Do I...Don't I???

So, this isn't easy...because I really want to win this GREAT GIVEAWAY....but because I love all of you SO much...I'm going to share this one today.
As some of you already know Amy and Ann, you may have already entered this Giveaway....but if you haven't...they have finished putting together such a wonderful 2010 Calender ....FULL of lots of eye candy to make you WANT to cook and bake yummy creations everyday.
Go to their Blog and enter TODAY!
I have to run to the Post Office and then over to my favourite EYE CANDY store...our local ART shop.
If I get time...I'll post again today...lots to tell:-)

See you later...thanks for passing by...I'm having a Holiday Giveaway before heading across Seas...so make sure you pass by this weekend!

Char,On

Happy Birthday my love...

it was actually yesterday...but didn't get around to dedicating a post for him. We made a cake for him...and wrapped pressies, made cards...the girls and I sang Happy Birthday...

Happy Birthday Ron...not a day goes by when I don't think how I am the luckiest lady alive...I hope all your wishes come true.

Don't our girls look like him! I know...a lot...they're all gorgeous.

Thank you ALL for all your very sweet comments about our Show...it went really well.

I forgot my camera...ya, really, I know...so silly. There was a great attendance which I worked hard to get...so when the crowds of shoppers came in...my nervousness passed.(it's amazing how crazy your stomach can get leading up to an event like this...disappointing 55 vendors can be a little stressful!)

Sales were good though and our vendors seemed to have a successful day too...this makes our future Shows hopefully much easier on the gathering of vendors next year.

My next post I'd like to introduce you to a few vendors I shopped from...I'm hoping to post again tomorrow...I thought I would be less busy after the Show...but with only 3 weeks to go until we fly across the Atlantic...I have 3 commissions to complete and lots of organising before we go.

I will be passing by to say hi to you very soon...but have to rush out the door right now.

HUGS,

Char,ON

The COUNTDOWN is on...

we had a packing party(the Mama Loot Bags...250) last night with a bunch of great friends...THANK YOU all...including my darling husband who I know could have been working on his "PLAN of change"...but he helped us.
BUT first we HAD to get some Spicy Thai food in... and naow down on some great flavours!

a quick clean up...and to packing we went...round and round the table, adding vendors and other business owners marketing material...

2 hours later...we had this...a sea of blue(bags donated from our local Toy Store...thanks Scholars Choice!)...feels good to get it over with.

I then had to say goodbye to this wee fella...I finished him at the weekend, his name is Pickle...and his owner Nathanael(lovely name).

Sarah came to pick him up...Sarah is an acquaintance whom I've known for 3 years now and I really hope I will see more of...she's a very talented Graphic Designer...and has a Blog called Lucky Cat Design...which you must go and check out. She started it about a year ago...and I really can't believe how she doesn't have the followers she should have...her blog is a wealth of information.

This was her intro line to what her Blog is about:

"I've created this blog to provide expert advice on how to effectively market your business as well as to keep you up to date on the comings and goings of Lucky Cat Design."

I can't wait to browse and read her posts one evening...GREAT WORK Sarah!!!

AND I want to introduce all of my regular blog buddies to her, because I know she has been browsing our Blog...so she knows I have met great creative and inspiring people our there in BlogWorld...(she's right...I have)

Show some love friends!

Anyway...if I get a chance tomorrow I will post...but it's looking very slim...the Mamas and Chicks Show is on Saturday...phew...it's been a CRAZY time...

Hugs to y'all!

Char,On

I have 5 minutes...

... to quickly upload a few images from this week just past...these are all the good things which have been happening...the Mamas and Chicks Show has been eating away at every given second...and now that I have 5 minutes before getting back to the grind...I thought I'd better make an appearance....it's been a LONG week...I have missed you ALL.
Here goes...our two girls...their wishes were to be:
on a WINDY Halloween night...

but before we made some glorious crafts...

and did loots of running under trees to encompass nature...

and all those brilliant Canadian yellows...

the girls loved our spidy web and rain....

I managed to squeeze in a Lady Bug ride...

and little miss A had picture day...

Things will be back to normal after to weekend...

We're packing 250 loot bags tomorrow evening...after having Thai takeout and a bottle of wine!(did I say bottle? I meant glass:-)

If I had time to visit your blog, I would know what you have been up to...I'm sorry...

What have you been upto?

