Mondays Mentions...my studio and LOST teeth!

It's a FREEZING cold Monday morning...my girls were under-dressed going to school today so I'm about to rush up there with an extra sweater for each of them...we're in March and it's still 20 below Zero...I know...I know...what can I expect living here in Canada?

At least the Sun is shining... right?!

SO...LOTS of work has been going on in our house...my husband has become VERY handy and is slowly finishing our basement...STAGE 3 and we're finally on MY studio...YAY...with my decision to start teaching kids this Summer...he is pushing to get it finished in time.

I spent hours cleaning my area and Mr R got the whole room framed(as you can see from these pics above).

This morning I took measurements of walls and windows...Mr R needs me to clarify where electrical outlets and lights etc should go.

So...over the next month and a half, I will be keeping you up to date with the progress of "my studio"...I am SO EXCITED...really, I have a buzzing energy inside...I'll finally be able to start a project and leave it out over night...usually I have to pack everything away so that we can eat dinner...

It's not a huge space...but with lots of Ikea storage...I will be able to organise and maneuver well in my studio.

He's even run an "air" line in from the compressor in the garage...so if I want to use an air brush or any tools which require air pressure...I'll be able to!

At the same time as my studio is being built, Mr. r is also finishing the "Dark Room"...this will be a fantastic hobby to teach our girls...to be able to develop their own photos...and to appreciate where photography came from and how we arrive at the finished print.

Both Mr. R and I have studied Photography...and we have the enlarger already.

Should be fun!

Here's Miss A with her TOOTHLESS smile...she was shy about me taking her photo...

Her tooth finally came out on Friday in her Assembly at school...they gave her that little tooth box on a string to keep her tooth safe...cute!

MONDAYs Mentions ::

So...today we're going SCANDINAVIAN with our links...

As many of you know I have a HUGE connection with Scandinavia...even though I have never actually lived there...my parents are both Scandi...

I used to go to Danmark every Summer to visit our Farmor and Farfar(Grandparents)...they lived in Hellerup just outside Copenhagen.

I LOVE the little Danish stores...THIS one I have never been to...but would love to.Brinja also has a BLOG which is full of colour and family life.

I visit this Scandi lass quite frequently ... I adore the interiors she posts about and the Scandinavian design in general...MAMAMEKKO...

Reminds me of Marimekko...lol...which is ANOTHER brilliant Scandinavian(Finnish) designer...GO HERE to check out their designs.

A Swedish Artist...ALEXANDRA HEDBERG creates some amazingly interesting paintings...and is about to start a commission for the exterior of a building. I like seeing her work's progression.

And finally...Vilde from Norway has a blog (although there really are SO many Scandinavian links I could post...perhaps I should create a section JUST for this...) MY SCANDINAVIAN RETREAT...is where I go to dream, of that perfect place...by the water or in the City...gorgeous designed houses with such simplistic interiors.

Thanks for passing by today...I hope you enjoy all these links.

This afternoon I am working on a colour sketch for an Alice in Wonderland back-drop and I received a commission for a "Family Load" portrait...I LOVE COMMISSIONS!!! :-)

Until tomorrow...have a lovely Monday...it's going to be a GREAT week!

HUGS

Char.x

steps till the end...

 So...I've been on the computer most of this day so far...apart from a few hours whilst working on this piece.

It's for this lovely lady over HERE.

 she has such adorable kids...these pictures I create of a mother and her "load" first came about whenever I would struggle when our girls were much smaller...and I would think of MY mother with 3...and say to myself "suck it up...if Mum could do it...so can I"...

 From those words...many drawings, commissions have been requested...I think it's a great gift to either give yourself to honour your journey as a mother...or to a friend,sister,mother...

4 children...I could only imagine how little I would get done in a day. I really do bow down to all these fabulous Mamas who have more than 2 children...you give up your all.

 Lisa has a wonderful Blog called Earth Mama...and she's constantly crafting with her youngans...very inspiring!

































Well...it's finished and in the mailbox...
Hope you love it Lisa as much as I loved drawing it. You have a beautiful family.

Don't miss MONDAY's MENTIONS in the post below!!!

