Hollywood came a knocking and I burned out

Actually Hollywood came knocking at the neighbors door. This only affects our parking situation with trailers and production crews and the whole exciting works. 

And we are going to miss it!

Corner gas is filming a few houses away on the next block this week and I am actually glad that we are taking a small trip that day to get to miss the traffic.

However my mom and siblings will be descending on the house hoping to get a brief sneak peek at a star. 

TT got her fill as she rubbed shoulders with Hank and Karen at mosaic this past weekend. It is film season! Business is everywhere!

Way off topic for a moment now...

I want to apologize to those of you waiting for a package from me in the mail. I put them in my bag to mail two weeks ago and in all the craziness of late forgot to do it. I found them as I was routing the other day, so now my goal tomorrow is to get them mailed!

Now another off topic topic...

I want to thank you gals that commented about camping. You made me realize something.

What you love about camping is what I love about the cottage.  I love the campfires, but I love the clean private washroom of home. I love laying under the stars and listening to waves lap at the shore but I love a warm cozy indoor bed. I love the freedom of running all ever the place and fun explorations but I also love not being three feet away from the next site.

I love eating camp food but from my kitchen and not from my cooler full of melted ice cubes.

I am a cottager!

Glad I got that out, whew!

My hat is soooo off to you die hard campers, I feel like such a chicken admitting  my wimpiness about camping. Bring in a motor home, I would reconsider for that.

Now about my burn out.

I am sick.

I decided to tackle a painting and picked up the canvas last Monday. It is a biggie and a landscape.

I waaaaaaay underestimated the time on it, by ooooh lets say....12 hours.

I figured it would take 8 hours and now 20 hours later I only have to varnish it. Whew.

Every single extra moment I poured into this painting. When the kids napped, after they went to bed and whenever Dave went somewhere he took them so I could plug away.

I had nightmares.

 I didn't sleep, I had to drink coffee to sleep and water to stay awake. 

I was a mess. I stayed up till 2 and 3 am busting my butt to pull this thing off. Now it is off to be delivered tomorrow. I am not doing anything with such a time constraint ever again.

Never.

So as I did the last stroke I breathed a sigh of relief and let my body sag.  Within moments I felt tightness in my throat, aches in my ears and neck and a had a longing for bed.

I obeyed my poor body. 

I must always listen to it, my health comes before art from now on!

Now here are a few photos of the days with the kids when painting did not happen. 

We splashed in puddles.

Squinted into the sun.

Made surprise crafts for daddy.

Hung out with Auntie Em and Uncle "Phuf."

The kids picked flowers for me. I love them.

We had tea parties.

And made potato stamps.

But in the background the painting haunted me. Screamed at me to be finished and taunted that I just might not make the deadline.

We had a few painting dates but I didn't get much done, too much bumping of little elbows.

We managed to get out to a BBQ birthday party for little mommy and also helped a friend through her miscarriage and cleaning up for a move.

We crafted a little more and I was coming to my breaking point.

But we plugged away glad to be out of the house and away from the painting.

But it called.

And while Ethan napped Kaitlyn and I made some progress on out pieces.

(click on images to view larger)

And it is done.

And I am done.

This painting is for a dentist back in St. Albert. This is his view right now from his office. In a few months he is getting moved to make way for new condos and his new location will be ground level across from a curling club. No view.

So this was ordered in remembrance of the view. This is what he saw.

Now I  am glad to take a small painting break and chill. De-stress. 

Do some shopping and work on my tan for sure!

I need to just hang with my family for a few days.

And sleep!

Night all, I have missed you, I am now way behind on my reading, it has been a week since I read a blog, now this is daunting!

And I miss it! I miss blogging like I used to miss art, time for a little art break for sure!