Sunsets, Sanding, Sweet bunnies and Honey's

Days are full of time nestled on our back deck with bunnies and books...

 

 

with raspberry ice teas and bowls of berries (have you tired Golden Berries before? They are weird)

 

With one super duper cutie with who has constantly dirty green feet (which I love ha ha!)

 

with more brilliant scenic end of day clouds (from our kitchen window)...

 

and bunnies hiding and napping in the green, hoping we won't find them to bring them in...

 

and with piles of wood nabbed from my hon's garage...

 

 

is it weird that freshly sanded blocks of wood for future coloured pencils makes me happy!



Colouring Fun Anyone???

If you sign up to Keep In Touch with the buns & I and all of our sweet studio news

 

This is the free colouring page you'll get with this month's edition.  Sign up right here.

Weaving and Sky Enticing

I've been bringing my weaving outside...

 

 

Teela naps and snores away nearby as I play and I love it so much.

 

These days full of snoring rabbits, flowers galore, beautiful wools and warm summer days are lovely.

 

The baby squirrels are becoming hardier and fuller and smarter about where we store the peanuts!

 

The skies have been so very enticing...

 

I still can't get into my kayak but I am enjoying summer from the yard just as well.



Grass Box Green

So in the Spring we had to pull out two dead trees which left a whole big area

that needed something so we decided on two tiered planters

one level for us with decorative grass and one level with normal edible grass for the babies.

 

We did the designing, he did the building, I did the painting, he did the filling, I did the planting.

 

 

We were able to fill them all up using our own compost which was satisfying.

 

We made bets on which bunny would be the first to explore them...I was right...it was Teela.

 

 

Than we planted our grasses and waited and waited and waited for things to grow.

 

And they did, beautifully and easily and quickly.

(my honey even pried all the boardwalk boards off to put them closer together for little bunny feet)

now it's one of the first pit stops when all of the buns get outside and

we love how it compliments the concrete water fountain that we made together ages ago.

Yayyyyy.

Up and Up

I am outside with sweet baby squirrels

 

 

and amazing cloudscapes (is that a word?)

 

and watercolours

 

and wind blown bunnies

 

uncomfortable body yes...but things are looking up and up.



We're Gonna Be Featured WOHOOOO

I am beyond excited, holy smokes.

I found out just a few days ago that my beloved blog, my artwork and the bunnies

will be featured in the November issue of Artful Blogging.

 

 

I am just in the throws of getting my article together,

finding and prepping all the photos and artwork that they requested.

I really really needed something extra amazing to happen and this fits the bill.  WOHOO!



Back To Gratitude

I've been spending days outside with our bounty of beautiful flowers
(I hobble from one to the other like a happy unstable little bee!).

 

 

I've dragged out my stitching box and have been enjoying some sweet slow felt embroidery...

 

 

I've been just sitting and watching our little heat-tuckered sweethearts nap away in the yard...

 

 

and I've been hanging out with one really super cute (and super duper sweet) bearded boy...

 

 

dislocated knee...sore head...whatever it may be...

I can handle these things best when I am embracing my usual grateful self!



Beautifully Bonkers

So this summer instead of buying tons of flats and waiting and waiting for the flowers to grow
(which is never super huge cause our seasons are so short)...

 

 

Back before May 24, we saw a great deal on already well established potted plants and well we decided happily to go flower beserk & really create an extra flowerly Eden for ourselves this year.

 

We filled the truck to the brim and than went back for more! It was soooo fun.

I choose half & my hon bun chose half.

 

 

It's been so deliciously wonderful to have mature flowers blooming all around us since spring

and it's been extra super duper wonderful since I am extra extra yard bound now with my knee.

 



Dislocation and Drawing

Okay so I know I was super excited to show you my newest illustration a couple weeks ago

but than I disappeared on you all

but that was because this happened...

 

 

I dislocated my right knee...

It was one of the worst pains I've ever felt.

My left knee has went on me a few times in my life because I have Osgood Schlatters disease

in that knee but my right knee has always been good and strong

(always one of the only joints on my body that didn't ache or give me trouble!).

This dislocation was by far the worst, I don't know why...and now according to the er doc I can

expect it to happen again because all of the tendons will now be stretched.

 

It happened almost two weeks ago...

I was bed ridden for the first few days.

Than I could hobble a tiny bit around the house with the help of my hon bun.

(let me tell you, a house with as many gates & bunny boards as we have is no picnic with an injury!)

I know in my last post I was wishing for a bit of stillness...

but not this much f'in stillness!!!

I was told that it would have been better and actually less painful

if I had actually broken my bone!!! that bone heals more easily than all of the

stretched tendons and torn tissue that happens with a dislocation! UGH.

 

I had just been diagnosed with tendonitis in my right shoulder

and just that week was starting physio because it's been painful for 2 years and

I've been having a hard time to lift any thing higher than my shoulder!

