And The Winner Is….

 Wow you all left a whole load of questions for me last night lol .. but, I’ve got thru them all ( I’ve been answering them all day trying to keep up! ) ..  I’ve been to random and it picked number 66 !

and the winning comment was:

Congrats Vikki !!!   You win the gorjuss PINK tote bag !

Our two runners up are 98 and 104:

who are:

and

Congratulations ELAINE & LIZ !!!! You both win a skin deep pocket mirror!

And for anyone wondering about the answers to ALL those questions.. here they are:

(Kimber) What inspires you too draw/paint?
•    Real life, honestly ! .. I take inspiration from everrrrrything around me, sounds, emotions, words, sights, you name it. I’m a big arty sponge.

(Juliana) Do you have a “soundtrack” when you are drawing/painting?
•    Oh absolutely Radiohead, Sigur Ros, Nick Cave, Blue October, Beirut, Olafur Arnalds, Rufus Wainright are all favourites to paint to! I love music, and Mr G says I have my own soundtrack, because theirs always something playing in the background..

(Elaine)  How much do I want to win the bag???
•    It’s a super special bag, I’m sure you want to win it LOTS 😀

(Ger) What colour Skittles is your fav??
•    Green. I dont like yellow.

(Elaine) How long does it take to get from an idea in your head to it being a completed painting?
•    It depends where I am when I get the idea hehehe .. I’m not the type of person who jumps out of bed at 3am because I can see a painting, I put it aside and wait til a reasonable time and chance til I can paint it..  running a business means you need to take care of other things first, but all in all I paint every day.. every single day, so there’s never too long to wait before the idea CAN flow !  If I dont paint every day I get grumpy, I think there’s too many girls in my head trying to get out!

(Kimber) Whats your fav flavor chocolate ,vanilla or strawberry?
•    umm.. chocolate. Probably. Why does nobody put Raspberry in these choices, I love Raspberry.

(Denise) Do you ever have a time when you aren’t feeling creative and what do you do to get through it?
•    No. I paint therefor I am! ..  painting is as natural as breathing.. I couldnt stop or falter. I’d be lost without it!  Even after i had my Spine surgery, I painted lying in my bed!

(The Imp) What was the initial thought behind the “silent” look the girls have? (ie, no mouth). It gives them such a pensive look!
•    tsk tsk… I’m not telling!

(Wy) Have you ever dyed your hair a bright color?
•    Oh yes, blue, green, white, blonde, red, purple, not streaks the WHOLE lot !  You name it, it’s been there.. also shaved it all off once too ( dont do that at home kids – takes a while to come back ! LOL!) .. I was a bit of a punk when I was younger. These days it just gets some streaks in it !

(Tracy) Do you find that by turning your love for drawing it has taken anything away from it by becoming your job? Do you still enjoy working everyday doing this stuff?
•    I dont think so, I love what I do and I hope it shows in the paintings and with how I run the business.  Having it as a job, probably makes me more focused when I’m painting.. but I always paint for me, and not ‘to sell it’ .. I think that’s important.

(Tracy) Did you think Gorjuss would be as popular as it has become?
•    Hmm… I didnt set out to make it popular, I just wanted to paint,but I’m grateful for it’s wide welcoming reception to the world, and for it being liked. It’s quite surreal really.

(Tracy) Is this your dream job?
•    Is it a job?.. it’s far too much fun to be a job surely ! hehe!   I cant imagine being anything else, doing anything else, I’m a bit useless at everything else too, I wouldnt cope with a 9-5 ! .. and I’ve always know this was what I was meant to do..

(Tracy) What do you do for fun activities as a family?
•    Hmm.. I think we try to have fun no matter what we do, but we go to the movies lots, and eat out often, the kids are old enough that they can really appreciate a nice meal out, and that we take time away form work to sit down and ask them about their days.

