Panda One

I tried my hand at painting this weekend and created "Panda One". I uploaded it to my renewed Etsy store - "renewed" because I am giving original artwork a shot (this is mainly to avoid having to pay for expensive ink to turn my Epson 3800 into a usable gadget, instead of its current use as a some-kind-of-ugly side table).

So-far I've put a few original drawings and the one painting up. I am enjoying painting a lot, especially now that my daughter also spends time with me painting her own creations. I've loaded up the images, enjoy!


Panda One


Painting Area


Daughter's Art



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On the Japan Tsunami

One of the artists I follow on twitter: @meghunt, have rallied the artistic community to join her in an art auction called: "Art for Japan" - I've emailed her and have enlisted to donate a piece of art. The news coming out of Japan is horrific, and I am compelled to do something. If you're artistically inclined, please join. Otherwise, when the auction goes up, look-around and see if there is any art you're interested to purchase.

Hand-Drawn Imaginations

I have been away from my Etsy space since December. I have actually pseudo-closed the shop by saying I am "on vacation", but really, I am just contemplating what I want to pursue. My printer ink ran out, my work was busy, and I was really thinking a lot about everything. That said, I am still confused (aren't we all?) but know that three dear loves of mine have the potential to really form a new path: art, writing and cooking.

A long time ago, at a cross-roads, I decided to pursue a technology major over english and fine arts. Isn't it funny that my passions are at seemingly opposing ends of a continuim? I still love them all (including the technology bit).

I have decided to re-open the shop this weekend, but without the technology. Instead of the digital prints I have been creating in the past, I plan to create original hand-drawn and painted pieces and put them up to share with the world. I also plan to write a little something along with each new piece.

I feel that this is a journey to re-tap a dormant creativity, when once re-found will open doors that I left closed for too long. Secondly, I hope the art I may create will offer smiles to those whom find it.

With no further ado, here is a glimpse of what is coming!! Ready to rock!

Studio Work: Beginnings

In recent weeks I have been inspired by a few youtube personalities and one of my friends in Toronto. They make videos: short and entertaining videos that they share online. I've been itching to make videos for years. Telling a story was one of my passions: I have very much neglected this passion for years and years. As one grows up, they forget who they really are. There's just more and more grown-up things to take care of that typically revolve around buying stuff: mortgages, bills, working to deal with the aforementioned.

This afternoon, I decided to take the Sugar And Cream universe that whirrs around in my head (and sometimes shows up in prints on my etsy storefront), and expand it into animated shorts. I will aspire to fill those films with stories that will be memorable and entertaining enough for people to smile and be happy.

The sketch above is a glimpse into the Sugar and Cream world. I'm excited! I'm storyboarding tonight, it's gonna be fun!

Robo Meowbot

Meowbot, is inspired by Valentines day! I know it's a little late being ready for Valentines day, but this print is suitable for your sweetheart, anytime of the year! ROBO Meowbot is the third print in the series of my robot co-operative prints. I have yet to create the backstory with these characters, but I tell you, it involves superheros and collaboration! Enjoy!

Robo Terrarium

I took my time, but I have finally finished the second print in the ROBO COOP series of art prints! I have just uploaded it to the store. This print was definitely inspired by the vegetable garden planning that is currently underway in our household (asparagus crowns? snap peas?). Enjoy!

Starting on Artfire

I signed up for Artfire; it feels very different than Etsy, but should be interesting to try and use. My second ROBO-COOP print is sketched out, and being finalized. I am however stuck on what kind of legs to use for this forest dwelling robot..

And I am getting hooked on Amigurumi... check out rosieok.etsy.com. I so want to learn to crochet and sewing.!!

Oh, and the new addition has arrived: c'est un garcon.

Ice Cream Maker : ROBO CO-OP SERIES

I have uploaded the first print in the Robo Co-op series to Etsy. I am pretty happy with how it turned out! It was definitely fun to draw and take pictures of; and Mackenzie seems to like it a lot! I originally placed the print on top of her dresser for the photo shoot, but she insisted that it be on her bookshelf. We appear to have a little designer on our hands!

2009: Fresh Start!

Rested and gearing up for an exciting new year! We would like to thank all of our customers in 2008 for their support! You guys have been great. I want to especially thank Laura-Jean @ Fresh Collective in downtown Toronto for being a huge supporter of local designers (including Sugar&Cream)!


Sugar & Cream: Plans for 2009

• New prints each month!


• Try out something new! Maybe sewing?


• Take-part in our first craft/art fair


• Blog more regularly


• Develop our other site for experimental artwork


• More & better photos

Gary & Kittie life-plans for 2009

• Find out how to handle two kids (yes: Two. Kids.)


