When I was little, despite playing a pipe (flute) my only experience with the word piping was a next door neighbor who smoked a tobacco pipe. It always smelled wonderful. I thought the true love was giving eleven men to perfume the air. It didn't seem like a weird gift to me; especially because of the barnyard smells that would be present with the other gifts, just think of all those birds. Ergo I never questioned it. It wasn't until later when I saw an image depicting the 12 days of Christmas that I realized the song was referring to a musical instrument. But I still like the smell of pipe tobacco smoked outside so, in tribute to my first concept, I present you with the pipers piping pattern. Happy Monday Y'all! 

The leaping lords are a jaunty graphic representation that I think would look fun as a repeat on wrapping paper. Their button eyes were the cause of much deliberation, but I think they help the patterns movement, particularly when the overall image is shrunk. Hope y'all on the east coast are staying warm & that if you have to travel are safe. Happy Friday Y'all! 

I decided not to draw 8 maids-a-milking today, but still wanted to present the idea. So how do I get at the essence of the story without beating it over the head?  Perhaps something like this Maids Milking signage. It is still quite overt, but the bold geometric lines of the Blackout Sunrise font by Tyler Finck constrain the hand-rendered organic pattern. Happy New Year Y'all! 

And on the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me, seven swans-a-swimming etc. While I did not overtly depict water or swimming I think the undulating pattern of the swans neck & back is sufficiently aquatic. Hope the rest of your day 

I fully intended to give you geese & swans today. However the geese had other plans. When I woke up I knew the geese that I had drawn yesterday were not up to par so I spent the morning redrawing & editing these. Hope you enjoy them. The swans might show up later today. We will see. Happy Tuesday Y'all! 

Here are the days of Christmas from the weekend: calling birds & golden rings. Tomorrow I will give you geese & swans. Hope your week is off to a strong start. Happy Monday Y'all!