Pure Laziness

About a month ago, I joined some swaps (okay, actually four swaps), and the images that I had in mind when I signed up required a lot of coloring. You all know my favorite technique is the Gamsol Magic technique (Prismacolor Pencils with the odorless mineral spirits). Well, one swap in particular was to use a House Mouse image. I only had one of these...the one with the little mouse lying there all content with his tummy all full of strawberries. The swap is for six cards. I stamped all my images and then sat down to color. The first one came out great! By the time I was halfway through the second one, though, I was beginning to regret that I even signed up in the first place. I thought there is no way I'm coloring six of these images! My hand hurts already! So what did I do? I printed out the "40% off one item" coupon for Hobby Lobby and went and bought myself another House Mouse stamp...one that is A LOT easier to color. Am I lazy or what?! Here is what I bought and one of the swap cards...this one water-colored instead of using the colored pencils.


Cute huh? Is that not the sweetest image? You know what's funny? The mouse is named Monica...says so right on the stamp! The bird makes me think of the parakeet I had when I was young...Blueboy. I called him Booba for short. He was the sweetest bird. I remember when mom brought him home. She brought home him and a female and told me to choose which one I wanted. I stuck my hand in the female's cage, and the first thing she did was bite me. Not a good first impression. I think I'll pass on her. Which it's a good thing because she (Juliette is what I named her) ended up dying a few days later (Hey Sheila...remember that??). My best friend and I were probably about 12 at the time. We walked into our kitchen and she was seeing the birds for the first time. She said, "Why is that one lying on the bottom of the cage?" Um...I think it's dead. Poor Juliette. I'm glad I didn't choose her. Her biting me must have been meant to be! I'm happy to report that Blueboy lived to a ripe old age...whatever that is for birds. Boy do I have stories about that bird, though! One time he was sick and the only way I could get him to eat was if I placed one seed at a time on the back of my hand and put my hand in the cage. I'll never forget that...or the time he somehow got his beak stuck on the hook on the top of his cage!

Anyway, enough of that trip down memory lane. Next is the card I made from the original image that I was planning to use for this swap and that first image that I colored. Yeah, I agree...I like this one better too. There is just something about those red strawberries! There is just no way I could have colored all six that I needed for the swap! I've been soooo busy at work, and my wrists are barely holding out as it is. I am going to have to color a few more here and there, though, because I really do like this card!

I'm not going to do any details for these two this time 'cause I'm just way too tired. If you want to know about the supplies, just leave me a comment, and I'll do my best to answer.

Have a great Friday, everyone!

PS On a side note, I just want to say that my heart goes out to those affected by the bridge collapse in Minneapolis. What a terrible tragedy. That just goes to show that you never know what is going to happen from one moment to the next...so cherish every one.