(Tracy) Are you hoping your kids will follow in your footsteps when they’re older?
•    Only in the sense they dont find a ‘job’ but find something they LOVE to do..  they shouldnt put up with a job just to earn, but to earn doing something they love and then really LIVE their lives..  that would make me happy.

(Tracy) Are you sick of my questions yet!???
•    Nope.

(Bren) Do you dream of an idea and wake up and create it?
•    No, I dont dream of my paintings at all.

(Denise) What is your favorite medium to work with? Why?
•    Photoshop. I love it.  It’s quick, no mess, and has the magical CMD & Z ( undo!) …

(Beth) Mr. G & Suzanne – how did you meet? : )
•    It’s a really long story, but let’s say it involved a bunny girl outfit and it wasnt me that was in it!

(Basima) How many kids do you have? Their names and ages please?
•    Three kids, Dylan, Skye & Caleb. 14, 12, 7.

(Denise) Do you have an art studio or where do you usually work?
•    We work at home, it cuts costs, and it’s cosy 🙂

(Shani) Where does your inspirations for the drawings/paints /tubes come from ?  I mean how do you go about creating such beautiful works?
•    See the first question!

(Denise) When was the last time you went on a date and where did you go?
•    Ah last Wednesday, we went to the movies, saw ‘Knowing’ and wished we hadnt, it was rubbish ! .. the movie that is, not the date, it was lovely 🙂

(Lorna) Who has the smelliest feet in the woolcott household?
•    Kismet. They smell of mouse.

(Lorna) If you could both change one thing in your life what would it be?
•    I think we’d both say my Health !

(Lorna) Do you talk about what you’re going to blog and who will do it?
•    We’re with each other a lot so if something needs blogged about, then it’s mentioned ‘out loud’ ..  whoever blogs only comes down to ‘who’s got a spare moment to blog’ .. sometimes we Twitter at the same time – ooops!

(Puzzle) Suzanne, what is your favorite time of day for drawing?
•    5pm onwards.. daytime is used for other things. My brain is more awake from 5pm onwards, and I can stay up til about midnight/1am painting away..

(Denise) Do you have pet names for each other?
•    um…no.

(Wendy) Do you draw the inspiration for your paintings from your own childhood?
•    Yes. Very much so.

(Christy) How did you meet? and was it love at first site?
•    Aww.. absolutely.

(Elaine) Do you wish you hadn’t asked us to ask questions?
•    Nah, I just hope you all take the time to read all my answers !

(Elaine) How do you choose the names for the pictures? Does the name come first or the picture?
•    Sometimes I’ll title it as I’m working on it, sometimes after I’m finished, and sometimes I have to ask Mr G for the right words.. I’m not good with words, so he can often figure out what I’m trying to say in a picture and put it into words for me!

(Karyn)  What is your most favorite thing to do for fun?
•    Playing games with the kids, walks, shopping..  concerts, eating out..

(Karyn) Do you have your own paintings and drawings displayed in your home or do you have art from other people on your walls?
•    I collect art form other artists yes, all portraits of girls too ! hee hee!

(Karyn) What is your favorite color?
•    Black. Grey. Purple. I love colour. I love how it affects your mood.

(Emilee) My mom was adopted and her biological mother supposedly died in Hong Kong…so the picture “I found my family in a book” is really sentimental to her, because since she knows nothing of her Chinese past from her current parents who adopted her, she said she always imaged her “chinese” family from the stories she read from books about China.  We would love to know: “What was your inspiration behind that piece and color choices?”
•    I did actually find my family in a book !

(Cgee) Will you ever be doing any summer theme – tubes with bikinis or shorts ?
•    No.

(Serena) What is your favorite time of day to draw?
•    evening !

(Buffie) Do you believe there is such a thing as a stupid question?
•    Oh yes..  stupid questions belong on Google too.. it’s less embarrassing that way 🙂

(Diane) My question is, is there a reason the Gorjuss Girl is usually a raven-haired beauty and not more often a redhead or brunette? (or blonde?)
•    I have dark hair.  It’s purely selfish reasons ! hehehe!

