I've Got Sunshine, On a Cloudy Day.......

"Day Became Night" by Cara Kansala * Oil on Canvas* 4 feet x 3 feet

Detail......Lovely, chunky texture. Yum, Yum, Yum!

After a fabulous 3 day painting marathon I am taking a break, cooking up a storm for tonight's "Let's pretend We're in Italy!" dinner party for 8. The Bollito is simmering on the stove.The  Salsa Verde is waiting patiently. The Garlic infused Beans with Tuna and Celery Salad is chilling out in the refrigerator and the Strawberries are getting a bit raucous  in their Limoncello.SHE seems to be getting a bit tipsy from sneaking sneaks of the Limoncello sauce. At the rate She is going, by 4pm I should be able to tell her about the gallon pail of gesso I spilled in the loft yesterday. Everyone is coming shortly after that, so She can hardly get angry and chase me around with a rolling pin. There won't be time. And if I play my cards right and ply Her with enough wine, maybe I can even convince Her that Blanche did it! It's not nice to blame so many of my mishaps on the cats but they don't pay rent, don't help with the cleaning and never, ever offer to help wash the windows. I figure it is the price they have to pay. Besides, it's not whether you win or booze, it's how you place the blame.

Dress for Success!!!

"Dreaming of Battle Harbour" by Cara Kansala 

Private Commission for the Battle Harbour Trust

http://www.battleharbour.com/home/

Now that I am no longer working from home, I think I should shop around for some new work clothes. So many articles say that you need to “Dress for Success”. Since SHE is the one responsible for the change, you would think She’d get aboard the train to Stunningville. She says I don’t need any new clothes. Yesterday, as She was packing me up for work and pushing me out the door  (She even bought me a new back-pack and a big thermos so I don’t need to come into the house at all) She said I looked great, wished me a good day and said She’d see me at dinner. I think I at least deserve a new pair of rubber boots for the walk to work. At least.

P.S. I do not think it is very nice to send someone off to far away lofts with  giant thermoses of coffee and  bottles of water. Especially when said loft does not yet have a loo. Especially when they have to climb up and down a dodgey ladder wearing old clothes and tread-dead ancient rubber boots.

Accidents can happen. 

Just sayin’..........

Two For Tea. Yes, I'd Love Another Cup!

http://www.nlgeotourism.com/content_detail.php?uid=nfl9BCCB74209BDB06F1

National Geographic has made an amazing interactive Geotourism Map Guide of Eastern Newfoundland. It's not tOo late to add your own nomination and it is very easy to do! What a fabulous way to experience our province!

I am almost finished my big Battle Harbour commission! My next little painting will be of the Battle Harbour Church Two Seater, the most practical outhouse since time began.
 Title, "Two For Tea."

Where Can You Buy A Fireman's Pole?

Image: "Dreaming of Battle Harbour" BEFORE

Image: "Dreaming of Battle Harbour (detail) " AFTER by Cara Kansala

The Lovely View from Way Up Here.....

                                   

WHERE CAN YOU BUY A FIREMAN'S POLE?

She built me a studio, so blue and pretty,

It's quite bright and airy

There's room for a kitty,

She isn't quite finished,

The inside is bare,

And I'm in the loft painting

Without any stairs

I came up by ladder

By ladder I came

But She's taken the ladder,

And She is to blame

She is far away fixing some lights in a tree,

My ladder is missing

and I have to pee

Hooray! It is not just me.

Image: "Rose and Blanche Love Looking Out their Window" by Cara * Acrylic on Canvas

HER: "Why is it called Rose and Blanche? Where is Blanche?"
Me: "Well, that is her tail. She was being shy."
HER: "Oh. I thought she was giving Rose a boost up to the window."
It is not just me.

Image: "The Ten-Armed Pirate Strikes Again..." Ugly Stick by Cara & Pam

During a stay on Battle Island (which is very isolated)
Me: "It's so dark here at night....I don't know what would happen if we were attacked by 10, armed pirates."
Lovely Friend: Looks at me with horror and dismay. I know what she is thinking because she thinks like me.
Me: "Nope. I don't mean pirates with ten arms each, just 10 regular two-armed pirates."
Lovely Friend looks very relieved.
It is not just me.

Saturday, Past:
We are getting ready for the Gower Street dinner party extraordinaire. I walk into the bathroom. SHE is ironing her shirt sleeves with my brand new hair straightener.
It is not just me.

Thank you so much to G&S and Lucy who were so lovely. The best cooks since time began who know just how much sauce to put in a boat.

Free to A Good Home....(well, I say "good" but adequate would be fine....)

