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Sunday, December 10, 2023

Watercolor + Detailed Stamps


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Some of the earliest stamps I ever used are House Mouse stamps, and they are full of nostalgia for me. It's the children's book style of the illustrations, and the whole fantasy world they've built around the little critters through decades of designs that just charms me. 

My friend Kelli sent me a treasure trove of them recently and I have had so much fun looking through a lot of the classics. 

The two I'm using today have a theme and it's BRR. We are getting a cold front today and it's supposed to be super gusty and cold, so these seemed right. 

The first one is more autumn themed, but because of where I live, the few trees that get color (it's very rare here because we have mostly live oaks) turn right now. My dogwood tree's leaves are a brilliant red and blowing around the yard. 

So this adorable little image spoke to me. I watercolored it with Daniel Smith, leaving just a hint of a sky around them with Pthalo Blue Green Shade.

I reflected the leaf color a bit onto the stump - painting hte mice was very simple. Look at their sweet, squirrely faces. The cardbase is this super thick kraft paper I love.


The second one I think calls attention to this artist for a few reasons. The way the little mouse is wrapped in the part of the scarf that is finished, and the way the unfinished part is on her needles, while the yarn travels over to the ball makes me think this artist knows how to knit. The other thing is the way the yarn is drawn on the ball - I enhanced that by adding a dark blue, but look at how the yarn is wrapped  - it's incredibly accurate. There's nothing theoretical about this little scene, other than the fact that there's a mouse knitting - but for all I know - they do! 

Anyway - there's a LOT happening in these images and the detail just stuns me every time. This, too is watercolored.



I toyed with the idea of learning crochet this year - or should I say attempting to learn it again - but poof - the year is gone. Maybe next year. A lot of people I follow are self taught so maybe I can do it. We will see.

Have you learned a new craft this year? I BARELY started on pyrography, which I am going to learn more about this weekend.

Never enough time.

Loveyameanitbye.




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2 comments:

  1. I did learn (again) to crochet last year - I made 3 blankets as Christmas presents- they took me all year. But it was fun. This year I am trying to learn more about watercoloring and alcohol marker coloring. We'll see what 2024's lessons will be.

    Beautifully colored!

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  2. I am a big HM fan too. What a great gift to get! :D I love the leaves one-I want to get it. Screams love to me. I have the other one already-reminds me of when I was kid and mom knitted my scarves, hats and mittens. Your WCing of the leaves-but esp the wools-fabulous! Margot

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