Off to the cottage...

tomorrow...it's a lot of work and prep going away for a week.

I know I've been slacking on the posting front this week...but it seems like everyday I have tried to sit down and blog, something has interrupted me...and I finished my taxes, so my husband is happy.

I'm packed, the girls are packed, we just have to go grocery shopping.

Some of you may remember me telling you about going to this crazy big cottage...but for those of you who missed it...

we're off to celebrate our friend's 40th Birthday...ready for it...there are 10 families going...and LOTS of kids. Are we crazy? yes....are we staying in one house? YES....It's a 10 bedroom cottage(mansion) on Lake Muskoka (Canada). The landscape reminds me of Sweden a lot, and the lakes up there are gorgeous and clean(a little chilly, but hoping for LOTS of sunshine)

Here are some pictures, but some of them were taken just after the snow melted::

There's a large kitchen, 2 ovens and 2 fridges...we're all planning one meal for everyone, I think it may get a little busy, but it'll be fun!Here's a snap shot of the fire pit (if the mosquitos are not too bad we'll be out there roasting smores every evening) and below is the dining room which seats 16 comfortably...wow...I have a hard time thinking what to cook for 8 people, let alone 20! You can still see the ice on the lake in this one...

The inside of this house has so much light...I may not be posting much for a week, because I have no idea if I can get Internet or not...but...I'll be painting and sketching...so I'll post when I return.

I can't wait...it'll be a blast...apparently there's an 18 seater theatre in the basement!
The boat house has canoes and a BBQ with a kitchen and bathroom inside...I'm sure many people will be hanging out down there most of the day.And here's the exterior of the house...it will be fun to fill these photos with friends and their kids...check back next week for updates.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend...and week if we can't get Internet have a wonderful week!

I have SO much to do today...I better get moving.

Char,Ontario

Come and see....I finished it today!!!

Well, it's been 5 days of sketching,painting and executing this fairy mural... I could have spent another 4 days on details but the budget was what it was...and so I willed myself to put the paintbrush down and called it "finished".

Don't you just love finishing a project? It's so satisfying...

We counted the fairies...there are 18 of them, each one different from the other.

I love this one maybe the best, as well as the little guy sitting on the cherries reading a book.

This client was a dream...she took care of the girls all week, and was so easy...she adores the finished mural...yay...aren't I lucky!

Oh, I like these two too, sitting on the swing catching up on the days happenings.

Even fairies have to go to school!

Bunnies and cats...and sleeping fairies.

I really enjoyed painting these cherries...is this a sign I should maybe paint some still life's?

Oh and here's the little guy reading his book.

Maybe I'll get more commissions from this piece...I'm very pleased how it turned out.

Hope you sleep well Olivia in your new bedroom...sweet dreams.

Until tomorrow everyone...I am SO exhausted, even after drinking and XLarge Earl Grey from Tim Hortons!

Char,Ontario

Finishing Friday....

I hope to finish today...but may not...I still have lots to do. Yesterday I added shadows to everything...and finished the sunflowers(which are looking not SO much like sunflowers because of the very long petals, but I like them)

I have all the fairies still to paint, but I'm happy how the Olivia turned out...

Working on the arch of the window took away a couple of hours yesterday...and I added all the climbing roses...which give a pop of colour(not that there isn't enough! lol)

I'm in a rush again to get out of the house...I finished my taxes last night...phew...now I have other paperwork to do...sorry I haven't been visiting all of you recently...this week has been SO busy,just look at how our girls were last night when we came home. They have been with me at the clients house...she has a 5 year old...so they were entertained all day! Thank you great client...you made the week SO much easier.

Hey, pass by tomorrow...I may have pics of the finished Fairy Mural.

Have a lovely Friday.

Char,Ontario

Thursdays thoughts...

This is where I left it yesterday afternoon after having painted for 7 hours straight ...I was completely pooched, I fell asleep at 9.30pm after dinner, we were supposed to head out for a run but that never happened...I'm working on the sunflowers today.

In between the little girls night-table and her dresser is a 2ft span of wall that we decided(the client and I) that it would be a nice idea to place a little section of grass and flowers with a couple of butterflies fluttering around.

I'm working on finishing the tree today,the arch of the window and would like to get Olivia's name finished too...we'll see...

Check back tomorrow to see how much I have progressed. I can't wait to start painting the fairies...

Have a good Thursday...it's REALLY raining here today, so it's a full day of crafts for the girls -Ash will be in her element today...

Char,Ontario

Wednesday wishes...

Firstly...just quickly, because I told all of you I would tell you how we did in the race...we came in 17th out of 450 teams on Saturday's City Chase. We didn't have to eat anything which was just by chance because we chose a different route which had other chasepoints like: dressing up in a Velcro suit and throwing yourself onto a Velcro wall, OR playing blind croquet, OR strip Jenga, OR being locked in an old Jail cell and trying to find a key in complete darkness to unlock the door(there were 8 keys in total in the cell)...we had a lot of fun, and our next race is on August 15th in Toronto.
Yesterday I spent the day working on the Fairy Mural...and this is what I accomplished. I feel like I'm in "My Little Pony" land, which is a good thing because the client wanted bright and cheerful. My wishes for today are that I finish the tree,flowers and the Olivia name...I only have 2 more days so I have lots of work to do.

