It's Groundhog Day All Over Again: Free Marmot / Groundhog Background

Free Groundhog/Marmot Background
Click, right click  or tap to download

Hello there

Hope you're thriving and ready for today's free download: Cute groundhogs, in a printable that you can use in lots of different ways.

The sheet prints out well (300 dpi) at ordinary A4 size in a home printer, and is based around a pattern that's also on lots of cute stuff in the shop...

A confession...

I would have got this to you before today ('cos as I type, it as already Groundhog Day, Feb 2nd).

But for reasons best known to myself, I only realised this morning that marmots and groundhogs are the same animal...

Anyway, you have them now (and let's face it, cute marmots/groundhogs help to make life happier at any time of year, don't they?). (Here's the download link again, if you need it).

Hope you have loads of fun with this. 

More soon.


___________________________

Like this post? Tap or click here to subscribe to BoundingSquirrel

Pink "Bizzie Lizzie" Craft Sheet and Other Goodies

Hello there

Yes, it's January and even though this *really* means that every day is getting lighter (or that you have *summer* in full swing in the Southern Hemisphere) it can still feel in need of some brightening up.

 And what better way to do that than with cheerful summer flowers?

Grab this craft sheet at Craftsuprint

(By the way, yes, if this design has a familiar feel...you're right. It's a 2023 update/add-on to the "Bizzie-Lizzie Shaped Card available here, now that my pattern design skills are more evolved than they were back then).

What was lovely, and quite unexpected though, was how the pattern turned out to look uplifting and jolly on lots of lovely things over at Redbubble too...

Click here to see these on Redbubble.Com

And even as part of a pink floral wrapping paper pack on Zazzle.

Click or tap here to see this on Zazzle

So there you have it. There can be a profusion of pink flowers, even in January, and hope you enjoyed them.

Take care, and more soon.

___________________________

Like this post? Tap or click here to subscribe to BoundingSquirrel

Nesting: Introducing New Spring Craft Sheets...

Click here to see the sheets

Hello there

Hope the week is treating you well. And speaking of treats, if you're one of those people for whom spring can't come fast enough, the spring-based craft sheets above may be just what your looking for.

The idea is simple: three sheets featuring cute blue tit birds, a nest and spring leaves (and even enabling you to make a nest-shaped card if you want to). One of the sheets has min-inserts and toppers with verses centred on nests and spring, which can fit into the nest shaped card (and most other places you'd want to use them as well).

As a bonus, the main nest sheet is currently on special offer (as of  today, 19th January 2023), along with lots of my other spring-themed items.

So, if you fancy a spring-time boost a little early, please do pop to my Craftsuprint shop and have a look.

That's all the news for now-though I'm hoping to be able to share something *big* with you in the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime, take care, and thanks for being here.

More soon.

___________________________

Like this post? Tap or click here to subscribe to BoundingSquirrel

Two New Funny Cards to Give You a Laugh...

Hello there.

Sometimes, you just need a laugh, especially in January.

With that in mind, here are two newly-uploaded cards, both of which you can personalise before sending.

The first (appropriately enough for BoundingSquirrel) is for anyone and everyone who loves squirrels, and/or who battles to keep them off the bird-feeders...

Click or tap here to see in more detail...

The second cartoon card involves that ever-popular funny birthday card staple, wine...

The same principle applies though. The card is fully customisable too...just click or tap on the image below to see it in more detail.

Click or tap here to see the card in more detail...

Hope one or both of these gives you (and/or anyone to whom you might send them) a boost and a lift.

Have a good week, and more soon.

___________________________

Like this post? Tap or click here to subscribe to BoundingSquirrel

An Inspiring Question for January?

Hello there

Hope you're well, and having a happy New Year.

One of my responses to recent events outside my control has been to delve more deeply into art-journaling than before. And in the case of the graphic below, digital-art journaling, in Krita 5.

The bizarre thing is, when I sat down to do this, I was feeling much less than great. So much less than great, in fact, that a totally unrelated question, designed to take my mind off things, felt like a *wonderful* idea.

 And so it was that, in the midst of all the gloom, this, cheery, sunny message that came out. Can't explain that at all. But maybe this is part of the mysterious power of art-journaling that its devotees describe.

Where will this lead if anywhere? Am not sure yet. Or indeed, whether it even *needs* to lead anywhere. That may not be the point. 

But it *is* fun to explore things from a new perspective, and I *love* the joyous and summery colours that emerged. Plus, what better time to keep journaling than New Year/January?

Then...

Click or tap here to see more...

I was having so much fun, in fact, that I couldn't resist popping over to Redbubble and seeing how things looked there. 

Imagine my surprise when something started in order to cheer myself up ended up looking this good on a journal cover, magnets, and other lovely things? What lovely little reminders might they make, to give any of us a little nudge back into feeling more magical when we need it?

Click or tap here to see more...

It just goes to show that art time, in all its forms, is always a good idea, and its results, a constant surprise.

Thanks so much for being here, and for reading down this far. May your own January inspire you too, however you most need it to do so.

More soon.

___________________________

Like this post? Tap or click here to subscribe to BoundingSquirrel

Free 2023 Watercolour Graphic

Tap, right-click or click this image to download.

Hello there, and hope life is treating you well.

To coin a cliché, it's really hard to believe that it's almost 2023.

(For full disclosure, this is being typed and scheduled in advance in mid-December as am having a break from the online world until January).

But it's become something of a tradition for me to "paint out how next year feels" each December.

And this year, this is how 2023 feels from here.

