Country Mouse Studio

How Do You Look?

2012-02-11T22:58:00.000-08:00

This is my happy face! by countrymousestudio

It's been a hectic couple weeks but one thing kept popping up. I came across a blog by a woman who said that when she was doing nothing in particular like shopping, her resting or neutral face looked angry or upset and people were always asking her if she was okay.

I couldn't believe the number of people who commented saying they had the same problem. Then I remembered a tv show I'd seen years ago on the same topic. The host asked people if they were aware of the type of look that was on their face when they were resting and not thinking about anything in particular.
I mentioned it to my daughter and she said her boyfriend had complained about the same problem.

Apparently all his life, people have thought he was upset or angry when he wasn't at all. It was just his facial expression when resting. He said it often made him seem confrontational and it made strangers defensive as if waiting for him to explode about something that bothered him. Over the years, he's become self conscious about it and always wonders what expression is on his face before he goes in to meet someone for the first time.

I hadn't thought about it before, do you know anyone with the problem?

I'm not sad or grumpy this is how I look Owl by countrymousestudio

Funny, Smile for the Camera, Grumpy Owl by countrymousestudio
View other iphone cases

Red Squirrels - Neighbors from Hell

2012-01-23T15:56:00.000-08:00

Red Squirrel Watercolor Acrylic Sculpture by countrymousestudio

A while ago, Ratty's blog Everyday Adventurer did a feature on Red Squirrels which reminded me of what difficult neighbors they are.
We moved from a very busy urban life to a cabin along a lake to find some peace and quiet. We didn't know that a Red Squirrel already lived there. I was used to them chattering at me when I went for a walk in the forest but knew little else of them or I might have changed my mind.

From the moment spring arrived, the squirrel was present and first light, each morning until sunset at night, everything that moved caused it to chatter angrily. If you went outside, it chattered as loud as it could until you gave up and went back in.

I was determined to live peacefully with the annoying little thing until I put up my first bird feeder. The previous owners had attached the feeder to the clothes line strung across middle of the yard. Turns out this squirrel would take flying leaps off the roof or tree branches until it could land on the feeder. I spent weeks trying to find the exact spot to move this feeder where it couldn't reach.
There was a small 2 foot area it could be hung in that the squirrel couldn't reach but sometimes the wind would blow it out of that safe area. The other problem was if it couldn't reach it, the squirrel just chattered more and more. When it did reach the feeder, it would sit on the roof chattering and attacking any bird that attempted to land. So to resolve the situation, I'd move the feeder so the squirrel could eat, then would refill it and move it away so the birds could eat.

Later, I foolishly planted a garden, which it also claimed. It ate anything that grew above ground. I never got a single pea, bean or strawberry.

It did give me two very special memories though:
1. The neighbor boy discovered her nest full of babies in his attic and brought one over for me to pet before replacing them.. We noticed they were full of fleas (maybe that's why they were so irritable)
2.In the fall, it picked mushrooms and hung them on the tree branches to dry before storing them. At first, I thought my husband had done it as a joke but we watched and when the mushrooms dried, the squirrel gathered them all.
I never knew any animal did that.

For some beautiful photos of Red Squirrels go to Ginny's Blog

Just found a site that sells squirrel proof bird feeders http://bromebirdcare.com/

Cute Squirrel & Tracks , Watercolor Animal Nature by countrymousestudio
View other Cute Rickshaw Folios

Watercolor Cute Red Squirrel Animal Nature by countrymousestudio
View more iphone 4 cases

Cute Squirrel & Tracks , Watercolor Animal Nature by countrymousestudio
Browse other MacBook Pro sleeve designs on Zazzle.

Watercolor Red Squirrel and Tracks Animal countrymousestudio
Browse

Smile for the Day

2012-01-15T23:58:00.000-08:00

Raven

There has been a lot of articles lately written on crows and ravens but when I saw this video from Russia I just had to share it.

It's only 57 seconds long

http://youtu.be/3dWw9GLcOeA

After the Storm

2012-01-14T21:44:00.000-08:00

I don't normally take photos of the sky as my camera isn't great but we had a storm front pass through dropping snow and when it passed, we got about a half hour of clear skies before the next front came through.

