A familiar pair of local “celebrities” is getting a new kind of spotlight this year, thanks to Moose Jaw artist Shelby Yee.

Yee, owner and operator of The Makers Corner, has recently launched a new “Mac and Cheese” colouring and activity book, now available for purchase at the Tourism Moose Jaw gift shop.

The book features illustrations of Mac the Moose, Moose Jaw’s iconic landmark, alongside Cheese, the friendly cat who has become an unexpected star at the tourism kiosk.

“This is actually the first colouring book I’ve ever made, so it’s great. I’m really proud of it,” Yee said.

The project grew naturally from her existing work as a local workshop host and creator. She operates her shop as a small, one-person business, offering a range of services that include regular workshops for residents at Atria Mulberry Estates.

“My business is The Makers Corner,” she said. “I host paint workshops at least once a month, and I do private workshops for the community.”

Yee said her connection with Tourism Moose Jaw began when she first added her handmade items in the artisans’ shop inside the tourism kiosk, which carries work from Moose Jaw and area artists.

“I only started stocking my stuff around May or June last year. That’s around the time that I first saw her,” she said, referring to Cheese.

After meeting the cat and seeing how popular she was with visitors, the idea began to take shape.

“I met Cheese, and I was like, ‘She is amazing; she is literally amazing. She’s so cute,’” Yee recalled. “I just thought, ‘Oh, I could draw her, and it could be adorable because people love her.’ … And then, I was like, ‘You know what? I want to make a colouring book. I think this would be adorable.’”

The Mac and Cheese concept has become a recognizable part of Tourism Moose Jaw’s branding under executive director Donna Fritzke. Yee said the collaboration evolved casually from that idea.

“It kind of just happened, which is really nice. The ladies there are lovely,” she said.

The book includes a mix of colouring pages and simple activities, with many scenes inspired by Moose Jaw’s landmarks and experiences, including Mac and Cheese visiting Temple Gardens, sitting beneath the Northern Lights, and appearing alongside the Snowbirds.

“My husband works out at (15 Wing Moose Jaw). He’s a contractor there, and I always go to see the Snowbirds,” she said. “I thought it would be really cool if I could incorporate stuff from there and downtown Moose Jaw, and just have it connected for people to really experience Moose Jaw (through) Mac and Cheese.”

The book also includes interactive pages such as a word search and a maze.

Yee initially delivered 24 copies of the book, stating that she was uncertain how popular the idea would be. Since then, she’s already received positive feedback from Tourism Moose Jaw staff and community members who follow her work.

“They were like, ‘This is amazing,’” she said.

Yee is open to creating a follow-up edition, and would also be interested in collaborating with other local attractions and organizations on similar themed colouring books. Her books are printed in Moose Jaw through SaskPromo.com.

“If this goes well, maybe in a year’s time or something we could do a (version) 2.0. There’s definitely so much more material that I could add to it,” she said.

Residents interested in collaborating with Yee can reach her at TheMakersCornerMJ@gmail.com.

The Tourism Moose Jaw kiosk is located at 450 Diefenbaker Drive.

Aaron Walker

Reporter

Moose Jaw Express