Changes & Colouring

I am sooooo loving this newest picture I am working on.

I think this is my favorite new rabbit ever

and with him comes new plans for my art & business...

It's feeling like time to switch things up, so some things are brewing over here behind the scenes.

I do move very slowly because of my head-pain & busy life with the buns,

so you won't notice right away

But I can't wait to see what this single little green rabbit has instigated come to life.

I've made some changes on my social media as well as you may have noticed...

Firstly, the name of my blog has changed...

Bijou's Whimsy was my old business identity, that I've been moving away from for awhile now.

So everything is now under my name, Mandy Saile, clean, simple & concise & that's feeling good.
(don't forget to update your blog links)

I've changed my Instagram streams too, boy oh boy it was a big decision but I am loving it now.

I'am now making @Mandy_Saile strictly for studio life & artwork.

I started a new personal stream @WhirlinCircles for life out of the studios

& I've teamed with my hon to create a beautiful new bunnies only stream @LeporidaeLovely.

(plus you can find my guys personal stream @DeyfennSlayd too if your interested)

I hope you'll join me in all these places & thanks so kindly for your interest, time & support if you do.

Artful Blogging

I am over the moon

and the sun

and the stars...

I am beyond cloud 9

past seventh heaven!

because I and my beloved blog are featured in the

 

Winter 2017 issue of

Artful Blogging

 

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.....

 

 

I have loved and admired this magazine for years and years and have stacks of them in my studio.

I believe in and love my blog so much.  I put a lot of effort & time into it and it just

finally felt like time to give it the chance to be seen...

so I submitted and I heard back with a positive answer before I knew it.

This is one of my artistic dreams and goals come true...

In bright, thick glossy paper & beautiful colour

and it's on stands today (or available online).

It's SIX whole wonderful pages just for me.

I adore how they arranged it all, I love each photo they chose.

The editor was so so lovely to work with (and patient)...Thanks Danielle XO

 

and well I just couldn't be happier right now

and I really really hope you guys will rush out and pick up a copy.

 

WOOOOOHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ha ha!



WE HAVE JUST MOVED to www.MANDYSAILE.com....WOHOOOOOOO!!!

This is it...

This is the very last post here in this spot.

This Blogger BlogSpot has been a good blogging home to me since 2008

but it's time to move onwards and upwards

So this beloved blog of mine is moving.

Today I start blogging over at my brand new beautiful website

find me from now on at

www.MandySaile.com

 

 

I soooooo hope that you all follow me over.

I am in love with my new online home...

it's fresh, it's whimsical, it's joyful,

it's sweet...it's completely me.

 

I really hope you love it too.

 

So lovely souls, refresh your browers, bookmark the new blog link

and please do continue to join the bunnies and I on our artful and whimsical journey.

 

See you over there......wohooooooo!!!!

Nervousness

I am getting nervous.

Soon my dearest blog will be moving from this blogger space over to my brand new beautiful website
(oh I am just so beyond anxious for you all to see it, we've been working so very hard on it all).
I know it's the right time to move it all over...I know it'll eventually be even better.
BUT I am still nervous.

 

 

According to my analytics an average of 200 people visit me here everyday & I think that's a lot!

When I move over will you all follow me?
Is what I do, show & share here worth the bit of effort of you all refreshing my url etc???
I hope you'll find it worth it.  I hope you'll follow me over...
but I admit I am nervous for sure!

Today

Well, I went 10 whole days with no headaches & no migraines...it felt so amazing.
Then the last two days I've had to slow it right down again for a bad migraine has set in again.
I am always so disappointed when a new bout of pain starts
because I know just how far behind it'll make me & how much it'll slow me down
& I never know how long it'll last, sometimes it's 2 weeks straight, sigh!

But there is a key to living well and happily as a chronic migraine sufferer.
What in the world could it be are you wondering???

Well it's  Gratitude for everything good,
a heart ready to bask in the days small lovelies
& a keen eye to spot simple beauty.