OH...and I am opening up Sponsorship spots on our Blog again...(I've placed a page above for all of you which are interested!) just email me for more INFO.

HUGS
Char.x

Sweet Valentines...and Monday Mentions.

 To be greeted with these two gorgeous sweethearts makes everyday worthwhile...HAPPY VALENTINE's Day!!!

 Just thought I would show you a couple of sketches which I have been working on for the set of Alice up at our girl's school.

 I haven't met the director of the Show yet, so I'm not sure in which direction they are going with regards to set changes etc...

 BUT...at least here's something for them.

 I'm also working on another sketch for the Tea Party...which may be fun...so stay tuned!

I've never been involved with any set designing before...but thought I could lend a hand.

AND NOW....for our "MONDAY MENTIONS"...
Today we're looking at all those Valentine Celebrations...handmade LOVE...
THIS tiny book of LOVE is adorable,
 and the way it's put HERE...
THIS Mama has been baking lots of LOVE...
Check out these sweethearts(literally) over HERE.
2 POSTERS I would buy for my man!
AND finally...my favourite place to come when I want to see some beautiful Artwork dedicated to those who LOVE a stranger...HERE...


I really have to send MANY MANY *hearts* out to all of you...you're AWESOME, and I totally appreciate you stopping by and leaving such honest and heartfelt comments...
HAVE a wonderful VALENTINE's DAY...
I will be thinking of my sweet husband who makes everyday special...our girls who bring smiles and tears to my face daily...and thinking of my father who is going in for a biopsy today(follow up of last year)...

SWEET HUGS
Char.x

MONDAY's mentions

 Hello Monday readers...how was your weekend?
Ours was incredibly busy...but I still managed to thrift/charity store to find some goodies...

 I'm SUPER happy about my book finds...

Beautiful illustrations...
which brings me onto our "Monday's Mentions" and the topic of Illustrators and Artists who base their work around Nature.
I adore these feathers...and these birds.
Amazing trees here and HERE.
I am loving these Landscapes, and the combination of human and animal HERE.
These and these make me happy!

What makes YOU happy today?
Remember to link back to your Monday Mentions.

HUGS my friends...see you tomorrow...we have a crafter coming to join us for our Tell ALL Tuesdays in the morning...hope you'll stop by!

Char.x

Mondays mentions...

Today was a busy day,I helped up at the school with their Valantine's crafts...the conversations which I heard amongst the 6 year olds were very interesting.Everything from Hockey, skiing to Valentine's wishes...it starts very young..trust me!
These are my girls loving being geeks...aren't they cute...my point and shoot camera is all I have so enhancing the photo is always a regular occurrence after taking photos.
I have 3 bloggers who's photography I just adore...

FIRST meet Andrea from Hula Seventy...she gets to be first as she just turned 40! HAPPY BIRTHDAY Andrea!!! Her photography is awesome...she obviously loves capturing the moment but has an eye and love for anything Retro...go take a peek!

SECONDLY  meet Charlane from Ramblins she's an amazing person who is able to capture Life not just in photos but in words too...a very wise lady! Please go and say hello...she recently posted the most wonderful pics of her nephews...

and THIRDLY...Abby from Abby Try Again is an amazing photographer from Portland now living in Texas...I love the feel of her photos...they have a Soul...each one of them.She has a little announcement on her blog today too....(smile)

And that's it for today...I am off to work more on my Summer Art Camp...lots of planning to do.
Do you have any photographers you LOVE who blog?
Please share your links.

Until tomorrow.
HUGS
Char.x

Mondays mentions...and crafting this past weekend...

 Hello there...before we get to our " Monday's Mentions",I'd like to introduce to you our cat Jazzy...she LOVES to get involved(literally).
She sat (very close by) whilst I cut out ALL 437 hearts for our daughter's class Valentine's projects which I have offered to do with them.

I'm really very fortunate to have 2 lovely teachers who welcome the help within their classrooms.So for this project the Kindergarten class which Miss J is in will write out 7 names of the people they LOVE...and then copy the names on each heart. THEN, the fun part, we will paint the hearts or stamp them...I haven't figured out which yet.