(Mea) Have you seen Mr Fox Lately howling in your street?
•    Yes, he’s got a girlfriend right now, and a love rival, they all scurry around our garden at night now, peeing on everything ( poor plants!)  I’m sure we will see little foxlets in a few months !

(Frenchee) Suzanne and Mr G—do you come from big families? Are they close by?
•    Umm..

(Wendi) .. Why didn’t i find this blog of yours before??!!
•    I dont know, I do my best to make it easy to find!
(Wendi) Will there be more bags of the ‘I love Goth’ girl or the Gorjuss at heart ‘I love your beary much’ items?? And, do you do custom orders??
•    Yes, we’ve just ot black bags back ins tock today, so expect them back in the shops very soon ! ..

(Denise) How many pieces of mail do you receive daily on an average?
•    Email?.. ummm… I would tell you but it would scare you!

(Mary) I adore the teddies in your artwork. Do you think you will ever some out with just a pack of teddy bears?
•    No , the packs will stay as they are, in order of the time they are painted, we wont be offering packs of things without the girls, they need to stay together 🙂

(Denise) What is your favorite color to work with? Do you have a color you absolutely can’t stand working with?
•    Um…grey, all the gorjuss colours are a ‘normal’ colour with lots of grey added !.. it’s lovely. Hate yellow.  I’ve used it, but .. well.. it’s not my favourite!

(Judith) Do you like to drink tea or coffee?
•    Neither actually, we both don’t drink tea or coffee…

(Kimber) If you could choose 1 thing to draw what would it be animal or person?
•    Umm.. ‘girl’ .. yes, i think it would be a girl 😉 Or a Bear. Or a girl with a bear… just one???!

(Kim) We’re you thinking of me when you made that “DUSK” tote?
•    No, Sandy made me do it.

(Kimber) Where did ya go for honeymoon?
•    We went up North to Inverness

(Regina) For both of you, what’s your most embarrassing moment?
•    Gah, I’m not sharing it LOL !!

(Regina) Have you ever been to the USA or do you ever plan to visit the USA?
•    Mr G has, but I’ve not.. we hope to maybe get over to LA later this year for an exhibition if we can !

(Wendy) My question is when do you plan on releasing the next tube pack?
•    There’s ALWAYS one coming soon, and the next one.. is very very soon!

(Wendy) What was the interview for?
•    I can’t tell you, but I will when it’s released, so you can all go read even more gorjuss answers to questions ! hehehe!

(Wendy) Do you have another live chat scheduled?
•    Yes we do ! Saturday April 25th ( that’s a week today!) .. at 10pm GMT in the Just Gorjuss chat room http://www.gorjussart.co.uk/chat

(Wendy) How is your back? I hope you have been able to get back into a routine you enjoy.
•    It’s better than it was, and even better still since the last Op, I have some feeling back in my left leg which helps! .. and yes I cope! ( Just dont ask me to lift anything or sit down!)

(Kim) Besides sketching, painting, etc, what are you other favorite things to do?
•    There ARE other things???!!! Nah I’m kidding, um music is a big part of my life, I used to play drums ( def cant go back to that because of my back tho!) .. but I still love to go see bands play, our city is great for live bands so we’re very lucky !  I like to read a lot, and I’m addicted to Scrabble !

(Carmen) What is the supply that you can’t have enough of?
•    Transfer paper for the tote bags.. seriously I can  never buy enough before it runs out!

(Vikki) If you could live anywhere else in the world where would it be?
•    There’s so many wonderful places in the world, Italy, France, Australia.. but I do love where we are in the world.. it’s great here.

(Catarific) Do you and Mr. G. have any special plans when school is out?
•    No, we dont do a big summer holiday as we can’t trust my health no to ruin it .. but we do plan days out with the kids to special places, museums, deep sea world, castles, parks, etc.. it’s all good fun.

(lil one) Does Kismet have a professional groomer?
•    No, however, all volunteers are welcome !  ( bring your own suit of armour for the task!)

