We're Open for Culture Days 2013!

Sandrine and I are participating in this year's Culture Days! 

The first 50 visitors can make their very own greeting cards using watercolour and paper embellishments. We will have two designs available and supplies will be included. 

One card will be created using a watercolour painting technique, the other using paper techniques.

Because Culture Days promotes and supports arts in the community, we want to provide an opportunity for people to try their hand at watercolour and paper card making! ~ Sharka

SUMMER Memories Mini Album

I must tell you all that Vancouver, the city known for it’s rain drops, has surpassed its previous record for the sunniest July ever... AND... it has also been the first time on record where we have had a whole calendar month completely dry!

We got a day of rain just this past Friday and it was nice and refreshing! By Saturday afternoon, the sun and warm temperatures returned… it truly has been the best July ever!

Now, do you love mini albums? I sure do! Minis are fun to create and they are the perfect way to capture not only a special event or time, but also a entire season.

Today I am going to share a mini that is perfect to capture some of your favourite Summer moments!

Summer is flying by… I hope you are enjoying every moment of it! I know I am! ~ Sharka

Cat Named Rumbles

Do you have a Cat?

What is a Cat?

Gentle eyes that see so much,

paws that have the quiet touch.

Purrs to signal "all is well"

and show more love than words can tell.

Graceful movements touched with pride,

a calming presence by our side.

A friendship that will last and grow –

small wonder why we love them so.

~ Author Unknown

I have an artist friend named AJ. From her biography, “AJ’s world is one of bright colours, and textures as tactile as an artist’s canvas, or as smooth as the fur of one her favourite artistic subjects, her cat Rumbles.”  

Sadly AJ recently lost Rumbles… :(

I felt I had to do something, so I created a memory keepsake mini album for her.  I finished the album this weekend and delivered it to her studio today. She is away on summer vacation and it will be waiting on her return.

 

Cat Superstitions?

• A strange black cat on your porch brings prosperity.
• When moving to a new home, always put the cat through the window instead of the door, so that it will not leave.
• To reverse the bad luck curse of a black cat crossing your path, first walk in a circle, then go backward across the spot where it happened and count to 13…. Really

Cat Facts?

• A happy cat carries its tail upright, while a nervous one holds it down low.
• Cats' eyes don't glow in the dark, they only reflect light.
• Cats lick people as a sign of affection

I could tell you more, but I won’t do that to you all… www.catquotes.com ~ Sharka

May & June Projects

It’s been pretty crazy around here and that is why I’ve been absent from the blog-o-sphere!

To be honest, I didn't even realize it has been over a month since I posted anything…

To catch up I’m simply going to show a bit of everything in this post - paintings and paper art I’ve finished from when I last touched base. Here we go...

    

    Yana 16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas                  West Coast Treasure 

                                                                          12" x 24" Acrylic on Canvas

    

    Haven't named this one yet... 14" x 18" Acrylic on Canvas

    

Wedding Album for a client

Memoy Keepsake of Rumbles for a friend  

Fairy-Spuds, 12" x 12" Acrylic on Canvas

I hope these give you some ideas for your own creations! ~ Sharka

Sunday Brunch Opening Celebration

Yesterday we held a Sunday Brunch to celebrate the official opening of our new art studio… It was great to see everyone – friends, family and some new faces!

As a small Thank You, I made little treat holders that are perfect for Ghirardelli Chocolate squares. The squares are great because they’re small and individually wrapped.

To make the holders you need a petal die-cut. I used my Cricut Expression Die-cut Machine with the Storybook cartridge. It’s on page 42 of the handbook.

I cut the petal at 5 ¼”. You will get 4 on one 12”x12” sheet of patterned paper. I also used a double-sided pattern so that when it was folded into the pocket, the inside had a nice colour/pattern rather than just being plain white.

There is also a Petal Card Bigz Sizzix Die that will go through a Big Shot. It’s probably quicker and has the seams perforated for you all at once. I don’t have the Sizzix Die so the Cricut was the next best thing.

  

  

Next I printed a ‘Thank You’ clip-art image and punched them out with my 1 3/8” circle punch. I had enough of the patterned paper from the petal die-cut to punch a 2” scallop circle for a matt.

I folded three sides of the Petal card cut-outs and used 3D foam squares for the Thank You sentiment - attaching it front/centre of the Petal card pocket/pouch. The Ghirardelli Chocolate slips inside and Voila!

These are a great, simple, easy and yummy ‘Thank You’ gesture when you’re rushed for time.

I don’t think everyone got one when they left? Oh wait a minute… they must have – all the chocolate is missing!!! ~ Sharka