And, as ever, you're welcome to use this graphic if you wish, in any way that fits my (ever-so-generous...promise) angel policy. Links back are always lovely, but never required.

May you have a wonderful new year. And, as ever from here, there'll be...

More soon.
___________________________

Like this post? Tap or click here to subscribe to BoundingSquirrel

A Christmas Cartoon Ecard

Hello there

And now it really *is" that time of year again, and this year's Christmas ecard is below. As with them every year, feel free to use and share it if you wish (though am not sure if its topic will resonate in other places as much as the UK-do you have strikes at the moment too, where you are?).

Click, right-click or tap here to download this ecard.

In any event, enjoy the festive season, wherever and however it is for you.

I'll be taking a break from blogging now until the New Year, but have some posts already scheduled for you for after Christmas too.

Most of all, thank you for reading all these posts, and for being here.

___________________________

Like this post? Tap or click here to subscribe to BoundingSquirrel

Christmas Foliage Graphics...and a Quiz

Picture 1-Right-click, click or tap here to download if you wish.

Hello there

Hope you're well and thriving, and ready for some fun, as well as a not one, not two, but three freebies to download, as befits the approaching festive season.

You're welcome to use any of the set of three graphics in this post, in any way at all that matches my angel policy. Just right-click, tap or click (depending upon your device) on the graphic(s) you'd like to use, and the graphic should download.

And if you're not in need of freebies right now...as well as if you are, this post is also a quiz.

Picture 2: Right-click, tap or click here to download

Each of the pics in this post was created in a different way. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to decide which method (A, B or C) matches which Picture 1, Picture 2 and Picture 3.

Picture 3: Right-click, tap or click here to download.

Painting and Drawing Methods Used

Which of these methods do you think matches which picture? (You may have to scroll up  from here to see the pictures again).

Method A One of the pictures in this post was created using 100% digital watercolour painting and digital ink sketching,  in the wonderful Rebelle 5 app, (not an affiliate link, I just enjoy using it).

Method B One of the pictures was created by wetting hot-pressed, (ie smooth) 300g Bockingford Watercolour paper, splashing colours into wet areas, and then, when the areas were dry, inking in details with a black waterproof pen.

Method C One of the pictures in this post was created by sketching onto 300g cold-pressed Bockingford Watercolour Paper first, and then painting in details wet-on-dry (though white highlights were still added later).

Your answers

When you think you have your answers, check the PS at the bottom of this post, to see if you're right.

Please note, this quiz is just for fun, there are no prizes, and the answers are at the very bottom of this post, in the P.S. section.

Whilst I'm in the business of making sure that there's enough text here to obscure the answers, this is probably a great point to remind you that my Redbubble shop is still a great place to look for gifts (most still in time for Christmas, or of course, any other time of year), and that  the printable designs in my Craftsuprint shop can be downloaded 365 days a year.

With that said, I hope you had fun with this post today, and/or found something you wanted in one way or another. It's only left for me to wish you a happy week, and promise that there will be more from me soon as well as...

A P.S with the quiz answers...

And the answers are:

Picture 1 was painted using method B. The surface is smooth (ie hot pressed) and the end result has a pretty sploshy wet-in-wet look.

Picture 2 was painted using method A, and is therefore, 100% digitally painted, (even though the digital paper behind it has a really convincing rougher/"cold-pressed paper" look).

Which means that Picture 3 used method C, with its rougher paper and penwork that am feeling now might have been a little over-the-top :-) .

Whatever your answers, hope you had fun, and see you next week.

More soon.
___________________________

Like this post? Tap or click here to subscribe to BoundingSquirrel

A (Hopefully) Topicalish Football/Soccer Cartoon

Hello there. Hope you're doing well this week.

It's been a while since I posted a cartoon here. So, this week, as a football-mad family member enjoyed this on his card a few days ago, thought would share it on the blog to raise a smile.

Note: if football (soccer) isn't your thing, you have my sympathy. It isn't so much mine, I just have *lots* of family members who like it.

Disclaimer number one: yes, in case anyone asks, I *know* that in reality there were buses of the more conventional kind.

Disclaimer number two: if by the time you're reading this, any team which you happen to support is no longer in the competition, v. sorry, and hope this can at least help you have a laugh. 

In any event, this is just a bit of fun that I hope you enjoy it at a busy time of year.

For which reason, I'll stop waffling, but wish you a happy week.

More soon.

Free Gratitude Animated Gif

Gratitude animated gif-click, tap or double-click here to download

Well hello there. I know that many people who visit BoundingSquirrel are from the USA, so if that's you, and you celebrate it, hope you are enjoying that.

If you are, then you probably have lots else going on, so I'll be brief. This "Gratitude" animated gif is a freebie, there's nothing to buy. Please just download, use it as much as you want, for Thanksgiving and *any other time* you want to thank someone or be grateful. (For those who like this kind of thing, my terms of use are generous, and located here).

For the rest of us (and I know that also includes some people in the States, it's just that this isn't a political blog) then it still can't harm to spread and feel some gratitude in the world, can it? 

For what are you grateful, happy and thankful? And if that includes a person or group and you'd like to use this gratitude gif to say so, please do. 

(Or this image from a previous year, if you prefer...I'm British, but love the chance to express gratitude so overtly every year...and am aiming to be less bashful about it the rest of the time too).

Thank you so very much for being here, and for being you.

Have a lovely weekend, and more soon.

___________________________

Like this post? Tap or click here to subscribe to BoundingSquirrel