I put the two photos together

It was much more impressive in real life

Fluffy white between trees is next storm front moving down the valley

The snow is supposed to come tonight so we'll see how much more we get.

Saving money on Bird Seed.

2012-01-07T20:35:00.000-08:00

When I first put out the chick scratch instead of bird seed, the Mourning Doves were impressed. They called their friends and relatives to the feast.
I had no idea there were so many in the neighborhood.

This was only half of them. The other half were down eating.
I may not be saving money after all.

Mourning Dove,Turtle Dove by countrymousestudio

Watercolor Mourning Dove, Turtle Dove by countrymousestudio

Special Birthday Mourning Dove, Turtle Dove by countrymousestudio
Shop for cards at zazzle

California Quail in an Apple Tree

2011-12-30T22:43:00.000-08:00

You know how the song the Twelve Days of Christmas has a partridge in a Pear Tree?

Well, I don't have one of those for you but I do have a Flock of Quail in an Apple Tree.
They are hidden pretty well so it might be hard to see them. I know when I looked out the window they sure surprised me and then brought a smile to my face.
They seemed convinced that I couldn't see them there.

It's hard to believe that this is the last post and photo for 2011.

I wish health, happiness and prosperity for all of you in 2012
Thank you for your interesting posts this year.
I am blessed to have met all of you and thank you for your comments.
I appreciate it very much

Favorite Christmas

2011-12-20T09:35:00.000-08:00

This is an old story that has been going around for years but it's my favorite.

Grandma and Santa Claus

I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid.
I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered.
"Even dummies know that!"
My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her
that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew
Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went
down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-
famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because
Grandma said so. It had to be true.

Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I
told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" she
snorted...."Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going
around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your
coat, and let's go."
"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second
world-famous cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General
Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about
everything. As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten
dollars. That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she
said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you
in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.
I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother,
but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed
big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas
shopping.

For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-
dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for.
I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors,
the kids at school, the people who went to my church.
I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby
Decker.
He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind
me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class. Bobby Decker didn't have a
coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the
winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he
had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a
cough; he didn't have a good coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill
with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat!
I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked
real warm, and he would like that.

"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the
counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. "Yes, ma'am," I
replied shyly. "It's for Bobby."
The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really
needed a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the
coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas.
That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out
of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper
and ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it.
Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove
me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was
now and forever officially, one of Santa's helpers.
Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I
crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then
Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered,
"get going."
I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present
down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of
the bushes and Grandma.
Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door
to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.
Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent
shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night,
I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what
Grandma said they were -- ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and
we were on his team.
I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95.

I wish all of you a wonderful, blessed, joyful Christmas.

The Owls have it again

2011-12-09T17:11:00.000-08:00

I'm still recovering from some sort of flu with sinus problems so I haven't been around too much. I've noticed that other people are having a hard time getting rid of this illness too.
The one good thing about needing to rest is that I just read the most wonderful book about a woman (biologist) who raises a rescued Barn Owl. If you love birds or nature or need a gift for someone who does, this is a great read. I hope I did the link right Wesley the Owl

Owls have really become popular perhaps it's due to Harry Potter. Fortunately, they are one of my favorites too as their faces seem to display so much emotion.

Barn Owl, Bird, Animal, Wildlife Nature by countrymousestudio
Browse Barn Photo Sculptures

Custom Dated, Cute Little Owl,Bird by countrymousestudio
Make personalized photo ornaments online

Fun Birthday Humor Owl, Bird, Nature, Wildlife by countrymousestudio
Shop for a card with zazzle.com

Funny Owl with Attitude, Bird, Nature, Wildlife by countrymousestudio
Browse Funny T-Shirts

Old Age, Over the Hill Birthday Owl Humor by countrymousestudio
Become a greeting card affiliate at zazzle.com

Christmas Screech Owl Watercolor Bird by countrymousestudio
Browse more Screech Cards

Snowflakes Winter Owl, Watercolor Bird by countrymousestudio
Browse more Snowflakes Mugs

Great Grey Owl Print by countrymousestudio
View other Owl Posters

Magpies

2011-11-25T12:41:00.000-08:00

This family of Magpies has been coming to my house for about 3 years now. They have a particular call for me on days when I've not put any food out yet.