Char,On

Post Man I *HEART* you

and I *HEART* miss K from PilliPilli Handmade...look at the precious packaging!

AND the gorgeous Scarflette...my little Arctic Fox...

I love him...and will care for him...forever and ever...thank you K...your work is SO precious and beautiful.

Thank you for the extra cards...they will definitely come in handy.

Fabulous readers...meet PilliPilli...please take time to look at her wonderful creations.

My head is spinning with what I have to do for the Mamas and Chicks Show.

What's your World spinning in at present?

HUGS see you tomorrow.

Char,ON

Now's the time...

to order commissions for Holiday gifts.

I finished these 2 and another one which I delivered before even taking a picture...I'll get it at a later date...they were commissions for nieces and nephews and the one above of the dog is for the lady who one the contest I posted about maybe a month ago.

I am almost caught up...and ready to go for our Mamas and Chicks Show...just have to post 200 posters and put out 100 lawn signs this week...and pack 250 loot bags next week.

I am offering all of YOU fabulous readers a discount on custom commissions...

Go to my Etsy Store for more info.

This SALE will be on until the 10th of November.

All you have to do is email me/convo me with... choice of Animal, how many children(or adults)with their names , and 3 colours.

Anyway, back to the drawing board...SO much to do...and SO little time.

See you tomorrow.

Char.ON.

simply...

beautiful...

a final goodbye...

to our magical Autumn...

walks and running through the leaves...the smell of the earth, the crackle under your feet...the unforgettable wealth of colour which we are blessed with here in Canada.

Thank you all for the most precious comments...it's been a great weekend...and I'll tell you more tomorrow as I have a long list of things to get finished this evening.

Bon Nuit...

HUGS

Char, On

a little overwhelmed...

but in a good way...if there is a good way of being overwhelmed that is?
I finished the 10 watercolours for the Shop Bibilot(which is a 40 minute drive away). Did I tell you about this project?
Well...I went into this most wonderful shop about 1/2 a year ago...stunning products, very gifty,French feel...and so much style.
So the other week I went to visit my good friend Shelly...and we walked through town she lives in...I carrying my little bag of goodies to show the owners of this fabulous shop(Bibilot) what I can offer them.
Two wonderful ladies, a mother and daughter team...greet me, not really with open arms, as I didn't have an appointment...BUT they loved the Once Upon a Time series...BUT didn't love everything...they asked if I would make 10 designs for their shop with just the phrase "Once Upon a Time..." on the bottom. They loved some of the designs SO much that I made a few very similar but not completely the same.
So, I walked out smiling,happy and very excited...but a little overwhelmed at the amount of work I would have to do...as I really only have a good 4 hours a day where I can sit down and paint.
I finished them...and I'm off to see them this Saturday.
They will sell prints of these watercolours, already framed...with an option to by the watercolours.
BUT...each watercolour has a limited amount of 25 prints which can be made from each of them...this is something I am being very firm about, and I will sign each print.
Phew...it's been a busy and very productive week...as well as plugging our Mamas and Chicks Show which is in 2 weeks time...and finishing the 100 gift cards.
I know our girls are feeling the lack of Mummy devotion...but I need this, especially as we're going to spend the Holidays with my family in England.

I know that I have to visit all of you...and will make an effort this evening to sit, with my ice-cream...thanks Ann, I have a craving for it after your post today!

WISHING that you're all enjoying this Fall/Autumn day...thanks for stopping by.

What have you been OVERWHELMED by recently?

Char,On

Cocka-DOODLE-Doo...BAAAaaaa...

2 down and MANY more to go...I have had a productive day...and now...Bon Nuit my friends.
Until tomorrow.

Char,ON

I have it covered...

the table that is...I made sure our girls didn't have any intentions of "crafting" this morning after breakfast...because I have...100 cards to make for the Mamas and Chicks Show...

This Once Upon a Time Watercolour is heading over to Italy for a dear lady who commissioned it for friends of hers...such a kind gesture. Thanks K for thinking of me:-)

It should be in the mail this weekend sometime.

Hoping you all have a wonderful Friday.

I hope you will forgive me if I have not been by your World recently...Life has been crazy busy.

I'm expecting It to be a little crazy until the Show is over...so bear with me.

Ok...to work...

HUGS

Char,On

Seeing double?

don't worry...it's not your eyes...remember a couple of weeks ago I gave the picture on the right to my neighbour for her Birthday?

well, the very next day she went to the framing shop and was sifting through mats for to frame it...and she left the picture behind...but, didn't realize until she got home.

