Hi Blog

Hi Blog, long time no see. Because a lot of things happened, and I haven't blog in while here, I'll write this entry in english. But lots of pictures follow. :) So, where to start. Oh, I sold some of my drawings and sketches. I'll start with the very nice contact I had with Anette Frisch, who blogs on kooiker-mainz.de (in German) about her adventures and experiences with her kooikerhondje Carlsson.

She wrote me, because she found my sketch of the Kooikerhondje I made in a restaurant. And she really loved the drawing, and asked me if I am willing to sell it. I agreed and now the kooikerhondje-sketch has a new home in Mainz.

One day I sat in a cafe and sketched a nice Jack Russell Terrier. The owner was so impressed by the sketch that she bought it right from the table. :)

The next happening was a commission I made for Mr. Thorsten Keller to draw his dog and his two cats as a grandma, a buddha and a musketeer. It took me while to tackle the painting down, and I thank you Mr. Keller very much for his trust and patience! He gave me kindly the permission, after having a chat with his pets about this. ;) He told me that I caught the character of the animals really well and that they found expressions in them that they didn't notice before. :)

I had last year another exhibition at KrabJab Studio in Seattle, where my Pied Raven was featured in the exhibition "Quoth the Raven". And this artwork got sold too. It was such a boost for me to continue on my "Lost Zoo"-series! It is now owned by Mr. John Casker.

I also sold these two tigers straight away! They now have a new home in Munich. Proud owner is Michele Vitucci who has together with Keiko Tanaka a gallery for contemporary Japanese Art in Munich. If you are in Munich, visit Micheko Gallery. It's absolutely worth a visit. To me it was really an honour that Mr. Vitucci liked my work so much that he bought both of the tigers.

You can also find them as prints on my Society6-Shop that has grown in the meantime.

There are alot of other things ahead. Like that I will be in Birmingham at the Paizo Con again, and in October I'll be in Frankfurt at the Bookfair and visit Essen Spiel. This year I won't have a table, but I'll be around as a visitor, and if you want to meet me, just write me a message and we can make an appointment.

In case you found a sketch on the blog that you would like to have too, you would like to commission me or as said meet me on either Frankfurt Bookfair or Essen Spiel, feel free to contact me via my email-address:

illustration@sara-otterstaetter.de

For more freguent updates, check out my:

Facebook page
Twitter
Opera-Comic.tumblr.com
Breath-and-Draw.tumblr.com

Villa Haselburg

Dies wird ein längerer Artikel. Passend, da es um die grösste römische Jupiter-Gigantensäule nördlich der Alpen geht!! So, scrollt und genießt es!!

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This will be a lengthy article. Appropiate, as the subject is the biggest roman Jupiter column north of the Alpes. So scroll and enjoy!!

Rekonstruktion der Jupitergigantensäule
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Reconstruction of the Jupiter column

Herkules

Fortuna

Roman Excavation Site
Haselburg
From the 2nd century A.D.

Die Jupitersäule und die Götter in all ihrer
Pracht!
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The Jupiter column and the Gods and
Goddesses in all their glory!

Ich war eingeladen zur Eröffnung der Villa Haselburg im Odenwald. Die Villa Haselburg ist eine Ausgrabungsstätte an einer alten römischen Villa Rustica, zu der endlich ein modernes Informationszentrum eingerichtet wurde.

Der Verein der Villa Haselburg trat auf mich zu, weil sie im Internet meine römischen Götter entdeckten und diese gerne für die Ausstellung verwenden wollten. Dazu musste ich aber erst die Erlaubnis des Schwager und Steinlein Verlages einholen. Der Verlag war so freundlich die Verwendung zu genehmigen.



Zusätzlich zu den Göttern erstellte ich noch eine Zeichnung der Jupiter-Gigantensäule, deren Reste auf dem Gelände gefunden wurden und zwei zusätzliche Götter; Fortuna und Herkules.Nun war am 26. August die feierliche Eröffnung mit geladenem Publikum aus Politik und Wirtschaft. Einige der Leute verkleideten sich als Römer und es waren die Sponsoren, Mitarbeiter wie ich

und Kommunalpolitiker anwesend.



Die Ausstellung mit Fundstücken ist in einem, dem römischen Baustil, nachempfundenen Haus untergebracht, und der Besucher wird anhand der Jupitersäule über die Götterwelt informiert, aber auch über das Alltagsleben auf einer Villa Rustica. Die Villa selbst war Sommerresidenz für einen wahrscheinlich sehr wohlhabenden Gouverneur oder möglicherweise Senator. Alleine der Badetrakt hat enorme Ausmaße.