There is a large bear population in this area making it a bad idea to have a compost bin with scraps of food in it so they recycle my left overs for me and in exchange provide some entertainment.

I've read that they prey on eggs and nestlings of smaller birds but my huge flock of sparrows and finches don't seem to mind them, even when nesting so perhaps it's the scarcity of food that makes they prey on smaller birds.

I have no idea why this fellow has a crest on his head. I didn't see it when taking the photo and even enlarging it didn't reveal why.
He does have a beak full of stale muffin.

The photos aren't great as magpies are hard to capture with a camera. They are very alert and intelligent so the slightest movement scares them away

Here are a few Magpie images by various artists for sale at Zazzle

Watercolor Magpie in Bird, Animal Collection by countrymousestudio
sell your art online with zazzle.

I love the pose of this Magpie on the Fence from aquartistic

A Magpie perched on a fence by aquartistic
View other Magpie Bags

The colors are beautiful on this one from lemmingsolution

Yellow Billed Magpie by lemmingsolution
Browse Yellow billed magpie Posters

Great bird images for all species available from birdorable

Cute Magpie by birdorable
Create a full color post card on Zazzle

Feeding the Birds

2011-11-07T09:31:00.000-08:00

My husband and I agreed that it was time to stop feeding the birds. I've seen numerous posts on the internet about the increasing cost of bird food. Without expensive seed like Niger, I was mostly feeding sparrows and chickadees, magpies and a few quail and in spring, a duck family.

So last spring, I decided to quit at a time when they could find their own but they never went away. They sat out in the hedge calling and cheeping. What could I do? I had some cereal no one wanted to eat, one of those healthy ones that tastes like bird food. They loved it. Then I had some stale wholegrain bread and healthy muffins with peanut butter, a little bit of oatmeal, stale raisin bran, 9 grain cereal. The magpies came by so I added fat scraps from the ham and leftovers. Nothing like seeing a magpie try to balance on a line with half a muffin in his beak or a couple strings of spaghetti.

As cold weather arrived, I realized the birds weren't going anywhere so I went to the farm supply and asked what the cheapest edible food they had. The cashier laughed and said chick scratch. She said a lot of people feeding birds were switching since it was cheaper. It's a mixture of chopped corn and wheat, half the price of sunflower seed and with absolutely no waste.

I've been feeding it for two months now and I think I have every sparrow in the neighborhood including a few song sparrows. The flock of California quail has tripled and I don't think they'd leave the yard except for the neighborhood cat. The magpie family is up to 8 or 9 now and they call if I forget to put it out or sleep in.

The good news is I've cut down my cost of feeding the birds to about half and am recycling leftovers too

Interview with Judy Adamson

2011-11-05T10:26:00.000-07:00

Judy interviews artists on her blog all the time but no one had interviewed her. See my last post for more of her images.

I grew up in the Isle of Wight, which may explain why I love to paint boats, but I’ve lived in various other parts of the UK before moving to Wales, nearly ten years ago. Part of the attraction of living in Wales is the wonderful mountain scenery but I’ve painted the local Meadows more than anything else, and I think this is because I also loved the flat landscape of parts of Norfolk, where I lived previously.

1.When did you begin to be interested in Art?
I grew up with four much older sisters and two older brothers and most of them drew and painted to some extent. So some of my earliest memories are of one of my sisters, who was a schoolteacher, teaching me to read and drawing little pictures to illustrate the letters of the alphabet. Drawing just seemed to be the natural thing to do in my family, though I can’t remember either of my parents drawing.

2. Has anyone in particular encouraged you?
Yes, in fact my mother always encouraged me to draw on any scraps of paper that were to hand. Although there was very little spare money around in such a large family, she bought me some little books that I still have today, one about the Impressionists and one about Renoir.

