Once Upon a Time...

Pinks and Blues, Yellows and Oranges...oh, and not forgetting Spring Greens...Easter must be one of the most Colourful Holidays we have. I was noticing how I have painted many watercolours over these past few days with girls in mind, rather than boys...I will try and make a conscious effort to subject line boys in the next few that I do.That's what happens when you're blessed with 2 girls...everything becomes "girlie".
I'm really enjoying this series of colour and animals...I think I will as well as adding them to my Etsy Store, I will make some gift cards with the designs.
Tomorrow is a special day for me...can you guess what it is?
If you can guess correctly, I will add an extra entry to the Giveaway I'm doing tomorrow(which will run for one week).
I will be making a special watercolour-with your choice of animal-and a boy or girl . A custom watercolour just for you(if you're the winner).
Email me or convo me through Etsy with what special day it is tomorrow!
Ciao for now!
See you tomorrow!
Charlotte,Ontario

PLEASE Vote for me...

I'm not sure where this will actually take me...I guess a little more recognition in the Art field.
I have been entered to the Blockhead Radio Artisans Challenge in the 2D catagory...the illustration is of the mother and children which I made for my Mum a couple of weeks ago.It's titled "The Weight of a Mother".
Here's the link... http://blockheadradiolive.com/2D
All you have to do is kindly vote for me... THANK YOU!
Am working on another Once Upon a Time...so check back later.
Charlotte,Ontario

Twice "Once Upon a Time"...

Here's a "Once Upon a Time" dedicated to my English roots...I was born and brought up in England by my parents who are Scandinavian. The love of really woolly sheep in grassy fields will never part from my heart.I do miss the English countryside and love the tall hedgerows thick with wild-life...2 in one day...not bad Char!(if I do say so myself...pat-pat...lol)

This is #5...I have a few questions I would love some help with...should I post them in my Etsy Store? Or wait until after the trade Show which is in one month's time?
Should I make prints and sell them too? And should I have the originals already framed to sell at the Trade Show?
I'd love some advice...
I'm in the middle of painting another one and hope to have that one up too today...so check back and tell me which you prefer...
Hope you're all well...
Charlotte,Ontario

Spring chick...

Well, I did manage to finish it before 12 midnight...but not post it.
I'm behind one watercolour...today will be a busy day...taking the girls to Dance and then heading downtown for a date with my husband(so looking forward to it...nothing to wear-as usual).
This Spring Chick ...inspired by my Mum and her Swedish roots...I had doubts to whether the very bright chick would work, but I'm happy with the outcome.It's a very luminous painting...and would light up any room.
I'm tired and must head to bed.
Until Sunday I do believe...
Thanks for visiting!
Charlotte,Ontario

Twilight Tide Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Twilight Tide Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Productive Spring...

I'm feeling like this Spring is going to turn into a productive one if I keep up the one a day watercolours until our Show in April.
This one is inspired by many travels taken in my early 20's. Although I have never ridden an elephant, just having travelled to Africa and Thailand where Elephants are roaming in the wild through the streets created an image in my head which will always be there. They seem such gentle creatures and yet can destroy a town or village in minutes.
The Town in the background comes from memories of visiting family in Copenhagen in Denmark...their beautiful rich slate roofs and colourful houses in reds, oranges and yellows. Quite charming...and quaint, but the Danes are extremely up to date when it comes to decorating...modern and clean lines with lots of artwork to cover their walls. One day I will take my husband and daughters there and show them where their Mummy is from(Swedish also, so my next will be dedicate to Sweden-another beautiful country which I have yet to explore).
Thanks for passing by and leaving such enduring comments...have a wonderful day!
Charlotte,Ontario

Colourful Spring

I'm creating a new series of watercolours for our Mamas and Chicks Show which is only a month away...AAHhhahhaaahhhhh...I have so much to do.
I want to keep the name of the people/children on the story in the painting left blank, this way I can personalize...or the buyer can personalize the painting for whomever they are gifting the piece to.
This one is inspired by where my parents live in England, they're surrounded by farmlands and deer...a very special place in my heart.
I'm excited about this project because it involves colour.
I figure if I can do 5 in a week, I'll have 20 to offer for the Show.
Sorry I haven't posted for a while...we're all better now, but it was a tough week last week.
Back with lots of energy and ideas!
Come back soon and see what others will be in the new "Colourful Spring" series.
Charlotte,Ontario

Feeling drained...

