I Am So Happy to be Cranky!

"A Perfect Day in Kingmans Cove" Commissioned Work 2011 by Cara Kansala & Pam Dorey
Hand-Carved wood/Mixed media

Big Fat BooBoo Thinks it is a Ham Radio

I am not fit to live in this high-techish, futuristic world. So many plugs and cords. adapters, chargers, tethering ropes, photo cards, discs, back-up discs and wires. SHE tells me we have "wireless" things  but there  are cords and plugs and wires everywhere. We have a wireless printer. "This printer is not printing!!" I holler. "You have to plug it in!" SHE says.

We don't have a land line in our house any more. Our computer is our phone, camera, music maker-radio-machine, calculator, measuring tape and flashlight. Our telephone has a "screen" that mysteriously slides around in a very unnerving fashion.There are no buttons to push. When someone calls, the telephone quacks or barks or sounds like crickets. My alarm clock sounds like a motorcycle and I have a heart-attack every morning. I don't know if someone is calling me or if a flock of birds is flying over head.

 It is hard.

Last week, SHE gave me the very best gift since time began. A crank radio. It has no cords. I turn the crank when I want it to work. I carry my beloved cranky radio with me everywhere I go. I can listen to my CBC and all I have to do it wind it up. It is very rewarding having to work for my entertainment. SHE tells me it can be plugged into the ipod or phone-ish, but that would ruin everything. I will take what I can get. Me and my cranky radio will be just fine.

I wonder if you can get crank hair blowers, toasters or vacuums?

Spring is in the Hair!

"For So Many Moons I've Loved You "  Two (Detail) by Cara Kansala & Pam Dorey
Hand-Carved/Hand-Painted/ Mixed Media



Anniversary Dinner...First seating
Boobi & The Wee Italian Celebrate 7 Months of Wedded Bliss
What a lovely week! So many wonderful visitors to the studio already, several private commissions completed, delivered and gifted and lots of happy days! Boobi and W.I. decided to infiltrate Her anniversary dinner (18 years....Mama Mia!) and had a little eye-rolling and paw-holding to celebrate their own 7  month anniversary. Personally, I think The Wee Italian saw the bottle of Brunello, felt homesick and was hoping for a glass of his own. Just like his mama.
Usually, I try to keep them away from the table, as they ARE covered in fur, but I had just brushed all 5 for the 10th time and figured they deserved to stay awhile. So much fur! Thank Charles that PEOPLE don't shed when the weather gets warm.....with 5 cats, spring is already the hairiest time of the year.



And The Follower of The Month Is......

This month's winner is A.Scattering!

Please send us your mailing address and T-shirt size and we'll be happy to send you your prize!

This morning SHE was having a poodle around the gallery and asked me the following question:
"Are you aware that the dress in this picture is the same size as the iceberg?"
Me: "Odd-viously, I am aware".
HER: "HaHa..I love the way you see the world...not much rhyme or reason to anything...everything is a bit doolally!"
Me: "Yes, SOOoooo very bizarre...and what about your dinner tonight? Your cherished lemon-basil pasta might just include honeydew melon and pickled beets....no rhyme or reason to anything! That's ME!"

Can You Get a Direct Flight from St. John's to Lapland?

Darling Tomas and Consuelo Visiting Before Heading Back to Lapland!

We have been invited to go and visit our friends in Lapland next summer, but I think I might start packing and go now. I am being dragged from my tiny lime house tomorrow to go to St. John's, so I might as well pack a bag and keep going. I DO love St. John's but it is hard to be torn away from work, the garden, the studio and my paint splattered clothes. It has become a nightmare already. I got paint on my TOWN PANTS (not sure how) and SHE was none too pleased. THEN, I was trying to scrub some blue bits off my forehead and got in trouble for using "Body Scrub". SHE said that I have to use face scrub because I have old, delicate skin. I told HER that my face is on my body. SHE said she will buy me some face scrub tomorrow and said "isn't that exciting?". I am being lured to Town with promises of fancy face scrub and new town pants. Maybe I will really hit the Jackpot and we'll get an oil change, too!

