Blogtober: Day 8.

Dreaming about working on all the

dollhouses this Winter. I truly need

to get them done and then decide what

to do with them. Sell? Keep? Ugh!

~ Chy

A Long Awaited Piece of Art.

I've been searching for this print forever!

It's often paired with another piece from

a different artist ~ a beautiful print of a

little girl titled "Charlotte." This one is

called "Peter" and we spent a lot of time

trying to find it in the various antique

stores and even online. Finally, I found

it on Etsy and showed it to dh. And look

what was under our tree on Christmas

morning! From great sellers on the East

coast, it arrived in perfect condition. I

can't wait to hang it up. Now, should it

go beside "Charlotte" or should "Peter"

have his own spot in the cottage? Hmm.

~ Chy

A Distraction.

As I was getting ready for surgery, I was

trying to find things I could do from the

comfort of my little cozy recovery chair.

We brought my art cart down from the

studio and filled it with new magazines

to read, a cross stitch to consider, cards

to write and a Lego to build. Today, I

started the Lego, though I was so tired

that I didn't get very far. But it was a

good start and now I have something

to work on when I feel bored. Still no

pain, just a bit of nausea from the drugs

and exhaustion. I'm so glad I have this

time at home to just rest as I need, with

no worry about having to rush back to

work or my regular activities. Blessed!

~ Chy

Sunrise.

Mornings are so relaxed. I was about

to head upstairs the other morning and

caught the sunrise on our staircase. I've

been collecting art to make a gallery wall.

The sun on the art looks so warm and

cozy. I may have to leave them there!

~ Chy

Works of Art.

These are the most incredible little hedgehogs I've

ever come across ~ works of art. I can't imagine the

planning, drafting, time and energy that went in to

creating these. So in love with their sweet little faces!

~ Chy

Midweek Musings.

All is well today! We have hot water, thanks to our local plumber and we're starting to get some answers as to why I've been feeling so run down. Supplements to boost up my system, a gluco~meter to ensure my levels stay inline, and more testing over the next few weeks to ensure we've finally ruled out anything and everything. I'm looking forward to testing being done. And for the worry to go away.

I have a version of the dollhouse above. Bought second hand and it's sturdy but needs cosmetic work. The outside is painted a very dark pink, with green windows. I'd like to go for a more muted tone like above. Soft pink, with brown, a warm cream and a pale, sage green. I have a few more things to finish on my gd's dollhouse and then I can start this one. I love the cedar roof and the wallpaper in most of the rooms but will take some down from a few of the other rooms. Always fun to see how others would decorate a dollhouse. I love the reno part, even if it's very, very tedious. 

Work has been busy and many of us are back at home for the next little while. I'm going to go in next week as I've  been home since the 22nd and really need to tackle a few projects and meetings on site. At home works so well, but somethings have to be done in person I'll go in the mornings and my colleague will come in the afternoon so we limit risk. I have loved that the weather has been bitterly cold, and being home in the warm and cozy cottage has helped to get thru this cold snap. A few more days and then next week looks amazing. Fingers crossed the forecast doesn't change.

Tomorrow is our day off but I have a new program starting on Monday and will need to finish up the curriculum for review. Then I can relax on the weekend. We hope with the warm weather to get some of our snow moved down in to the forest so we don't have to worry about where to put any new snow that falls over the Winter. Despite all our space, we're running out of room there's just so much!

I'm off to work on my  new program

And then an early bed tonight. G'nite!

~ Chy

Dollhouse Renovation.

I'm almost done my first dollhouse and hope to begin working on this model. I'm going to have to dig around to find a picture of it in its current state. But just imagine quite a bright pink, with green window trim and doors, and a stained deck. Roof is cedar shakes and the inside will need a "refresh" as well. Not quite the look I want but it's what I have to work with. I love the model above with a more subtle hint of pink, with a darker hue, green, ivory and grey. I've kept this photo as my inspiration. We'll see how close I get! I may switch out the burgundy for light green or grey. 

Do you have any projects you're

currently working on this Summer?

~ Chy

Dollhouse Dilemma.

I find myself struggling with a dollhouse

dilemma. I bought this old dollhouse but a

few of the lovely doors and windows were

missing. The previous owner promised to

find them in her boxes from moving but

at this time, she has not come across them.

I've decided it's time to get this one going,

so I'm scouring the internet looking for

the same ones or something that will do

well as a replacement for all. Wish me luck!

~ Chy

The Beginning ....

This is a bit of a "quirky" corner in our cottage. I love the curve of the staircase but figuring out how to decorate this spot has been a bit of a challenge. We have envisioned a gallery wall going up the stairs and then when we did the board and batten wall in the lower level down the hall towards the theatre room, we knew then that we'd like to do the same going up the stairs. The painting we found on sale after Christmas and though it does have a bit of the season in the images, I plan to keep it up as it's perfect with all our colors. The board and batten will start in the corner and "bump up" with each change in level then follow the slope of the stairs. This next step will begin soon. We're just finishing up painting the lower level and then we'll begin. The b and b will continue from the top of the stairs and down the long hallway to the art studio. I think this will help break up the high walls so it looks more cozy in the cottage. 

In other news, this has been a hard but good week. I'm super tired today and have a class to teach this morning. Yesterday was technically my day off but I had to pop in to the hospice for a photo shoot (my curly hair was a hit!), visited a friend at his new location for his business (impressive!), picked up some art supplies from Michaels, then came home to change and do a bunch of paperwork, meetings, calls, then dinner after a bit of a break outside, then a class to teach and a Zoom meeting that went almost until 10 pm. After my class is done at noon today, I'm done for the day. We plan to drive in to the Big City to meet up with a friend to get a document signed. There is a possibility we may meet at an outdoor pub but will see how we feel as the numbers suddenly jumped up again this week after a number of weeks of being low. Not sure why the spike but it is a grave concern. We may just chat and then head home. Not sure what the rest of the day holds but I have a list of things to accomplish if I need any inspiration. Hockey game tonight to watch, which often means doing some art for me. I have a sweet project I could start that won't take long. And today I'm signing up for a 3 day course that will be virtual at the beginning of April. 

