It's That Time Again...

The PFATT Marketplace updates today at 10 AM pacific/1 PM eastern time. :)

In keeping with the spirit of March, and All Things Celtic, I've painted a St. Patrick's inspired witch this month....

Original acrylic on an 8" x 8" canvas, accented with Celtic knotwork around the edge (no need to frame!), and finished with a protective varnish....

She's $225 plus $12 shipping in the US, and available, as always, to the first email I receive after the update (carolee@kingofmice.com).

Thanks for taking a peek, Happy Almost St. Patrick's Day, and I'll be back very soon with new work!

♥ Carolee

"Darkness There"

It's that time again! The doors to the EHAG Emporium creak open in just a couple of hours (9PM eastern time), and I have a very special piece up for grabs; The Master of the Macabre himself, Edgar Allan Poe, with Raven perched on his shoulder, painted in acrylics and accented with very fine pen and ink work....

This handmade, birch wood box measures 6 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 1 1/2", and comes signed and dated on the bottom, with a certificate of authenticity.

$135 + $12 shipping in the US.

It is available, as always, on a first-come basis, to the first email I receive after the 9PM update. Please email carolee@kingofmice.com to purchase, and thanks so much for visiting! UPDATE ~ SOLD.

There are so many new pieces in various stages of completion, so please do check back here, or find me on facebook (see link on sidebar) for updates. :)

♥ Carolee

Shame On Me....

Has it really been three weeks since I've popped in here? Eeek!

I'd like to say time flies when you're having fun, but time actually flies when you're under the weather too. ;)  

These past couple of weeks have found both myself and the Mice President simultaneously trying to shake some sort of sinus plague, and dealing with upcoming changes in health insurance. With COBRA running out, we've been researching plans under the new insurance exchange, and I'm happy to report we found a "platinum" plan at several hundred dollars less than COBRA has been running. So yay, healthcare.gov! Seriously, whatever your feelings about the affordability of the new health care system, it means that people like John are actually able to get insurance now, rather than being turned down, and for people in our situation, that is just HUGE.

In the studio, there are several new pieces in the works, both commissions and Etsy offerings - and of course the monthly PFATT Marketplace and EHAG Emporium as well. The last couple of days have found me working on some pen and ink pieces too. This homage to the barn owl is the most recent, just listed in the Etsy shop this afternoon...

 I've hand lettered some of the qualities of these beautiful creatures around the edge of the box: "Magic, Wisdom, Prophesy, Imagination, Luck". I do hope it finds a good home with an owl lover!

Two more pen and ink pieces are in progress as well, both featuring Edgar Allan Poe. Here's a glimpse at one in progress (already sold)...

The other (just a wee bit smaller) will be up for grabs on this Friday's EHAG Emporium (9PM eastern time). :)

March pieces will include a couple of lazy susans, and two very special canvas paintings: Saint Gertrude of Nivelles (patron saint of cats and gardeners), and Saint Melangell (patron saint of rabbits). 

In the meantime, it's back to the work table for me, and I promise I won't be gone so long next time!

Stay warm, and think *spring*, yes?!

♥ Carolee

The Polar (Bear Cub) Vortex ;)

Just popping in to share a trio of ornaments painted in honor of the icy cold winter of 2014, where even the polar bears are a little cold....

As of typing this, one has sold and two remain available in the Etsy shop.

They're actually inspiring me to begin a series of seasonal ornaments, so stay tuned. In the meantime, I'm off to read a good book ("Shadow of Night" by Deborah Harkness) and perhaps do a bit of knitting. We're expecting snow tonight!

Back very soon!

♥ Carolee

January EHAG Emporium Offerings

Hello again!! 

Busy, busy busy in the studio, but wanted to pass this on...

This month's EHAG Emporium will update tonight at 9PM eastern, and I'll have three Halloween ornaments up for grabs (as always on a first-come basis)...

They're $42 each plus shipping. To purchase one or all, email me at carolee@kingofmice.com. UPDATE ~ ALL SOLD.

Thanks for stopping by, and I'll have more to share very soon!

♥ Carolee

Springtime Hares

Just popping in quickly to share a pair of spring ornaments up for grabs on Etsy... UPDATE ~ SOLD.

 Full moon hares, on teal with bright pink trim, and accented with cherry blossoms. So much fun to paint as the snow was falling, hehe. :)

Many more are in progress, including a trio of Halloween ornaments, and I'll be back to share those soon. In the meantime, I'm calling it a day, and settling into a cushy living room chair with a cup of tea and some knitting...

Stay warm, all!
♥ Carolee

"A Very Potter Post Holiday Affair"

Isn't it just TOO much fun when the holidays extend well into January?! 

Long having loved the concept of the Twelve Days of Christmas, and long having loved All Things Harry Potter, I can't tell you how excited I was when dear friend Hugh Luck (artist and owner at Pine Street Studios) extended the invitation to the twentieth edition of his nearly annual January gathering at Ravenbrook Cottage, "A Very Potter Post Holiday Affair". Now, Ravenbrook Cottage is a fair drive from here, east through Philadelphia, and over the bridge into New Jersey, but you'll see in a minute why not a thought in the world was given to the journey, hehe...

Overnight bags packed, Hotel reservation hotwired, another dear friend (and photographer extraordinaire as you can see from the images here) Jennifer MacNeill Traylor and I set out for the wilds of Wenonah, NJ, where we quickly checked in, made ourselves presentable, and headed to Ravenbrook, where an imposing (but I think kinda friendly) gargoyle greeted us....

...and Severus Snape himself opened the front door...

Stepping inside, signing the guest book, and descending the stairs to the living room, we were magically transported to Hogwarts! Stone walls surrounded us, and hundreds of candles hovered overhead, suspended in midair,

 

 the candlelight perfectly illuminating our host's collection of antiques and portraits...

Hugh, an accomplished flautist, opened the evening's entertainment with a Bach piece, accompanied by his instructor Ronna Ayscue...

And singer/entertainer Dwayne Dunlevy was an absolute hoot, rocking many of the classics...

 

Next came the band with whom our host regularly plays, *Swing That Cat* (you can just see his flute on the right here). I should point out the gentleman so obviously appreciating the talented lead singer, Michele Periano, is her husband Chris, lol...

Guests included professor McGonagall...

Albus Dumbledore and Mad Eye Moody...

Luna Lovegood in her lion mask, and Molly Weasley...

No less than two Ron Weasleys, chatting here with Bellatrix Lestrange, and on the right, The Golden Snitch, Dobby the House Elf, and a Nimbus Broom...

Hagrid...

 The Prisoner of Azkaban, Sirius Black (how clever is this costume?!)...

 And of course, Harry Potter himself (with apologies for lifting this pic from his facebook page, hehe)...

 And if you click below, here's a little video I lifted from Hugh's facebook page, hehe...

Post by Hugh Alan Luck.

An altogether *MaGicAL* evening, and one I'll remember forever...

I should also add, in addition to winning at party throwing FOREVER, Hugh organized a raffle to benefit both the Support Center for Child Advocates, and the Food Bank of South Jersey. I painted a little canvas to donate, and was beyond honored when it was chosen by the first winner...

I'm afraid I didn't get a good scan, so "Hedwig" is an original only, no prints available. But it was such a joy to paint, and I'm so happy it was part of the festivities. :)

Back to the world of Muggles now, hehe, where work on commissions continues at a frantic pace.

I'll be back very soon with a peek at some ornaments I hope to have available soon, and in the meantime, thank you for visiting, and I hope you enjoyed a peek at last weekend's festivities...

Artful Blessings,
♥ Carolee