My art teacher at the boarding school I attended from 11 – 18 was also very encouraging, though I got my second lowest mark for Art in the exams we took at 16 – I hated drawing balls of string and wilting philadelphus flowers pinned to our drawing boards on a hot summer’s afternoon!

3. Have you done formal Art Training?
No, I’m afraid my mother’s encouragement didn’t stretch that far! I very much wanted to train to be a ‘commercial artist’ but my parents believed that Art Schools were full of ‘Beatniks’ (this was the early Sixties!) so I did a degree in Modern Languages instead.

I’ve been to various Adult Education classes but the only ones I really benefited from were the Life Drawing class and the Art and Design class at Wensum Lodge, when we lived in Norwich. Even then, it was more the encouraging, free atmosphere, with expert advice on hand, that taught me more than the formal parts of the lessons.

4. What is the most important thing you've learned from experience, or other people?
Probably the most important thing is not to worry about my art! I used to fret about whether I was doing it right – because I hadn’t had the Art School training. A neighbour who had trained at the Slade and later taught Art, got sick of me pestering her with questions and told me ‘there ain’t no knitting pattern, gel!’ – she also held some of my watercolour landscapes under a running tap and much improved them!!!!

5. Who is your favourite artist and why?
I’ve loved Cezanne’s work http://www.paul-cezanne.org/ since I was quite young, difficult to say why but it just seemed ‘right’.
More recently I’ve developed a liking for Paul Klee http://www.worldgallery.co.uk/gallery/Paul-Klee-1.html?affiliate_id=3000&keyword=Klee&gclid=CJLqiuTNn6wCFRRc4QodGDCR-g, C.R. Mackintosh http://www.worldgallery.co.uk/gallery/Rennie-Mackintosh-1.html?affiliate_id=3000&keyword=Mackintosh&gclid=CIr_ztbQn6wCFYEZ4QodOzpc_ Q Gaugin http://www.myartprints.co.uk/a/paul-gauguin.html/&pid=UK999?gclid=CJyf7vXOn6wCFRRc4QodGDCR-g and Degas http://www.myartprints.co.uk/a/edgar-degas.html&mpos=1003 and when it comes to illustrators, Quentin Blake http://www.quentinblake.com/ and Ezra Jack Keats http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/ have to be my favourites. On the other hand, there are far too many artists and illustrators whose work I enjoy to give a full list but I find myself still very much drawn to the Impressionists – maybe something to do with those little books my mother bought me when I was still a child?

6. Do you paint regularly?
I try to but it doesn’t always work! Sometimes the need to paint or creating a design overwhelms me and I take time out when I should be doing other things but it also happens the other way around with tedious chores crowding out my painting time.

Roughly how much time do you spend painting? Nowhere near as much as I would like! I’m often lucky if I can get an afternoon a week – and that’s at the expense of having a social life!

7. Do you paint fast or slowly and meticulously?
When I paint my soft pastel paintings, I work very fast, usually completing one in the time it takes to play a CD – about 45 mins. If I go on longer, I tend to ruin what I’ve done.

But I’ve had to adapt to working more slowly and meticulously for some of my greeting card designs. For one thing, there’s usually a lot more small-scale detail than in my pastel paintings. But also, there are considerations like waiting for the paint to dry!

8. What is your favourite medium?
For my own use, soft pastels or oil pastels, both of which I love using because there’s no mixing or changing paintbrushes involved, all of which tends to interrupt my ‘flow’. Recently I’ve enjoyed making ‘painted paper collages’ as greeting card designs. But I am tremendously attracted to other people’s watercolour paintings, especially if they’ve succeeded in achieving a transparent, fluid effect.

9. What subject matter draws you to paint it?
I seem to have painted a lot of landscapes and flowers but it’s more the composition of shapes and colours that attracts me so that could be anything at all, if the composition seems to ‘sit right’ for me.

10. Do you paint from photos, sketches, memory, en plein air?
I rarely, if ever, paint ‘en plein air’ these days; my scary encounter with some deer who crept up behind me and tried to eat my watercolour tubes really put me off! So a digital camera has become my sketchbook these days. On the other hand, I do a lot of greeting card designs from my imagination, just using reference photos on the internet to check things like anatomy occasionally, particularly if animals are involved. It’s so easy to think that we all know exactly what a squirrel, for instance, looks like, but when it comes down to it, I need reminders of things like the shape of its head, the position of its ears and so on. Maybe this is because I don’t have a very good visual memory.

