A Glorious Weekend!

The gallery opening of "Come All Ye, A Second Verse" was amazing! There were SO many people and it was such a thrill to share our work with our friends and clients....Caroline's images lit up the room as did she (she looked awesome in a gorgeous summery dress!!) and we all had a ball!

Yesterday, we went to Northern Bay with our dearest and wee Clio and enjoyed the surf and sun! A perfect weekend was had by all!!!!

Thank you so much to our families and friends who came to the opening and helped with food and logistics.

The star of the show really was Sophie, who looked FaBULOUS in her new outfit and was the envy of everyone there....I should have worn sparkly sneakers and a pink skirt too!!!

(SHE insisted on wearing her black shirt to the opening and looked like Johnny CASH......SHE WALKED THE LINE)

COME ALL YE! OPENS TOMORROW!!!

We have been FRANTIC with a capital "F" getting reading for our gallery show with Caroline. I am happy to say that we have it all installed in the gallery and only have to bring in a last chair (it is a goat named GERT) who is a straggler.
I will start putting the photos of the work from this show up on the blog starting Sunday...there are crabby shelves (shelf-ish!!!) and cat chairs.....double magic mirrors, painted toilet seats (Rattlin' Bogs) and more! Caroline's work is amazing and the show should be a lot fun.
It will be on view at the Devon House Gallery from Saturday, august 28th to October 3rd.
The opening is tomorrow.....so, COME ALL YE!
Hope to see you there....2pm-4pm.

My Third Eye...............

If it wasn't for our kindly, darling friends and lefty (if you're looking at the water) neighbours SHE would starve. SHE told me this herself, so it must be true.Truer things have never been said. I have been locked away in my studio. I don't come out. Ever. Well, hardly ever. Last night, when I DID unlock the door and venture out for a look at life, SHE screamed at me...YOU ARE BLINDING ME!!! YOU ARE GLOWING FROM A THIRD EYE!!!

Ahhh, I said. This is my new headlamp from Lee Valley. (I snuck it in with HER last order of carving knives and "thingsheneeds".

I love my headlamp. It is great for working late at night. I might start wearing it out for midnight strolls. In future, however, I will only wear it if I am alone. Last night, every time I turned to look at her when SHE was talking, SHE would holler and say things about going blind and my third eye. I told her SHE was being terribly unhelpful and that she should save her drama for her mama.

I can't find my headlamp anywhere.

Images: The Family Peddle - Maggoty Fish by Cara & Pam

D was For Dog By Cara Kansala- Alphabet Song

Dolly's VERY Famous Homemade Bread

So Many Men, So Little Time!

I have been painting like a whirling-dervish trying to get things finished up for our gallery show (August 28th.....YIKES!!) and every time I think I have things under control, a man arrives at my desk. Men, men, MEN. First there were just a couple at a time, then 3, then 4, then 10.....so many men and so little time! Mind you, they are only 7 inches tall (and don't have much to say!) but each one has to be painted, sanded and varnished. At least I don't have to feed them...no time for cooking these days (except last Thursday, I made "Saltandpeppa" crusted salmon using my magic, pink spatula(thank you Townie Darlings!) SHE has let it be known that if I don't start serving something other than Ryvita and turkey slices SHE will be taking the first boat outta here.....FAREWELL....I say.......and take your little men with you....I have painting to do!!!!!

Hidden Talents

Our darlings Mark and Natasha were at the studio yesterday and we had a fabulous visit! Natasha was showing us how she can play an invisible harmonica (see photo above). I am always amazed at the hidden talents that people secretly possess. It's always a shock......SHE is actually a secreted closet whistler. I am VERY good at playing the invisible cello ( I know over 12 songs) but my performances have yet to be captured on film.

Images: Detail "I DON'T WANT YOUR MAGGOTY FISH!" by Cara and Pam

(Fat Aunt Sylvia and Scratchy featured)

Darlings, Mark and Natasha

Needed: Five One-Way Bus Tickets To Noddy Bay

Last Friday night we were in St. John's for our book club dinner (which was FABULOUS!!! Thanks to our hostesses with the mostesses!!) ....the dinner was gorgeous and our discussion of Pattern Recognition by William Gibson very interesting. It was a lovely, relaxing night......until we walked into the house and discovered that somehow, the little evils had pushed open the door to the studio and were working on a craft project using every ball of hemp, twine and string in my supply cupboard. They are very, very bad cats and if they don't soon start behaving like good cats should, they'll all be shipped off with their winter hats and scarves to the Northern Peninsula.

(Lily is quite excited about it all and is currently crocheting his OWN scarf for the journey.)

Image: L'anse Aux Meadows by Cara Kansala * acrylic on canvas

Lily caught in the act...so full of badness he stuck out his tongue.

"Q" is for My Two Hour Quest to Find the Letter "Q"

Q is for the keyboard's "Q" which I found beneath the fridge. New rule at our house......the cats are no longer allowed to sit ON the keyboard...(I think they like the warmth and humming sounds....OR they are online shopping)

A lot of our customers have been bringing their dogs to the studio....the cats are furious and have retaliated by scratching the bottom of the kitchen door...(I think their scratches read " noo dugs allowd ".

SHE says they are just scratches but she would say that.

SHE doesn't know about their online shopping.

Image: Alphabet Song "Q" by Cara Kansala * painted wood block

Wee Bailey from Calgary

The Sweetness of Summer

Coco broke my mouse. It was her way of getting me back for turning her into an "indoor" cat. She had to hunt for any mouse she could find. I was mouseless for days and SHE only told me yesterday that I could write a blog using the flat mouse in the laptop. Who knew?

We have been SO busy getting ready for our show that we've hardly left the studio. Thank goodness we have lovely friends and visitors that come and visit and give us a break from the paint fumes, wood bits, googly eyes and nasty mousers. In all of this madness we have to remember to take time to enjoy the sweetness of summer.

P.S. Coco not only broke my mouse, she ALSO removed the letter "cue" from the keyboard. SHE doesn't know yet, so I have to go on a massive search and recovery mission.

This year, it seems, I will have to enjoy the summer in the winter!

Image: The Sweetness Of Summer by Cara Kansala * Acrylic on Canvas

Fog Bank Rolling In by Pam Dorey (Just Last Week!!)