More City Shots...

Hi everyone, I really wanted to share some more shots I took when we were last in Toronto a couple months ago...these are some of my new favs and I admit right now these city shots are making me miss Toronto abit...we lived there for 5 years long ago...maybe someone we'll move back...I dream of Portland but that isn't a possibility with Jonathan's line of work and my fear of earthquakes & Portland being right on the 'ring of fire'...anyhoo...let me show you...

 I loved the mirror play on this building..there is never a boring visual moment in the heart of Toronto...

...I love this mirror play of the blue skies and clouds of that day, I walked past this building almost every week for 4 years when I attended OCAD...

Jon has to go to Toronto sometimes for his job and his meetings, etc are usually in a cluster of the city where the building generally look like this...beautiful I think...

We decided to pop into my old romping grounds called The Riverdale Zoo, it was a couple acres of really foresty land full of farm animals like goats, swans, bulls...and I'd go there often in between classes to center myself...this beautiful church is part of the area and though I'd never step foot inside, I always did and still do appreciate the beauty of the outside structure...

I so loved the warmness of this bench in the evening sun...I think I might do a coloured pencil from this shot...

and I found something so simple but lovely about this open door way and stairs...and the reflection in the side window is pretty cool...

 ...and this is a window in the side of the big barn...I am a sucker for photographing old barns!

This mural is in cabbagtown, just by the Riverdale Zoo, I thought it was pretty catchy so I hung out the truck window to get the shot as we zoomed past in haste to get to one of our favourite vegetarian restaurants...

...Kensington Market is a crazy busy part of the city and it's one of my favourite places, it's full of strange people and 'normal' people who seem to intermingle harmonously, there is a feeling that nobody gives a crap about what your doing or who you are, your able to just be there wholey and fully in your own self and I find something really relaxing about that.  There is always lots to see, hear and smell and I have fond memories of strolling around with my best friend on a hot summer day arm in arm just looking and finding and muching on a big carton of fresh strawberries...this time I found some new murals I had never noticed...check out this Mucha-inspired one...

...and I quite liked this one, something about it was very sweet...

...there was also this one...

...ah but than we hit our favourite 'King's Cafe', and down to the business of eating we had to get.  Everything in the place is vegetarian and soooo delicious.  (If you visit or are in T.O, and have not yet been to this place, we highly highly recommend it).

When we go to the city we like to revisit an old favourite restaurant and also try at least 1 new place and we came across this place, 'Herbivore' that we can't resist trying next time...check out that door 'Closed at Sunset', I've never seen that before and I just love it, ha ha...

..and what non-meat eater/animal lover can resist a place that doesn't allow people wearing fur!  SOOO awesome, I tell ya, I've not even been in yet and it's a place after my own heart, ha ha.

I really like where we are at this point in our lives, all the decisions we've made are to get us where we currently are but sometimes, just sometimes and once in a blue moon I can't help but wonder where/what we would be like now if we had chosen to stay in the big city...hmmmm....but than I realize we wouldn't have had all the bunnies who have graced our lives since we've moved back home so that right there alone is the clincher that I'd never go back in time and restart... 

The haunting possibilities of 'what if's' is something I've learnt to stay away from...living fully in my own present is key and defiantly makes for more beautiful and fulfilling days...

...I wanted to share my most favourite shot for last....a pigeon nesting on a really old building...LOVE IT....I think this might make a really night coloured pencil as well....



....well that's about all for today...thanks for stopping in and having a look...

Do tell me, which is your favourite photograph??? 

I think some of these will be in my photo shop as soon as I get all of that figured out!

I am off to help a friend hang their exhibition, I just hope my head behaves!!!...

See you Friday with a new piece of work...

Prenella, The Swan...a new painting

Good Monday everyone on this chilly fall day, I have a new painting to show you.

It is called "Prenella"

It is another sweet/small piece measuring only 6 inches by 6 inches and it is coloured pencil and ink with abit of acrylic & of course some sparkles, on a kiln dried pine block, which has been sealed with a protective satin varnish.

I don't know why she's called Prenella, I think the pink beauty picked it herself because when I was finished and asked myself 'now what would a swan who looks like this be called" without a second passing "Prenella" popped solidly into my head....

What do you think of her?

She is in my Etsy Shop available for purchase right now.  I just know she'll be perfect for someone out there...