Talk about feeling like your body is betraying you, jeepers!

I've honestly been having a really hard time...

it's been so painful and after almost two weeks I still can't bend my knee at all...

And because my knee is so messed up, I am moving in ways not normal to my body

so all sorts of other parts of my body have started to ache and hurt and cramp up...not fun!

 

 

So I've been trying to occupy myself with art work from couches & bed

but my heart hasn't been in it...

I think I am feeling sorry for myself and my artwork is usually very positive and uplifting.

Anyhow...

The swelling finally went down enough a few days ago so I could be fitted for a brace with hinges

which I have to wear for the next 6 to 8 weeks...

any kayaking or biking is a no go...I feel like I ruined our beautiful summer.

 

At least with the new brace I am a bit more mobile and can hobble around on my own

for little bits of time here and there and with it I can get out into the yard with my babies

which has been picking up my spirits a smidge.

 

 

What has had me wanting to scream is that on top of this knee injury,

I had a bad headache that lasted over 2 weeks...

it was just relentless and had me wanting to gouge my eyes out!

It has been feeling so unfair...

to have this awful painful injury on top of other pain...

I've been pissed off and angry at my own body.

So this is where I am....

coping best as I can...

at my wits end at least two or three times each day!...

crying...

swearing...

pissed off...

sorely missing my fur babies and being able to hang out on the floor with them all.

BUT

I am so beyond grateful for my ever so so insanely patience and sweet and doting honey...

being near him is my best medicine...

and now hopefully I am back to a normal blogging schedule! I hope!!



Swans and Silence

Do you ever have those days where you just want to be quiet

where you just hang out in gentle embracing silence?

Where nothing is wrong or pressing in particular but you still have a need for solitude??

 

I've been feeling like that.  I need to embrace a few days where problems are not discussed,

and where worries and concerns and plans are pushed to the back burner for just a little bit.

 

I think it's because I've had such a difficult week with head pain,

that's where this quiet urge to just sit and enjoy small beauties is stemming from I am quite sure.

 

But it's good to recognize when we need to take a break.

A break to bask in gentle breezes, beautiful fairytale swans & rhythmic lapping water.

I am working from these photos right now and they are reminding me as I work, to just go slowly....

I can't wait to see what springs from them and I can't wait to show you 'Grow" on Friday.

Yay Korra-Soleil

It's been such a hot hot week...

I've never liked the heat, ever...and I dislike it even more if I know my babies are uncomfortable.

BUT so far, all of the buns are hanging in there just fine, probably better than me in fact!

 

 

I was just outside with Korra-Soleil (before the heavy heat sets in for the day)

and I was just telling her, again, about how happy we are that she's here,

that we're so lucky that she finally was able to join our family cause we needed her, especially Min

I was telling her that we're proud to have such a big beautiful dutch girl in our motley little crew

 & that we're proud of how she's grown and settled in and that we're proud
of how she's letting go of her anger issues slowly but surely, which is not always easy for bunnies.

 

She's sensitive, interactive, sweet but still untrusting but she'll get there we're confident.

She is yet another bun whose unique with her very own story...

It's truly been an honor to watch her learn to trust, make friends and accept love, Yay Korra XO.



Growth At A Snail's Pace

This one has progressed super slowly...I don't know why exactly,

maybe because it's conception was born in a raw and tender time and it's sort of a self-portrait.

 

 

Somehow the image itself felt tender, like it would get bruised or damaged if I rushed through it.

 

Whatever the reason, it has moved along at a snail's pace, but that's okay cause I am so happy with it.

If you join me here next week, I'll show her finished self to you.  Have an amazing weekend XO.

Snail Mail Madness

The organizing has been going on throughout the whole house, not just in my studios...
I've even been diving into getting all of my snail mail stuff sorted out finally.

I recycled or gave away any stationary I didn't love and I went as far putting them into categories!

I collected all the stamps I had laying in a bunch of drawers and put them all in one place.

I even put all of my favorite letter writing pens together and all of my stickers in one handy place too.

 

Snail mail is such a beautiful but lost form of connection & I want to make sure I keep it up

even though I get really frustrated when people can't be bothered to return the favor!

I go through my stubborn streaks where I swear I'll never write so and so again

and instead only spend my time on people who will appreciate my efforts

but before I know it, I am back in the saddle sending out snail mail love once again!

I still really enjoy it so much and nowadays it's a unique way to remind someone that your thinking of them because well it does take more effort than faceless facebook messages!

 

My stationary project lead me into sorting through 20+ years of snail mail, letters, cards, etc.

It seemed daunting at first, and I guess it was, but as I said earlier, I LOVE to organize and well

I needed the space that these big containers full of correspondence were taking up in my studio.

I know I got rid of a massive pile just before I moved away for college
and it was definitely feeling like the right time to trim down the pile once again. 