 I have cut one LARGE heart for each of them which will say "I LOVE YOU" on it...and hanging from the large heart will be all the smaller ones.
It'll be a fun project...

 Miss A will be working on the same project, but their class will have 14 hearts to hang from their main one...and they will have to write...14 names of people they love and WHY they love them...a little more challenging, but they are in Grade 1.

 I bagged every project in individual Zip-lock bags...this way their teachers will find it easier to store from week to week. I'm prettyy excited about starting this...I will go in this afternoon to start with Miss J's class.
Here's another fun drawing exercise which the girls did on Friday...they had a friend over for a play-date, so I covered the kitchen table with paper(something I should do more often as it inspired them to sit and draw) and they had fun colouring...

 Miss J always asks me to draw something...this time it was girls(as their very into their dolls right now) so I drew some but without hair...this way their imagination could run a little...

 I love afternoons like this...

 especially when it's -26 degrees out there!!!

 We're getting the true Canadian Winter here this week...and we still went skiing on Sunday...it was only -40 with the windchill!!!

So...onwards with our Mondays Mentions.

*Monday's mentions*
is a Monday ritual to open doors to creative Souls who blog and live the "handmade" pledge...who you may or may not know already... enjoy.

As we're on the subject of "Crafts", I think it appropriate to mention some Crafters out there today whom I adore to visit on a regular bases...some have become great friends.
 
FIRST we have Andrea from Andrea Creates,she's truly a crafty lady who creates wonderful pouches, clips,bags...you name it...she can make it. She's also a very sweet lady...who always encourages us over here at our blog...thank you Andrea!
SECOND I would like to introduce you to "K" from a Bit of PilliPilli...a beautiful Dutch crafter living in Italy...her sewing skills are incredible and I just adore her photography!
Another friend who I have made through BLOGland...Thank you K!(P.S.she's been featured as one of our Tell ALL Tuesdays spotlights....link at top!)
and THIRD I have to mention Sandra from Herzenart ...WOW...I just adore her Viking creations...she's a true crafter and always has an interesting post...thanks Sandra!!

DON"T forget to leave me your link to your Mondays Mentions...I always love hearing about other bloggers who create and make...

Off to clean my house...do Laundry...and run errands...amongst other things...
What are you up to today?

snowy hugs
Char.x

Monday's mentions...

*Monday's mentions* 

 is a Monday ritual to open doors to creative Souls who blog and live the "handmade" pledge...who you may or may not know already... enjoy.

 

Good morning sweet readers...so welcome to our new Monday Ritual...I have always wanted to do something similar, there are many gorgeous Monday Mosaics happening all around us, but I still haven't figured out how to make one...
So *Mondays mentions* will be our little "thing" which you are more than welcome to join in on.

The temperature out today is very close to -25 degrees Celcius...and although SO cold...the light when it's this cold is so clean and bright. We got a dumping of snow on Saturday...the girls are happy...SNOW FORTS!!!
Walking them up to school this morning was a tease as every snow bank lead their imagination to greater creations..."NOPE" not until after school" I told them...arriving to school wet from rolling in the snow wouldn't be a smart move.
You know when it's cold when: the skin of your legs BURN and the hairs in your nose feel brittle...when every step in the snow is a SQUEEKY CRUNCH...love it!!!!

*Monday's mentions*
I would LOVE to make some BLUEBERRY BUTTER today...I have all the ingredients...Nocole has a wonderful Blog...SLEEPY TIME GAL...go check it out...LOTS of crafts and tutorials to keep all of us Mums even busier!!!

I like the freedom of Jasmin's writing and family out in Australia...I feel the hippy in me coming out when I visit her blog Jazzy Two Shoes...her photography is awesome and she's constantly making stuff for her family.

Finally for today's mentions ...I would love to purchase one of Kerry's prints one day...they're fresh...as is her blog the Seventy Tree. She's extremely honest...and to the point in her writing...definitely worth a visit!

SO...join in the fun and leave me links to YOUR Monday mentions in the comments field below...
Have a great Monday.
happy hugs
Char.x