Am 8. September ist der Tag des Denkmales und an diesem Tag wird die Villa auch für die Öffentlichkeit eröffnet. Und nicht nur wegen meiner Arbeiten für die Ausstellung kann ich einen Besuch wirklich von Herzem empfehlen. Alleine der Blick von dem Gelände runter auf den Odenwald ist eine Wucht!!

Mehr Fotos von meinem Besuch auf der Villa Haselburg sind auf meiner Facebook-Seite zu finden!

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Wunderschönes altes Relief.
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Gorgeous old relief. 

I was invited to the opening of the Villa Haselburg (german) in the Odenwald. The Villa Haselburg is an excavation site on the grounds of a former roman villa rustica. Finally the society to support the Villa Haselburg was able to finance a modern information center.

Ja, auch die Römer schauten vorbei!
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Yes, even the Romans paid a visit!

The society found my illustrations about the Roman gods and goddesses in the internet and asked if they could use them for their exhibition. I had firstly ask the Schwager und Steinlein Verlag (Publishing house located in Cologne) for their okay, as they were the original client I did the illustrations for. The Schwager und Steinlein Verlag gave kindly their okay for the use of the illustrations.

I had to do three additional illustrations. One is a reconstruction of the Jupiter column whose remains were found on the grounds of Villa Haselburg. The two others were an additional God and a Goddess: Hercules and Fortuna.

On the 26th August was the opening of the Villa Haselburg to invited guests. Among them where guests from politics and from firms. Some of the people clothed themselves as romans and there where people who worked on the project like me, people from the sponsoring firms and local politicians.

Einige Ansichten der Ausgrabungsstätte.
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Some views of the excavation site.

The exhibition with the findings from the excavation site is now located in a building whose design is based on a roman house. The visitor is informed about the Jupiter column and the roman olymp and about every day life on the villa rustica back in the days of the romans. The villa itself must have been owned by a very wealthy person, maybe a gouvenor or even a senator. Alone the part for the bathing was enourmous.

On the 8th September is the day of the open monument, where the Villa Haselburg will finally be opened to the public. And aside from my contribution for the Jupiter column and the Gods and Goddesses, I really recommend to pay a visit. Alone the view from the site of the Villa Haselburg down to the Odenwald is awesome!!

What is important to know for all my english speaking visitors. The website for the Villa Haselburg may be in german, but all descriptions in the museum are in german and english.

You can find more photos of my visit to Villa Haselburg on my Facebook-Page!

Und so ist die Villa Haselburg zu finden! :)

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And here you can find the Villa Haselburg! :)

Thank You for Your Rejection....

Anmerkung für meine deutschsprachigen Besucher. Der Artikel wird diesmal wahrscheinlich länger und textlastig werden, da ich auch eine Reihe Besucher aus dem Ausland habe, schreibe ich diesmal den Eintrag von vornerein in englisch. Aber mit Bildern. :) Vielen Dank für das Verständnis. 

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Thank you very much for Your rejection. That strikes as odd at first sight, doesn't it? But I mean it in a completly non-sarcastic way. I am honestly thankful that I get a response. Even if it is a rejection.

For those who aren't familiar with my current situation: I am at the moment searching for an art representative to cooperate. Or a publishing house who is searching for an illustrator with my style range. Or any other possible client.

Besides updating my numerous portfolios and posting on the usual social medias like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or this blog, I send my work samples to every possible client. And of course I'll get rejections, which also can be quite discouraging at times. But why am I thankful for a rejection?

The answer is, because at least the agencies, representatives and publishing houses let me know about their decision. I am not the only illustrator who write them during the week, sending in work samples or links to their websites. I am not one of 10 or one of 20... At least according to some illustration agency websites they get around 100 submissions per week. And as we all know, strolling through the countless portfolios, links and worksamples is not the first task of illustration agencies.

A good bunch of the agencies even state on their websites that they won't be able to give a review on every single portfolio or even that they won't answer to every single submission.

The first one is understandable, the second one is sometimes a bit hard, because it leaves to me the question, if my works are so unremarkable that the agencies aren't even bothered to give me a small note. Even if it is a rejection, because in my opinion a rejection is still better than total silence.

It is something that also bothers me with a lot of job offers. They are searching for a freelancer or a new colleague. You write them a job application, of course nothing copy pasted, only a carefully picked together job application for them, like they are the one and only company in the world You would work for. And then.... silence.

I have heard in cases like this, You should write again to prove that you are really, really interested. Okay, okay, not writing again, that's a mistake, I made too. But I thought if the job offerer writes You that they will get back to You soon, it will happen. And I thought, okay. And waited. Obviously a big mistake. So, I will respond again, because writing an application and sending in work samples was not evidence enough for my interest.