(Denise) What is the one thing you love most about where you live?
•    The accents, it’s def not the Weather urgh !

(Sandy) Why?
•    Because.

(Brenda) Why is Sandy odd?..LOL
•    Because. 🙂

(Lorna) If you could be someone else for the day who would it be?
•    I’d like to be a fox for day…

(Denise) Who does the cooking in your house?
•    Mr G does it all bless him, I still cant even pick up more than one plate at a time. I’m hoping my Back improves enough so I can soon tho!

(Lorna) Milk or Dark Chocolate?
•    Dark

(Denise) What time do you get up in the morning? Who lingers longest in bed?
•    Argh def me, Mr G does the school run, and starts work early, I linger a little longer and get up later.. it’s a bad habit from being so ill this last year.  I think i’m on a diff time zone to the rest of my household! I do like to sleep!

(Lorna) What is your favourite Pizza topping ?
•    Margherita

(Maria Therese) How often do you make new gorjuss girls?
•    Every day.  I update at least 6 new paintings to the gorjuss gallery every month, but i’m often working on other projects etc too !

(Maria Therese) Have you ever made anything with your own gorjuss stamps?
•    I dont have any of the gorjuss stamps, still waiting for the postman to bring me some!

(Kimber) What veggies do u like?
•    All, I’m vegetarian. 🙂

(Puzzle) Suzanne, do you have a ritual when you draw? i.e. comfy clothes you like to wear or some music or songs/singers you like to listen to?
•    I usually tie my hair up, in pleated pigtails, and I’ve mentioned the gorjuss soundtrack earlier hehehe ..

(Kimber) Whats your fav place to visit?
•    My Chiropractors office – he’s a genius.

(Kimber) Whats your fav tv show/movie/play/book?
•    Um.. House is good, but more often Live Tennis, I’d dont watch a lot of shows but I watch a LOT of tennis lol – I love Howls Moving Castle  & Totoro, don’t think I have a fave play, and argh tooo many books i love lol ..

(Lorna) Hows your back today suzanne?
•    Better than yesterday! ( I try really hard not to moan about it to you all ! LOL!)

(Milla) Go to your bookcase, look at the top shelf, 3rd book from the right: what book is it?
•    books all over the place here.. but on the unit right in front of me .. Twilight 🙂

(Lorna) How many hats do you own suz?
•    Two new ones from Pumpkinhaus.etsy.com and a few others.. I’m not sure how many.. I like hats.. also check out  malam.etsy.com for the most wonderful scarf/neckwarmers, I dont leave home without mine!

(Catarific) Do you have a favorite novelist? And what type of books do you enjoy reading?
•    I love books, but I do prefer childrens, i will admit that ! hehehe.. but I also love Neil Gaiman, and Terry Pratchett..

(Brenda) Have you ever been to ottawa ontario canada? if not will you ever come for a show?
•    Never been to Canada, would love to if a gallery would have me 🙂

(Jayne) Professionally what has been your proudest acheivement?
•    Opening our own gorjuss shop at gorjussart.com, it was chaos behind the scenes putting it together and getting it up and running in such a short amount of time, but was so worth it, it feels like a big step.. and I’m proud that it all worked!

(Bluey) Where do you see Gojuss (being) in 10 years time?
•    Everywhere, we’re planning world domination, one gorjuss girl at a time 🙂

(Bluey) Is there anything else you would have liked to do other than be an artist or was it always your dream?
•    It wasnt a dream, more an..hmm.. itch?.. it was just there under the skin.. niggling away !

(Bluey) If you could take a day off from your life what would you do in that day?
•    Oh er.. play Drums for Blue October.. at a really big gig.. that would be awesome 😀

(Bluey) What is you next goal in your career?
•    I’d like to get back to painting with Acrylic on canvas, I havent been able to since my back problems started..  and I’ve got galleries waiting on me getting back to health too.. that is a goal I dont lose sight of !