11. Where do you sell your work?
I have sold my original pastel paintings and prints through solo exhibitions in the past. But I think the Art Teacher who told me that I’m a designer rather than a fine artist was right – I’m far more interested in designing greeting cards and using my designs on other products these days. So I sell my greeting cards through Greeting Card Universe, http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/judyscardstore CardGnome http://www.cardgnome.com/shops/flutterby-designs and, more recently, SendaSmile, http://flutterbydesigns.sendasmile.com/ as well as Zazzle. http://www.zazzle.co.uk/helikettle* I also sell my greeting cards in local shops but getting a price for the printing that makes sense is difficult so I don’t spend too much time on that. A few of my pastel paintings are available as prints on Red Bubble http://www.redbubble.com/people/helikettle/portfolio and Fine Art America. http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/judy-adamson.html

12.How do you feel about parting with your originals when someone buys them?
I hate it and feel compelled to make sure that my painting is going to ‘a good home’!

13. Do you or have you ever painted to commission?
I have occasionally tried to paint things specifically for a friend, such as a painting of their house. But I didn’t enjoy it much. On the other hand, I sometimes find it useful to have a ‘Design Brief’ as a starting point for a greeting card design. How I interpret that brief is sufficient freedom for me and I’m glad of the parameters the brief gives as it gives me something to focus on.

14. Do you have any particular future plans or projects in mind?
Or where do you foresee your artistic journey taking you? I would really love to see my greeting cards sold widely in shops, I don’t have enough time to embark on self-publishing in anything but a very small way, which doesn’t make much sense financially. So the only route open to me would be if a publisher licensed some of my designs. In 2009 I had a ‘near miss’, with the publisher pulling out because of the economic downturn, after several months of keen interest,. I’m planning to create some new designs to submit to publishers after Christmas, not expecting too much as it’s such a highly competitive business and publishers themselves are feeling the pinch. But even if I don’t succeed, I look upon this as a way to keep my designing up to a high standard.

Featured Artist - Judy Adamson

2011-11-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

Judy Adamson was one of the first people I met when I started creating art for Zazzle.
We became friends online and although she lives in Wales we discovered that we had a lot in common. She has encouraged me many times when I was ready to give up and I'm grateful for her friendship.
She features other artists on her blog http://judyadamsonartanddesign.blogspot.com/ and I would like to repay her kindness by showing you a collection of her beautiful art.

This is her store at Zazzle http://www.zazzle.com/helikettle#
She also has stores at:http://www.cardgnome.com/shops/flutterby-designs Card Gnome and
Greeting Card Universe http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/judyscardstore?gcu=43752923941&mid=cwu

Very Pretty Floral Blackberry Curve Case by helikettle
Make your own samsung galaxy cases

65th Birthday Card - Red Geraniums by helikettle
Browse other Birthday Cards

Sweet Pea Ringer Mug by helikettle
See more Ringer Mugs

She also does wonderful character paintings

Gone fishin' White T-shirt by helikettle
Browse other t-shirt designs made on zazzle.com

"The Life in Your Years" Birthday Card for a Man by helikettle
Learn how to make money as an artist online at Zazzle.

'Red Hats' Birthday Card by helikettle
Join Zazzle.com's greeting card affiliate program

'Good Luck, We'll Miss You!' Card by helikettle
View other Good luck Cards

Toddler T-shirt with Chinese Dragon and Lantern by helikettle
Become a shirt affiliate at zazzle.com

Cat Notecard - Just to say... by helikettle
More Cat Cards

'Foal' Birthday Card by helikettle
Join one of the biggest artist affiliate programs

Birthday Card for a Grandpa - Algarve Fishing Boat by helikettle
See other greeting card templates on zazzle.com

50th Birthday Card - Evening in the Meadows by helikettle
Create a notecard template at zazzle

Magnet with Quote by helikettle
Browse Woman Magnets

Poppies Magnet - Friendship by helikettle
Start selling my art online with zazzle.