Well, I was out with a girlfriend last week and we walked into a store hoping they would have a Tagine which I could cook in...because as some of you may recall I received one for my anniversary gift...but due to it being painted and glazed...I could only use it as a serving dish.

Above is my new Tagine, I love it.

I cooked chicken and vegetables last night...it's so quick to use, sear your meat-place a layer of carrots on the bottom of the tagine,place your meat on top of the carrots and layer all the other veggies on top.

I have only cooked with it twice but am amazed at how after it cooking for 1 and a half hours...the carrots are still al dente and the meat is so succulent...love it!

This was just before closing it up and placing it in the oven to cook....no oil and very little salt...and still super tasty!

I took the girls to the Toronto Zoo on Monday...

Always a great place for taking pics of animals as reference for my painting.

I love the little butterfly sanctuary they have...you can walk amongst the butterflies fluttering above your heads. Jordan was a little scared, but Ash held her hand and assured her everything would be o.k....very sweet.

I love this picture I took ...sorry, I haven't had a chance to look up the name of it.

Ok...I'm off to work...

Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday!

Char,Ontario

worms or cockroaches?

Ok...my husband and I are off to Ottawa this weekend to run the Mitsubishi City Chase...for those of you who know all about it I really don't have to explain the title of this post...but for those of you who don't....
The race is an Urban Adventure race which is a mix between the Amazing Race and Fear Factor...BUT we have to take public transport around the City and run to the 10 chasepoints of our choice. The clue sheet can sometimes have upto 40 chasepoints...but it's up to us to figure out the best options! AAAAggggghhhhhh....
This is their 6th year and our 6th year running it....other than the years I was pregnant with the girls...but my husband has run it every year...and last year we ran it 3 times!
The best we've come is 14th out of 470 teams...we would love to win...because then we go to Quebec where the North American Championships are being held...and then if we win the Nationals...we go to the FINALS...which they're nor telling us where they are as of yet! Last year they went to Morocco.(how cool is that!) I'll post pictures from the race...anyone over the age of 18 or 19 can do it...we have eaten live worms, held pythons,had tarantulas crawl across our stomachs,eaten grass hoppers...and apparently there are cockroaches to be devoured this year.You don't HAVE to eat anything gross...but it's a quick challenge. There could be rafting this year, repelling, swimming, pole dancing...check it out there are races in the US too...and in 10 other countries around the World.


Changing the subject...here's how the Fairy Mural is coming along:
I've sketched everything out in watercolour, that way if there are changes to be had, I can change it...no problem.
Here's a close up of the sleeping cat and bunny...one fairy sleeping on the cats tale and the other one lying on the back of the bunny.
Sunflowers peeking through behind the door.

Over her bed her name, middle name and a couple of fairies...

above the vanity we decided on a bouquet of all the flowers from the main mural.

I'm very excited how it's turning out...the colour starts on Tuesday...

Check back to see how our race went...goes...how many cockroaches we ate! YUCK!

Char,Ontario

My little tiger cub

Here is my boy Jackster, I went to a family day reunion at my school this weekend. A very relaxed day watching cricket and eating picnics, where I got roped into the facepainting... great fun for me and Jack was my guinea pig to get me into the groove... sadly Beth started needing me pretty soon after I got going so there were only a couple of tiger cubs, a butterfly and half an angel wandering round with my handiwork! It was so lovely to see old friends and to watch all our children having fun together.







Yesterday was Jack's first sports day, very sweet to see. I was just pleased that he seemed to enjoy it all and wanted to take part in all the games/races..you never know with little ones what mood they will be in on the day! He had stayed awake in the car the night before, all the way home..having left at bedtime, in his pyjama's I hoped that having not had a sleep during the day he would crash out in the car and get a good night's sleep.. it didn't quite work out like that as he was spotting hot air balloons out of the window and arriving home at 10pm he was still sparky! I was sure sports day would be a disaster as he was so tired! I love this picture as his little friend on his right just ran on the line all the way, everytime she ran it was bang on the line...impressive!

Tam, UK

I **HEART** Doors...

of all sorts but especially when you know there have been hundreds of years worth of stories and lives told behind them.

look at how strong and individual each one of these are...in North America everything is uniform, the same...just perhaps a different colour.

Nowadays you'll visit high end stores and they have coffee tables made from old Spanish or Moroccan doors...they look worn and welcoming...

When I lived in Spain, it wasn't unusual for many families to have a door as a patio table...it would definitely serve it's purpose and was big enough to seat 12-20 people around it.

I love how the Mallorquins hang their terracotta pots on the walls outside their front doors...it looks so natural, and look at this stone work!

I would love this door as my front door.

This could pass as a Church door...but isn't, it's just some one's home.

Many doors have been reinforced with metal at the bottom as a storm or flood protection...it helps to avoid swelling in the wood at the base of the doors.

I think a little kitty lives in this house...

This door lead out to a beautiful terraced garden...I wish I had pictures of it to show you...

This is the back door of the Church which I showed you in the earlier post this week. Pink walls...aren't they welcoming?

and last but not least...my favourite...beautiful craftsmanship, and I can assure you the key to this door would be just as spectacular!

What do you **HEART** lots of?

Char,Ontario
P.S.ALL these photos were taken by me at Christmas'08, please ask if you would like to use an image. Thank you!