February 29, 2024
Every year, for the past several years, I’ve shared with my most excellent and talented friend and poet, Elaine, the official word prompts used by artists around the world participating in Inktober. Then inspired by these prompts, Elaine creates original poetry, many of which she shares with me.
“Toad” is one of those poems.
Inspired by her words, and my appreciation of this chubby amphibian, here’s how I thought “Toad” might be illustrated. Perhaps this combined effort would be a cute mini bedtime story Elaine could read to her grandson? I wonder!
A Toad is not a Frog is not a Toad
The tri-fold card style worked perfectly for the poem, allowing several of the toads to appear more than once. While illustrating the card, it was important to understand the visual characteristics separating a toad from a frog. This challenge led me down both a slippery slope leading to a marsh, and a hidden trail meandering through a nearby grassy meadow.
Here’s what I discovered …..
Thanks for sharing the birthday joy!
Elaine received this Toad card in time to celebrate her Leap Year Birthday. I love that we share our creative projects with each other! There’s no finer warm and fuzzy feeling.
Happy “19th” Birthday to you, Elaine, on this year’s February 29th, Leap Year!
a curious nature 
I love how you illustrate your dear friend’s poems! Both are delightful, and I especially love the toad on the toadstool mushroom! What an incredible pairing of your illustration talents and your friend’s enchanting poetry. And I love that you went down the marshy trail to be curious about frog and toad differences. Our Pacific Tree Frog chorus is loud now and fills the night air with nature’s music!
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I’ll always miss our NC tree frog chorus. And I know how much you love yours. Yay for frogs …… and toads! Making the card was fun. Not sure it was more fun than chasing down the marshy trail tho! Thanks so much for the comments, Karen!
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Barb,
What a wonderful collaboration and celebration for a dear friend. This posting just made me smile AND I learned some new things about toads, too.
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Thanks very much Dee! I love creating these small gifts for Elaine!
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What a lovely, warty toad on a toadstool, his dullish colors slightly enhanced with purple, which undoubtedly he notices and appreciates! The tri-fold card is adorable! I’m going to print it on cardstock and send it to my grandnephew, who is 7, and who adores both frogs and toads, and who will probably take it to school for show n tell! Yay!
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Thanks so much, Robin! And I do hope your grandnephew likes Toad too!
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You are amazing! Bravo! 🐸
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Thanks so much for your awesome comments, Michele!
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A small gesture for your huge talent!
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Humbled! Sometimes I feel like I’m lurking in the shadows of giants …… (like you, my dear!).
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Your talents shine brightly! 🌟
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Super post and so much detail on the toads! What a wonderful birthday gift to share with your friend and with us.
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thank you so very much for the wonderful comment, Jean! It was great fun illustrating Toad!
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Hi Barb!
Your posts are always a highlight and I smile whenever I see one in my mailbox. The Toad is a grand collaboration! It made me think back to when we were about to move into our house, some thirty odd years ago, when I spent a few days hunting down a couple of toads in our old yard to bring to the new one. It was a successful mission and our front and back yards still provide shelter for these small but mighty bug eaters! Thanks for the memories and wonderful art inspiration!💕
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Tina! So good to hear from you. Thanks for the wonderful comments on “Toad!” I love your story about toad hunting and relocation. Such a wonderful happy ending! By now the first of your toads (did you collect a male and female?) have long since passed, but it sounds like their progeny are working hard to keep your yard bug free! Happy, happy, happy!
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