George Eliot Quote Bookmark by helikettle
View other Bookmark Business Cards

Magnet Retirement by helikettle
Join Zazzle.com's artist affiliate program

Christmas Angels Card by helikettle
Create a greeting card online

This is just a small sample of the many hundreds of items available by this incredibly versatile artist.

A True Halloween Horror Story

2011-10-22T10:38:00.000-07:00

While reading Fiona's beautiful blog http://raindropsanddaisys.blogspot.com/ I spotted a plant with an orange berry that I have been trying to name for a while. I did a search on Google and found a perfect Halloween horror story.

Oriental Bittersweet, often used to decorate at Halloween is a true horror story. It was originally introduced into the USA in 1860 as a more robust replacement for the native American Bittersweet.

Often planted under a tree, it engulfs the poor thing by wrapping so tightly around, that it strangles them. At the same time, the vine's massive crown of leaves shades its host and robs the plant of light. If the tree isn't dead from lack of light and being closed off from food and water, the vine grows so huge its weight will eventually topple a smaller tree. It's berries are much brighter red making it more attractive to birds so they will choose them over the American Bittersweet and then spread the plant when they drop the seed usually while sitting on a tree branch therefore dooming another tree to certain death. Unfortunately, because of it's beauty, it is still being planted.

Here's an image of it from CarolsCamera on Zazzle. She got a good close up of it.

Bittersweet Vine Berries Items by CarolsCamera
Create a full color post card on Zazzle

Once I recognized it I was surprised to remember that even I thought it was pretty and had used it in a painting from last year

Black Capped Chickadee, Bittersweet, Fridge Magnet by countrymousestudio
Sell art online at Zazzle.

The pumpkin image above is from www.stylehive.com

Autumn Chickadees & Owls

2011-10-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Jean at http://jean-livingsimple.blogspot.com/ I have been enjoying the contest https://apps.facebook.com/birdingthenet/ to find birds. It's great fun but not too conducive to getting work done.

We've finally had enough cold weather to turn the leaves in some areas and I still haven't had any luck getting out to view nature so I have no photos just some Autumn art:

Autumn, Fall, Watercolor Chickadee, Bird by countrymousestudio
Shop for another gift box
Who doesn't love a Chickadee?

Autumn, Fall, Watercolor Chickadee, Bird by countrymousestudio
Design your own iphone cases

Or an owl

Autumn, Fall, Watercolor Owl, Bird by countrymousestudio
View other ipod touch cases

Autumn Foliage, Watercolor Owl, Wildlife by countrymousestudio
Design your own photo tile on Zazzle.

A Kid's View of Birds

2011-09-25T10:26:00.000-07:00

When my daughter was 5 or 6 years old we lived in an area where Junco's would
come by the bird feeder.

Somehow, she couldn't remember their name but always called them
the Executioner bird because she though their black hood looked
like the one they wore.
This image comes from Arthur's Occupation Clip Art

I do recall trying to figure out where she learned what an executioner looked like. I couldn't remember any kids books or tv shows that had them but she apparently had seen one and it stuck in her mind.

So here is an Executioner Bird or a Junco

Chilly Little Junco, Bird by countrymousestudio

She grew up and moved away but in the middle of a phone conversation we were discussing the birds that were coming to her own feeder and she excited told me that she now has her own Executioner birds ( still couldn't remember their name), but at least she had learned about birds and cared enough to feed them. So really what's in a name?

Chilly Little Junco, Watercolor Nature Bird by countrymousestudio
Browse zazzle for a different t-shirt.zazzle

Chilly Little Junco, Watercolor Nature Bird by countrymousestudio

Chilly Little Junco, Watercolor Nature Bird by countrymousestudio
Make a travel coffee mug with Zazzle

Contest Winners

2011-09-09T23:16:00.000-07:00

It's the 9th and thank you to everyone who participated in the contest and to those who tried and like me couldn't come up with anything.
I couldn't decide on just one, so I enlisted some help and we still ended up with three. We wanted to use them all but some were hard to make into a card so the three winners will get a greeting card with their verse ( email me privately at countrymousestudio@gmail.com with the name you want me to use on the card and your address) and I'll add the credit to the back of the card.