And that's why I say thank you for the rejections. Still showing appreciation that I got a response -even a negative one. Showing to the agency that I am fine with their decision, because they let me know about it.

The illustration market is a huge, crowded and complicated one. In my opinion there are just far too many illustrators for the market. And I have already heard from agencies' sides that they have to deal with the changes in the markets and the difficulties finding new clients. And so, where would be the benefit for me if I got into an agency out of pity or what else, and end up as a non-active illustrator?

My guess is that in some cases agencies and illustrators sit in the same boats. Or at least they should be aware about it. I can only write about my point of view as an illustrator struggling with her job. But it would interesting for me to read about experiences from the side of the agencies or publishing houses. I collected some experiences over the years that led to my impressions that agencies aren't sitting in their ivory towers. They have similar struggles like the freelance illustrator. Maybe only in a bigger range because they have to bring together the interests of the clients and of the illustrators.

The other side, why I do my Thank You-sketches is that it shows a major point in my job. Getting creative with the given situation.

 As I have to write some more applications and plan to send out more work samples and portfolios, this series will most likely to be continued.

Hab ich wirklich vergessen?.... / Did I really forget?...

Hab ich wirklich vergessen auch das Portfolio zu http://www.amazon.de/Avati-Discovering-Ecology-Mia-Pelletier/dp/1927095131 u posten? Ja, ich hab. Hier dann mal einige der Illustrationen.

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Did I really forget to post the portfolio to Avati - Discovering Arctic Ecology?? Yes, I did. Here some of the illustrations. :)

Role Play Convention Commissions

Ich mag auch in meinem Blog eher die Einträge kurz. Besonders diesmal, weil ich hier noch ein wenig an der berühmten Con-Flu laboriere. Hab mir nämlich neben einem Autogramm von Darth Vader aka Dave Prowse, eine Erkältung eingefangen. Nur soviel, ich hatte Spaß, hatte mit meinem Münsteraner Illustratorenkollegen Helmut "Poul" Dohle einen supernetten Sitznachbarn und ebenso mit Janina und Marcus Robben.

Und am Samstag kam ich fast nicht vom Platz weg, weil doch plötzlich einige Commissions zu tuen waren. Hier mal einige davon. Zwei Commissions musste ich -trotz andernweitiger Vorhaben- doch mit nach Hause nehmen zum Fertigstellen und zwei andere Commissions habe ich schlicht vergessen zu fotografieren.

Mit Hotel war dann am Samstagabend auch etwas abenteuerlich. Aber das möchte ich gerne alles in einem kleinen feinen Sketch-Comic festhalten.

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Even in my blog I like my entries rather short. Especially this time as I have still to fight the famous Con-Flu. Because besides an autograph from Darth Vader aka Dave Prose, I got a cold. Just this, I had fun, had with my illustration colleague Helmut "Poul" Dohle a super nice table neighbour and the same with Janina and Marcus Robben.

On saturday I wasn't almost able to leave my table, because I got some commissions to do. Here some of them. I had to take two commissions back home, despite other plans. And I simply forgot to photograph two other comissions.

With the hotel it was kind of adventurous and saturday evening. But I want to tell this story through al little nice sketch-comic.

Dieses Jahr waren die Commissions doch ziemlich tierzentriert. :)
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This year the commissions where rather centered around animals.

Ein Luft-Elementar Zwerg aus das Schwarze Auge.
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An air based elemental dwarf from Das Schwarze Auge
(The Black Eye)

Ein Fellfrosch :D Den will ich als Haustier!!
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A Furfrog :D I want one as pet!!

Ein dreischwänziger Kitsune. Ich mag den irgendwie.......
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A three tailed kitsune. I sort of like this guy.......

Hi Blog :)

Lange nicht gesehen, lieber Blog und liebe Blogleser. Ich hatte einige sehr schöne Projekte und bin auch immernoch an einigen sehr schönen Projekten dran. Hier aber mal zwei der vergangenen Projekte.

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Long time no see, dear blog and dear blog readers. I had worked on some very nice projects and I am currently working on very nice projects. Here two of the past projects.

Eine kleine Vorschau/A little Preview

Ich  habe erwähnt, dass ich ausser den Illustrationen zu den römischen Göttern noch weitere Illustrationen zu dem Römerbuch gemacht habe. Nur ist Scannen nicht so unbedingt meine Lieblingsbeschäftigung. Aber hier schonmal eine meiner Lieblingsillustrationen aus dem Buch. Eine römische Villa im Längsschnitt.

