More Treasuries & Collections

Thanks again so so much to everyone who put my work into Etsy Treasuries & ArtFire Collections in February...you know how they tickle me happy ever so much...

Here's one of my 'Funky Fish', 1st on the 2nd row down.

One of my 'Beautiful Birds', 1st spot, 1st row.

Another of my 'Beautiful Birds' 2nd row down 4th spot.

My 'Flora & Fauna 2' print, 2nd spot 2nd row down.

Another 'Funky Fish', 1st row 1st spot.

Yet another 'Beautiful Bird', 3rd row down, 2nd spot.

Another small print of mine, 1st row, 2nd spot.

My purple and lime green 'Beautiful Bird' 2nd row down 3rd spot.

And my favourite 'Beautiful Bird' 3rd row down, 3rd spot over.

The 'Fauna and Flora 2' print again, 3rd row down 4th over.

One of the very first pieces in my coloured pencil portfolio, my 'Flying Fish' print, 3rd row down and 3rd over.

And still one of my favourite illustration 'Inertia Creeping', 1st row 4th one over.

And here is one of my 'Avian' prints 4th row down 2nd spot over.

A couple years ago I was never included in collections, now it's happening more and more which means my work is being seen by more and more which hopefully means a wider audience and all the goodness that comes with that and which will hopefully lead to that rabbit sanctuary I've had in my heart & dreams for years now!

Hope your having a wonderful weekend and thanks so so much to all the lovely supportive comments as of late, espeacially for my recent post about leaving Art On Main, my heart feels aptly hugged...thank you, thank you, thank you.

XO Bijou

Resignation From Art On Main

So sometimes we have to make some choices and decisions when we realized our energy is short & that our time isn't being wisely spent...

Sometimes we have to stop, take stock of what we're doing and get rid of the things that are pulling our energy and time away from forging a path towards what we really want...

Sometimes we have to be brave and NOT care what other people may think or say about our choices & decisions (this is a hard one for me because I always want to explain & make people understand)...

And sometimes we have to change gears to fully align ourselves with our dreams and goals....

So, in that frame of mind & after having bounced around on a decision for quite some time now, even though I knew some time ago what my decision would be, I have resigned from the Downtown Artists Collective, Art On Main. 

I was an exhibiting/working/contributing member with this group for almost 2 years but based on a variety of things including; future goals, a small business budget, not being the right market for my work, not getting what I was hoping for from the place & all the time I loose due to migraines, I decided it was best to move forward and resign, so February was my last month.

It was bittersweet to pull my work down, repair my wall space & walk away leaving it blank...

But, I am proud of myself to have made a hard decision which I know is for the best.  I am extra proud because I am the kind of person who doesn't let go of things easily.  I was worried that I would feel my resignation was a failure, but I know it wasn't a failure of any kind...it was a great success to have even tried it & something I proudly put on my c.v.

So there will be no more Art On Main posts...some may have noticed & I wanted to explain why.

No worries for any one local wanting to buy my work.  You can always find me online in various places as you know and there are still two full walls at Veg Out (downtown), as well as a selection of my cards at The Framemakers Gallery, plus you can always schedule a a studio appointment.  Also there is my solo exhibition at the WKP Kennedy Gallery this May.

XO A Decisive Bijou & Her Beautiful Bunnies who are glad their mama doesn't have to do gallery shifts & meetings anymore, ha ha.  XO

Owlette Oberon

A new Owlette...this one has a more serious and stern personality and is named 'Oberon'...

He's done in coloured pencil with a teeny bit of acrylic paint on gessoed pine. 

I LOVE him & am so pleased with how he turned out.  (prints will be available soon)

I cut all of the owl shapes this past summer & have 8 or 9 more to play with, can't wait.

XO Mandy & The Sleeping Bunnies.

Jenn Grant In Concert & A Bunny Man Logo

A couple weeks ago Jonathan and I went to see a concert by the talented Jenn Grant & The Night Painters, aside from a pounding headache, it was a great evening & I felt so so grateful that such a cool & intimate concert could be had in our small Northern city.

