Wordless Wednesday ... a Panda Bear's journey...

Bear HUGS
Char.x

2 bears completed...yay!

I really enjoy productive days like today...shame it was because the house was sick...

thanks SO much for all your well wishes...it really does help I'm sure...

So, below as you can see...are the other 2 Once Upon a Time watercolours.

I've never drawn a cartoon character before...I really love how it turned out...hope the owner loves it.

ok...that's it for me today.

HUGS
Char.x

!!!! CHRISTMAS in AUGUST GIVEAWAY !!!!!

**CHRISTMAS in AUGUST GIVEAWAY**

It's been a while since we've hosted a giveaway...

so we thought Christmas could come early for someone.

I am giving away 8 (yes 8 just because we're in the 8th month of this year) of my Once Upon a Time prints.

Each print can be personalized with a name...making them extra special gifts for your loved ones!

All you have to do to win is::

1. Become a follower of our Blog (if you're not all ready)
2. & leave a comment below...
   Want an extra chance to win??
3. Blog about the giveaway (make sure to leave me the link)
4. Post it on your Facebook Page (make sure to leave me the link)

I will choose the winner with the help of Random.org on Monday August 23rd....8pm EST.

Merry Christmas!!!

HUGS

Char.x

can you imagine?

a day without light...a night without the Moon?

I'm getting really excited about this book Shelly and I are working on together...

these sketches just finished minutes ago whilst listening to our girls babble and make believe in their imaginary World...
I can't really say too much about our work together ... but it will definitely be an eye opener and a thought provoker.
Have a great evening...to EACH and every one of you *SMILE* we have light! (for now)

HUGS
Char.x

HAPPY Monday...

I adore the way you all cheer me up on Friday...THANK YOU! You SO helped me get over the Friday's Delivery...for those of you who missed it, scroll down to see what the reaction was when I delivered the Pastel Portraits...

Anyways...now I really do know that commissions are not always satisfying,but they bring in the bread...so, I just have to be a little thicker skinned and not really care too much about the reaction...right?!

We've had a busy weekend Mr.R and I...On Saturday we were at Beer Fest in Toronto which was a lot of fun...and I think my favourite was an Apple Pilsner with Vanilla Icecream! YUM...probably a tonne of calories,so you don't want to go overboard with it...but very refreshing on a warm Summer day!

Sunday was spent contacting all our vendors for our Fall Mamas and Chicks Show...which is on October 22nd this year. It'll be fun as it's the week before Halloween so all the kiddos can come in their Halloween outfits!

The above sketches were done last night...the colours aren't right as I didn't have my watercolours out...and just had an itch of an idea to jot down on paper...it's for the book I'm working on...

AND...as you can see, our little Misses got their hair straightened by their Cousin A...it's amazing how their hair is SO much longer when straightened....they ADORE it and keep brushing it.

"can we keep it for going back to school? please Mummy?"

Hmm,that's in 3 weeks time...I don't think so!!!!

I think I may have to invest in a straightener one of these years(not yet) or perhaps it can be a Christmas gift!

We're off to find Back to School gear today...I know we have a while but the weeks are going to creep up on us...I had planned to start waking up our girls at their school wake up hour(6.30am)...their school starts at 7.50am...I KNOW...SO early!

Fortunately I am an early bird...and as long as we have everything ready the night before...we should be fine.

What are you up to today?

Check back tomorrow...I have a Tell ALL Tuesday interview with a local Torontonian.

That's all I'm saying :-)

HUGS

Char.x

today is the day...

when I deliver those two pastel portraits I finished this week...my stomach is upside down with a wee bit of worry...just a wee bit...Portraits are very personal, especially to a Mum who knows her kids faces and all their quirkinesses(word? not sure).

So....I believe there's nothing better than a "snort" of fresh air(as my friend D would say...) to calm nerves...so off we went.

They're going to be made into Jam...so if they're not ALL pretty...it's o.k.

I'm just content our girls love helping their Mummy.

There seemed to be a lot of inspecting going on before that stawberry was popped in her mouth...

and after half an hour...which really is their limit to most things....they were done, or at least our girls were...little W seemed to be able to pick-pick-pick...

ah, but there was the distraction of the duck which flew in and landed right beside the patch...not shy at all...perhaps he was after a few berries too.

