Spring seeds

We've been collecting toilet and paper towel rolls for a few months now...
Tomorrow we have an afternoon project to do with our friends from the neighbourhood... We'll be choosing veggies and flowers to plant ...

Do you think 70 seedlings will be sufficient ?

What are you up to this week?

Have a lovely Tuesday
Char.x

Happy Easter

Easter has been filled already with food and egg hunts...and spending time with family.
I thought we were seeing friends and family last night too but I was surprised by Mr. R when he took me to a restaurant i had never been to for a surprise birthday dinner!
The company was wonderful! And the food was amazing! I'd definitely go back there!
Today we are sharing our Easter Sunday with friends, lamb and salmon are on the menu... And probably a few instagram photos will be snapped.
I hope you have a lovely Easter if you celebrate... If not, enjoy your Sunday!
Hugs
Char.x

Almost Christmas

It's almost Christmas here... These are a few pictures showing what we've been up to in the past 24 hours...
The girls can't wait until tomorrow morning...
I don't think we'll be getting a white Christmas this year... Oh well... It will still be special.

I have been instagramming recently... You probably recognise the filters I used on a few of the above pics... Do you instagram?
I think I'll track our days activities tomorrow through instagram...

Must dash... The goose is in the oven and lentils are simmering.
Hugs and Merriments to you ALL!

Char.x

Off to print

Happy Friday everyone!
What do you think of my family Xmas card?
Hugs
Char

Wordless Wednesday

hugs
Char.x

fishy...

Hey, this morning I woke up to find the bag of shells which Miss J had found in Port Clinton,OH, to be broken into on the deck outside...I wonder if they smelt fishy?
Some animal had thought so I'm sure...
I do know the girls skin smelt fishy coming out of that Lake...which kind of grosses me out!


Anyway...we founds a great array of shells and sea glass too! TREASURES...that's what we call them.


Have you found any treasures recently?


Have a lovely day.
Char.x

sketchy and painterly portraits...

I know...it's Wednesday...and I could have posted these in my regular "Wordless Wednesday" BUT...I needed to explain...

The first Portrait started off as a sketch, a 25 minute sketch followed by an  hour painting (if that!)...and then our Miss J wanted hers done...but she kept moving...so Miss J turned out to be 12 years older than she actually is. I didn't really get to finish it...but oh well...

I am working on another commission this week...I'll try to remember to take photos of it's progress.

The Laundry is waiting for me...gotta go.

HUGS

Char.x

our SECOND Birthday girl...

Happy Birthday sweet Miss J!
Here you are giggling as you are SO excited...with your new dress from Mormor and Morfar...and your sparkly bling bling earrings...(just pierced ears!)
You are our snuggly bunny who knows exactly what you want...from the moment you wake up(like a grizzly bear) to the moment you got to sleep(like a pretty princess).
ALWAYS and forever!
Mum(Char) and Dad(Mr.R)

Thank you for your wishes readers to our sweet lil ladies...
HUGS to you all.
Enjoy your day!
Char.x

Fuzzy Friday

Why so fuzzy?

Well my husband and I had a great idea to start the "Flat Belly Diet" this week...I wouldn't say either of us are overly overweight...but my main issue with my body is my belly...and I have to do a lot of exercise to get it to a place where I am happy and comfortable with it.
So through the voice of a friend, who is progressing remarkably through this "Flat Belly Diet", he told us how much he had lost...and how great it was.
You're basically eating clean...measuring portions...and eating no processed or saturated fats...AND your adding what they call MUFA's...which are your mono unsaturated fats...GOOD fats.
So until we get to the adding these MUFA's which are absolutely some of my FAVE foods...olives,nuts,olive oil and avocados AND I nearly forgot...CHOCOLATE!!!(dark semi sweet)...we have to do a 4 day kick start plan.
I am on day 3 and am feeling a little fuzzy...in the head.
Every day for 4 days we have to drink this SASSY drink which consists of 2 litres of water,1 lemon slices,1 cucumber and 2 tablespoons of grated ginger. This is a cleansing drink and it has to be drunk at every meal.
There are 4 meals a day...and everything is measured.It's quite surprising at how much extra I take in during the day...a nibble here, a mouthful there...
I am missing my oatcakes and butter this week...and I would sometimes find myself about to stuff my mouth with a piece of bagel whilst preparing our girls lunches....oops!

Have any of you done this diet?

Anyway...coming to the reason I know my head is fuzzy...I woke up 1/2 an hour late...and was in a deep dream state when Miss A came in and woke me up...
Then I had a whole post ready...and had taken pictures of my "BAG" and it's contents...I go to search for the photos...and they're not there on the SD card...bazaar!!! Really...this has never happened to me!

So...I took a photo of Miss J who is home with me today...she's practicing her writing...we do this every day she's home. She copies my sentence...and has improved incredibly...she's almost writing a neatly as her sister.

Ok...back to cleaning up the basement.

HAVE a fabulous Friday and a great weekend!
Tomorrow I am trying "Tap Dancing" for the first time EVER!

Have you tried anything new recently?

fuzzy hugs
Char.x

On the 9th day of December...