Those who have been following my blog for awhile know that I love to share photos of any concerts I go to, so here are a few favourite shots from the evening....

My oh so talented honey, took lots of video, compiled them and put them up as YouTube videos.  We felt the need to share the fabulous talent of this great group & highly suggest seeing them if they come to play anywhere near you, New York was their next stop after our tiny little North Bay.

The videos are here for anyone interested:

Part 1   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Gd3agkLvPY

Part 2   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9dxbdpM7So

Part 3   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhbdKGJKAHs

Part 4   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4v-tgxR5bo

Part 5   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RejtT86G4MM

You'll see a cool bunny man logo at the beginning of each video, that's the logo I conjured up for Jonathan a few months ago.  He asked me to design some kind of graphic that he could use in all his video intros.....so here's what we came up with.

What do you all think? 

XO Mandy & Jonathan & Ella Luna, Roo Boo, Jinster & Jaky

Locks Of Love

So last week I chopped off my long hair...

Into this cool shorter do (I've not had short hair for years & I am so loving it)...

Than I donated/sent my cut off locks to  'Locks Of Love', which is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss, such as those suffering through cancer treatment.



If your interested in donating hair, just click right here & check out the details.  It's easy peasy & will make ya feel warm & fuzzy.

XO a slightly lighter Bijou XO

Beautiful Buns In The Sun

Here are the photos of Ella Luna and Roo I've been anxious to show.  I just love how the sunlight & shadows are playing around my soft sleeping babies...

These two are so so adorable together, just two peas in a pod...they compliment each others personalities like no other bun couple we've ever had...and to think that at one point our only bun was a singular Ella Luna, for a whole year at least...when these two first met, they snuck off into the closet together, ha ha.  My heart flips, in a bad way, every time I think of one without the other, part of me dreads that every single minute of every day.

I was told recently that having children is the most important thing a woman can do in her life & that my interest & love for animals is 'good and all' but that it doesn't begin to touch on the importance of raising your own kids....I run into this opinion more often than one would think & it's maddening & annoying, but I won't get into my usual rant, ha ha.  We all have different paths, truths & priorities (some kinder than others).  Maybe for this woman, kids are the end all and be all but for me....

 ....Happiness, bliss & a better world is found in beautifully nurtured, well fed, sun basking bunnies....

See you Sunday.

XO Mandy, Ella-Luna & Roo, Jinny & Apple-Jaks XO

Marlow & A Happy Birthday Wish

Hi name is Marlow he's been wanting to peek in with a 'hello' for quite some time now....

He's a Northern cousin to the Beautiful Birds.

Another piece for my 'Birds of a Feather' exhibition. 

And again, once I can get him scanned in properly, he'll be available as a print.

I am a tad off the usual posting schedule this week.  I'll be seeing you all Friday with those bunny photos I promised and on Sunday where the post is all about Hair...yep that's right HAIR....see you than.

XO M & 4 Spring ready bunnies

p.s.  HAPPY 60th BIRTHDAY TO MY DAD (whose been nursing a badly broken foot:C)  LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU Dad.  XXXOOO.

February Giveaway Winners

Drum Roll Please.....DRRRRRRRRRRRR.......

And the 2 lucky winners of my February Giveaway & a sweet handmade felt bunny ornament made by yours truly are.....

Yayyyy, congrats you two. 

Natascha is a fellow animal  & bunny lover (yayyyy) and a very talented artist living in Michigan, U.S.  You can hop into her wonderful blog here.  Stephanie Amos from Colorado is a dear blog land friend, another fellow animal lover, an artist & potter supreme, and you can find her Muddy Pot creations & such right here.

I am so glad these little bunny ornaments of mine are off to fellow animal lovers.

Get in touch with me with your mailing addresses lovely ladies (email me at: mandysaile@bijouswhimsy.com) & I'll get the bunnies mailed out to you.

