and I hope that all is safe and well for you in your part of the world as you're reading this.

Am just popping in to share this fun gif (feel free to download and share it if you wish-please keep the attribution if you do...Many thanks :-) .) and the story behind it.

You know how everyone's supposed to feel mega-inspired by New Year? Well, in the cold and grey of UK winter, you do rather have to work at that a bit.

So, in that spirit, the Computer Man and I bought a new plant for the household this week, and the gif you see above is an illustration of it  (or part of it, actually). (The real thing is below, for comparison).

Our money plant/jade plant.
 (As you see, perfectly-arranged "lifestyle photos"
don't come naturally to me... :-) )

I've always been drawn to the round, fleshy  leaves and general cuteness of money plants (jade plants, crassula ovata, call them what you will), but have never actually owned the real thing before.

Now though,  I can now finally tick this off my list of, "Small things I've always meant to do but haven't got around to yet".

And that tiny action, in its low-key way, has been surprisingly uplifting and inspiring. Inspiration which I'm now passing on to you (should you need or want it,) with the gif at the top of this post.

On that note, will leave you to your week. But thanks so much for being here, and for reading down this far. Hope it was fun, whether or not you're into plants.

More soon.
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New Line and Wash Illustration: Bird of Paradise Flower

Bird of Paradise Flower Illustration
(You can  download and share this, but please keep
 the attribution on the image. Many thanks!)

Hello there, and I hope any holidays you've had/are still having have been exactly how you needed them to be.

Ours were not at all as we'd planned, as not long after I'd scheduled the previous post, we learnt that my father-in-law, Mike had died. He was a good soul, whose quiet, calm presence, dry sense of humour and endless patience will be much missed.

But...

But having said that, he was also, until his last years at least, a good and enthusiastic photographer and card designer himself. So Mike, with huge thanks to all your support of my artistic (and other!) efforts, and appreciation of the details that make a difference...this image is dedicated to you, with lots of love.

And yes, it's a bright image, because even though Mike himself was on the quieter side, he never missed a chance to appreciate (and often photograph) colour in nature. Some of my best memories of him involve going round various gardens, and us  noticing, talking about and photographing plants, including the exotic ones at Kew Gardens.

This flower also feels like a symbol of hope for the future, which is what I'm sure he'd want us all to have.

 Please bear with me over the next few weeks, as blog postings may have different timings and frequency until the end of January.

And if you're new to the blog-welcome-and I promise that 99% of my posts are much more uplifting than this one.

On that note, let's all make it a Happy New Year, no matter what.

More soon.

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