(Lorna) Do you have any regrets?
•    I try  not to regret anything, things happen for reason ..

(Mchen) Do you have any recurring dreams?
•    No.. I dont dream to much..

(Mchen) Other than paint/draw, what’s your favourite rainy day activity?
•    Reading, snoozing.. playing Scrabble, watching Tennis 😀

(Mchen)  Can you click your heels?
•    OMG I dont think my Chiropractor would let me try..  I’ve only just been able to feel my leg again, so I’m not gonna try !

(Jade) How old were you when you realised that you wanted to spend your life drawing, painting and creating beautiful artistic things? I ask simply because i am wondering if you are like me and knew, even when you were a little girl that (secretly) all you ever wanted to do was draw things and make lots of lovely pictures!
•    I was always told that Art wasnt a job.. it was a hobby.  I’m quite pleased to have proven them all wrong 🙂

(Alice) When did you first drawing Gorjuss girls? I’m sure you started drawing when you were really little… but when did you girls first start looking gorjuss? Does that make any sense? lol.
•    I’ve not been drawing since I was little, I’d love to say I was a little girl that scribbled on everything and always had a crayon in her hand.. but I wasnt, as I said above, art was frowned upon as frivolous.. and messy ! My childhood was turmulous and my world thrown upside down so many times.   As a teenager I doodled more and people started paying me for small commissioned works here and there ( childrens walls/ vehicles etc!) .. but real life got in the way and I had more to deal with than worry about my need for art that was niggling away..  only when my life settled, did I realise the niggle was still there and sat down and painted.  I learned a lot.. and still do..  I love learning.. about everything, not just art.. I taught myself how to make websites, and how to make the gorjussart store too! ( i’m learning to speak Japanese right now ! hehe!) ..

(Billiana) If you are banished to a desert island, and could only bring 3 items, what would you bring?
•    Pen, Paper.. Ipod..

(Alice) What is your favorite kind of music to listen to?
•    Rock, Folk… alternative stuff.. see the list of bands earlier..

(Catarific) When you design merchandise – do you do it on your own – or do you have a marketing consultant that aides you?
•    All our stuff at the moment is handmade, by me or Mr G..

(Alice) What was the very first etsy purchase you made?
•    Apr. 27th, 2006:
http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=51548
and
http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=51546

—————–
***For Mr G**
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(Karyn) What is your favorite color Suz? What about you Mr. G?
•    Purple

(Lorna) How many times have you embarassed yourself in public?
•    More than I havent

(Serena) Mr G have you ever met anyone famous oh say like Christian Bale?
•    I met Tom Baker once ( Old Dr Who)

(Regina) For both of you, what’s your most embarrassing moment?
•    Um, not telling !

(Adeline) For Mr. G, in relation to what Lorna asked, how many times have you embarrassed yourself in private?
•    wow everyone wants the dirt on me huh ! … can you get embarrassed in private?..

(Denise) Have you ever regretting leaving your “outside” job to work with Suzanne?
•    Not for a second.

(Lorna) MrG if you didnt like one of suz drawings would you tell her?
•    Yes, and have done, always will do!

(Lorna) If you could both change one thing in your life what would it be?
•    More time in a day?

(Puzzle) Mr. G., what would your name be if you’d taken Suzanne’s name when you two got married?
•    Nicol.

(Cathy) Can you please tell me when a pebble becomes a stone, a stone becomes a rock, a rock becomes a boulder, and a boulder becomes a mountain?  This has been plaguing me for years and I’d dearly love an answer! 🙂
•    No. But thanks for asking!

(Liz) Mr. G. were you the model for the Rowan image?
•    No, but my left ear lobe was.

(Liz) I sometimes find reading the blog is hard because of the print. Can you do anything to make the font darker?
•    Nope, Suzanne does all the blog & web design, I wouldnt have a clue how to fix it !
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Hope you enjoy all that, congrats again to the winners, and thank you ALL for the HUGE pile of comments/questions ! hehehe!