Lucky Girl

The other day, I was having one of those down days - where I just felt blah. I was working on overdrive and then I got a postcard from my dear friend Karyn... all the way from Isreal. I miss her dearly, but she's having the time of her life and I'm so happy for her. My Day got so much better when i got the opportunity to catch up with two of my other great friends. My heart felt so light and after I got off the phone, I realised what a lucky little girl I am to have such amazing friends. Thanks Karyn, TS and MS! You guys made my day!

Grandma

Recently, I just got home from visiting my Grandparents in Montreal. I love their home, it's pretty much my favourite place on earth. Some people love the romance of Paris, others the bustle of London, or the rich history of Rome. For me, I love the domesticality of my grandparents country home. I love getting up and going swimming in the lake with a bottle of shampoo, playing cards with grandad at 50 cents a game, finding all the constellations as I stargaze under a vast and endless sky, and going out on the 4-wheelers - getting all muddy with dad right before dinner.
This is a 2 minute sketch I did of my grandma while I was there for this visit. When she saw it, she said I made her look old. But I think she looks adorable.

A Game for Amy

So I thought I'd finally share my up-coming project with you all. It's called A Game for Amy.
What is is, you ask?! Well, it's a children's book written and illustrated by me, about one of my favourite past-times: ringette.
This project is really important to me for many reasons. One, because some of my friends and family members are characters in the story. Two, because it tells the story of a little girl, who like me found a sport that gave her life long friendships. Three, because it's dedicated to my father, for his amazing effort in starting the Ringette Association of Burlington when I was so young for my sister and I. Four, It's a way for me to give back to a sport that has given me SO much, including a scholarship to pursue my dream of art. And finally, because its the first story I have completely done on my own. I look forward to sharing it with you all, and hope you love it as much as i do.

The Audience (a.k.a. Chick Magnet)

Wow, 2 posts in one day - I feel shocked! So, this is a new piece I thought I'd share with everyone. I call it "The Audience" but some of my friends have dubbed it "Chick Magnet." Hope you enjoy it. As with everything else, it's for sale.

Also, I'm thinking of having an art sale of some old work. I really just don't have room for everything so, I'll let you know when that is and I'll post pictures of the stuff. Cheers all!

Glug Glug Glug...Yeah for Mugs!

Recently I've started hand-painting mugs. I started them for an Art Festival I'll be participating in come September. It's been pretty fun so far. It's much more difficult then I had originally anticipated, but that makes the process a little more interesting for me...
Obviously I can't just recreate anything exactly as I would on paper. I'm missing the use of spray paint and throw down splashes immensely... yet I have mastered the art of blowing the paint onto the mugs which is ridiculous in itself, while also being hilarious for anyone watching me.
I hope you like some of the mugs - they're all for sale, so anyone interested just shoot me a quick email and I'll give you a price.

This heart design has become a sort of staple of mine - I draw it everywhere. I love it. This cup also has a twin, in case anyone wants a set. Or I can recreate it in another colour. Personally, I'd love to do red ones of it.

Homemade Hugs

Just over a week ago, I celebrated my birthday. It was a great event. I was taken out to dinner with my friends and we played Apples to Apples in a drunken stupor. It was hilarious. I had a great - well, i was going to say day but it really lasted almost an entire week. It was, in a single word, fantastic. I had so much fun.

One of the most amazing things about this birthday was the homemade gifts I received. I LOVE homemade gift. I love giving them and I adore receiving them. So, I took some shots of my loot to make everyone else jealous - because it's all amazing.

My friend Erin cross-stitched me a vampire lime. Ash painted me a card with a hummingbird on the front. Kelly knitted me a Ninja Turtle (Raphael, to be exact). Shauna hand-painted a ceramic mug. And Darryl and Amanda made me a Luna Lovegood (one of my fav HP characters) tshirt for the midnight premier of The Half-Blood Prince. I just wanna say thanks to everyone, because it is all amazing, and I can't even tell you how much it means to me :)



Also, my Mom and Auntie Kerry made me beautiful cards as well, but unfortunately, as I went to take photos of them, my camera battery died. So, I'll add those as soon as possible.

Who Is John Galt?

If you haven't yet figured out the answer to this immortal query... I HIGHLY recommend that you run to the bookstore right now and pick up a copy of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged.

There are books that we fall in love with for their pure entertainment value. There are some we pick up because of their popularity and controversy at the time (which I fully admit is why I started reading Harry Potter, and The Golden Compass). Some we chose to read because their cover catches our eye. Then there are those, like Atlas Shrugged that come recommended to us.

If you would have asked me last week what my favourite book was - I'd have told you I had two: The Odyssey by Homer and Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. Today I'd answer with no hesitation in my voice: Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. This book got to me. I started reading and was hooked - not only by the characters or the plot but because of the ideas, the philosophy, the beliefs. It all just seemed so right. I did not expect where the book was leading - but when it got there - I was thrilled and entranced. It made me feel like everything just went into alignment in my own life. As though, I understood my own morals and values better by reading it. I can't explain it and make others understand it - you just have to read it for yourself. Perhaps you'll disagree with me - and that's fine - as long as it makes you think.

That's what the story is about... what would happen if the world's leading thinker's went on strike? What if a man set out declaring that he would stop the motor of the world - and did? What if all human beings willingly gave up their minds and stopped thinking? This story is a mystery, not about the death of man's body but of his spirit...

"I swear - by my life and love of it - that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine."

Ruby-throats

The other week I lost my computer.
Fully crashed.
My entire hard-drive.
gone.
It's a terrible feeling to lose all your work. Luckly, I only lost a small amount becuase I had backed mostly everything I had on it. So, until I get a new mac and am able to update my website, I thought I share a new image with you. Hope you enjoy my Ruby-throated hummingbirds :)