This one is from Patty

Surprise, You're Getting a Note from Me, Rabbit by countrymousestudio
Browse more Rabbit Cards

This one is from Ann

Somebunny's Thinking of You, Rabbit, Bunny by countrymousestudio
Shop for cards at zazzle

and this one is from tagnrocky

Birthday, Carrot Cake Humor, Rabbit by countrymousestudio
More Rabbit Cards

These were the easiest but I'm still thinking on the others - like yours (outontheprairie) you had some lovely thoughts I'd like to use and (Jean) I have to work that playboy bunny in some how and (John) with all that white it did look like snow maybe a great Christmas idea, so if I can figure out how to use them I will let you know and send you a card too.

Thank you again

Blue Jays

2011-09-06T12:16:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who commented on the contest. I unfortunately put the date it ended on the 9th not realizing how long it would be. You gave me some great ideas and now it seems too long a wait but I'd better stick to my posting.

I've been painting the deck on my house and not enjoying it much so in between to get a break I started painting some birds too. I guess they are a favorite I always return to and in doing so I remembered how much I enjoyed Blue Jays.

We had a bird feeder that was constantly attacked by one persistent red squirrel and he was annoying enough with his constant chattering any time a bird tried to eat but I quit complaining about him after the Blue Jays arrived.

They are aggressive and loud and spend as much time scaring away other birds as they do eating. When their behavior or loudness isn't enough, they mimic hawk calls in the hopes of fooling the other birds. Needless to say they are very intelligent and if you want to read more or hear them you can go to this site Cornell All about the Birds

You can imagine the noise and fun watching a Blue Jay and a squirrel try to gain control of the bird feeder. It provided many hours of entertainment.

Watercolor Blue Jay Bird Collection by countrymousestudio
Create onzazzle.com

Watercolor Blue Jay Bird Collection by countrymousestudio
More Blue Cards

Watercolor Blue Jay Bird Collection by countrymousestudio
More Blue Posters

Blue Jay Address Label to Customize by countrymousestudio
See other Blue Labels

Greeting Card Contest

2011-08-28T20:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a contest for you.

I drew this rabbit quite a while ago and he sits on my desk mocking me
because I can't think of a quote, caption or a card idea to go with him.

The greeting cards that sell the best for me are ones with humor
but when I look at him, although I smile, nothing comes to mind.

Any ideas?

I'll collect them until September 9th then the winner will get credited and one of the greeting cards that I make out of it.

Rabbit by countrymousestudio

Forgive my Humor

2011-08-23T17:59:00.000-07:00

My last post was about seeing a deer with antlers resembling Rudolf so it's only fitting that my son would call me this morning and say, "Santa is outside our window in a bucket truck."

I grabbed the camera and sure enough it looks like he was.

To the gentleman fixing the power at the neighbors I do apologize. This
was too much of a coincidence to not mention it.

So now we know where Santa summers. :O)

http://imgur.com/r7NB5.jpg

Rudolf in Summer

2011-08-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

The other morning I went out to check something in my front yard and my son came with me. He spotted this fellow asleep by the hedges.

He was about 6 feet from us and we worried that we might scare him so we dashed back into the house.
We needn't have bothered because he wasn't too worried. He looked at us then got up and sauntered over to the apple tree and began munching on the leaves.

When he had his fill, he went back to lie down but by now the sun had begun to heat up the yard as it's very enclosed with hedges. He moved several times to find shade then eventually left.

You can see where he's eaten all the leaves.

It's been a long time since I've had any adventures in nature so this was a real treat.

I can see where he'll make a great Christmas card.

2011-08-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

Thinking of You Flowers & Teddy Bear by countrymousestudio
See more Thinking Cards

Everyone's heard the old saying, "you have to suffer to be an artist." It's a daunting thought when we look at it that way but if we reverse the thought, "art we like, portrays an emotion," it's not so scary.