See you tomorrow.

XO Mandy with yet another very sore head & Ella Luna who was up ALL night XO

New Painting

I am working on more birds for my upcoming solo exhibition.  I am pretty happy with this new little guy...

We're going to put a black frame around it which will really make it pop.

There will be 6 in this little series & I think I will end up collaging words onto the tiles.

He'll be available as a print as soon as I get my scanner situation figured out.

Thanks so so much for joining me this week.  I hope you'll hop in next week again, I'll have some new beautiful bunny photographs to share, as well as a new bird painting & a post on hair!

XO Bijou & The Buns XO

p.s. Don't forget about my SALE & Felt Bunny GIVEAWAY...both end on the 28th!

Cowl

I couple months ago I indulged in some crochet time and made myself this Cowl...



What do you think?

It's a burgundy-ish red with abit of rusty orange...for those snow-filled blustery days.

I don't really know how to read patterns & I don't know most of the stitches, I am trying to teach myself but between crochet projects I usually forget what I previously learnt!  However, I muddled my way through this one quite nicely I think, ha ha.

See you all Friday with a new birdie.

XO Mandy whose living in a house being run over by cardboard bunny box houses & 4 Bunny who oh so love their cardboard box fun.

Coffee Table Studio

I am lucky to have alot of studio space, but admit to still being guilty of taking over the whole house for my various artistic projects (which my honey never seems to mind).  I have a lovely studio downstairs in our home but the last year or so I find that I prefer being upstairs amongst the bunnies (for whatever reason, except for Roo, the buns are not too keen on joining me in the basement except to escape the summer heat waves).   

And, even though I do have a sweet studio area upstairs as well, that I share with Jaks and Jin, the last week & this week you'd likely find me working here...

...toiling away on the upstairs living room coffee table with favourite old movies playing or the jazz station streaming...  

...and if I peek over the couch into my 'upstairs studio' I'll often be greeted by this view....



Jaks all stretched out on his little wooden bed underneath my easel and Jin will be snuggled against the warmth of the heater...once in awhile they'll zoom and zip into the living room, say hello with a force full little nudge on my legs or a teeny nip to my socks and than they'll either crash & nap under the coffee table or run back into their room for more snacks & sun basking....

Life with art & bunnies is good....ahhhh....

Where is your favourite place to create???

See you tomorrow, I've crocheted a new project & want to show you.

XO Bijou & Sun Dappled Bunnies

p.s.  Thank you soooo much to all of you lovelies who left such supportive comments about my migraine trouble post....My soul & tender noggin felt thoroughly hugged & nurtured.

Head Pain Struggles & Bunny Snuggles

I TRY not to complain about my life as a chronic/acute migraine sufferer too much because of 2 reasons a)I know I could have alot worse to deal and b) Unless a person suffers them themselves, they just don't understand what it's like.  But I mention my struggle with them here on this beloved blog of mine from time to time, because well, they really do very heavily weigh into and affect my creative life/business.  The last few weeks, I've really been struggling & at this point (as many many times before) I am feeling extremely fed up and frustrated.  I know my doctors have said time and time again that these migraines are just part of my physiology and something I had to learn to deal with but I am honestly feeling like I've reached the end of my usually very strong & tough tether.  I feel like screaming 'ENOUGH PAIN, ENOUGH NOW'.  I am so jazzed about so many things I am trying to do, but I keep getting pulled back from all this head pain. And, what bugs me almost more than the pain is the nausea that comes fast & furious because the pain is so intense & constant....& I am a trooper when it comes to the head pain trust me, but I am a complete suck when it comes to my tummy turning...UGH. 

The extra crappy thing is that I have many triggers which include: Allergies (especially to smoke) sinus, stress, a shortened muscle in my left shoulder, Osgood Slater's disease in my knees (which is a fancy name to say my knees dislocate very easily), there is the fact that my upper spine is curved the wrong way and that I have arthritis in my neck from the years & years of being bent over artwork BUT the biggest culprit to wreck havoc on my poor noggin is barometric pressure & weather changes, which has been an extra nasty roller coaster lately & which my trusty little codeine pills won't help.

