Update, and New Cartoon for Birders and Nature Lovers

Hello there

It's been a while, so thank you for bearing with me, and hope all is well with you.

If you remember, in my previous post, I'd solved the "Why and the how," of my seemingly ever-lasting re-set.

Well, now the what (or at least some of it) has arrived too. Drumroll...

The cartoons are coming back... 

A realisation

You see, I had a realisation whilst I was doing this birthday cartoon for a friend...

Tap or click here to sea this "Seabird Sanctuary"
cartoon on a greeting card...

That I really, really, really...still like doing cartoons....Drawing quickly, having lots of ideas, (and hopefully) helping people to have more fun and more laughter.

Making it happen

"So...", you might be thinking, "Where can I see all these wondrous cartoons?"

To which my honest answer at the moment (apart from my CartoonsbyClare Zazzle store, that is :-), is,

 "Um...mostly still on my hard drive..."

This is because I've done a large chunk of  them for fun, friends and family, up to this point.

And also because, though the more serene image of a "might-soon-be-used-avatar," for the cartoons looks like this...

The reality of the situation whilst in the throes of making it happen, tends to look more like this...

 In other words, I still have to solve the final "Where?" piece of the puzzle properly. (*And * be sure that the downloads already in my Craftsuprint shop continue too).

But it is coming, and I'm even more on the case than a luggage tag.

So, in the gentle expectation that the next post will be along quicker than this one...Thanks ever so much for sticking around and reading down this far, and I'll just say...

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. (Update on March 2nd 2023: These cards, along with all my other funny cards, are now available for instant download on Zazzle.Com).

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

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

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.

Why I'm Leaving Facebook and Instagram

"Social Media Break-Up," Cartoon by Clare Walker

Hello there

And you can probably tell from this cartoon what kind of a week it's been here.

It all started last Saturday, when I realised that had spent a huge amount of precious weekend time...Relaxing? Oh no, no such luck. In touch with friends...Nope, sadly.

No, I'd spent it wading through "communications" within BoundingSquirrel's Facebook and Instagram accounts, that whilst purporting to be from real people, were little more than spam,

Why on earth (for example, there were many more) would someone contact an *art* channel wanting to know if I would promote their sportswear for example? (Trust me, for anyone who *really* knows me, that's even more of a joke than you might think :-) ).

And those emails were about the best of it. Suspicious, scammy messages from strangers wanting to "wholesale," but strangely not mentioning which products were of interest? Yup, they were there.

And more that were yuckier and even more phishing in their intent than that.

Yet whatever I do, FB and Instagram keep prompting me to "reply" to this nonsense.

 But...

And the number of comments from real people, wanting to make a *real* point?

There was one, just one. (And if you're reading this, I suspect you know who you are...Thank you, and as you well know, if everyone sending messages were like you, this post wouldn't be happening).

And anyway, how could I blame anyone for being silent, when even getting BoundingSquirrel posts seen these days seems like a matter of pure chance?

Worse still, being seen in friends' posts (and thereby being able to be helpful/cheerful/ do some wider good, or whatever), seems just as unlikely these days as well.

Thinking the unthinkable...

My enormous frustration then led me to think the unthinkable. Could I "break-up" with these sites?

As an experiment, I tried going without both sites for the next five days.

And they were the most productive five days I've had for years. (Yes, there will be pics, am just addressing this topic first).

The upshot

The upshot is that I won't be posting on Facebook or Instagram for the foreseeable future. (I would say never, but trying to get rid of those accounts made breaking into Fort Knox look like a walk in the park).

But I'll still be posting here on BoundingSquirrel (and probably more often, now that a huge amount of stress around it has lifted).

If you want to keep following...

Sooo, if you want to keep following (and yes, of course, in fairness, this is a great opportunity for you to assess that as well) then please click on this link and sign-up

With luck, this blog will be back to the kind of, "peep into my sketchbook," calm that it always used to have.

Thanks so much for reading this

Take care, and more soon.

___________________________

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

New: A Funny Birthday Card for People Who Like the Outdoors

Hello again

Am dividing the posts as promise, because this birthday card for people who like hiking, walking, the outdoors and so on, is very different from the cartoon in the last post.

Funny Birthday Greeting Card for Outdoorsy People
by CartoonsbyClare

By default, the text says, "It's OK Sue. According to the app, we're in bright sunshine, and just have a nice flat walk ahead," (even though in the picture it's pouring with rain and there are mountains and lightening in view...click or tap here if you want to look at the details).

You can change the name (or anything else in the text) as much as you like, and can also change the message inside from, "Happy Birthday!" to anything you'd like (or make it blank, if you'd rather).