Free to any takers:
1 Large-Sized Artist/Carver/Carpenter (who requires 4 feedings day and IS litter trained)
5 Medium-Size Indoor Cats (who require 3 feedings a day and ARE litter trained)

Usually, I am the one in the Dog House but this week SHE took the cake. She took the cake, cut the cake, ate the cake and asked for more.
Today I was trying to do portfolio photographs, spent ages rounding up the cats, put them to beddies and closed their door.
ME: "Cats are locked away. Please don't open their door."
HER: "OK!"
2 minutes later.....
CATS: "HELLO!  HELLO!  Hi!Hi ! WATCHA DOIN'? WATCHA Doin'? Watcha DOIN'?"
Photo Shoot is a disaster.

On Tuesday, we had a big meeting in town with clients.
Before the meeting, She and I had gone for a quick lunch.
I sat across from Her during this lunch.
She was looking at me the entire time.
She saw what I was wearing.
She even said I looked nice.
We went to our meeting and we all sat around the table.

HER: "CARA, your shirt is on inside out! I can't believe you put your shirt on inside out!!"

Lovely Clients: Smile at me.

ME: I am purple and suffering from the embarrassment. I give HER a look that says "When we get to the car, you are in SO much trouble. You. Are. Finished. No more meatballs for you. No more lovely cups of coffee handed to you in the morning. YOU, are in the Dog House."

Thank goodness the Lovely Clients are so very lovely and don't mind my inside-out shirt.
The meeting ends well and WE go home.
She was on probation until today but now it's the Dog House.
How much is that Doggy in the Window, you ask?
Free, I tell you! FREE!!

P.S. Don't laugh, Amber's Mom! Don't laugh!

Why Not Vote For the Goat?

Hello Friends!

Our blog is now one of the finalists in our category for The Canadian Blog Awards. If you feel like giving us a vote, we would sure appreciate it! Just click on the link below and vote for the Goat! Thanks so much for those who nominated us and voted in the first round. Have a goat-errific day!!

                                    http://polldaddy.com/poll/5787390/

"Sometimes When PopWas Out Fishing, Nan Would Make Strawberry Pies in the Nude" Acrylic on Canvas Cara kansala    SOLD* Private Collection

If It Walks Like a Duck, It Must Be a Screwdriver

Image: Playtime Around the Bay...The Biggest Toy Box Since Time Began!!!
by Cara & Pam Hand-Carved/Mixed Media

We do a lot of mixed media in our work and I often need to drill and screw and sand things. For Christmas, SHE gave me a screwdriver. It is very curious indeed. It has all of the bits stuffed tightly inside and you have to do a Rubik's Cube kind of trick to coax them out. It is hard.
Today, She walked in and found me working away, screwing some pieces together for a picture.
"What are you doing? Why are you still screwing screws in with a butter knife? What do you think the screwdriver is for?" She hollered.
The vast number of possible answers to Her question was just too much to bear.
Sometimes, silence IS golden.

Blanche has been spending a lot of time up here, keeping a watchful eye over the yard. She says she'll keep us posted if anything interesting happens.

I've Been Dyeing to Say Happy New Year!!!!

Hooray! I have officially moved my painting studio to the new Goat House! We have a dining room and it works....we tried it today!

Scandinavian Vineterta with Marsala cream. Yes, Ma'm!

SHE made me wait while She went to get the camera. Proof, She said. Of the Badness.

Well,  the first day of 2012 is coming to an end. I woke up very early this morning after going to bed very late last night after what might have been the best New year’s Eve since time began. Oh, my dears, how you make me laugh! Today, we hosted the New Years Day brunch-a-lunch for the Darlings in our brand new dining room and a grand time was had by all though it was too bad that Lacey had to get back to Gander.

We had tortiere, minted cherry tomatos, blueberry fennel coleslaw, warm parsnip/potato salad with pancetta and for dessert, Scandinavian Vineterta.  Thank heavens to Betsy I made a meal that passed Her mustard, because I have to say, She was not impressed with me this morning.

This morning....(two hours before the Darlings were to arrive)

I decided to dye some napkins to match my new tablecloth. I completely forgot that I had promised never, EVER to dye anything in the washing machine again. 

SHE said that I was a disaster and INCORRIGIBLE and that if this was how I planned on starting the year, it was going to be a very long year indeed.

I said that the year is 2012 and if She was going to use words like INCORRIGIBLE and INDEED, I was going to move to PEI to live with Marilla Cuthbert herself.

Good thing we were able to get the dye out of my hands and the mess cleaned up before lunch. And after all that, I forgot to put the napkins in the dryer. Paper had to do.

Happy New Year!   

Cara

P.S. Thank you so VERY much to everyone who kindly sent packages and postcards to Rose, Stanley and Blanche for Christmas! Stanley even got a lovely letter and package from Spain from the lovely humans who rescued him while on vacation in Newfoundland. Rose loved her treats from Taiwan and they are planning a scrapbook for their cottage. Bless.