So here in Canada children have been enjoying Spring Break/Half Term/March Break...but not us,we've been coughing all week which has proven to be exhausting...I am cursing "Play centres" right now, as we went last weekend to the girls cousin's Birthday at one...and now look a week of this!
This drawing(which I am pleased I finished this morning) is how I am feeling, even though you would love to just curl up in bed and sleep all day by your self when you're feeling like this(if you could) as a Mum, it's pretty much impossible. You have to keep everyone fed, and the house and laundry clean...and noses blown etc...etc...So, we have to comfort, care and love, because this is what we were given by our mothers...which is why we become confident strong women...my darling husband leaves for work every morning early, before the girls are awake and then works so hard and sometime doesn't return until after the girls are in bed...he's missing out being with the girls all day...but I'm 100% certain he has not missed the multiple of weeks they have been sick this year already!
We're having people over for Dinner tonight...which I am supposedly prepping for this afternoon...wish me luck and send me some energy...please. Thanks friends.
Charlotte,Ontario.

***THURSDAY thankfuls...

**Not to make you all jealous, but look what arrived in my mailbox yesterday evening!**
A package full of goodies from RIKRAK
I won their 2nd anniversary giveaway and got to choose colours for the clutch and wallet and the 2 iron on birds...love them all...my daughters thought it was for them...well, the birds are,but the rest is purely for my joy.
Thanks again RIKRAK...you can visit her awesome RIKRAK Studio Blog where she's always posting new and exciting projects along with some great interviews of other creative beings...
On another note...I would just like to say thank you for all your awesome comments and making visiting your blogs and websites such an inspiring daily journey, and to all our new followers.
AND a big Thanks and appreciation to when my children are well-and not sick...they both have colds which are keeping them(and I) up at night, making my day extremely unproductive.
We moan and groan when things are not great...but forget to comment when all is well.
Have a wonderful SPRING day(I know...but it's almost upon us).
Until later or tomorrow...
Charlotte,Ontario

Happy Birthday Lil Bro...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SEBASTIAN...

This is for you Seb...I know, it was supposed to arrive at your door today, but as you know, sometimes life with little ones changes your plans. I'll send it tomorrow.(there should be something arriving on the 18th also)
Wishing I could be with you to Celebrate....have a great trip and I love and miss you lots.

Happy St.Patrick's Day everyone!
Charlotte,Ontario

**2 Posts in One Day***

Don't you just love the smell of freshly washed hair and freshly laundered Pajamas...
I decided to draw this one for me...or for the girls...or for my husband...not sure for who, but I know it makes me feel many great feelings, I love when a piece of work makes me feel like that. They are my treasures and I adore them.
Thank you for visiting today...
Charlotte,Ontario

If She could Fly...

She probably would...our eldest is as light as a feather and loves flying with her Dad at the weekends...this image came into my mind this afternoon as I was sitting thinking of Spring...up here is Canada, we see birds before green grass in the Spring. Can you believe we had another dusting of snow today...good thing in a way as we're planning of skiing tomorrow.
I'm working on another sketch which I had to put down because the girls woke from their naps...yes, I'm extremely fortunate that they nap, but they also wake up at 6.20am in the mornings!!
So until the next posting...
Charlotte,Ontario

New Items on MY Etsy Store...

It's something which I have been meaning to do for a while, get my card designs up on Etsy...I need some honest criticism and advice though...I've only added 3 cards so far...but would love to hear from you and your thoughts.
Would you pay $12 for an original Ink drawing?
Thank you all...
Charlotte,Ontario

Our MARCH SPRING Giveaway WINNER...

a. b. c. d.

I'd first like to say a huge thank you to the few entrants who went out of their way to go to my Etsy Store...and thanks to all of you for your supportive comments...but a huge CONGRATULATIONS goes out to PVE Design who by "Random Word Picker"(because both my girls were utterly exhausted after their day today and couldn't wait 2 minutes to pick a name out of the bowl before going to bed) PVE DEsign WON "Sara ,the Sweet Dream Fairy" and can also pick from either a,b,c or d designs above...

The 3 which are not chosen will be added to my Etsy Shop at $12 each tomorrow.

Have a great evening...if we reach 150 followers before the end of March there will be another giveaway...if not the next one will be the first week of April...a Birthday Giveaway!

(Guess my Birthday and you'll get an extra entry:-)

Charlotte Ontario

MARCH Giveaway...

Check back at 4pm Eastern for the "March Giveaway" ...it'll be fun a fun one...and you'll love the prizes!
You'll only have 24 hours to enter...
See you then!
Charlotte,Ontario

My other muse...