Finally, the card also comes in three sizes, small (pictured here) standard and big. (All the details are here).

This is my last post for today, I promise, but I hope it gives you a laugh, and/or is useful.

More soon.
___________________________

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

This Year's Christmas ECard Solves a Mystery...

Hello there, and as we're now officially in the second half of December, reckon I can say it... Happy Christmas.

As ever, there's a Christmas Ecard for you to enjoy (and send on to others if you wish).

This year, an ongoing Christmas mystery for many of us is finally solved in this ecard... 

You are welcome to share this ecard with others.
Just click, tap or right click, depending on your device, to download

It's also the time of year when all of us (me included) tend to get focused elsewhere, and even consider taking a breather for a few days (gosh). 

This will be happening here too...I'll almost certainly be posting things here before the New Year, but won't be on a regular schedule again until January.

So, just wanted to send you love and thanks for all your support this year, and very best wishes for the festive season and beyond, however you celebrate it, or not.

And, as ever, more soon.

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following BoundingSquirrel by email.

A Wedding Cartoon With A Difference?

I'm not sure where the idea for this cartoon (hopefully a *funny* wedding cartoon) came from. Except that as someone married (and happily, luckily, and v. grateful for it)...I was musing the other day about how the spun-sugar, soft focus, wedding-industry version of marriage doesn't always focus much on the nitty-gritty  aspects that underpin most successful relationships of all  kinds, whether formalised or not.

This led me to thinking about the scarcity of really funny wedding cartoons and cards out there.

Perhaps you could let me know on the Facebook page if you find this fun. And, if you're reading this in the USA, please also let me know whether you think this needs a separate US version that refers to "trash," instead of bins?

Many thanks, and have a lovely weekend!

Update on May 20th 2022: This cartoon is now available as a greeting card here.

New Cartoon Card (And I Got to Draw a Giraffe Again...)

Hello there

Hope you're well, and in the mood for some fun.

Have realised it's been ages since I posted a cartoon. So here's one  that's also now a card.

(Click through to enlarge the picture if need be).
Funny Wildlife Birthday Cartoon Greeting Card
by CartoonsbyClare

(with many thanks to the person who received it first for your positive feed back-not called Jan, obviously-that feedback is the reason I posted this for sale).

Looking back, it also seems that I have a bit of a track-record in enjoying drawing giraffes. I have another giraffe cartoon here, and an illustration from even further back, here.

(Yes, without wishing to ignore the lion on this card,  I do love drawing giraffes...It's something about their eyelashes, I think...)

Anywaaaaaaay....

Also, in my world this week...

Also, in truth, am knee-deep in doing all sorts of Christmas and seasonal designs that I just don't have the heart to share with you in the midst of what (in the Northern hemisphere, anyway) is prime summer holiday time. It feels like it wouldn't be fair.

However, hope this cartoon makes you smile. And if you have a friend who likes wildlife, remember you can customise the text on this card to say whatever you want.

In any event, hope this is fun. More soon.

New Elephant Cartoon-And a "Creative Block" Solution...

Hello there. Hope everything is going well for you. And that you've had a smooth and peaceful week.

If, like me though, you've had things turn out now quite as you'd hoped, and a little trip into Creative Block Land, then am going to share a tool I found that may help, and the story of how it helped me.

Which, believe it or not, is linked to this new elephant cartoon:

There I was, frustrated by project roadblocks, and feeling distinctly un-creative. (Which, thank goodness, is rare for me...but all the scarier therefore, when it strikes).

"What I need," I thought, "is a way of breaking old patterns, and creating new ones..."

And somehow, from that, the almost-magical discovery of the random word generator at, wait for it, randomwordgenerator.com.

At random, the generator presented me with five words. One of which was, "adoption". Which got me to think about those, "adopt an animal and get a cuddly toy and progress report," schemes run by animal charities...

Which led me to wonder what it would be like if a person ended up with more than they'd expected...And hence the cartoon.

Hope this has give you a laugh, and/or, an idea to try next time you need your mind to break free.

Have a lovely weekend. More soon.

New "Bowls Superleague" Cartoon

Hello there. It's been a while since I posted a cartoon, but this week has been full of them. Now that at least one has been received (with joy, it seems...phew!) I can post it here.

As this was a "custom-designed" card, it may take more explaining than your average cartoon. Basically, the recipient is a fan of both bowls and football (soccer if you're reading this in the US). 

Other salient points that might or might not need a similar explanation: 1) The bowls season has just started in the UK, and 2) There have been recent (unsuccessful) attempts to set up a football super league, involving eye-watering amounts of money, and no-one ever having to leave the league, no matter how badly they play.