 I find when I endure pain, days on end with no relief in sight, one of the only soothing things that buoys me is oodles of BUNNY SNUGGLES.

Jinster is one of the best snuggle buddies around & I just had to share these photos Jon took of us just last week, for I love them oh so much...



Doesn't she just have the prettiest eyes...

I've been holding this frustration in for awhile, alas I am done holding it in...this blog of my is suppose to be a place of honesty & authenticity after all.

I have a couple new pieces to show you including a Northern cousin of the 'Beautiful Birds' & he's so anxious to say Hello, however, my scanner has decided to revolt, I've not been able to scan any new pieces in & the search to replace it is not going well!

XO a pain-riddled Bijou & My Snuggle Bun Jin

New Painting

I just managed to complete this tiny new painting before a bad headache set in (more on that this Friday).  I've been away from my bunny imagery for far too long...I guess I've been preoccupied with birds lately (which will continue for abit longer since my upcoming solo exhibition is called 'Birds Of A Feather').  I think this little guy is really quite sweet & somehow seems like he's lite from within by starlight & moonshine.

I think I am going to be naughty & keep the original for myself.

I haven't decided on a name for him yet...any ideals?

XO Mandy & Queen Ella-Luna

(Update:  His name finally revealed itself...his name is "ELU")

A Lucky Valentines

I am so so so lucky, grateful & blissed out to be sharing this life with my babe, a completely amazing human being who makes almost everyday seem like Valentines Day...

...Wishing you all a most romantic & wonderful day as well....

XO Mandy & Jonathan & 2 rabbit couples

p.s. Don't Forget there is a Sale on Love Themed Prints in my Etsy Shop right now.

Treasuries & Collections Making A Gal Giddy

I've been getting so many notes from fellow Etsians & ArtFire Peeps, saying they've featured my work in their treasuries and collections...it's a thrill to my heart & creative day whenever I get one of these messages. 

Here's the January ones...so great, thanks everyone...

Here I am 3rd column over, 2nd down...one of my Beautiful Birds.

 Here it's my Art Nouveau inspired swans 'My Love, My Heart', 2nd column over 2nd down.

Here it's 'Bodhi The Elephant', 1st column 1st one. 

 In this one it was my beloved 'Prenella The Swan', 2nd column, 2nd one down.

And In this one it was one of my Funky Fish, 2nd column over, 2nd down.

 Here it's another of my Funky Fish, 1st column 4th one down.

And here it's one of my illustrations called 'State of Mind', 3rd column 2nd one down. 

There have already been quite a few for February, I'll show you those soon...it's so lovely to see my work amongst other talent...and I do think my work tends to stand out which I feel proud of.  That means all of my hard work to cultivate & nurture my own style is working.

Just wanted to share something that was making my creative heart giddy...

Hope your having a super cozy Sunday...we are, it's been nothing but sleeping in, drawing, food & movies, reading & pampering myself because I have abit of a cold at the moment, all in a house full of sleeping bunnies with abit of a snow storm going on outside....ahhhh cozy indeed.

XO M & The Buns.

February Newsletter, A SALE & Bookmarks

Hi Everyone, just hopping in quickly to let you all know that my February newsletter is about to be mailed out.

If you've not signed up to receive my newsletter by email you can view it right here.

But if you are interested in receiving them, you can sign up here, it's super easy & fast.

In the spirit of Valentines Day I have a sale in my Etsy shop.  4 of my love themed prints are on sale with free shipping in Canada & discounted U.S. & International shipping.  This sale goes until February 28th, so do make sure to check it out...

Also, I love to include extra little treats in my orders, lately it's been miniature hand-burnished lino-cut prints & stickers...this month orders will arrive with these cute little bookmarks made by yours truly...



That's about it for today...Hope your having a fantastic week.

XO M & 4 very happy bunnies