Beauty and the Beast finished

It's finished!!!

The play is next week... I hope to be able to take some photos of when the props and cast are in front of the sets.

Hope all is well with you... Thanks for stopping by!
Hugs
Char

Beauty and the Beast backdrops

We're working on the last scene today!
The French village scene... I'm thinking I need another 2 days... And then we'll be done.

Next, I am dedicating some time to re-design my website...
That should take a good amount of time!!

What's your next big project?
Xx
Hugs
Char

**COMPLETED**...Alice in Wonderland.

 From the sketch....(3 weeks ago)...

to the painting...(today)...

Thanks for passing by again and for ALL your encouraging words...I'm happy to be finished...but LOVED painting it...thank you B for helping!
My time was 100% a donation to the school...I understand that some may frown upon this...but I'm sure this will lead to other possibilities...(I'm hoping:-)

If you've arrived at our Blog today and it's the first time seeing the set design I've just finished...go and see the different steps of the Alice painting right from the beginning HERE and middle HERE...

Until tomorrow...
Painterly hugs
Char.x

just around the corner...

 from where we live is the School where the girls go...we can walk there...and do even if it rains,snows and hails...
both our girls have been SO fortunate to have these 2 wonderful teachers to guide them through their education.
We are SO thankful to them for engaging their excitement on a daily basis to learn and do well in school.

These 2 paintings are a little "thanks" to give them before we go to the UK for Christmas...
They are carrying their children...
Thank you lovely ladies!

This weekend we were touched by another awful cold all 3 of us...mr. R avoided it AGAIN...the weather has been up and down in temperature...and with school there's SO much going around...
LOTS of fruit,chicken noodle soup and the girls are at school today.
I missed the Show on Saturday...I was a little sad as sales were going to help with Christmas Shopping...but hey...c'est la vie...family and health comes first.

So...just catching up on commissions...thank you for all those who have supported me by purchasing prints and requesting custom pieces!

OH...BTW...tomorrow is the LAST DAY of my 30% SALE on ALL prints and Original ARTwork in my ETSY STORE!!!
I will be closing the store for the Holidays...but will working on new material to add to my store in the New Year.


Well...I have a million and one things to get done this morning.
HUGS and have a great week!
Char.x

every school across Canada...

 Hey...it's FRIDAY!...
Today's post is dedicated to Terry Fox...an amazing young man who unfortunately passed due to cancer in 1981.He contracted Bone Cancer at the young age of 18...and whilst in hospital(after having had his leg amputated), saw all the young kids who were also suffering, he decided to raise money for Cancer research by running across Canada.

 His run started from St.Johns in Newfoundland and had to stop much to his dismay, in Thunder Bay Ontario...he was running on average 42 km a day...that's a whole Marathon...from April 12th to September first. A year later Terry passed away as the Cancer had spread to his lungs.

To date, the Terry Fox Foundation has raised close to $500 million. Terry Fox is a hero amongst every Canadian, and every year around this time, Schools take a day to remember and raise money for his Foundation.
Both our girls will be running today at school...and I'll be joining them.

I really do love how Canadians honor their heros...
How does your Country honor theirs?

Have a wonderful weekend...what are you up to? Tonight we're celebrating 2 birthdays...2 lovely ladies on our street have september Birthdays...so a delicious meal is in store for us all.

HUGS
Char,ON
P.S. Will be able to show you the work which I have been busy finishing this week...Cindy and family came home with their little Zi from china last night...we went to the airport to meet them all...very emotional...wonderful to see the family together.

ONCE upon a TIME...

Once Upon a Time...there was a Mum who stayed home with her girls...who both soon to be off to school, Mum was asked many a time by others... "WOW...what are you going to do with your free time whilst little Miss J is in School?" ... "you won't know what to do with yourself!!!"