So I started thinking about what would happen in a parallel universe, if those two things combined...

Anyway, if you know anyone who likes bowls or football, please feel free to share this with them if you'd like.

But the next project is different

The next project I'm working on should take much less explaining, and I'll be revealing it next week. I know that all the lovely people who read this blog (thank you!) come for different reasons. But I know that you also often like new designs, cartoons,  and/or items that you can use in your own projects.

As the next project combines both of these things, I'm hopeful (and hoping) that you'll love it.

I'll see you next week with that. 

Update May 12th: The next project has hit various snags. But I'll still be posting the art that is ready for you to enjoy. More soon!

If you enjoyed this post, please like, follow or comment about it on Facebook. Many thanks!

"Chocs Away! Free Easter Rabbit Cartoon/ECard

Happy Easter everyone. Feel free to right-click/click/tap and share this image if you'd like

More soon.

Follow

There Are *No* Art Police...

If you draw, write or create anything at all, you'll probably identify with this feeling...

The time when you wake up and feel (for whatever mysterious reason) that you're a failure, and/or will never produce anything good at all/ever again.

That feeling has been creeping up on me for ages. And this week, it was time to Deal. With. It.

What I didn't realise though, was by 'fessing up to the situation  in a social media group, I'd get quite such an outpouring of support (thanks everyone), mostly from other people, saying either that they'd been to that place often, or were there right now.

Which led me to feel that I really had to do something about this now, not just for myself, but in order not to leave a loop open that was clearly very emotive for a *lot* of people.

The solution I came to was obvious and fun for me, and though it's had a lovely reception in that group, I have no idea yet whether it would ever work for anyone else.

Basically, that solution was to personify an imaginary inner critic, have them throw all my worst fears at me in a drawing and then, simply, erase them.

Which is the story behind this cartoon/four-panel comic...

The *really* interesting thing was that the act of erasing this heartfelt felt but fully imaginary "art policeman" felt incredibly cathartic. In other words, I really do feel free from a ton of inner criticism.

Hope helps for you or someone you know, and/or has given you some fun.

More soon.

Follow

Just Some Cartoon Silliness...

Hello there.

Today's offering is just a bit of cartoon silliness, as have always thought the term "memory foam" a strange one...:-)

Hope you're thriving-more soon.

Follow

Fun Highland Cow Cartoon Card

Hello there. Thought you might like some cartoon fun this fine Friday.

(This one's also available as a customisable card on Zazzle, or a printable sheet from which to make your own card, over at Craftsuprint).

Have a good weekend, and more soon.

Follow

A Quick Poll...

Hello! Hope you're doing well. In today's post, I'd like to ask you, please, to answer an ultra quick, one- question poll. 

Your answers won't be linked to you in any way, but they will help me know what everyone would most like me to post here.

(It's getting to a point where have posted so many different things you see, that I've no real idea what anyone most enjoys...Hence the need for a poll).

Without further ado, here's the poll. Please just pick one answer and then press "Vote".

What kind of blog posts do you enjoy the most?

Designs for Cardmaking/Crafting

Art

Home Decor or Gift Items

Cartoons and Humour

Clip Art/Printable Freebies

Video Demonstrations

Other

Please Specify:

Created with Quiz Maker

Many, many thanks for your help, and have a lovely weekend.

Follow

New "Vegan Penguin," Cartoon

 

Hello there. It's a new year, but in the general weirdness and Januaryness, thought you might like something to raise a smile. (This is a watermarked image, so please share this too, if you know someone who needs to grin a bit as well).

This cartoon came from watching a really cute documentary about penguins of the world. As for the vegan spin...who knows?)

Take good care of yourself-more soon.

Christmas Snowmen Cartoon (and Day 99/100)

Yes, it's Christmas Eve, and yes, am owning up to the fact that, I drew this Christmas-themed cartoon ahead of time. In any event, hope you enjoy it, and your day.

PS. This card is available at CartoonsbyClare at Zazzle, but obviously, you're looking at it for 2021 and beyond by now ;-) .

Day 93/100 : "Deck the Halls...Cartoon

 It's day 93, and time for another cartoon...

More tomorrow!

Day 92: Happy New Year Card

 It's been the strangest of years. So it feels a bit odd daring to look ahead even this close to the end of the year. And the humour (humor!) in this New Year Card design is darker than I would normally go. But the extra words are fully changeable and removable, So you can actually make it send any new year message you want, in any year.

Funny Happy New Year Card With Champagne picture
by BoundingSquirrel

Hope you're well, and thriving, not just surviving, in any event. More tomorrow!