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I have told, that I have made other illustrations besides the illustrations of the Roman Gods. But I have also to admit, that scanning is not among my most favorite things, I have to do. Here a little preview on the following illustratons: One of my favorite illustrations. A roman villa in longitudinal section.

Die Illustrationen zu den letzten beiden Pathfinderausgaben / The Illustrations for the last two Pathfinder Issues

Hier ist ein Link zu den Illustrationen der letzten beiden Ausgaben von der Pathfinder Reihe - Jade Regent.

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Here is a link to the illustrations for the last two issues of the Pathfinder Series - Jade Regent.

Neue Illustrationen - Römische Götter/New Illustrations - Roman Gods

Ceres - Göttin für Fruchtbarkeit/
Goddess for Fertility

Diana - Göttin für Jagd und Wald/
Goddess for Hunting and the Forest

Jupiter - Göttervater und für Blitz/
Godfather and for Lightning

Pluto - Unterwelt/Underworld

Hier sind einige Illustrationen zu einem Buch über das Alte Rom. Es ist nur ein ganz kleiner Ausschnitt. Und mehr folgt bald! Wenn ihr Interesse an dem Buch habt, es ist seit Montag bei Lidl erhältlich!! Titel: Wissen genial - Altes Rom. Mit vielen Informationen und nochmehr Illustrationen von mir!

EDIT: Und hier ist das komplette Portfolio zu den römischen Göttern:

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Here are some illustrations for a book about Ancient Rome. It is only a small excerpt. More to come soon!! In case you are interest in the book, it is available at the German Supermarket Lidl. Just in case, you live in Germany. But It may be useful, if you can understand German. There are lots of pictures and illustrations (by me!!), but the informations are also very interesting. Just saying. :) Here is the link to Lidl's Website

Und noch ein Belegexemplar!! / And again a new author's copy!!

Hoffentlich langweile ich Euch nicht mit meinen Lieblingszeichnungen aus meinen bisherigen Belegexemplaren.

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Hopefully, I don't bore you with my favourite drawings from my recent author's copies.

Imperial Dragon, Pathfinder Adventure Path: Jade Regent - The Hungry Storm, Paizo Publishing 2011

Erutaki, Pathfinder Adventure Path: Jade Regent - The Hungry Storm, Paizo Publishing 2011

Illustrationen für ein Cowboybuch / Illustrations for a cowboy book

Ich habe ja dieses Portfolio schon auf meine Galerien bei Behance, Grafiker.de und halt dasAuge verteilt. Aber ich denke, es schadet nie, es auch noch hier auf dem Blog zu zeigen. Zumal das Auge eine nette Funktion zum Einbetten hat. Das muss doch ausprobiert werden.

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I have already spread this portfolio in my galleries at Behance, Grafiker.de and dasAuge. But I think, it never hurts, to show my works here on my blog, too. Especially since das Auge has a really nice function for embedding the portfolio. And that has to be tried out!!

Neues Belegexemplar #3 / New Author's Copy #3

Und wieder habe ich ein Belegexemplar von Paizo erhalten und muss darüber natürlich auch berichten. Diesmal für den Pathfinder Adventure Path #50: "Jade Regent - Night of the Frozen Shadows". Ninjas gegen Wikinger! Wie cool ist das denn?! Ich finde sogar noch cooler als Piraten gegen Ninjas!! In meiner Gallerie auf Behance könnt ihr die bisherigen Illustrationen zu der Jade Regent Reihe sehen. Mehr wird bald folgen. Es war bislang ein echt busy Jahr.

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And again, I received an author's copy from Paizo. And of course I have to chatter about it. This time for the Pathfinder Adventure Path #50: "Jade Regent - Night of the Frozen Shadows". Ninjas versus vikings!! How cool is that?! I think, even cooler than pirates versus ninjas!! On my gallery on Behance you can check out the illustrations I made so far for the Jade Regent Series. More will follow soon. It was a busy year to this time

Wo ist Grizzlebane/ Where is Grizzlebane

Hier ist er!! / Here is he!!

Grizzlebane ist ein Leucrotta, der bei Paizo in der Pathfinder Adventure Path Reihe "Kingmaker" in der Romanserie "Prodigal Sons" auftaucht. Der Autor der Serie,  Kevin Andrew Murphy hat mich in seinem Wallpost auf Facebook heute mit einer meiner Illustrationen für die Serie erwähnt. Und ich habe mich natürlich sehr gefreut und sagte, dass die Grizzlebane-Illustration eine meiner Lieblingsillustrationen ist. Naja, und dann fiel mir auf, dass ich Grizzlebane nirgends im Web in meinen Portfolios hab... Ups. Okay, hier ist er erstmal auf meinem Blog. Und er ist für mein Webseiten-Update auch eingeplant.