 

I had no idea really of what I would keep and what I would toss.

I let my gut lead me through the pile.

Most I kept are from people I am still in touch with now a days.

but a couple of piles I kept because whiles I no longer have these friends in my life,

I know rereading the letters will be eye-opening to whom I was back them vs who I am now. 

 

 

What I did keep, I sorted into a separate pile for each person

which I than tucked safely into labeled boxes and put them away for future perusal.

I know I'll always forever keep love letters from my hon and from me to my hon.

I know I'll always keep the pile from my parents (my Mom hands down picks out the best cards).

I did have a big pile to burn but only after I reread them one last time.

I burnt that from people I just no longer care for & or from those I barely remember.

It's been a pretty nostalgic project, I've got to admit that.

I know I want to whittle it down even more in the future but I didn't want to go berserk

and regret purging too much...now that the pile has had it's first culling,

from here I'll pull some out now and than and I'll even more slowly go through!

 

What do you do with your old mail?  Do you keep it all or do you just keep some??

How far back does your correspondence collection go??? and how is yours kept????

OCD & Yarn Balls

The past while I've been slowly toiling away cleaning up & organizing all of my different art spaces...

It's been slow going but it's been satisfying too...I've always loved organizing and cleaning.

 

 

Of course the process slows right down when I can't help but bring home

$3 grab bags of yarn from the thrift store, which my OCD wants in neat little tightly wound balls!

Just Do It

Ya know, I get slightly irritated when I hear people say

"Oh I want to be vegetarian but I just don't think I could..."

If you want to, you should.
(and yes, I am pretty sure that you can live without your bacon!)

Don't worry about what anyone else thinks about it.

If your even remotely interested, you should seriously get on checking it out further.

 

 

Cause it's not all that difficult...it really isn't...

Going vegan, now that's harder...

but going vegetarian is easy.

It's great for you and it's even better for this beautiful planet of ours...

 

 

There's always sooo many choices other than meat/fish.

We never feel like we're malnourished or unsatisfied,

infact there's a feeling of elation & joy that comes with eating kindly out of respect & awe of animals.

At first okay sure, it might feel like a real pain in the butt.

But, before you know it, all the right substitutions will be 2nd nature...it's so easy peasy!

If your interested at all in going down the lovely green veggie path,

it comes down to just one thing really...Just do it...just begin!



Fishy Fins

A new fish inkling...Not super happy with this one but hey they can't all be masterpieces right!!!

 

 

I don't think this one will be offered as prints but the original is up for grabs if your at all interested.

His & Hers

 

I hurt my back so I can't lift or sit in my kayak right now,

which is driving me super bonkers

cause I sooooo neeeeeeeddddd to get out there on the water....

If I'm sounding a bit whiney, it's cause I am slightly!  I can never be away from water for long.

Alas, until I can, I have my current projects keeping me busy...

 

 

He has his current projects keeping his royal cuteness happy...

 

 

and these beautiful summer days are feeling just fine.

Head pain has been at a minimum...

Buns are all getting outside for long days & evenings in the yard...

My studios are a disaster but that's okay I suppose because it means I've been busy!

How's your summer shaping up?



Juggling Acts

Most days I find it really tricky to spread my time evenly between all 8 buns,

especially lately since I want to spend everyday and all day with Jaks since I know he's sick... 

But every rabbit is different, that's one of the coolest things about bunnies.

Jaks isn't one of those rabbits who wants me around constantly, no offense taken, he just likes quiet,

(our fabulous Frenwyck wanted us around him 24/7)

and whiles Teela wants human free afternoons to nap just her and Yuuji,

come evening time however, I'd better be ready to hang out on the floor with her in the living room

and come 9pm, I'd better be ready for our bed snugs

or watch out, I get punished with pee, attitude & hurt feelings!

 

I am obsessed & so in love with each and every one of our babes

and like any 'normal' Mama, I must spend tons of time with them,

because again like a regular Mom, they are my world.

It's only because I do spend so much time with them all that allows me to know them so well,

so that I can indeed easily tell when they want extra snuggles and when they want some space...

 

and that's exactly why I work in so many different mediums, ha ha...

because I switch rooms and work areas so much through out the day in order to keep

company with all the different buns in all their different areas...

Still like every other human on this planet, I wish the days were longer!

As any Mom, I wish I could more easily feel like I am doing a good job, always, everyday!

But ya know, even as that stress of being 'fair' tugs, pushes and pulls on me everyday,

 I love it and can't imagine a better way of spending my days...

juggling bunnies and art (with a soupçon of headaches naturally!!!).

Happy Day To My Mama

Happy Happy Happy Birthday to my Mom...

 

 

We had such a fun afternoon celebrating together...

 

 

And doesn't she look great for 65...wohoo...go Mom XO.