We have arrived in the UK for our Christmas stay with our Scandi family over here...and we have INTERNET!...YAY...I was getting a little worried as it's been 4 days since we arrived and I had the SLOWEST dongle in ALL the Country...

Mum is walking SO brilliantly...I am amazed at the difference between our Summer visit when she had both hips replaced to now...just wonderful.

Little miss J is enjoying the fact that the weather is VERY similar to in Canada right now here...LOTS of snow and Sunny skies this morning.

Missing Mr.R...but he'll be over just before Christmas...

HUGS to you all and thanks for your patience...I can now visit you more often and leave little comments...because even though I visited your blogs...I was not able to comment as it would time out as I pressed enter...so frustrating...

Until tomorrow...we're off to see Santa and his Reindeer.

Char.x

before and after...

 hey everyone...this weekend is all about transformation into characters for adults and little ones...
I did this sketch the other day when I went to a playcentre with Jordan...she was happily crafting and sitting in one spot for about 20 minutes...so I quickly sketched her with some wax crayons...on coloured craft paper...sometimes even materials which are cheap and cheery work well....it was fun, I haven't played around with wax crayons for a while.

 it's amazing how hair can change a person's look...she has been asking for weeks for braids...so we've been practicing and I think I have finally mastered the technique...after 6 years!!!

 here's a close up, she looks cute with her BIG eyes and slick hair style.

Funny, I asked our eldest Miss A if she'd like them..."no thanks!" was her response...

Our girls want to be Bat-girl and a Bride again....remember this pic from last year?
Makes mummy happy because I don't have to go out and spend lots of $$$ on costumes.

What are you transforming into this weekend? And your kids?

Have a safe and FUN weekend...
spooky spooky....
Char.x

right now...

I have a sleepy,tired  little lady from dancing yesterday(I'm trying to figure out how to post a video of their moves-any tips I would appreciate)
She's a little upset because her big sister gets to go on a school bus today to the Movie Theatre and see Toy Story 3.
She's wearing the prettiest skirt made by PATOUCHE(I would love one for myself...the fabrics are just SO gorgeous)
We're off to have a Mummy daughter outing to the local coffee house...that should cheer her up!

What are you up to today?

THANK YOU ALL for your best wishes yesterday...it was a little hairy scary!!!
HUGS
Char.x.

4 YESTERDAY!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY sweet little miss J...I really can't quite comprehend where these 4 years have gone? Time has just flown by...

Sisters just 2 years and 2 days apart...if I posted for one and not the other...I would be in trouble. So fabulous readers...bare with me...this was how we passed the day with little miss J.

I adore this photo...I had a couple more but her cheeks on this one were just priceless.

more sketch and note books...I think I'm creating mini-me's as I have a passion for them...and it may be rubbing off on them!

birthdays,birthday mornings,birthday cards...it was a bright and sunny day...perfect.

she really does look older than 4...but little miss J is SUCH a 4 year old...emotional,tempermental,testing,innocent(with a know it all attitude),loving,caring towards people she adores...and shy in unfamiliar situations.

and my oh my, is little miss J ever determined!

She learnt to tie her own laces whilst we were away, so we bought her lace-ups for her birthday...

and I finally was able to give them the 2 necklaces I had made for them by KELLY

then it was time for a break and to enjoy the outdoors

she could swing all day...but it's all about taking turns...

the perfect Birthday PICNIC in the park...HAPPY BIRTHDAY little miss J!

Thanks in advance for all the birthday wishes for our little one, I read the others for little miss A from you all on Monday...thank YOU!

Have a fantastic Friday...I'll be back to show you my latest creations...

HUGS

Char,ON

Making up MONDAY!

Ok...so this is like an apology for NOT having posted these past few days.
We've had BUSY times...and so...let's begin with..."US"...Mr. R and Moi...we had a St.Pati's day Party/ Space Invadors contest on Friday night...SO much fun! (I love my Man!)

We went to "Purple Woods" the land of Maple Syrup...every year a few farms open their woods up to educate the public on the tradition of Maple Syrup up here in Canada. The teperature has to be perfect for the sap(syrup) to be tapped out of the trees...

We got there early and met up with a few freinds and their kids...it's a beautiful walk down through the woods...the Sun had just risen, the horses were just arriving ready to take us for a little ride.

Aren't they gorgeous...and they were planning on doing a 7 hour day! Apparently 2,000 people walk through this wood each day for the 10 days that it's open...I know, CRAZY and poor horses.

We went to the Zoo...

and saw the Orangatangs...this Mama really is NOT a happy camper.

I really do have mixed feelings about the Zoo.

 It's fantastic to be able to see all these animals at such close proximity...but really...they don't live in the best conditions.

I finished a few Watercolours...like this one...

and this one...

and this one...

Oh...and another cat...

They'll all be in my Etsy Shop this week.

Even Little Miss J wanted a go at painting...I love her flying houses and little bird...

So...I hope my apology has been accepted...and I've been forgiven.

As you can see...we've been BUSY.

Tomorrow I have 2 Tell ALL Tuesdays.

Remember to check back.

Off to see what you've all been up to...I have some catching up to do.

HUGS

Char,ON