When I was in sixth grade, I read the book Rascal by Sterling North and fell in love with the idea of having a pet raccoon. The whole point behind Rascal is that the raccoon is a wild animal and must be released back into the wild. By the way, this makes it a much better story than either the movie Ring of Bright Water or the book/movie Old Yeller. My sixth-grade self couldn't handle either of those stories.
Neither can my 43-year-old self. I actually cried watching the commercial for Dog Town the other night. The spaniel with both front legs in green casts totally wiped me out.
But even in sixth grade, I was smart enough to realize that wild animals are, indeed, wild animals and shouldn't be caged or kept for my personal entertainment. Instead, I pretended I had a pet raccoon, and really, my Rascal was an outstanding pet who didn't eat or poop or tear up my bedroom.
As you might imagine, every time I see a raccoon now, I think of that library book I checked out in sixth grade. I bought this set from Hero Arts just for the raccoon. Isn't he adorable? I colored him with prisma pencils, a fact I noted on my calendar seeing as it's such a rare event.
I'm not sure about the black thread in the button. Af first, it had orange floss, but the orange wasn't an exact match for the rick-rack, and it looked funny. In changing it to black, I was hoping for a visual triangle of black, but now, I look first at the button, not the raccoon, and it feels distracting. I may change it to white and see what happens. What do you think?
Supplies
stamps: Hero Arts
ink: Palette Noir
cardstock: SU cool caribbean, PTI white
accessories: rick-rack, button, floss, dimensionals, prisma pencils
Love the story and the card. The ads on tv for supporting the Humane Society are the ones that totally do me in. Very happy and cheery card.
ReplyDeleteI like the black thread. Cute racoon.
ReplyDeleteI love the card and the black thread. I think white on white would blend in too much with the white space. That's my humble opinion. Racoons are significant in our family, too. Our oldest daughter has a stuffed toy racoon, well-loved by her and now five nieces and nephews, who gravitate to it over all other choices. Luckily, Ricky is washable.
ReplyDeleteVery cute. I love the blue background and the button
ReplyDeleteCute story and cute card! I like the black thread, I think it makes the raccoons eyes stand out...Love these colors too!
ReplyDeleteSo sweet! I love that CAS can also be cute!
ReplyDeleteOn another note, thank you so much for your amazing comments on my cards on SCS - you're so encouraging to embrace the CAS style!
x
Just leave it alone. It works this way. I saw the raccoon first as intended. Cute simple card.
ReplyDeleteThe racoon's so cute, he's the focus no matter what else you do. My opinion and $1.35 gets you a frozen Mocha at Costco. :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute card! Do you have charcoal gray thread? Since the thread is thicker than the lines in the image and the text, the black seems too thick and dark. But a charcoal gray (or even a lighter gray) might blend in more but also complete your triangle. But it's cute as is! The orange rick-rack is so fun!
ReplyDeleteThe first element of the card I noticed was the cutie patootie racoon. I think the black in the button does indeed make everything connected. I really like the rick-rack.
ReplyDeleteSharon D, I think you nailed it! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI love this cute card! I also agree with Sharon D :) At first I was going to say white but I like her suggestion best.
ReplyDeleteI like the black thread but after reading Sharon's idea I think that might be better. I do like the rick rack, adds an element of fun!
ReplyDeleteThe coloring of the little raccoon is awesome. I think he's the cutest little guy! And I love that reading is so powerful that a lot of years after reading that book, it still stirs up a bunch of memories.
ReplyDeleteI had never even heard of this book till now, so I for sure will keep it away from DD, she is on a serious pet aquistion kick right now.
ReplyDeleteThe card is great, the black thread was a non issue for me. I was too busy looking at the cute critter.
I like the card the way it is. Never saw the black thread til you mentioned it. Saw the cute raccoon and bright ric rac first.
ReplyDeleteI love it just the way it is, too! Although I was surprised to see a line image colored in by you!!! Quite a treat (and I love the story that goes with it!)!!!!
ReplyDeleteVery cute raccoon. I love the rick rack. I do thing the button is an attention getter. White thread may help. I do like the card just the way it is.
ReplyDeleteHe is a cute raccoon. Every time I see one I think of the movie, The Great Outdoors. Too funny!
ReplyDeleteLove this Hero Arts set. Last year for Valentine's day I made a card with the raccoon and the skunk on a hill holding hands with tiny hearts above them and the sentiment "you make my world happy". It was a big hit.
ReplyDeleteThe gray floss suggestion is "right on" I think.
I like the black thread.
ReplyDeleteTry this trick that I learned on the net somewhere.
ReplyDeleteCut a thin, thin strip of the cool carib, run it through the button, glue it on the back and lose the flailing tails.
I think?
Gail
I think it definately creates that triangle. You will lose that with the white thread but it might make the button a less dominant feature. Regardless, I think it is awesome that you colored that cute little raccoon in!!!! I have been reading all of the Newberry award books and some of the honorable mentions - which includes Old Yeller....cried my eyes out!!!!
ReplyDeleteI read Rascal at around the same age as you, great book. And YOUR raccoon -- what a cutie! Maybe you should dust those prisma pencils off more often, your colouring looks fabulous!
ReplyDeleteSo stinkin' cute!
ReplyDeleteI had actually never heard of the book Rascal until this year when 2 of my kids were reading it. And, come to find out, that Sterling North was from a little town about 20 miles South West of us. So in late October our school took 3 grades (about 60 kids) on a field trip to his boyhood home. It was pretty interesting. I of course had to have my kids tell me a little background of what we were going to be learning about before we went. They thought it was fun to 'teach' mom about something for once. :D
ReplyDeleteLove the card; the raccoon is cute!
Becky P. (SE Wisconsin)
I agree with the charcoal thread idea. I can't read books or watch movies about animals because if they get hurt in any way I cry for days! I love your blog. Thanks for the suggestion for people like me who copy cards exactly. It has inspired me to try to be more creative, even when I think I'm not!
ReplyDeleteI love your story, and your card is just darling!! Love that raccoon and your fun rick-rack! Looks like you already have your answer. *wink*
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love the stunned look on the racoon's face. He looks great with the ric-rac and button
ReplyDelete