Monday's delivery...

GOOD MORNING...how are you all? It's a fresh -2 here this morning...and really beautiful out.All our sicknesses have cleared...yippy...and my body thanked me for my early morning run today...sometimes you just have to get out there!

So, this is the painting I was working on recently...and finished last week...but couldn't show you all until I had delivered it.

 The client is from the Meditteranean and loves the pretty feminine colours of lavender but asked for more yellows and less prominant mountains in the distance...

 Hey...that's what custom Artwork is all about...making the client happy!

ANd she was very happy...
I have 4 commissions this week to finish...and am volunteering at the girls School today...and Wednesday...it's a busy week, but a GREAT week...it's also Mr.R's Birthday on Wednesday! So I am prepping for that too.

These are their surprise lunch notes I added to our Girl's packs this morning :

Our 2 little princesses.

I have to get to work...but wanted to wish you all a wonderful Monday...tomorrow we're going to be talking about Advent Calendars here on our blog, I have many images to show you. SO... if you celebrate Christmas...is this part of your tradition?

HUGS to our bright and cheery Monday.

Char.x

Tuscany...oh Tuscany...

Have you ever been to Tuscany? Have you ever  tasted the food from the Tuscan earth?

Have you ever driven over one hill and seen another painting just waiting for you through your windshield (windscreen)?

Smelt the grasses and lavender...seen the old farmhouses surrounded by Olive groves?

Spent the night at an Agriturismo where they have served wild bore for dinner?

Been to villages built on hillsides filled with history and Art...

If you haven't...please try and make it there once in your Life...if you have, then you would know the reason why I would JUMP at the chance to paint a Tuscan Scene...

I will be presenting this final sketch to the client...if accepted it will be painted on three canvases.

HAVE A WONDERFUL MONDAY!!!

HUGS

CHar.x

bright...

Bright Star...have you seen it?

well...I got to see the first 15 minutes...STUNNING colours and amazing camera work.

then our DVD player crapped out...so upset...but images still engraved on my brain...

so I sketched her funny red and white dress...honestly...the film is a must see...(thanks for the suggestion Abby!)

Oh...and have you ever coloured on Moleskine sketch paper? It's like silk...wonderful...smooth...a pleasure...you should try it...even if you don't usually draw or sketch...you'll probably be tempted to take up sketching!

IF I don't get a chance before V day...please accept my HUG to you all... and have a SWEET one!

Char,ON

God Jul...to one and all...

wishing you ALL...especially our 650 + FABULOUS readers...a very MERRY,HEALTHY and FESTIVE Christmas...
God Jul is Danish for Happy Christmas...and I wanted to see it every morning leading up to Christmas...so why not plaster it all over the lawn(in the snow).

This year I let them just have fun...go for it...and they did.

The cousins have been having such fun...I know little miss A and Little Miss J will miss Little miss O SO much when we have to go.

Can you believe it'll be 3 weeks that we're here already!!!

Well, my kind friends...may you enjoy time with family over the next few days....

We Celebrate tomorrow...the Scandi way:

Wake up to fresh coffee(very Strong) and croissants and Danish pastries.

Kids open their stockings...

Walk through the Farm to the Christmas Tree plantation(which was planted 20 years ago)

Choose a tree...(not always and easy task...my bro is very competitive!)

Bring it home...put it up...

Have a drink outside...yes a drink at 10am...(to warm your inners)

Decorate the tree.

Put Goose in BBQ because oven keeps blowing circuit

Decorate some more tree.

Set the table...have a snack for lunch.

Siesta time...

Wake up and help Mum in the kitchen

EAT...Goose, caramelized potatoes, peas, brussels,red cabbage and carrots.

Followed by Rice pudding with almonds..the Scandi way...(Mum hides a whole almond amongst lots of chopped ones...and whoever finds it wins the Almond prize!)

Resort to sit SOFT and open gifts...we only do gifts for the kids now...

and to bed!

I will definitely post pics in the next couple of days...

HUGS & best wishes to you ALL.

Char,ON

Freezing Friday shocker!

This is what we woke up to this morning...and this is one of those surprise photos which you look back and say "how did this happen".

The girls are walking through a gated area...but I think it looks like a scene through to a magical land...like Narnia.

The frame of the gate cuts the trees in the distance so you don't see the tops, I love this picture.

Today was my Dad's Birthday...I will post more pictures tomorrow(this computer is just SO slow and it's nearly 1am)...we just finished celebrating. It's wonderful to be here with my family...and especially to be close to my Dad who is not 100% yet.

He looks better...and has a bit more energy...but still gets tired quickly.

He has his pre-op on Jan 7th and we're still waiting for his biopsy results...why does it take so long to get he results?

Thank you all for sticking by me...your comments keep my strength up...

On Monday my husband arrives and I know he has missed us...but I have missed him dearly too...he inspires and keeps me thinking about business...he's my rock he's my ear to be able to tell him everything.I can't wait to see him...I can't remember the last time I was away from him for SO long.

Please pass by tomorrow and see the photos...I have some amazing snow pics...it was the perfect day.

HUGS.

Char,On