(The only redeeming things is a gallery meeting where I will see LOTS of my friendlies and dinner with Darling Cat and S.Squissage)....Always look on the bright side of life.

Old MacDonald Had a "MO"......E-I-E-I-O!

"Foofi and the MO"
Today I received a glorious gift bag full of tiny treasures from two of my Darlings who have just come back from Vancouver! What a surprise! One of the treasures is the most beautiful lot of wool since time began. Foofi would not stop sniffing it and was far more curious than usual.....
I said "He can probably smell the 'Mo'".
"Pardon?" SHE said.
"He can probably smell the MO" I replied.
"What is a MO?" She asked.
"Sort of like a sheep but kind of  like a llama." said I.
"There is no such thing as a MO" She said. "There is no MO"
"There is no MO what?" I asked.
"NO, there is no such animal as a MO!" She yelled.
"Well," I said smarmily, "then where does MO hair come from...a GOAT?"
"YES!!!" SHE yelled.
"Oh."

It's a Small World After All.....

These are 3 of my Teeny-Weeny-Shiny-Tiny Sneaky Paintings

Top Left "Portrait of my Darling" Papa Luigi by Cara Kansala

Top Right  "Itchy's Gift"

Bottom Middle "Scratchy is a Doll"

I love things that are either HUGE or TEENY WEENY. Middle-sized things make me sleepy. I love over-sized sofas, giant mugs of coffee, massive, cuddly dogs and huge umbrellas. I love teensy weensy tea cup sets, miniature dogs (why aren't there tiny, miniature cats?), bonsai trees and hummingbirds.
A few weeks ago, I secretly ordered dozens of tiny canvases from Curry's.
2 inches by 1 inch.....so WEE! In between my commissions and orders, I have been painting these little darlings and hiding them away. Cats, family portraits and eensy landscape scenes. Yesterday, SHE found my stash and the following questions were asked:

1. Why are you painting these tiny pictures?
2. What are you going to do with them?
3. Is this an efficient use of your time?

My Answers:
1. They make me smile.
2. I do not know.
3. I certainly hope not....please refer back to answer #1.

Wow! The Most Talented Singer/Songwriters Since Time began!

"Mari Mac" by Cara Kansala...Hand-Painted Acoustic Guitar

Sara Dorey & Stephen Brace of "Here By Tomorrow" singing my new favourite song EVER...."Light Up My Life"
Written and performed by the talented duo...AND you can buy the song on iTunes!
http://youtu.be/chWslHtjnXY

Sara is HER cousin. Sadly, SHE did not get any of the singing ability in the family. Even the cats run for cover when she is doing Her Steven Tyler impersonation. Sara, Her cousin, is incredibly talented. We all have our gifts.
SHE is reading over my shoulder and said that I won't be getting any gifts for a very long time.

Go Fly A Kite!

Detail: Edith's Lupins by Cara * Acrylic on Canvas

Lift Off for S.Squissage!!

HER Pirate Ship Coming in for a Landing

Clio and Jazz want tiny dog sized kites of their own....

Yesterday, we took a break from work, kite-napped our darling S.Squissage and went kite flying! It was a glorious afternoon and I was very proud of my colourful spinbox and how high I had it up in the clouds.......until SHE attacked me with her evil flying pirate ship, got me tangled up in S. Squissage's souring star and caused me to do a deadly nose-dive into the rocky cliffs. Next time, I will have a longer string, a new tail and a more confident pilot....SHE and her pirate ship are doomed! DOOMED I tell you!
(Note: SHE pointed out and thought it funny that I forgot to put a string on the kite that is flying in the painting above. SHE thinks it is VERY funny that the laundry and the chimney smoke are going in different directions.
I think it is funny that SHE will be having cold cereal for dinner and NOT the promised Lemon Pasta! HMMPH!

St. John's Harbour This Morning......

"St. John's Narrows" hand-carved/painted by Cara and Pam (enhanced for orangey reasons!)