• Plan / Set-up a little vegetable garden


• Refinish some used furniture


• Start Biking to work in springtime


• Meet up with long-lost friends!

It's going to be another busy and interesting year! I hope everyone is off to a good start!

A new print: Rockstar series continues!

I have put up another print in the store.  This is part of the on-going Rockstar series and centers upon the leader: Charlie.  She was inspired by some strong women rockstar leads, pre-Lilith fair.  Don't get me wrong, I liked the musicians during the Lilith-fair era, but I really liked some of the artists around the 1994/95 time-frame.  The likes of Garbage, No Doubt, and.. Lush.  I loved Lush.  They were amazing...

Here it is: Rockstar Fender.

New Print in Shop! Under Water!

I have put a new print up in the shop today: Under Water.  It is inspired by the ocean and fish.  I particularly love being in water.  There are more prints being worked upon.  I hope you guys will enjoy this print:

New Print for the Shop

I have been MIA this past few days.  Things have been fairly busy.  I won't get into the details, but have been away from the computer a bit.  I hope that you have been having a good spring (for those of us in the Northern hemisphere)!

The weather was extremely nice (for Canada) today.  We were up to 12 or 13C.  This means, light jacket and melting snow.  We ended up walking to our local grocer, and swung by the park for little Mackenzie to play around on the swings and slides.  It was nice seeing neighbors outdoors, getting their garden ready or doing general cleanup.  There were many "hi's" and "nice day ehs?" to go around!

I also spent the morning doing stuff for the shop.  I played a lot with Illustrator and came up with a new print!  Yeah, I like how it turned out.  I am doing some final adjustments, but it should be up in the shop sometime early this week!  I posted it here:

New Print in the Shop: Etude de la chute libre

I added a new print to the shop!  It is a Pink Martini inspired piece, with a little bit of a French twist (also as an nod to my Canadian'ness).  I hope you enjoy it, I'm really happy with how it turned out. 

Rockstar Drummers: Red & Blue

I added two new prints to the shop.  They are little rockerstar drummers!

Too much cooking, not enough Etsy

Weekends go by wayyy too fast. I have been trying to finish off a collection of four prints so that I can put them up on the shop. These prints have taken a week or so already, but I think they are pretty fun and a little more progressive. However other more important things have been coming up than completing my art.

For instance: cooking. I love to cook probably as much as I like to make art. And unfortunately, art-making has to take second seat to cooking. Not cooking will impact some pretty important and immediate family members if not taken care of in a proper way. Right, Kittie?

Although this blog is relatively young in age, a large % of my posts have revolved around cooking and/or eating. This post continues in that vein (I guess I really really like food). Today, was another visit to BVB cafe. Oh man, another cappucino, and a tasty dessert! I brought a novel with me: it is by Neil Gaiman called Interworld; I sat in the cafe for probably 45min reading it. I'm 1/3 of the way through, and it's hilarious and quick paced like a movie.

Afterwards, we headed back to my mom and dad's, spent some time with family then came back up to Markham. I immediately I got started on two dishes:

1. Osso Bucco (Lamb Shank Stew) to cook tonight, and to eat tomorrow (and to distribute to Kittie's family)
2. Tasty Pasta Sauce for Penne

Last summer, a few of our friends got together and we made our own Tomato sauce! Our first annual Tomato Sauce Day was a great success! We each came out of that event with 26 or 27 one litre jars of sauce. It took an entire day to make, but the sauce tastes fresh and we know that it is of high quality (at least we believe so!). :) Hopefully the first annual event, won't end up being our last annual Tomato sauce day event.

Dinner was good, and the Osso Bucco is resting up for it's big reveal tomorrow! I love Osso Bucco, it's great comfort food.

Crocodile Surfer

The first copy of my favorite print sold today at our store. Thank you so much! This illustration was very fun to illustrate and colour. It makes me feel very buoyant! It's a little child in a crocodile get-up riding a big wave. Surf's up!

Creative Selves

This is our first post on Blogspot! We started a sister site @ Wordpress, but are moving here to see if Blogger is a better fit for us. Kittie and I have been working very hard and putting a lot of effort into our Etsy store. Becoming sellers on Etsy has been a tremendously creative process, we both love art in all its many facets: music, paintings, toys, jewellery, pottery, etc.

Etsy and the Handmade Pledge are beautiful ideas. We are strong supporters of Etsy and the Handmade Pledge. We hope that you will enjoy the artwork that we produce, and have fun reading our blog and our adventures with our little toddler girl with the huge personality.

Enjoy!