Little did people know that for the next 2 months, Mum would be SO busy with Mamas and Chicks, painting a little boy's room, painting a Dance Studio, illustrating 4 books,MAYBE painting and donating portraits of the 4 Canadian Tenors for a Silent Auction, filling a Moleskine Sketchbook which HASN't arrives yet (I promise, I am being AS patient as I can be) oh...and amongst all of the above...lets see...cleaning,cooking,assisting the girls with school work- purging old clothes(kids and adults)...and oh...being a wife...

I think I have enough to be "doing with my free time!"
I am not making a list out of all of this on the page as I am a little overwhelmed...but in a good excited overwhelming way...does this exist???

So...a little goodness came today through an Etsy convo...
"I have included your Once Upon a Time Panda Bear in my Treasury"
Please take a peak HERE...as I still haven't figured how to copy the whole page...sorry! (hey, if we get enough viewers it may hit the front page of ETSY)
Thank you Laughing Dog Studio!!!(who has amazing Jewellery!!!!)

I wish you ALL a HAPPY WEEKEND...I will probably be back and hope to visit you this evening...
It's been a very busy week.

HUGS
Char.x

Lazy Sunday's...are the best!

This was our sky this morning at our local park...I can't really comprehend the red leaves yet...it's WAY too soon for Fall to be upon us...right? BUT it did make for an incredible photo *smile*
We've been enjoying a lazy weekend.
Mr.R went Scuba diving...it was quite the drive,we were up and out of our house with the girls by 5am to be at the Dive site by 9am(we hung out at the local Town-had Breakfast and went to local parks)...another hour and we could have enjoyed the weekend in Montreal.(maybe I'll plan better next year!!!)
There's always so much going on in Montreal. Lots of street Markets...and the TAM TAM is happening today up at Mount Royal...the link shows you a little movie to what it's all about.
You can find Cara Carmina there selling her wares...she makes beautiful dolls and cards.

I've been making my lists for the week ahead.(it's aLONG list...won't bore you all)

We have just one more week until school starts...
DO ANY of you have a little one starting school for the first time this year?
I think we have prepped little miss J enough...but I'm not 100% sure.
I asked her at the park if she'll be ok...and said "you won't miss Mummy too much...right J?"
Her reply was " Mummy, I won't be THAT far away from you!!!"
So...I'm hoping this is a good sign and she seems excited.

I have some sketches to show you from our day trip yesterday...Mr.R took the camera 65ft under and has it packed away right now...later I'll show you...told you it was a Lazy Sunday...

HUGS...and cups of Tea.
Char.x

LOVE notes...

Today is a day to remember those who passed in the tragic 9-11 and to those families who have grieved and suffered loss.

I can't believe it has been so many years since those memories were first engraved on our brains.

Every day I send a note with a little sketch for our little Miss A in her snack bag. I want her to know that each day I think of her whilst she is enjoying school, and whilst I am not with her.
Some as you can see have been drawn in a mad rush because there have been a few days where we're one foot out the door and I have forgotten her note of Love from us.

I started this since her first day at Junior Kindergarten, Sept 2008.

A whole year has passed and the tradition is still going strong...but now has come the day to organise.

I'm planning on making a special memory book for her with all the notes in...

What would you do with them all?

Char,On

School projects...they start so young.

We're slowly finishing the School year...Ash will be moving to Senior Kindergarten in the Autumn...it always amazes me at the fact they have projects to do at home...this was one we worked on together...she chose the photos she wished to have on the page and I arranged it all.
Their Teacher has put together a Superstar Book...each of the kindergartens in her class had a week of being Superstar and had to input a page all about themselves in the book.
We had fun, but it took a good 3 hours!
That's why I don't get around to scrap booking...even though I would love to....do you have time to scrapbook? And do you have any favourite Scrapbook Artists? I have a few...which I will mention in my next post.
Have a wonderful day...only a few more days of Spring!!!
Char,Ontario

1st Day...

A quick sketch of our little girl who starts school tomorrow....or today(she is SO excited) Have packed the sketch down with her morning snack as a little surprise..sorry this post is 42mins over due...will write more tomorrow...Char,On