Have a great day today everyone, stay warm, snuggle some furry hearts and we'll see you here on Wednesday because I really want to show you some more of my favourite new city shots. 

Until than, Be Well....

Rabbit Update and Outside With The Buns

Ella Luna is doing really well despite the continuous battle with the abscess (due to her 2 surgeries to remove some benign tumors back in May), she is still on antibiotics and last night we had a new bubble of puss that we had to puncture and drain, it took us almost an hour, but she sat like a little pro. The doctor says this abscess won't kill her if we're on top of it but that it has a good chance of coming back again and again.  The last time it got too big and gave her a fever, so now we're making sure to stay on top of it extra much and we're trying to be positive about it and say 'NO, it will go away and be gone for good this time..."  She's been really good about her twice a day dose of medicine and her 2-3 times a day cleanings...poor girl, once again if there were a 'Tough Nut' award, she'd be the recipient hands down.

The last vet visit was not a great one, she really really didn't want to be there and somehow managed to climb up Jonathan's jacket sleeve all the way up to his underarm, it took a couple minutes to get her out since we have to be extra careful because of the bump/wound...than, she wouldn't settle down unless I was holding her so I had to bring her in the back for the weighing (she's a precious 4.5 pounds) and I had to hold her whiles the doc and nurse did their stuff, even though I felt like I was going to pass out or puke because there was abit of blood...the doc had to take off the scabbing to see what was going on and ugh just the thought of my little one being hurt is really hard...but I thought "If she can be tough, I can be tough for her" so I held her and talked to her and Jon was there kissing her little head at the same time and she didn't seem to feel a thing, thank goodness (we can tell if she's in pain because she'll jump, flinch, tremble or loudly grind her teeth). She goes in again next Monday for another check up, so send us extra wishes and luck that we've finally kicked this nasty abscess's butt!

Our big boy Roo is well, his favourite things are to nap and eat and be washed by Ella Luna and if all 3 of these things happen outside than boy oh boy he's in heaven, ha ha.  We are being extra diligent in bringing them outside for a good romp on every nice day because we find if we don't his back legs cramp up on him.  He's a big boy, his breed is apparently a 'giant chincilla' and he's about 20 pounds at his slimest, so I guess that's alot of weight for his legs to deal with, so we're making sure to keep em nice and strong! 

Oh can you imagine all the poor buns who are stuck in cages and don't get to run or play outside, so sad...

...isn't my boy so handsome:D....

Anyhow...all of our babies are such good buns and their getting time outside to exercise, stretch, zoom, zip & buck, to munch grass and bask in the sun often takes priority over anything else, including studio time. But I can't complain because I could watch these beautiful little souls play outside all day long whiles doing absolutely nothing else and still feel like it was a perfectly well spent day...

Here's cutie-pie Jaks...he's finally gotten used to the stairs and brings himself down to the yard and back up the deck stairs and into the house like a pro, which is great because though this sweet pie loves loves loves to be hugged and gives oodles of kisses back when he is finally settled into a pair of arms, he certainly doesn't like to be picked up...but who can blame him with what he went through before coming here to his cage-free opulent home:D

He and Jin have a pretty large burrow on their side of the yard...Jaks doesn't really know how to dig, but he sure does try to help, ha ha....mostly he just rubs him chin on everything to say 'this is mine' but shhh...don't tell him that we think it's mostly Jin Jins hole, ha ha...

...and our silver beauty is doing well.  Still sometimes I think she is looking for Haz but she so loves Jaky, who follows her around like a little puppy and I think Jin enjoys being the boss...

This little gal has gone through more than anyone else in the house (abuse wise) before she came to us so just being able to see dig for hours on end and zig zag and zip around the yard with a bright face and happy eyes truly is an honour...

Ohhhh I love our buns...they are my world, they bring me light, happiness, balance, peace & love....XXOO

See you Monday with a  new mixed media called "Prenella"...Wednesday for some cool city photos and Friday for another new work OR a glimpse of my outside space...

XO Mandy & the Buns...hoping your all out romping in the light and air as well...

Giveaway Winner & A Treasury

Yayyyy!  Ivy.

(Ivy get in touch with your mailing address and I'll ship it out to you asap.)

Thanks again to all who entered.

I think my October Giveaway is going to be an original so be sure to come back and enter your name for that.

