My Childhood Friend...

On February 5th we came home from a dinner with friends and the phone rang... it was sad news, my childhood friend Noelle passed away.

She fought some difficult times in the last 8 years, but always had a smile on her face! She loved sports, was no "girly-girl" and had a life long quest for travel and adventure - she experienced more than most can dream. She met life's challenges with determination, dignity and a great sense of humour; we sure had some great laughs, didn't we...

Her "Celebration of Life" is this weekend and I had to do something... Noelle had a passion for gardening and you can tell by her space at a community garden that she had a pretty good "green thumb"? One of her favourite flowers was Snow Peas so I purchased 50 seed packets and attached handmade tags for guests to take home when they leave.

When I was thinking of what to write on the tags I found this quote, "The April birth flower is the sweet pea, which means good-bye or blissful pleasure. The sweet pea also has a hidden message too which is thank you for a lovely time." I didn't use this quote, but did use this little poem, by Friendship's Garden...

"In friendship's fragrant garden

There are flowers of every hue.

Each with it's own fair beauty

And its gift of joy for you."

I know I'll be planting Snow Peas in my garden this year!!! ~ Sharka

Standard #10 Envelope becomes Multi-Pocket Mini Album!

I caught the latest bug that's been going around so have had a few days to do research on the computer (when we want to search the internet, it's called "research" in our home). I found this wonderful tutorial on YouTube by Laura from Following the Paper Trail on how to make a multi-pocket envelope album. Nice on its own or a few combined to make a mini scrapbook.

The neatest thing... this 4 pocket mini album is made from just one, #10 standard envelope that we all have at home or from the mail we get everyday. It doesn't matter if it has preprinted material on it because it will all be covered with great patterned paper in the end!

After I watched the tutorial I went and tried to make one... I was going to make one for Spring and/or Easter. After it was all put together and embellished, with the papers I used it turned out to be a general theme for any occasion.

The one envelope will give you four different pockets; one on the top, two on the right hand side and the last one in the back. I recommend checking out this tutorial (and her others) for some great mini album ideas and projects.

I hope I feel better soon so I can get back to my normal routine and I hope you all have a wonderful and creative weekend! ~ Sharka

Painter's Block?

I think it's safe to say you have all heard of "writer's block" - correct? Right now, because I am a painter, I have to say that I have "painter's block"!

For those painters out there, you know those times when you stare and stare at the canvas and just can't bring yourself to pick up your brush and paint? I don't have trouble at the start of a painting, it's at the point in my style where I have to start adding detail. (see the photo) I get that feeling of... I don't know what to do, or can I do it?

Sometimes there are so many thoughts dancing around in my head that it makes me dizzy! Most often I think it's a little lack of confidence. The painting and I are having a battle of sorts; my brain starts talking to me...go ahead, do your best but it won't be good enough. I wish only the painting was talking to me and not my brain!

I get up, plug the kettle in for a cup of green tea, go back to being comfortable and settle down again to paint. My brain starts talking again, challenging me. Sometimes being somewhat intimidated I decide to go away, clean some of my brushes and change my water. I come back, the tea is now cold... those voices come back... and frustration sets in.

At this point I shut the lights off and go home and tell my husband, "Guess what, I'm at that stage again and don't know how to get over this temporary slump". I then leave the painting for a few days which somehow allows me to overcome the block - at which point I go back and finish it, most often painting and finishing faster.

Do any of you experience "painter's block"? If yes, tell me how you get past it? I think next time I'll try setting the painting aside and starting a new one - until I am ready to go back and finish the first one. Maybe this way I'll even get more paintings finished, faster! ~ Sharka

Can You Guess Which One is Mine?

When we woke up this past Sunday, I looked outside and this is what we found! We drove slowly and made it to the second day of an acrylic workshop I was taking with Janice Robertson. I haven't taken a painting workshop in some time now and since becoming a member of the North Shore Artists' Guild I have new opportunities to explore - so I signed up for Janice's class. I'm pretty sure that I want to sign-up for next month's class as well - it's a workshop on oil painting.

