Little Red Riding Hood in Winter
Winter nights are magical like fairy tales… Mixed together you have Red Riding Hood and her deer friend.
A Little Help From Your Friends
Here’s to a new year, and to those near and dear, who help us reach our aspirations, goals and dreams!
Happy Twenty Nineteen, everyone!
Little Drummer Boy
Little Drummer Boy
A tribute to one of my all time favorite Christmas songs… May we always offer the best of ourselves, and that our gift would be received with warm hearts and gratitude.
“I played my drum for him
Pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for him
Pa rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pum,
Rum pum pum pumThen he smiled at me
Pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum”-The Little Drummer Boy
St Lucia
St. Lucia
Kindness & Cocoa
Kindness & Cocoa
This thoughtful little boy is offering a friendly snowman a cup of kindness in the form of hot chocolate. And the snowman is almost considering it, even though it may come with some consequences... it IS hot chocolate after all! And you can hardly refuse such a sweet face.
The Valentine
The Valentine, watercolor on paper
These two young sweethearts are holding hands, the boy in snowshoes is steading the girl on her wobbly ice-skates. She's presenting him with her homemade valentine, and he has a little bouquet of flowers behind his back to surprise her with.
Wishing you a LOVE-ly and Happy Valentine's Day!
Father Time
Father Time watercolor on paper
Walking through the ages, holding time tenderly in the crook of his arm. Father Time himself has been on my mind a bit, seeing as we have left one year and gone into another, but it is true that he walks amoung us every calendar day of our lives. You may or may not know this, but Father Time is also a friend to Mother Nature, so I put some little woodland friends in there as well!
Happy Twenty-Eighteen, hoping it's off to a lovely beginning for you!
Warm Wishes From a Snowman
Warm Wishes From a Snowman watercolor on paper
Just one of the friendly faces you might meet if you happen to go a-walkin' in a winter wonderland!
And so like this frosty gentleman, we are tipping our hearts to the old year, thankful for sharing in its joys and days, and greeting the new year at the same time, hoping to be dear friends soon! For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker watercolor on paper
You may be familiar with the magical story of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker ballet. In my version however they are happily dancing together- and the Rat King certainly appears a bit more mouse-y.
Miracle on 34th Street
Miracle on 34th Street watercolor on paper
🎄🎥 There's nothing quite like cozying up to a favorite holiday film, and seeing what feels like an old friend who only comes to visit once a year. This is my newest illustration and interpretation of the classic scene at the end of Miracle on 34th Street. And here are the flicks that made it to my personal top five favorites:
✨ 5. "Rudolph" ✨4. "It's a Wonderful Life" ✨ 3. "The Nutcracker" with Elle Fanning ✨2. "The Polar Express" ✨ 1. "Muppet Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens ✨
And of course I love Miracle on 34th Street, in its charming and magical black and white cinematography!! 🍬🎅
The Magical Story Hour
The Magical Story Hour 12"x12" watercolor & ink on paper
After building their new friend, the following day the children returned to enjoy his company again. And they all settled down for a quiet and magical story hour with their new friend. Everyone is hoping to have their favorite book read aloud, even the animals (the birds are carrying their favorite in the air!) What a wonderful way to spend the afternoon!
Thinking of teaching my own snow sculptures the handy trick of reading a-loud from favorite books.
Building Friendships
Building Friendships 12"x12" watercolor & ink on paper
One of my favorite things about the winter is being able to sculpt a jolly being from all that snow. These clever kids have thought of all of the right ingredients for making a new friend and bring him to life! (Sequel illustration to follow shortly)
Santa's Little Helpers
Santa's Little Helpers watercolor & ink on paper
The right jolly old elf has some eager little helpers. They're hard at work on a special Christmas toy. Making some finishing touches on this toy elephant before packing it onto the sleigh for the big day.
The Caroling Troupe
"The Caroling Troupe" watercolor & ink on paper
Spreading some much needed holiday cheer in a forest near you.
Fox Mitten
Fox Mitten 7"x7" watercolor on paper
This little guy wraps up my series, Smitten with the Mitten. It's probably no secret, owing to my deep love of foxes, that this is the painting I am the most smitten with in this set. Gingerbread men dancing above his head, and soon sugar plums will be dancing in our dreams and hearts.
We're getting so close to Christmas, I can barely stand it! The jolly old elf himself is probably making his list, soon it will be getting checked twice, cross your fingers that you make the list. I know this little fox has most certainly been good all year, he's a definite add to the nice list, if you want my recommendation Santa!
Bear Mitten
Bear Mitten 7"x7" watercolor on paper
Our bear friend has quite a large sweet tooth, he's a gentle giant and will never turn down an opportunity for candy. He's one of my favorites from my series Smitten with the Mitten.
Confession: I'm a bit jealous of his red mittens, and I'll admit that I wish they were real so I could snatch up a pair for myself! I can picture a jolly elf sporting a set of those mittens as well.
Deer Mitten
Deer Mitten 7"x7" watercolor on paper
Next in line of my series Smitten with the Mitten, is this little deer. Those big ears of hers are just right to hear the ringing of bells from Santa's sleigh. She may not be a reindeer, but she has some Christmas bells of her own.
Her favorite song is Silver Bells. Here's a few lines in case you'd like to sing along:
Silver bells, (silver bells) silver bells (silver bells)
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring-a-ling, (ring-a-ling)
Hear them ring, (hear them ring)
Soon it will be Christmas day
Bunny Mitten
Bunny Mitten 7"x7" watercolor on paper
The beginning of a little set of animals with Scandinavian mittens. I almost want to knit a few sets of these myself to supply our woodland friends with some winter warmth.
The first installment of four knitted friends, in my series Smitten with the Mitten. These little woodland critters will be helping us count down the weeks to Christmas!
Visions of Sugar Plums : Hand Painted Christmas Ornaments
My original set, Visions of Sugar Plums, is still available in my shop for a limited time if you want to buy an original piece of my art. The ornaments available in the series are:
Hop over to my shop to make these a part of your holiday decorating and let them help you celebrate a woodland Christmas for years to come!
Visions of Sugar Plums: Jackalope #2 (ornament)
Visions of Sugar Plums: Jackalope #2 gouache and acrylic on glass
My second Jackalope ornament is different from the others and is painted red on white, and it is the final ornament that I am creating for my set Visions of Sugar Plums.
- This final ornament I am offering is another woodland Jackalope, a mythical creature, painted in Scandinavian color palette, acrylic and gouache on a glass globe. Each ornament comes ready to hang from your special tree with a gold ribbon, and arrives with it's own cardboard box for storing and display. Each ornament is hand-painted by me, Gretchen Ellen Powers, and is completely unique and one of a kind. I am asking only $100 a piece for them + S & H. Available for a limited time only in my shop.
This magic and jolly little creature wants to find a home in your lovely Christmas trees, and family traditions.