What Can I Do With a Toad or Two? :)

Little Gracie (3) has been absolutely loving our big old volume of Beatrix Potter's books. In the past, I have written and illustrated a series of books for Abigail, (at least, a few) so I am thinking it is high time I did another one, complete with watercolor illustrations for Gracie. Recently, I've been inspired by Beatrix Potter's books, and have been studying her paintings, to see what exactly makes them so terribly charming! So I'm off on a quest to make a book for Grace that even somewhat resembles the charm found in the Potter tales! But a good artist needs a model, and since I don't want to draw the book about LaMancha goats, a dog, chickens, or a cat, the only capturable thing I have around here are toads. But what is charming about a toad? What sort of inspiration can one find in those warty beasts? I am off to find out. I shall make a tale about a toad-a good tale, and paint him faithfully. That is, unless something more congenial comes along. The only other thing I could paint is a guinea pig of ours. But she leads a very dull life in her cage, and is rather unoteworthy, excepting the fact that she is a very pretty creature indeed! :) Wish me luck in my attempts to make a masterpiece out of a toad or two! :) -Rachel