Originally from Ontario, now living in the Prairies, I miss having giant maple trees, oak trees and lush, leafy green-ness out my windows. Maybe that’s why I love the artwork of April Lacheur so much! Her fluid, colourful, graphic trees are immediately recognizable as her work. A self-taught artist, she also works part-time as a nurse, which I think is a lovely way to combine the best of both the sciences and artistic disciplines. April works mostly with acrylics, but often adds textural elements to her pieces including fabric or metal. Deriving inspiration from the natural world around her and from her travels, her pieces are bright and bold and, I think, reflect the joy she gets from painting.
One of her most popular pieces, "4 Seasons"
This piece, "Element Tree", includes copper and brass accents
Recently, April has been working on a series of “lofty” birds – long legged, fabulous birds that have so much personality and vibrancy. I love them!
The lofty canary, woodpecker, swallow and fantail!
One thing that I appreciate about April as an artist is her willingness to try new avenues for her artwork, and if you read C+H regularly, you know I love a good handound book! Yapes Paints and Victoria-based company “Those Great Little Books” have collaborated on a unique project. A one of a kind journal (could be used as a guest book, photo album or sketchbook too!) is created by Those Great Little Books, covered in canvas which April paints with an original painting! What a fabulous way to bring a little piece of original art into your life.
Handpainted journal collaboration with Those Great Little Books
April also works with Shi Studio, a Victoria-based contemporary jewellery design studio, to make some wonderfully bold and gorgeous wearable art using her images printed on canvas. A few of my favourites currently showcased on YapesPaints.com:
What a gorgeous accent piece!
Definitely a conversation piece!
April’s artwork will soon be featured in a solo show (“Roots and Feathers“) at Lüt Boutique in Vancouver, with a lovely grand opening event happening this Thursday (Feb 3, 6-9 pm). Her work will be on display from Feb 3 – April 30th, so if you’re in Vancouver be sure to stop in and see her original pieces in person.
To see more of her past, present and available for purchase works, visit Yapes Paints or check out her Facebook page or chat on Twitter.
Enjoy!
~Sarah
The Superbowl is coming up in a couple of weeks. This is always a rather big deal at our house, as my husband is a huge sports fan (Football Sundays are sacred, and an annual pilgrimage to his hockey “hometown” is a must). This year though, the big game is even bigger than ever before. That’s because this year, my dear husband’s team is actually PLAYING in the Superbowl. Needless to say, there will be some sort of festivities at our house on game day, jerseys will be worn by everyone big or small (if they made cat-sized jerseys I am sure we’d have one of those too), and food and beverages will be consumed. This is where I get to have my fun. I do like the game, and will certainly be cheering loudly along with everyone else, but I also really like to plan the menu. And how great would it be to have a delicious spinach dip surrounded by pita crisps in one of these fun dip bowls from Maxwell Pottery?
A perfect way to add some Canadiana to your party.
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Functional, and cute too!
This one is big enough to bake a lasagna. Way more fun than the boring clear glass one I normally use!
I think the nautical feel of these pieces is perfectly casual and lighthearted. They are lovely for entertaining, but would be equally as suitable on the table for any family meal, or even at the cottage! Daniel starts each item from a ball of clay, then shapes them into useful and attractive stoneware in his studio about 40 kilometers from North Bay. He then colours them using his own glazes. Everything is dishwasher, oven, and microwave safe, so they are great for every day use.
Head to the website to see more about Daniel, the studio location, and some of his other works.
Go Team!
~Jennifer
Here at my house we are in the midst of a not-so-fun baby milestone. My little girl is getting her first molar(s) and it is turning out to be a pretty difficult experience for all involved. The poor kiddo is either whimpering in her sleep, sobbing in pain, or clinging on for soothing snuggles and cuddles. We are doing our best using all the standard teething tips and tricks, and hopefully soon those sneaky teeth will come through and all will be well again. In the meantime, anything that offers comfort to my little girl is golden in my books! I think these adorable hug-able fleece pillow monsters from LemonPie are just the ticket.
Toothy the Hippo would be a perfectly squishy friend to help sooth a teething baby
Lobby the Lobster has cozy claws!
Chimpi is a great monkey friend, perfect for bedtime cuddles.
These pillow pals would be perfect for a kids bedroom, or playroom, or the living room for a fun-loving family! I believe that every day should have smiles and snuggles, and these LemonPie monster creations supply plenty of both. The pillows come in regular size (about 7″ x 7″) or large (about 9″ x 9″) if you want more squeezable fun. Visit the Cargoh store or the Etsy shop to meet the rest of the LemonPie monster family. Head to the blog , facebook, or twitter, and get to know Klaudea and Lawrence (aka: the LemonPie team). There is even a giggle-worthy Monster’s Day Out video on YouTube!
Because everyone deserves the comfort of a warm, friendly hug… even if you aren’t busy growing molars!
~Jennifer
Our eldest daughter has developed a fascination with Angelina Ballerina, a TV show about a little mouseling in pink tutu and ballet shoes. Most days, she can be found spinning around the house, practicing her version of “grand jetées” and she has recently requested that I make her an Angelina costume (mouse ears and tail!) for her birthday.
