When the cat’s away, the mice will play…with their food? Not that I’d know exactly since we don’t have a cat. And, hopefully the ONE mouse we had in our apartment back in the fall will continue to stay away. But I still had fun imagining the antics of the little critters in this funny food doodle art.
Food Doodle Art
As you can see, this is another of my freehand drawn ink doodles from my Moleskine notebook.
The inspiration (top left corner) stems from our beloved “happy hour.” Even though my husband and I have pretty much given up on drinking alcohol, we still enjoy our nightly pre-dinner ritual of cheese, gluten-free crackers, olives and crudites. And my weekly baking experiments mean that we always have some gluten-free chocolate-y treats waiting for us in the freezer as well.
Here’s a closer look at the print version of the illustration (now available in my shop at Etsy.)
About the Illustration (The Insider Secrets..)
When you draw freehand in ink (with no pencil under-drawing), you have to let go and learn to go with the flow. In the Art About Art illustration I posted yesterday, you might be surprised to know that I didn’t initially know what the illustration was going to be about. When my fountain pen accidentally caught the side of my notebook and sent a shower of ink “dots” across the page, I had to improvise. All of the elements in the “gallery” came about as a way to incorporate those accidental dots!
In the illustration above, I think I was hungry when I started illustrating. As with my ink dot accident, the pirate mouse emerged when I messed up one of the eyes. Frustrating? Perhaps. But I’m learning that the happy accidents often lend even more charm and life to the illustrations.
I love the cup and crazy saucer. That’s me, bottom right….xoxox mm
Yup, you’ll be ready for your long winter’s (I mean, summer’s!) nap by the end of this weekend. I can’t wait to hear all about Goosey Pond, how the “children” weather the trip, and how they adapt to being at the cottage together.
XOX – J
I guess it’s good to think about mice in a positive way every now and then, instead of always, “the little bastards.” I’m fortunate that since I’ve had cats, I never see a mouse, except when my current two were younger, and had so much fun playing with a mouse outside, that they brought it into the house to finish it off.
Hi Helen,
After our one mouse made it’s debut (I was on the phone talking to my sister and I saw it scamper back and forth from the kitchen to the living room), we set traps. Also, I plugged up all the holes under the kitchen sink with either tape or steel wool. The little critter never made another appearance (and we never caught anything in the traps, either.) Maybe he didn’t like the Parmesan cheese?
Whatever the reason for his disappearance from our lives, I’m grateful.
xox – Joana