Hot Chocolate Mug Marshmallows Hamster Watercolor Illustration
By Charlie

Drowning In Sweets

Written by Charlie O'Shields

One of my favorite bits about this time of year is that everything is just a little bit extra. That mug of “Chocolate,” our prompt today, becomes so inviting that you want to just dive in! So, I decided to sketch a hamster doing just that, and we’ll assume the chocolate had cooled down a bit first. I’m currently visiting my family in Texas and there have been lots of sweet things so far. I’ve taken to just sampling things in small bites, but even though, after adding up all of those bites it’s still deliciously excessive. One of my downfalls this time of year are those tins of butter cookies. Normally, but mother just has one large tin, but this year she found little mini tins and decided to buy a whole stack of them. I didn’t realize this at first and was initially glad that the tin was so small. After Philippe and I ate all of the cookies in the first tin, my mother just quietly replaced it with a full tin. While at first, this seemed like a Christmas miracle, we quickly realized what was happening and that we had no long had any way to properly monitor our intake. Not that monitoring oneself when it comes to cookies is any kind of tradition whatsoever this time of year.

Last night, my sister had us over for small bites and it was all delicious. Her rum balls were excellent this year and those do require a bit of monitoring as they are extremely strong. She also had little mini tiramisu cakes, but admitted it was the only thing she didn’t make from scratch. This was another addition from my mother who had found them on QVC. It’s her version of online shopping, since she doesn’t own a computer or have Internet access. These were imported frozen from Italy and were really quite delicious. I only had one little bite, though, as I’d hit my limit by that point. Not a responsible self-imposed limit, as that never happens, but a physical one. I was just far too full to stuff anything else in my face at that moment. My great nephew, also named Charlie, was there and at one point he was eating chocolates and his mother informed him, sweetly, but sternly, that the one he was holding was his last one. It was in this very moment that I’d stuffed another rum ball into my mouth and I wasn’t quite sure which Charlie she was trying to save in that moment.

But, the holidays wouldn’t be the same if they came with a noticeable level of restraint. It’s the excess of everything that makes it such a fun time of year. Sure, the extra food, the extra desserts, and all of the extra gifts are wonderful. Yet, in the end, that’s not really my favorite part. What I adore most is all of the excess laughter and love. That warm glow of family fun and stories that seem to only happen in abundance this time of year. All of the funny things that happened in holidays past are relived and new silly stories are made in the moment that will no doubt be retold next year. These are the stories that define us as a family and make us feel special and loved. And all of the smiles, with all of their sugary goodness remind me why I’ll always adore the holidays most of all. When, once again, I find myself drowning in sweets.

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About the Doodlewash

Da Vinci Paint Co.: Yellow Ochre, Quinacridone Red, Cobalt Turquoise, Terra Cotta and Ultramarine (Green Shade). Staedtler Pigment Liners in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. Want to purchase a print of this doodlewash? Send me a note with a link to this post, and I’ll add it to my shop!
 Hot Chocolate Mug Marshmallows Hamster Watercolor Illustration Sketchbook Detail

 

Charlie O'Shields

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

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38 thoughts on “Drowning In Sweets”

  1. You have me laughing with the image of two Charlies, sitting with mouth full and a ‘Me?!!!” look on their face! I love your painting but have to admit, I prefer my hot chocolate served without a hamster in it.

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  14. Fun painting!

    An interesting thing has happened. One of my medications has taken away my craving for sweets. Weird but true. I can leave a box of chocolates alone without a problem. They just don’t taste good to me! Now I’m craving fruity stuff like popsicles. Much more figure friendly. I did have some birthday cake yesterday though, and that was pretty good. Maybe the side effects are going away.

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  15. The most precious mouse ever!!

    Charlie says, “What I adore most is all of the excess laughter and love. That warm glow of family fun and stories that seem to only happen in abundance this time of year. All of the funny things that happened in holidays past are relived and new silly stories are made in the moment that will no doubt be retold next year. These are the stories that define us as a family and make us feel special and loved.”

    It is impossible to read your words without feeling the contentment that fuels them. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  18. Funny, funny, funny. Your mom urging excess, your nephew Charlie’s mom demanding restraint, you giving in to that “last” rum ball, and the hamster giddily relaxing in a chocolate spa. Move over, Hammie, I’m coming in. Ah, drowning in sweets of all kinds, a perfect family holiday.

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