So that's what I am doing today, appreciating and enjoying the day
despite the pounding and persistent pain hounding the right side & entire back of my head.

So, I am enjoying some quiet time curled up with a favorite soft blanket and my favorite magazines.
  

 

I am listening to my energetic Jaks rip apart his box like a little mad man, ha ha.

 

 

I am sitting down at my beloved new desk in my upstairs studio

(that I share with Jaks and Jin)

to colour whenever the pounding feels not quite so sharp...

sometimes I can work for 5 minutes, sometimes for 10, sometimes for 30 minutes at a time.

 

 

I am stretching out on the floor and keeping a napping Jinny company.

She doesn't mind, as long as I don't pet her too much, ha ha.

 

 

I am enjoying warm cups of sweet almond milk...topped with cinnamon, yum.

 

And lots of other loveliness is still to come for as I write this post, it's only noon.

So see...
despite a raging storm in my head that would have most people buckle and scream!
I am up and about & making the most of this day.
(with just a short lay-down with heat every couple of hours to soothe my body)

I am realizing more and more that it's all about attitude...it really is.

I am enjoying my day despite the negative...
and it's indeed feeling
very sweet & beautifully cozy.
Ahhh.

Drop in with a comment & tell me how YOUR day is going?
Are you facing a negative?? & how are you choosing to deal with it???



Best Laid Plans

Well I've been thinking about refreshing my blog,

but truth is, for the most part, I still really like the way it's looking & the way it's laid out.

I don't want to touch the header right now either, even though it's been there for 5 years, it's still 'me'.

But I did think of doing some new blog buttons to streamline my sidebar...

and I got this far...

 

 

But than I had to stop myself & be brutally honest & admit that they just don't work.

Ugh, Ugh Ugh!

When I placed them on my blog's sidebar, they were too cluttered & the font didn't read well at all.

I hate wasting time like this...

but this happens way more often then one might think!

Oh well, hopefully I can find another place to use them.

Back to the drawing board I go!!!



Play Date

It was a treat to spend last Friday with Danielle Fraser from Her Painted Word. 

Danielle is a fellow Northerner, she lives about 1.5 hours North of here. 
We spent the whole day wondering around the downtown core, going from gallery to gallery, eating lunch, having tea & talking non-stop about our art & businesses. 

Most of the artists we admire, consider pals and who make up the majority of our artistic support circles live far far away from our little Northern towns, scattered around the world but mostly in the U.S. 

Before meeting Danielle, I was the only one in the area, that I know of anyways, that has a blog, an etsy shop and all that jazz, so honestly, at times, it can feel a tad isolating and quite desolate in terms of artistic support and understanding. 

I am so so glad I tracked her down and got up the courage to send her that first

'Heh do you live near North Bay' email, ha ha...
And that Danielle was friendly enough to say
'Heh I am coming to North Bay, wanna meet up". 

Hope your all feeling brave enough to forge some new connections this week.

XO An inspired and happy Bijou

Featured On Ladaisi

Lauren Holgate from the blog Ladaisi, asked if she could feature me on her blog a few weeks ago. 

Of course I said 'YES YES YES', ha ha. 
Espeacially since I've loved Lauren's blog for some time now.

She is showing the work of an actress, a photographer, a culinary artist, little teeny moi...

and many others over the next couple of weeks.   

I admit to being a tad nervous about it because we had to conjure up our own write up's for the features and I've always found writing about myself and my work really difficult. 

But I am going to let all the fears go, and just enjoy seeing my work
& face & links & even writing, yes, ha ha 

on another fellow bloggers lovely blog...so yayyyyy.

I do hope you can hop over to Laurens blog for a visit...and if you could leave a comment,

well that would just be the Bee's Knees.



Thanks Thanks Thanks to the lovely Lauren.

And hope your all having a wonderful weekend. 

I am almost done a new painting called 'Emmeline & Everley', can't wait to show you.

XO Mandy