Have a fantastic FRIDAY, and I will surely be back to tell you the out-come of the "Delivery"...

What's been on my mind recently...this week:

where is my Art Career going?

In which direction should I push it?

Should I stick to the fine ARts and work towards becoming a better more recognised Portrait Artist?

OR should I conintue on the path of illustration?

OR CAN I do both?

All taking into consideration that a family has to eat!

I have never advertised...where do I start?

Leaving you with that thought...I better get boogying.

HUGS

Char.x

P.S. The illustration is a snippet of a page for the book with Shelly.(must paint more this weekend!!)

GUESS what I forgot...

  after a frantic hour and a half the other day of searching through ALL our bags and clothes...I still couldn't find it.
I forgot my SD CARD in England which I had loaded with pics and edited them all ready for posting...can you believe it?
I just called Dad this morning and he confirmed that it was there, still sitting in the docking station of their lap-top.

Where is my head?

On another note I am going to show you a couple of sneak peaks from the book I am working on with Shelly.

                           

I really didn't have as much energy as I had hoped to work in the evenings over in the UK on the book...it was more exhausting than I imagined...but great to be there through my Mama's operation and see her recovering SO well.

Thank you ALL for the wonderful support and kind words and well wishes for her...you really are SUCH an important part of my Life...the encouragement and energies are bountiful and I am SO THANKFUL...

We're back in Canada and enjoying the HEAT...friends who I haven't seen for a while, and the girls are so happy to see their buddies.

Trips to my homeland are always wonderful...and I will miss my dear family and friends who I saw...but here is my home and it is a delight to be close to my Soulmate,my husband...Mr.R.
Today is a THANKFUL day...
thanks for passing by...I will be by to say hello to you all later.
OH, and THANKful...SO THANKful for this marvelous internet connection I am fortunate to have here.
HAPPY FRIDAY!


HUGS
Char.x.

Luxray the GREAT

good morning everyone,thank you dearly for all the sweet comments....last week was a SUPER busy one,so if I haven'y replied or visited your World yet...I will try tonight

...it's the start of a new week...and it's going to be a busy one!

late last night I finished Luxray for Vincent. He's turning 7 and loves Pokemon...so I found Luxray who's one of the characters...this is my first non-real animal which I have painted. As an artist you have to bend to others sometimes...kids grow up...we have to grow with them!

the binders of my watercolour pads are filled with colour tests...I keep them as a memory of the paintings I did...is that wierd?

What do you keep that not too many people know about?

have a great Monday.

HUGS,

Char.

A LOST LOVE...

meet Dylan the Dog...he passed just a couple of weeks ago,poor thing, but he was old...his owner called me up..."I'd love to have 3 paintings ,one for each of my children of Dylan and them...can this be done?"

of course it can be done!

and these are the times I love...keeping busy...drawing,painting and making smiles apear on others...

it's been a long day...emotionally exhausting...but I won't bore you.

sweet dreams...don't let the bed-bugs bite!

HUGS

Char.x.

my breakfast randoms...

before breakfast I finished this watercolour for a little girl called Bree.

she looks like such a sweet creature.

breakfasts are spent chatting and talknig about what we'd like to do during the day...little Miss A always seems to have company whilst eating her breakfast.

I adore the light which pours in the windows in the morning...such perfect painting light!

today I am finishing these...

these having been lying around waiting their turn for a while...I think because they aren't commissions...the urgency isn't there to complete them.

so many people at our Mamas Show were asking if I had a frog and a prince...so here it is...almost completed.