In other news, thanks to Dale Ann who included one of my illustration "Happiness In Flowers" (2nd in the top row)  in her Beautiful Colours Treasury...

I am so excited, today I am actually going to start some paintings...my work is usually primarily with my coloured pencils but I so enjoy painting too and for some reason, I just don't let myself paint much!  Well no, I know the reason, it's a bad habit of being surrounded and being friends with some of top notch, world class painters, such as Dennis Geden who actually has work in the Tate! and seeing their incredible work and thinking that my painting skills could never touch theirs so I suppose I get embarrassed about my skill set...but on days like today where the cravings to paint get really strong I indulge and I love it, so I'll do that, get in some bun snuggles and some good music like A Fine Frenzy!  It'll be a good day. 

See you Tommorow (instead of Saturday) guys, it's a post about bunnies...they all demanded some blog face time and as their willing slave I must comply:D

New Original 'Circus Poisson"

As promised I have a new picture to show you.
 

It is called "Circus Poisson"

It is a sweet little thing measuring only 6 inches by 6 inches and I must say it just feels precious, it really does.

It is coloured pencil and ink with abit of acrylic & some sparkles, on a kiln dried pine block.

If your interested, this little original beauty you can find it here, in my Etsy shop for a really very nice and decent price.

What do yous think of it?

This week I'll be posting on Thursday and Saturday instead of my usual Monday, Wednesday, Friday routine.  We are still abit unwell in this cozy little rabbity warren of ours and schedules therefore are abit helter skelter...so see you Thursday lovely peeps. 

P.S Don't forget about the giveaway, the draw ends Wednesday night.  There will be another cool giveaway at the beginning of October.

The Piebirds 2nd Annual Picnic Marathon & Concert

So now that I am feeling better I have TONS of photos I just HAVE to show you in this post.  I only picked my very favourites but there are plenty of them so grab your cup of coffee and join me...

...This is one of my favourite days from this summer. At the end of July, Jon and I zoomed back from a  quick visit to Toronto in time to attend the 2nd annual Picnic & Garden Concert hosted by the fabulous Piebird, & its proprietors Yan & Sherry, a fab young couple that I really respect...

It was a day where you could bring your own lunch & a picnic blanket & sought out a perfect spot to get comfy under the blazing sun & delicious blue skies for an afternoon of awesome music, happiness, and people with great mojo...

It was a lovely family event, full of beautiful kids running amuk...this is my gorgues pal Jana with her little human lovely...

...Adam Puddington was one of the musicians up first...

Than the completely fantastic Prescott's, a family group...

The bands stars however are Kaylen & Kelly Prescott who are brother & sister (pictured here is Kaylen Prescott on guitar) ...

...and Kelly (shown here) is actually married to Adam Puddington.  Click here to see the video for what I think was my favourite song they preformed this day...

...I love taking candid shots...like this one of the Piebird Peeps, Yan & Sherry, I think they are some of my favourite people to snap shots of...

...and I adore this shot, to me it perfectly captures the sparkling innocence & simplicity which was part of this day...

...as The Prescott's played, Curtis from "The Brothers Chaffey" sat and listened...another cool candid shot...

There was lots of hoolahooping going on...

...Lots of smiling in the sunlight...

During a short break, we strolled about the Piebird property.  The Piebird is just a happy place where you feel very at home & comfortable, I just love it so much & the earth friendly/animal kind lifestyle that Yan and Sherry have going on (who are both vegetarians, yayyy:D)...

...Here are some more of my most favourite shots...

And than the music started up again with an excellent rock & blues band called the Brothers Chaffey & man did they ever rock...

They had people up and dancing...

...and of course, I just had to get an cd and meet the lead singer...

It was just such a relaxing and easy going day...

Where you could play with friends...

...Play some soccer in between sets...

...Sit on a old Ford tractor...

Listen to some great music & converse with goats....

A day I am not soon to forget...

Thanks for hopping in, I know it was a long one, but hope hope hope you enjoyed seeing the photos??? 

Jonathan edited some video and put together some youtube items, there are 5 from the music from this day...if your interested check em out here:

Video One : Prescott wih Adam Puddington

Video Two : Prescott

Video Three : Brothers Chaffey

Video Four : Brothers Chaffey

Video Five : Brothers Chaffey

XO M & The Buns...

P.S. Back to Art & Bunnies next week.