A few weeks ago, I knew I wanted to draw something but couldn't find inspiration. I was missing my daughters who have both moved too far away to easily visit. I had recently bought flowers to cheer up my house and thought how nice it would be to send them some too.
That was when the idea of a cuddly teddy bear with an armful of flowers came to me.

They say you should create a card with someone in mind and this card was created for both my daughters. So this morning when I read that Greeting Card Universe made it the Design of the day it confirmed it. Successful art (portrays, inspires, depicts),( not sure which word works best) emotion.

So Thank You - Greeting Card Universe http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/countrymousestudio

Apparently I'd Rather be Napping

2011-08-06T22:17:00.001-07:00

Flowers for you for still following after my long absence.

Flowers for You Teddy Bear by countrymousestudio

I'm hoping to have the time and energy to catch up with your wonderful posts and do a few of my own and in going back through my latest creations apparently I'd rather be Napping.

Funny, Naptime Labrador Retriever - Dog Collection by countrymousestudio

I'd Rather be Napping, Leopard, BBQ Apron by countrymousestudio

The Owls have it

2011-05-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

Sorry, it's advertising time :O(

Owls are the most popular bird image for the greeting cards that I create.
A few years ago,I was privileged to have a family of Great Horned Owls nest right across the street from me and considering how awesome it was, maybe everyone feels the same way.

This Saw Whet has been the most popular card of the owls or maybe it's the sarcastic verse as only children are happy to get older.

The Saw Whet Owl is only a little fellow, about 7 or 8 inches tall. It sits perfectly still when approached so people think it's tame.

Yes, it's morning, No, I'm not happy,Owl

I love Saw Whet Owls Fridge Magnets by countrymousestudio

I love Saw Whet Owls Keychain by countrymousestudio

I'd also like to congratulate Judy Adamson on her Greeting Card Universe
Community All Star Award
Here's the link to her store
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/judyscardstore

2011-04-15T08:28:00.000-07:00

I'm back... kind of, sort of and hoping to catch up on what's been going on.
After being hit with a cold/flu that never wanted to go away and finally getting ill enough to drop milk from my diet, I thought I might give up blogging but I really miss all of you and kept wondering how everyone was doing.

I haven't had much time for art and certainly haven't had much nature in my life other than the sparrows, doves and quail that wake me up each morning to remind me to feed them. It's been a cold, unpredictable spring here and not appealing enough to draw me outside when I'm not feeling well but I am optimistic that I will get a chance to enjoy some nature soon and I'm looking forward to visiting all your wonderful blogs.

Enough rambling, here's an painting I did with my son-in-law in mind. He's an avid fisherman who also loves birds . In September, he and my daughter moved to the "Fishing Capitol" and they looked forward to many days of great fishing as they usually catch a lot. Unfortunately, in the time they've been there, they've caught only one small fish and so in honor of this, the Kingfisher came to mind.

Funny, Humor Fishing - Kingfisher by countrymousestudio

Belted Kingfisher - with fish - Bird Collection by countrymousestudio
.

Belted Kingfisher - with fish - Bird Collection by countrymousestudio

Under the weather

2011-01-28T11:55:00.000-08:00

I wrote the term "under the weather" then I thought that it might mean different things in different places so I needed to check.
Free dictionary http://www.thefreedictionary.com/under+the+weather said it meant ill, drunk or having a hang over.

To clarify, in my case, it means ill. That's why I haven't been around to visit your blogs. When your head hurts so badly that blinking is too much, it's time to take a break from the computer but I will as soon I'm able.

Along with the illness, we've had gloomy, cloudy and uninspiring weather but I won't complain too much when I see what others around the world are dealing with.

so what did I paint?? - flowers and bluebirds - because I'm waiting for spring.

Bluebird - original watercolor by countrymousestudio

Red & Pink Poppies by countrymousestudio

I would like to than Judy Adamson for her encouragement to paint flowers she has some very beautiful paintings to inspire us.
http://www.zazzle.co.uk/helikettle

Sweet Pea Bookmark by helikettle
Choose a business card design at zazzle

Tulip Sympathy Card by helikettle
View more Tulips Cards