Challenge 60 - Introducing Kal Barteski

Imagine my surprise when my son Noah says to me after school yesterday that there's no school today! I guess that's part of the fun of moving somewhere new and learning when all the statutory holidays are. Today is Heritage Day in the Yukon and yup, there's no school! Our area celebrates Rendezvous in an effort to battle cabin fever which has been known to occur in my house during unbearably long cold spells (it's as icky as it sounds, trust me!) Most communities have these kinds of celebrations in the summer time with events like the "build, bail & sail contest" or Snow to Surf races- both of those are from my hometown, Comox Valley but not here, no siree...we do things a little differently. Let's start with the Wife Packin' Contest...which is a real and very serious sport, believe it or not! We'll be racing in it next year but observing this time. There's other uncommon competitions like the hairy leg contest (a ladies only event- eew!) and the beard growing contest (don't know about you, but a wild and outta control beard just don't do it for me) and the Sour Toe Cocktail...where (according to my husband) you are served an alcoholic beverage with a genuine human toe preserved in formaldehyde and if you can catch the toe in your teeth, you get a certificate- big whoop, a certificate...you won't catch me in THAT contest. EEW!! (if you don't believe me...go here, this s**t's REAL!)

So down to business, this week's challenge is my most favorite so far. I came across this UBER talented artist through a reading club that I joined at the beginning of the year. She's young, she's a mama and she's Canadian (three of my favorite things!) She's a published author and the most entertaining blogger I've ever come across.Her name is Kal Barteski (who, this morning is a way earlier blogger than me!) and she has kindly allowed us the opportunity to borrow some of her artwork for our challenges and you can expect to see some more of it in the coming weeks. Today's image is so much fun because it can be- and has been- interpreted in so many amazing ways. I'm excited to see what you guys can come up with using this piece as inspiration.

Vanessa

Jessi

Ronda

Tania

Christine

Sallie
Danielle