An Original GIVEAWAY & Happy Holidays

In the spirit of giving and joy

I wanted to offer up this lovely little original watercolour, ink & acrylic painting of mine.

It's a sweet little thing at only 6" x 5.5".

I am going to make this giveaway super duper easy to enter your name for...

...All you have to do is leave your name

(& hopefully some kind of lovely comment) in the comments section below

and when I am back to my beloved blog on January 23rd, I'll draw the winner.

I hope in the spirit of the season, you'll help spread the link to this giveaway around.

Happy Happy Happy Holidays Everyone...

See you soon in the New Year

(January 23rd to be exact).

I am off to re-wrap some presents that a certain little bunny decided to unwrap at 5am this morning

every though we told him time and time again that they weren't for him, ha ha....

...and I am off to bake some Christmas cookies as well.

XO Mandy & Ella Luna, Roo, Jinny and Jaks

Xmas Owl

A Xmas Owl in watercolour...



....just playing around.

One more post for 2011...how did the end of the year come so fast, wow!

But how wonderful that holidays are a day away...a much deserved rest is awaiting.

See you all tomorrow for the giveaway.

A Christmas excited Mandy & four bunnies who like opening presents

December's Newsletter

The very last e-newsletter for 2011...

It's been lovingly put together and just sent out to all you lovelies out there

 and is ready for your visits for those of you who don't receive it by email,  just click here to view it.

(To sign up to receive them right into your email boxes just click right here.)

Two more posts and than I am on holidays.

I hope you'll hop in for tomorrow's post for I am going to show you a new watercolour...

And I am quite sure that you won't want to miss the last post of the year, on Friday,

for it's going to be a chance for you to win an original colour study of mine.

See you tomorrow.

Be Well, Be Joyful & Be Inspired, Mandy XO

Where Is Winter

I don't think we're the only ones waiting for the lake by our house to freeze over.
It's usually well on it's way by now but so far we've had a warm and rainy winter, which is unusual.
I don't like it one bit to be truthful, ha ha...since, in my humble opinion,
one of the benefits of living in a land which is frozen for almost half the year (and often unbearably so)
is indeed big beautiful snowflakes and crazy winter storms that keep you in your house
in front of roaring fires & in the company of hot chocolates, etc!!!...



...But I shouldn't complain for I know soon enough we'll be walking hand in hand or
gliding across this exact same spot on our skis,

with a thermos of hot chocolate and a big warm blanket tucked into our backpacks...

before we know it we'll be spending another season on the slumbering freeze,

Enjoying it's oh-so-quiet endless calming lengths...
Part of me can't wait, even though a bigger part of me hates being cold!

Be Well, Be Joyful & Be Inspired

XO Mandy & The Buns who will be starting holidays very soon and can't wait!

Owlette Now As Prints

Heh Everybody....look at WOO's just Perched In The Shop...


Visit my shop for a lovely soul-drenching dose of whimsy and colour.

Well that's all for today,
sorry lovely peeps but my poor noggin is too sore to write much more today...
p.s.  I am so so glad that I discuss and share my life as a migraine sufferer, here on this blog o' mine
because I get so many people writing me saying 'Heh I suffer too...' and than we share our stories
and it's some how nice to know others are out there in the same boat.

It's pouring here today...the rabbits are by the back door getting some fresh air.
And after a bit of a lie down with my trusty heat and ice packs, I'll be spending the day with
some watercolours...(pounding be damned) WHOOT WHOOT...ha ha.

XO A Colour Addicted Mandy

Swan

I just can't get over the beauty of this swan and just had to share the photos I took...

(and besides swans are kinda Christmasy aren't they, ha ha).

I think if ones ever doubting that magic and true beauty exists, all one has to do is find & watch a swan!

I've been working on opening a new online shop for my 'photography'

The details are still abit fuzzy but it's a coming and I am excited...

It may be a brand new shop, it may or may not be on Etsy,

The photos may just be available in my current Etsy shop...

I've not figured any of that out yet.

But I do have my prices set, a professional printer nearby ready to go,

and a new shipping area in my studio is almost complete and ready for lots of shipping action.

The response to my photos on this dear blog of mine is always quite strong

and I am so ready to branch out into this new direction.

...Well that's all for today...

May you bask in the glory of a magical swan as often as you can.

XO Mandy

A Happy B-Day

Today is a great day for it is my hon buns birthday...

He's 1 year more brillant and amazing & breath-taking & awesome...



And today is extra speacil in our rabbity warren because it's also our precious Ella Luna's 8th birthday...

Happy Birthday My Loves...

I hope I can make your day even one iota as beautiful as you two are.

XXOOXXOOXXOOXXOOXXOOXXOO

Bijou, Roo, Jin & Jaks XO

A Grand Start

Some mornings are just so drenched in heart squeezing goodness...

Yesterday the sun made a glorious appearance...
(My head wasn't sore & Ella Luna was doing better with new arthritis meds to help her out)...
The golden light poured into my upstairs workspace making me want to jump to work right away...

...Jaks was snug as a bug on a cozy red blanket...

(with Jinster fast asleep in a nearby box).

Ella Luna and Roo with full tummies were all sleepy and warm and snug next to each other

(All of our floors are covered in soft puffy bed comforters, to help out Ella Luna's sore feet & knees)...

...The day also included a yummy nut pastry and a cinnamon cappuccino (hello!) 

with some watercolours ready to be played with for the day...

Ahhhh....

I just love grand starts like this one.