So, when I saw the artwork of Wendy Schmidt, I couldn’t help but smile. For every dancer, small or big, there are memories in these shoes.
“All Together”
In Ms. Schmidt’s experience, dancers are reluctant to part with costumes and shoes from past performances and hours of practice and often have closets full of treasured pieces. Thus, her series called “In my closet” was born.
"In my closet: Ballet"
Wendy has studied watercolour, acrylic, oil and sculpture but most often prefers to work with oil. She also explores abstract and still life themes, such as the set of three canvasses in the Prairie Summer piece below.
"Prairie Summer"
To see more of Wendy’s work, visit her online gallery or her retail space Lakeland Art & Framing in Sherwood Park, AB.
Enjoy,
~Sarah
Everyone has a favorite outfit (or two) that never fail to make you feel spectacular, highlight all your best features, and project your personality without saying a single word. Wouldn’t it be great if every piece of clothing we own could make us feel the same way? If I was building this dream wardrobe for myself, there would definitely be several items from Montreal’s Sweetmeat Clothing. The clothes have such a sense of fun, interesting lines, and the soft, stretchy fabrics are comfy enough to wear every single day.
I like the colours, and the asymetrical design.
Pretty, sexy, fun, and still classy!
This dress + kick-butt boots + tights = fabulous outfit!
Lucky Montrealer’s (Montreal-ites?) can head to Perfide at 4217 Notre-Dame West for an up close and personal look at these cool threads. The rest of us must content ourselves with visiting the Etsy shop.
My wish for all of you today: May your closets be filled with clothes that speak to you, and make you feel confident and amazing!
~Jennifer
There is something special about writing in a lovely journal – even if it’s just jotting down the day’s to-do list, it feels more “permanent” to me when it’s written on paper (and yes, I know how strange that sounds coming from a girl who spends most of her limited free time with a keyboard in front of her!)
I saw the notebooks from Edmonton’s Sushi Papercraft at a Handmade Mafia event back in the fall, and loved the vibrant colours! I wanted to scoop them all up and immediately start writing the great Canadian novel, or some angsty teen poetry. These journals, notebooks and sketchbooks are all created and bound by Jenna O’Flaherty, and some even feature her original artwork on the covers.
If you’ve been following along for a while, you’ll likely know that I’m partial to maps. Jenna is after my heart with her lovely Africa and European map journals, perfect for a traveller… or someone who’s just dreaming. I love the clean edges, the coptic binding which lays flat (the better to write close to the center of the book) and that the pages inside are blank to accommodate doodling and sketching!
This is also the perfect time of year to start making good on that New Year’s resolution to finally get organized. Sushi Papercraft has some lovely agendas available that are undated, leaving you with a flexible start date and lots of room for notes and planning.
Jenna has a lovely way of looking at her notebooks – born of a love for writing and drawing, and wanting to surround herself with inspiring places to record her thoughts, Sushi Papercraft journals are…
“…a place for people who get joy out of putting marks on a page. There’s something about the immediacy of a book, and setting pen to paper, that can’t be recreated by technology.”
I agree wholeheartedly.
For more on Jenna’s notebooks, you can visit her blog (and soon-to-be new website!) or check out the selection at her Etsy shop.
Happy journaling,
~Sarah
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: There are few things on this earth cuter than baby feet. It’s undeniable. Those pudgy little sausage toes, the delectable little soft roundness… I can’t get enough. I just want to eat. them. up.
Since I clearly can’t do that (unless I want a very interesting call from child services), I must content myself with dressing those little toes in tiny adorable shoes. Admittedly, due to their close relationship with baby feet, the shoes are also on the short list for cutest thing ever. Right now I am loving these ones from Soft Soul Baby Shoes in Montreal.
Eeeee! The patch! on the one eye!
You can even get them personalized with your little munchkin’s name or initial, just to make them a little more special.
Choose your colours, add baby's personal details, and voila!
Or perhaps these are a bit more baby’s style:
Just right for the edgy, misunderstood pre-pre-pre-teen.
If you, like me, have spent countless hours trying to find warm boots that are suitable (read: soft soled) for a kiddo who is just learning to take those first brave toddling steps, look no further!
For the fashionista on the move!
I know I may have a bit of an obsession, but these are seriously cute, right?
Head to the Soft Soul website for more details, or you can also see the multitude of options (seriously: endless combinations!), at the Etsy shop.
~Jennifer
The world outside my window is snow-covered and cold. Yes, it’s January in Canada, so I am not exactly surprised or even too dismayed by this. But that doesn’t stop me from dreaming of some place a little warmer, maybe even tropical. It has been far too many years since my husband and I last sat ocean-side with drinks in hand and the warm sun beating down. So I am looking for ways to infuse my snowbound daily life with some tropical colour and a fresh, summery, lively look. I definitely think these accessories from Rosella Resin are just what the doctor ordered!
The colour is so summery, and the delicate feather is so light and wispy!