So, I finally managed to get a small sketch of Ash done...even though she just couldn't sit still for very long.
It's been a long day...
Until tomorrow...and thanks for visiting!
Charlotte,Ontario

My Spring muse...

Before I start on my little muse...I WON a gorgeous pair of earings last night made by TASCHA. I absolutely adore her work, you must check it out if you don't know who and what she does...The Giveaway was so much fun...Tascha gave us a clipping of a painting and we had to go to her Etsy store and find the matching picture.Yay, and I won them!

Well, our little one has become my Spring muse due to us doing crafts in the morning when her sister is at school...she's my Life Model for the Spring until I find a life class to do...I may dedicate Spring to concentrating on my weaknesses. For example, HANDS...and FEET...proportioning...I just need to approach them in the same way I do when drawing a face...practice,practice,practice...

What are your challenges within what you create on a daily bases??
Thanks for popping by and I appreciate all your comments!

Tam will be back soon...she's just getting used to life with 2 little ones.Love ya Tam!
Charlotte,Ontario

KReATIV Blog Award..

Oh my... Thank you so very much to Simply Everything for honouring this award to our Blog!
Now I must:
List 7 things you love and then pass the award on to 7 people..tagging them and letting them know they won!
You can copy the picture of the award and put it on your sideboard letting the whole wide world know you are KReATIV!

1. I love my Husband and my 2 girls
2. I love my family to bits
3. I love my friends and all the support thay give me
4. I love Spring-hurry up and get here!
5. I love creating
6. I love the fact we can travel anywhere in the World
7. I love the internet and the sea of wonder and answers it offers.

Now for the seven people I have chosen-they are all very KReATIV and I constantly see new things on their Blogs almost daily!:

1. PVE Design
2. Ramblins
3. BopBop Designs
4. Emily Roe
5. Outside the Lines
6. RikRak Studio
7. Desiree

I ALSO WON ...yes WON...a Giveaway which I have been meaning to post about...I won RIKRAK Studio's "2nd Anniversary Giveaway last week"...if you'd like to check out what I won click right HERE
She creates some extremely beautiful upcycled vintage fabric creations, & fabulous goodies made from new recycled felt! You have got to go to her Etsy store : RIKRAK

Thanks to all of you...and keep being creative!
Charlotte,Ontario

Spring changes...

It's not always easy to capture a true proportioned image of your little ones as their moving around...hence the very Picasso-esque proportions...I promised a sketch of Ashley this afternoon, so we'll see.This was done whilst they were having lunch...I would have loved to have spent longer on it...but she was gone!
It shows that I have to practice and do more life studies...perhaps I'll go back to Life-drawing class in the near future.
Until later...
Charlotte,Ontario

Spring Days...

These are what Spring Days are expected to be...not more snow...or at least what I am used to. It's funny,I have been here in Canada for 9 years and I'm still expecting snow drops and bluebells in March...but no...we don't see them up here until May!
Don't get me wrong I love the 4 seasons we get and can't wait until our little ones are able to ski the Winters with my husband and I...I LOVE the Autumn in Canada and the Spring...Summer is extremely hot and at this precise moment I can not imagine just dressing in shorts and a T-Shirt...we have had -14 degrees since mid-November 2008...that's 3 full months already of below zero...I think we deserve some warmth and flowers SOON!
I'm looking forward to getting those wellies on and the umbrellas out,to seeing colours in nature and feeling the Sun on our bodies.
Sweet dreams...I'm off to catch my Zzzz's and pray for Spring!
Charlotte,Ontario

MARCHing into SPRING...

Spring is our new March theme...I'm so excited about all the new colours...thanks TAM!Hoping little Beth is doing well, you'll be able to go for Spring walks this month.
Let's hope it warms up here in Canada...I have to dash and pick up Ash...
Until tomorrow...
Charlotte, Ontario

The girls and I...

This was made for me and our girls...inspired by the one I made for my Mum last night...I think it could be a series of interesting sketches and perhaps paintings...
Charlotte,Ontario

A new sketch...

This one is for my Mum in England...I had a calendar reminder on my phone yesterday that it was Mother's day today! Stress hit in because I nearly always miss it...my mother ends up with a belated Mother's Day Card each year...so in honour of my mother(even though I later found out it actually isn't Mother's day for another 3 weeks!!!!) this is for the "Greatest Mum in the whole World"...I love you dearly and know how we have tired you at times, because you're always carrying us on your back,giving us love and have always been there for support! Thank you...I love you Mum...and this year you'll receive your card on time!
UK Mother's Day is March 22nd...bye the way!
Charlotte,Ontario