She rushed back to where she just came from...not 10 minutes was she gone...and it had gone...

She was SO upset and said she couldn't believe(and neither could I) that no-one would just hand it in.

This is the reason for the other one which I managed to squeeze in a few hours to draw yesterday,I know,I should have been doing other things....prioritizing....but I felt like doing it.

I didn't want to make it exactly the same...although I love the boys in the first one but prefer the baby in the second.

C'est la vie...

Do you believe in Karma?

I do...if someone did steal it...because it's definitely stealing...well, we all know that what goes around comes around...

I can see if you found a drawing in the middle of a forest or just flying around on the street, then yes, own it...but this was in it's packaging...and in a store.

Anyway...Happy Birthday again D.

Hope you all have a wonderful Tuesday...it's calling for snow here....I know it's only October!

Char,On

Happy Birthday little Sister!

i was supposed to have remembered to send these 2 weeks ago...life has been busy...so they are somewhere across the Atlantic...

wishing you a wonderful day little Sis!

hoping our little Brother is treating you like a Queen...as he should always...

The girls made you some pictures too...they're in transit with mine.

HUGS...and we're thinking of you.

love,

Char,On...and all the family.x.

**Happy Thanksgiving Canada**

we celebrated "Thanksgiving" here in Canada this weekend...I wasn't going to do the whole dinner thing...as I've only roasted Turkey a couple of times since being over here in Canada.

but...when my husband requests it...as he loves it...how could I refuse!

I made my own stuffing, but cooked it separately....I didn't take pictures of the meal...as Roasts pretty much look all the same.

I did however take a few shots of these gorgeous peaches, which I also submitted as my theme for this week's "Lens Us Together"...it's my turn and I chose "In Season".

Little Miss J was there to help at every stage of the journey of the peaches & the peach pie...


they're SO divine at the moment...and look at that amazing colour!

with Miss J helping ... we didn't completely cover the pie filling and had to add extra crust on all the holes etc...so the top is not the prettiest. Little miss A saw the bird and I think this helped the fact of having to "try" the pie...she's not so great with texture...and I think the peach are not dry enough for

her...she doesn't like slimy. and then again, with a little chocolate ice-cream...anything goes!

personally...pie goes ONLY with French Vanilla.

What do you like your pie with?

Char,On

P.S. want the recipe? go HERE

in the Mail...

today...I received a BEAUTIFUL print from Amy Twomey. THANK YOU!!!!!
It's going up in our girl's play room where they spend so much time...and so do I.
She has a beautiful photography blog with Ann...and a wonderful Food Blog too!
If you haven't already checked them out...do!

What did you get in the Mail today?
Char,On

The camera never lies...

does it ever lie for you?
I've heard the *Camera never lies*...and in this instance, I was taking some pictures of the girls for a study for a future portrait painting...and of course they couldn't just lay there and pose without making faces...
Well, the last 2 shots I got of them...were SO the whole truth...it's uncanny how great this image is...personalities rounded up with ONE click of the camera...I LOVE photography and how an image can tell a thousand stories...paintings can do this too...which is why I love portraiture in both mediums...but, my girls would not sit for 3 hours.
Look at the calmness of little miss A and the CRAZINESS(she'll hate me for this later) of little miss J!
I love our beautiful girls...such characters...SO different...so precious.

Did your World show you any truths today?

Char,On

P.S. we'll be continuing with our Tell All Tuesdays after our Mamas and Chicks Show in November...I've just got WAY too much on!

Cooler days, quality time...

A real treat for me, my lovely husband decided to take me away for the weekend as a belated birthday present. We so rarely get any time without the children these days that he had secretly arranged for my parents to have them overnight and we went to a lovely little country house hotel for the night. It was bliss, not just to spend time together but also to just explore, go for lovely walks together and to get a little bit of time to do as we liked and not to have to constantly be watching out for one or other of my little monkeys! This plant was on one of our walks, I think it is water hemlock and was enormous at around 10 ft tall, with great umbrella heads that were beautiful as I glanced up... beautiful but deadly as it's witchy folklore as a very poisonous plant is well known. I did like the way it looked though! The other thing I loved about our stay was that the room R chose for us had lovely lovely paintings and samplers in. As I lay reading my book in the stunning afternoon light (precious in itself as I hardly ever get to read undisturbed these days) it felt very peaceful, and very very special! How lovely the food was in the evening, it was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious, my taste buds were tingling!We really laughed, relaxed and had fun, all of which was great, but it was still brilliant to return the next day to my little ones. I suppose the rare quality time together is only possible if you have the mad wonderful normal day to day time to compare it with!

