After sketching the desired image for Lovey Dovey in my sketchbook, I re-drew my line work onto the watercolor paper. This picture shows the watercolor/embroidery process at stage 2. You can see the sketch lines on the Arches paper and the palette is mixed and ready to go. The color is washed on to the paper in steps until the desired depths and forms are developed. Stage 3 is embroidering the art and the final step is to scan and edit the finished piece so it is ready in a digital format for reproduction.

This week I sent out a mailing of 700 postcards to announce my first international trade show exhibition in the License & Design section of the Craft & Hobby Association’s Winter 2008 trade show. It would have been a little easier, but the post office mailed me 700 GUM backed stamps instead of sticker backed stamps! I didn’t even know that they still made this old fashioned format, but it made for a pretty exhibit to see that many stamps in a Ball jar since I didn’t have time to wait for them to mail me corrected pieces. Nancy Stahl’s painterly Florida Panther,created for the United States Postal service, made for a “Ball of Stahl.” I especially love the contrast to my own feline friend “Lady Gwuinivere” AKA “Gwinny” and not a very productive studio mate, but a load of entertainment. Needless to say they mailing still got out on time with a little help from a giant sponge!