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Grizzlebane is a leucrotta, who appears in the novel series "Prodigal Sons", which is published in Paizos Pathinfinder Adventure Path series "Kingmaker". The author of the series, Kevin Andrew Murphy mentioned me an my work in a post on his facebook wall. And I was of course very happy and said, that the Grizzlebane-illustration is one of my favourites from this series. Okay, and then I saw, that I have the Grizzlebane-illustration nowhere online in my portfolios. Ooops. Alright, here he is now. Lather the illustration is planned to be presented on my website.

Und wieder ein neues Belegexemplar erhalten / And again a new author's copy received

Ein neues Belegexemplar ist da! / A new author's copy has arrived!

Diesmal ein ganz anderes Thema. Es sind Illustrationen für ein Schulheft über Martin Luther.

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This time a completly different subject. The illustrations are for a exercise book about Martin Luther

Die Kinder finden eine Zauberfeder, die ihnen die Geschichte von Martin Luther erzählt/ The children find a quill, who tells them die story of Martin Luther

Luther erzählt seinen Studenten von seinen Erkenntnissen. / Luther tells his students about his  perceptions.

Luther sieht den Leuten beim Lesen seiner Thesen zu. / Luther watches the crowd reading his theses.

Luther diskutiert mit Kardinal Cajetan / Luther discusses with Cardinal Cajetan

Luther übersetzt die Bibel. / Luther translates the Bible

Ich habe mein Belegeexemplar erhalten!! / I have received my author's copy!!

Ich habe mein Belegexemplar von Paizos aktuellem Pathfinder Adventure Path "Jade Regent - The Brinewall Legacy" erhalten. Wieder habe ich schwarzweiss Illustrationen beigesteuert. Diesmal für den Innencoverbereich. Und sie sehen einfach großartig aus!

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I have received my author's copy of Paizos current Pathfinder Adventure Path "Jade Regent - The Brinewall Legacy". I made again black and white illustrations for this volume. This time for the interior covers. And they look great!

Bagan - die Jagd durch den Dschungel / Bagan - the hunt through the jungle

Dies sind drei von acht Illustrationen, die ich für ein Brettspiel namens Bagan der Edition SOS-Kinderdörfer gemacht habe. Eine kleine Arbeit. Aber ich bin sehr stolz, wie gut die Illustrationen geworden sind, und wie schön sie in die Gestaltung des Spieles eingebunden sind.

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These are three of eight illustrations, I made for a boardgame named Bagan. It is published in the edition "SOS-Children's Villages". It is a small work. But I am very proud, how good the illustrations turned out and how beautiful they are into the design of the game included.

Ein kleines Webseiten-Update/ A small website-update

Dies ist ein Beispiel eines kleinen Updates, das ich auf meiner Webseite vorgenommen habe. Ein Bild werdet ihr bereits kennen, zwei Andere sind aber bislang noch weitestgehend unbekannt.

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This is an example for a small update, I made on my website. You will know one picture. But the two others a new ones.

Spielemesse Essen #3 / Games Fair Essen #3

Noch ein Bild, was ich für einen Besucher der Spielemesse angefertigt habe. Er sammelt Engelbilder von verschiedenen Künstlern und stellt sie auf seiner Webseite Angelic Sanctum aus. Da sind einige sehr schöne Bilder bei. Schaut es Euch mal an!!

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And another Picture I made for a visitor of the Games Fair. He collects pictures of angels from various artists and shows them on his website Angelic Sanctum. There are very beautiful pictures. Check them out!!

Spiele Messe Essen 2010/ Games Fair Essen 2010

Eine Commission, die ich auf der diesjährigen Spielemesse in Essen angefertigt habe. Würde mich sehr freuen, wenn ich auch noch die übrigen Commissions erhalten würde. Da waren klasse Sachen dabei.

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A commssion I made on the this years Games Fair in Essen. I would be very happy to get scans of the other commissions. There was awesome stuff among them.

Postkarten-Preview/Postcards Preview

Hier eine kleine Vorschau auf eines der Postkartenmotive, die ich demnächst auf etsy anbieten werde. Diese liebe Waldmaus und zwei andere Motive sind dann als Postkarten käuflich zu erwerben!! Also schaut einfach mal demnächst rein. Weitere Infos hier und auf Facebook.

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This is a little preview of one of the post card motives, I will be offering on etsy soon. This nice little forest mouse and two other motives will be avaible as post cards! So step by in the next time. Further informations her and on Facebook.