We arrived Sunday morning, 15 out of 16 made it, and it was "show'n'tell" time for our study/exercise we did Saturday. It was a study in value and placement. We all had the same photo to paint from - can you guess which one is mine?

The snow continued to fall most of the day but it didn't matter - we were inside having fun learning and painting. When I came home after the workshop, this is what greeted us in our front yard! Looks like the nieghbours were having some fun in the snow! ~ Sharka

Picowsso

The North Vancouver Community Arts Council is seeking artists for a themed exhibition called “Man’s Best Friend” and I think Picowsso fits right in (well, at least I think it does...).

They are looking for "artwork that captures the ideal of peaceful cohabitation amongst creatures and the human species. Through contrasting, positive imagery, this exhibition intends to present humankind living in harmony with creatures that might otherwise be thought of as a threat, a product, an impingement, or seemingly irrelevant to existence."

This is a great idea for a exhibition - anything that promotes better treatment of animals is a good thing! ~ Sharka

My First Story!

About a month ago I received an email from a friend asking me to share stories, art or anything related to crows. I left the email for a while as I didn't know what to do. But a few weeks later I couldn't sleep one evening so I sat at the computer and wrote a story called Mr. & Mrs.Crow.

Giggling to myself, I was wondering how I could write anything about crows, let alone a little story. But I did and I left it for a few days on the computer desktop. As I walked by a desk in our room (a desk that I walk by many times a day) I finally realized something was meant to be... The family of crows I painted on the desk insert four years ago would go really well with the story that was sitting on the computer desktop ready to be emailed.

Have a read, the desk insert is above and my story is here below...

We get up in the morning, I open the front living room blinds and there are two black crows by one of the original cherry trees (it no longer produces fruit). The tree is here from when there wasn’t anything on this street but a huge piece of land with lots of cherry trees. We were told it was all owned by the Black Family. Mrs. Black, who still lived on the street, in the house her father and uncle built, would always say, please call me Barbara - she wore her name broach everyday.

Barbara passed away a few years ago and her original house on a very large lot was sold. I probably don’t have to tell you what happened… two huge ugly new houses.

It’s eleven years since we moved in and it’s the same thing every morning; I open the blinds, there are two black crows hanging around that cherry tree, and we think of Barbara. We believe it’s one of the last cherry trees still standing from her orchard, so we decided we will not cut it down. I ask my husband, do you think they are still the same two crows I noticed the first day?

When we take Molly (our cocker spaniel) out for her walk or to play ball, she doesn’t even bother with Mr. and Mrs. Crow anymore. And Mr. and Mrs. Crow can’t be bothered by Molly, Kramer (the cat) or us anymore either.

After eleven years in our home, Mr. and Mrs. Crowe have slowly made themselves part of our family! I have learned that crows are partners for life, they always come back to their original (home base) and I think Mr. & Mrs. Crow will be around for a long time…

If you want to join in and write, paint, draw a crow story or just simply want to read and/or see some great art, check out "The Great Crow Party" blog and you can find out more...caw caw! ~ Sharka

Cow Got Your Tongue?

Not sure if you know, but I have always been dabbling in artsy/crafty things and in the last three years I have really enjoyed painting - painting on canvas that is! I started with acrylics and about a year ago tried oil. Whenever I have a slump I always go back to my comfort zone - acrylics!

I went through a butterfly phase, then painted some people, flowers, venice gondola scene (which I hope to experience in real life one of these days) and now - cows. My goal for this year is to paint more cows and when I reach twelve, I would like to make a calendar.

As I've started painting these cows a theme is starting to happen in my studio. The latest addition is a cow pillow - don't get too comfy when you come by for a visit... I finished the painting here a few weeks ago and the name Cow Got Your Tongue was perfect! It's 18x24 acrylic... went back to that comfort zone once again.

I find my cow paintings have been a conversation piece, they talk to me when I paint them and they sure can brighten anyone's day. This is the fifth cow painting that I've done. The other four have sold and #6 is almost finished. I will end here and you'll have to wait to see #6 on another post! :) Sharka