As a little ps, and completely on another note, today I took Jack to have his pre-school injections... something I had been nervous about for weeks, and thank you Char for your advice on how to deal with it - I did tell him about the little pinch on each arm that the nurse would give him, and gave him his walkman to play with a few minutes before we went in (he hadn't seen/played with it for a month or so, so it was sufficiently exciting.. and to him humming 'row row row your boat' he actually watched her give him both injections and didn't even squeak! I was so shocked and proud of him! Nurse Liz was impressed too, he really was a brave little lion as the sticker he got said!

Tam, UK

Ginger snap cake

Dinner was great...with take out Thai and Sushi...where can you go wrong?
And the other 2 couple brought deserts with them...D had made white chocolate mint mousse...and they were divine, I wish I had taken pics of every one's creations. N brought a caramel cheese cake and fruit covered in white,milk and dark chocolate...
I, just to top up the calories, made my Mum's "Ginger Snap Cake"...easy peasy to make!
All you need is...a bowl,a plate, a mixer...1/2 litre of whipping cream and 2 packs of Swedish Original Ginger Snaps.(they work best because they soften just right)

whip the cream...you could add sugar,but I don't think it needs it.

Place a layer of snaps on the plate and layer whipped cream on top of the snaps...repeating 7 times.

Leave the last covering of whipped cream until just before serving to your guests,cover with cling-film and place in the fridge at least 3 hours before guests arrive...giving time for the snaps to soften.

It's delicious,everyone loved it but were expecting it to be crunchy but it has a very similar consistency to Tiramisu...I think I could have gone a little lighter on the whipped cream in between the layers...and added a few more snaps?

Something to consider in the future...I haven't made it in a while.

This was the other drawing I did for N...she loved it...I added her new little pets on the front of her skirt.

They both were very touched with their gifts...such sweet ladies, we're very fortunate to have such lovely neighbours.

Well,today looks like another rainy day...I hope it clears,I'm planning on taking the girls to see a friend who lives a good 40 minutes away...Rain Rain go away...come back another day!

Hope you all have a relaxing Sunday.

Getting ready for another busy week staring tomorrow.

Thank you for all your encouraging comments about our new banner. It's growing on me...

Hugs,

Char,On

Hang on there BOYS...

So...I know I should be cleaning the house, but wanted to post quickly before guests come later...
2 of our good neighbours had their Birthdays last month...so this is an over-due get together.
We're having an easy "takeout Thai" followed by homemade deserts...
I'll post what I'm making later...I can make it ahead of time, so you'll get to see the finished cake before our guests do.
I'll give you a little hint...ginger.
Above is a drawing I made for one of the ladies...she just had her 3rd Boy...so has her hands full...and she's originally from Trinidad, so has the sweetest accent, which her sons have acquired...love it.(hence the sea scene decorating her large skirt)
I'll show you the other drawing later.(and the cake).

Thanks for stopping by, I know Saturdays are busy for all.

Char,On

NEW banner...

what do you think?
I think I like it...just getting used to it...hmmm, it'll take a day or 2 to sink in.

Have a lovely day...
Char,On

Friday's projects...

SO much to do...and SO little time...

I have had these birds cut and ready for cards for the past month now...

With our Mamas and Chicks Show coming up...I like to bring new and fresh *Chicks* to my table. I always have gift cards to sell, and have found that people don't like to pay more than $3 for a card...so I'm not "Hand drawing" any this time.

We went to the Art Shop yesterday(the girls and I) and we bought a new sketch book for each of them...they wanted one of the pretty ones with lovely flowers and birds all over the covers...BUT...I could by 3 regular ones for the price of one of those...so...we've been crafting this morning.

Given that the covers may not lay straight for a few days...and it may take a couple of days for even the glue to dry...but they loved getting messy this morning.

finally...I spoke with Tam yesterday and we agreed we HAVE to change our Banner...so I'm working on it...*smile*...

Maybe I'll post the finished piece later.

What are you working on today?

Char,On