Tomorrow is a no plan day just yet. It's supposed to rain, which would be good as there is a lot of brown out on the landscape. We can see bits of green popping up here and there. Our rink is now a lovely swimming pool! It was a great run and we're already planning next year's set up. 

Wishing you a beautiful Spring day!

Hope it's beautiful, wherever you are.

~ Chy

Relieving Stress.

Since Thursday, some stress has entered

our life and it's been a tough few days.

Last night, a bit of a break and what do

I do to relax when I'm stressed? Art! I

am creating a little mixed media box

and this is just the beginning ~ paint,

then some printed paper, a few odds

and ends to add texture, then a bunch

of embellishments. I'll post once I have

it completed. Happy to have my art!

~ Chy

Office Art.

Our grief centre and office is almost

complete for paint, furnishings and art.

This piece was the starting point for the

colors we chose. Soft, light and calming.

~ Chy

Office Art.

I finally hung up the charity shop painting

I picked up when we secured our grief office.

The colors in the painting ended up guiding

us as we chose the colors for the space. I

love the soft and warm tones. And the tones

that are light and playful. So very calming. 

~ Chy

Gramma's Art.

At mom's care home, they do art and

she was excited to show us her creation.

Handprints to remember a special day

they all participated in together. Sweet!

~ Chy

Sweet Art.

I'm a huge fan of Susan Branch, who has a million

books ~ okay, not quite but many. She uses art and

words together. I've never seen anyone else do this.

Until I came across this photo in an Art Magazine.

As I begin to expand my art journey, this technique

is something I hope to incorporate. Isn't it sweet?

~ Chy

Impressive Quilt.

In between meetings yesterday, we walked

over to the Quilt store in town. And look

what was on display in the lobby!! So very

amazing! I've made 1.5 quilts so far and

can't even imagine making something this

grand. It's huge! One day, maybe I can ....

~ Chy

Comfort Zone.

Saturday morning musings from my very comfy desk ~ aka our bed! I truly don't want to get up. Our province is once again under an Extreme Weather Warning for the weekend. I haven't checked yet this morning but with the windchill, the temperatures are supposed to sit well under - 40 C. Really, Mother Nature? Please give us a break! A mild Winter was expected and we enjoyed, right up until the first week of February. And then you gave us some snow, not too much but enough to make it a true Winter. Our snow has gotten less and less over the years. Sometimes we don't even need boots. It was a bit fun at first and very pretty. But the bitter cold was not welcome. Please Mother, take it back and bring on Spring! Don't you think after all the cold, we deserve some beautiful warmth? With warm sun and melting snow? I'll just leave this thought out here for her to ponder.

On to my news for the day. I, little me, the very cautious, over thinking me, has taken a huge step out of my comfort zone. What, you may say? Yes, my comfort zone. I struggle with social situations and am always very protective of myself but since discovering an art store in the Big City, I've been drooling over their art classes that come across my laptop. I open up the email messages and gaze at the incredible projects. And then close them. Taking a class by myself isn't particularly appealing to me. How will I concentrate on the task at hand if I have to talk to people? What if the noise is too much? What if my voice gets crackly? What if my hands get tired and won't cooperate? 

And then this "Whisper Box" class came up and I just had to swallow my concerns and sign up. I thought about it first for a few days, dh said "just do it" and I did! I'm a self taught mixed media dabbler ~ I won't say artist yet but that is my end goal. So this class is a step in the right direction. I'm excited but very nervous all at once. To combat the nervous, I've been reviewing the list of additional items that are required (the fee includes most of the kit) and spent time in the art studio gathering what I already had ~ scissors, gold pen, matt finish, etc. After my kids grief class today (see I can teach a class, but attending ..... ooohhhh), I'm heading off to our local M's, coupon in hand to start gathering the archival inks and the varnish needed. The class is a week from tomorrow and is for 6 hours, so I'll also have to figure out how and what to bring along to eat and drink. 

Isn't it the sweetest project? I have a feeling I'll be nervous all week right up until I arrive and then it will be so much fun that I'll be signing up for the next class before the first one is done! There is only 7 spots in the class and then the instructor, so 8 in the room. I think if I can talk in front of a 1,000 people and not be nervous, 8 should be easy peasy! Do you ever step out of your comfort zone to tackle something that is exciting to you? Send along your coping techniques if you do so I can reassure myself this will be just fine and worth it in the end! And fingers crossed, mine turns out as nice as the project pictures show. I will work very hard to ensure that it does. I'm off to teach class. Have a great day!

~ Chy

Not a Photo ....

.... I truly thought this was a photo but

it is indeed a painting. The talent from

this artist is breathtaking, with the level

of detail he has showcased in this piece.

~ Chy

The Cow.

This is one of the art pieces from
one of the artists we interviewed. I
love the "expression" on the cow's
face. Like he is posing for the canvas.

~ Chy

Trio.

More eclectic art from the Art Gallery

shoot tonight. Floral trio of beauty.

~ Chy

Felt Art.

Excited to see these pieces from a local

artist who does felting with embroidery.

I ordered a felting kit from Susan Branch

and can't wait to try this amazing art medium.

I'm not sure mine will ever get in to an Art

Gallery but it will fun to create textured art.

~ Chy