There's no tell all Tuesday spot this week as you can see...

so here are 10 random things you may not know about me:

• 
  
  I love Marmite on toast (LOVE LOVE LOVE)
• 
  
  I work better under-pressure (which can be frustrating at times)
• 
  
  I can't go to sleep at night without going to check on our girls(and I have to kiss their cheeks and tell them I love them)
• 
  
  if I won the lottery(as I would need A LOT of money), I would set up a Community Art Centre- painting,crafts,theatre...they're all so theraputic and I believe everybody should dabble in something creative!
• 
  
  I used approximately 5% of my shoe collection...but love all of them and find it hard to give them up...soon they'll be Antiques!
• 
  
  I miss speaking Spanish and Italian...so if anyone wishes to meet up and is Italian or Spanish...and you live in the GTA...I NEED practice!
• 
  
  If I could choose the whole day to be made up of mornings...it would.(I'd scrap afternoons and evenings-as I get so much more done in the mornings)
• 
  
  if I wasn't an artist...I would be a Chef
• 
  
  I'm a bit of a loner...and love "my" time...if I didn't see anyone for a few days...it wouldn't bother me(is this wierd?)
• 
  
  I'd LOVE to have dinner with ALL of you!!!

have a fantastic Tuesday...and if you'd like to post your 10 RANDOMS...please link back to your post in the comments bellow.

HUGS,

Char,ON

Originals for SALE

in my quest to pay for our Disney trip...I am selling some Originals...
They will be on Sale in my Etsy shop from April 1st (my B-day) until next week...

Then after that...I'm moving them over to EBAY...where the bidding will start.

I'll be sorry to see some of these go...but a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do!

I thank all of you lovelies who have supported me...thank YOU...you know who you are...

But...I really thought Etsy would be more profitable...oh well...I guess you either make it or you don't.Sorry...

just having one of those rare days...I'm usually all "spiffy and happy"...but not today.

Ok...so you all deserve to know...and I know I'm probably being ridiculous.

I received a comment yesterday which I had to delete...I know I should put more rules on receiving comments and approve them before publishing them...but I really don't have time some days.

It's really very silly...it was an annonomous commenter, and they basically dissed my post...it's been bugging me since yesterday.

I'm a Peace maker...and wish for the World to be a happy place. When someone doesn't like me/what I say...it hurts...and I find it really hard to shrug.

I believe if you have nothing NICE to say...don't say anything at all.

That's all...but it really makes me think twice about blogging :-(

Until tomorrow...maybe.

Char,ON

FELIZIDADES... and congrats to...

ESTI from Pintame el Dia ...# 46 using Random.org.
Esti is our February Giveaway Winner for the Original Watercolour Once Upon a Time painting...she chose, a Bear with 2 girls on it's side...I'm SUPER excited to paint this for her.
She is a wonderful Artist and lives in Spain...I always love the idea of a piece of me travelling half the way around the World.
Esti also has a wonderful Blog where you can see all her talent.

Sorry I couldn't paint ALL your desires, I had SO much fun reading all your wishes...some extremely imaginative and fun images came to mind whilst going through them all.

I really do appreciate all the very kind comments regarding my Once Upon a Time paintings...and it was lovely to meet new creative bloggers throughout this giveaway...thanks for entering!

This is what I did yesterday::

picked up little Miss A from school and had some fun in the snow...

meet Mrs Snow and Mr Snow...

and then she came to life...with a little food colouring...tortilla chips and chestnuts...oh, and a whole lot of imagination from our 2 little Misses.

I finished a commision which I had started Monday evening...

I am thinking my watercolours need filling! Anyone know of a good Art Supply store which sell the little watercolour blocks?

So...it was a busy day yesterday...today...that's another matter.
Both our girls have playdates planned for today...which means a little spare time for Mummy...yay...

Sorry if I haven't caught up on your blogs recently...I hope to today.

What are your plans for Today?

Until later...
Char,ON

original ARTwork GIVEAWAY...

HELLO fabulous friends...

I haven't had a giveaway for a while...SO...many of you know what to do to WIN an Original watercolour Once Upon a Time painting...

1st :: Make sure you're a FABULOUS READER of our blog.

2nd :: Leave a comment telling me which Animal,bird  or insect you would like painted. With the numer of children/adults on the back and 3 colours...oh, as well as a night or day scene.

3rd :: If you'd like an extra entry...blog about the giveaway and make sure you leave a seperate comment with the link to your post.

Have fun with it...I will use a random picker and choose a Winner on WEDNESDAY the 24th February.

P.S. EVEN if you have won one in the past...you may still enter...this is 2010 you know!

Enjoy your Saturday.
Char,ON