Speckled Trout or Spring Carrot?

The wife of one of my friends at school is expecting a little one and has chosen owls as the nursery decor theme. This is a mixed media canvas I recently painted for them.

I know that some of you may be perplexed with the concept of mixed media. If you will look closely, you will see that the background and the tree and its branches are painted with acrylic paint.

I also added shadows with acrylic paint. The owls and leaves are made from scrapbook paper. I enjoy sketching off designs and finding papers that lend themselves to the designs. I have always loved cutting out paper shapes and these little owls were lots of fun to sketch and cut. (Father is orange; mother is green and baby has a combination of parents' colors.)

My friend, Martha Ray (from Grenada, MS fame) and the subject of several of my blogs, and I would sit at her breakfast table for hours and draw outfits for paper dolls. So this isn't something particularly new to me. I am more of a realist in my painting and anything whimsical (don't like that word..too overused)...gets me out of my comfort zone (also overused). But the owls were a pleasure to do for two young super nice parents to be!

Last thing...I labored on a spring carrot made of brown paper for my front door. As the Coach was walking by and saw it, he remarked, "Why is there a fish on the door?" I moved it to the back door. Yikes...some people just don't get me and my "whimsical side"...lol.

Hippity hoppity, Easter's on its way,