Jessica & Gwynne are sisters currently living in Ontario. Rosella Resin was born when Jessica (a trained mold maker and resin caster) returned from living abroad in Australia. A self-proclaimed feather collecting junkie, Jessica realized that resin is a perfect medium to contain and showcase some of natures most beautiful items! Add Gwynne and her talent for design, and you have a winning combination.
Ooooh! The colour, the shells... it's like a little piece of the ocean even on the most snowy day!
The wheat fields may be covered right now, but their golden beauty is captured in this wheat bangle.
Rest assured that Jessica and Gwynne get all their feathers and shells from licensed vendors that are cruelty free. No creature great or small is harmed to create these fantastically fresh pieces.
Because we are *Canadian* + Handmade after all!
You can find Rosella Resin on their website, or at their Etsy shop.
Daiquiri anyone?
~Jennifer
My husband, and I had a date-night planned Friday night. It was a blustery, stormy, -30 C night in the Edmonton area, but we ventured out anyway because we wanted to check out a screening of “Canadiana: Visions of the Country by Independent Filmmakers” at the newly-renovated Art Gallery of Alberta.
Ranging from 2 minutes to 16 minutes in length, the 10 films used experimental and unusual techniques. The first, called “Tran Scan“, was one of our favourites. The filmmakers drove the Trans-Canada highway from West to East (screeching to a halt at the ocean on PEI!), taking thousands and thousands of still images from specially designed telescopic cameras on their vehicle. They combined those images into 112 stunning scenes of classic Canadiana. The images flipped past at breathtaking speed, but seeing familiar landscapes and spotting road signs we’ve passed on our travels made this film really intriguing.
We also enjoyed the story of Regina, told in Bryan Stockton’s autobiographical short film, “Saskatchewan: Part 2“. I’d like to know where he found the classic 1960′s era living room, and the city’s PR jingle “That’s My Wonderful Town” was looping through my head as I fell asleep that night!
I must admit, that I didn’t always “get” the filmmakers message – I am most certainly not a film buff, nor do I have a clue what constitutes great experimental filmography. I did, however, appreciate the passionate eye it must take to tackle an independent film project. In one case, the filmmakers returned to rudimentary technology and shot with a four-perforation camera system, similar to what was used in 1896. For their 2006 film, “View of the Falls from the Canadian Side“, they presented a silent tribute to the majesty of Niagara Falls, and the not-so-majestic tourists who flock there. That takes a certain dedication to your art that is enviable.
The last short film struck a cord with me, and will with many Canadians – Amanda Dawn Christie’s piece “v=d/t” explored the effect of time zones on relationships and conversations, something I am all too familiar with since we live several provinces away from the majority of our family. The visual imagery was simple, featuring classic rotary phones in mid-century homes, but the soundtrack was contemporary and tragic as family and friends attempted to contact each other across a 4 hour time difference, and entire scenarios are played out over voice mail.
This set of 10 films definitely left us with lots to think about, and we had a great discussion over a late dinner. If you get a chance to check it out, I’d recommend Canadiana: Visions of the Country by Independent Filmmakers. If only so that you could maybe help me understand the one about Rocket Richard!
That’s what we did this weekend – did you do anything over the last few days that made you think a little differently about the world, or Canada in particular? Any Canadian films or books you’d like to recommend that lend a different perspective on this great land of ours?
Stay warm, and keep your stick on the ice ;)
~Sarah
There’s just one month until Valentine’s Day – that Hallmark-branded day that’s supposed to remind us all to treasure the ones we love a little more. How about, this year, we all spread a little handmade love instead of buying those sad grocery store floral department roses, mmmkay?!
The lovely graphic prints from Rosy Designs are a great place to start. The print below is actually called “Love is in the air”!
Rosy Hung, the artist behind the adorable characters and hearts, lives and works in Vancouver. Her designs and illustrations are reminiscent of vintage children’s picture books, and have a really lovely esthetic for Valentine’s Day – innocent, joyful and full of love and hearts. This postcard collection (below) would be great for children to pass out to their friends at school, or to send a little collection off to Grandma and Grandpa, and the “9 Ways to Say I Love You” card can be a nice alternative to the sappy sentiments at the mall card shop.
Do you have a favourite love song, maybe from the “first dance” or “first kiss” that reminds you of the early days with your loved one? Here’s my V-Day tip – the print below (appropriately called “Love Songs”) packaged up with a copy of the original album with “your” song on it. Valentine’s Day worthy, right? But don’t stop there! The prints on their own are gorgeous and creative, but when you add in the fact that Rosy will customize them for you, they jump up a few notches on the “perfect gift” scale. You can choose hair colour and style, skin tone as well as include a personalized message that she types on her typewriter and then digitally inserts them into the image. Brilliant!
While we’re talking about love, Rosy has a really lovely selection of wedding-themed prints that are, once again, fully customizable. I love the Bride and Bridesmaids, as well as the happy couple prints (same sex couple options available too! I love Canada.)
You can find more (many more) of Rosy Designs in her Cargoh and Etsy shops, as well as keep in touch via Facebook, Twitter and her own website. Visiting RosyDesigns.com where I discovered she and her partner haverecently launched a new joint venture, which you can check out in their new Etsy shop, NicRo Designs.
Share the love,
~Sarah
