Octopi or Octopusses

As is most often the case recently, I was looking for something particular and came across something else that caused me to take that fork in the road to somewhere I wasn't intending on going.  I was trying to find a project, or rather the ingredients for a project that I had stowed away when the family came for our family picnic last month.  It should be noted that it doesn't take much to veer off that path when going through my art supplies.  In this case, I happened upon my bag of notebooks and journals - those in various stages of completion, including a few specialty ones that had not yet been started.  It was one of these journals that took me down that "rabbit hole".  In it I found a watercolor I had done back in 2017 for the Scribble Picnic prompt "Octopus".

I thought that this would be nice framed and hung in my "bathroom gallery" at the condo, but, I decided that this octopus needed it's mate and funny how it's mate's given first name also has 8 letters.

I knew the original was done with watercolors but I don't remember which set I used and thought that it might be easier to match the colors with my watercolor pencils than to try to duplicate mixing up that purple.  I actually think I like the second one better as I think that it shows a lot more dimension whereas the original looks a little flat.  

Having both now, it was time to frame them.  The only trouble with that is that this finished size is not a normal frame size.  We took a ride to the ChristmasTree Shop to look for a frame/frames to match those that I've used before.  I decided to put them both in a larger frame but I need to matte them so that means a trip to Michael's or Hobby Lobby for a suitable sheet of paper to use for matting.

Of course, while there at the CTS I took some time to browse around when I noticed this:

This gentleman decided to create his own "husband waiting area".  He looks familiar.

It was on a quick trip to the Dollar Tree that I came across poster board in a blue that I thought would match the background of the octopusses.  It took a little measuring and cutting but I do like the way it came out.  That's my shadow darkening the bottom.  And we're just going to have to live with the rippling - that's what happens when you add water to paper that's not deemed for watercolors.