Peace, Love & Warmth wished your way lovelies...

XO Mandy, who with the help of an AMAZING guy, gives her bunny baby physiotherapy 3 times a day.

p.s.  My flickr photostream has TONS of new photos added, hop on by for a look-see sometime.

New Prints In The Shop

Hi Everyone, We're just hopping in today to let you know that...

..."Seraphina and The Night Owl", "Remembrance"

and 'The Dreams Perched"

could easily be hanging on your walls, in your favourite frames...yayyy

because my prints are offered in an 8 x 10" format, which is a very standard frame/mat size,

so whether your buying a professional frame, a walmart frame or perhaps some lovely one at

Winners type of thing..my prints will easily fit in.

(Visit my Etsy shop here)

5 x 7" prints AND my popular paper greetings will be available soon in the new year too, yayyy again!

Today I am sending an extra big hug to my mom & dad...

who popped in yesterday just in time to help me blow-dry a
very wet Ella Luna after a very yucky poopy incident!...XXOO.

It's the simplest of things that touches ones heart isn't it.

See you all on Friday lovely peeps...

XO Mandy & Ella Luna, who was an exceptionally good girl at doctors today.

Arroway The Rabbit

My head hasn't been super duper happy with the constantly changing weather...today was a rough one.

But between massaging Ella Luna's tootsies, wonderful bunny snuggles, Sex In The City re-runs (a fav)

and quality time with my heat packs! I did manage to finish off a playful watercolour...

"Arroway The Rabbit"



I felt the need to do something extra bright and sweet.

I wouldn't say watercolours are my strong suit...but I do love them and they provide satisfactory play

for achy wrists that need abit of tlc and a break from coloured pencils (which is why my wrist is so sore!).

Prints will be hopping into my shop shortly.

Hope your all off to a wonderful week.

XO A Bunny Snuggling Bijou

Jesse Cook

In October we saw the amazing Jesse Cook & his band.

We've seen them once before and they were just as great this time.

Let me share some of my favourite shots from the evening...

What beautiful & amazing artists these guys are & what a treat the concert was.

This was the Rumba Foundation Tour, if you have the chance to take it in, I highly suggest it.

(I'll be putting a few more shots that aren't posted here, into my flickr photo stream)

Thanks for hopping in lovelies.

XO Mandy, always inspired by music & often blasting Jesse Cook in the studio

p.s. The awesome Jesse Cook has granted me permission to sell these photos (Huge YAYYY!)
So if anyone is interested just email at MandySaile@BijousWhimsy.com

November's Newsletter

Hi Everyone.

The Bijou's Whimsy November Newsletter has just been distributed

and is available for viewing right here.
(It will arrive abit late for some people, Sorry, but I am having big problems with my email service!)

Do hop on by for a browse and if you have any questions or comments

write me at:  mandysaile@bijouswhimsy.com

If you'd like to receive the newsletters just sign up right here.

See you all on Friday with some super cool concert photos.

Be Well, Be Joyful and Be Inspired XO Mandy & The Bijou's Whimsy Bunnies

Simply Buns

Ahhhh.....

The boys are happy and napping all cozy like today (whiles the girls play with blankets)...

I simply adore days like this...

Days drenched in simplicity and goodness...

Happy Bunnies...Lots of time in the studio...

Days where we feel oh so lucky to be all warm and snug as bugs in a rug whiles outside is steeped in cold.

Ahhhhh....

XO Mandy, Ella Luna, Roo, Jinster & Jaky

Coraline Doll

The other day I found myself making an impromptu doll with my 9 year old niece.

She said 'Auntie Mandy, do you think you could help me make a 'Coraline' doll...'

and well I did just happen to have some supplies with me, so I said

"I don't know but the only way we'll know is if we try"....

And try we did and success was had...I think our Coraline inspired doll turned out pretty cute, ha ha...

'Coraline' just happens to be one of my favourite movies.

And it's always a treat for me when my niece shows an interest in art and in my artistic abilities.

(She has already put in her custom & very detailed order for a painting for her room for Xmas, ha ha!)

So thanks for the fun idea and fun day of doll making my little munchkin.

(I know my mom will show her this post).

And thanks to everyone else who hopped in for a visit this week.

I am anxious to show you more stuff next week, so do stop by again...

Have a wonderful weekend.

XO Mandy & 4 happy bunnies

Seraphina And The Night Owl

Finally I get to show you a new picture I just finished up...

It is a coloured pencil on painted paper and is called

"Seraphina And The Night Owl"



Here are a few details...

Finishing this one up seemed to take abit longer than usual.

I think it's because I am pushing my coloured pencil technique, trying to add more texture,

more free movement and more depth by using the pencils on a painted background...

which I am loving but which has caused me to pause and flounder abit here and there, ha ha.

One wouldn't think starting on a dark background instead of a light one would be so different but it is.

I had many moment of frustration where I thought

'Oh Jeepers just start it over on the usual white backing'...

But I purposely wanted to feel and push past that resistance/what-are-you-doing block that

typically bounces up whenever we try something remotely new.

Don't you love her and her lovely vegetarian owl friend...I sure do

(I'll let you know when prints are up in the shop)

See I told you I'd be back soon with a new picture...yayyy.

Be Well lovelies...Be Well.

XO Mandy & Her Black Beauty, Ella Luna

Beauty Reminded

I just had to share this sunset and photo taken from our front yard.

and I really wanted to share a link to this incredible video I saw this week...

It's an Earth time lapse view from space,

it's so incredibly beautiful and unreal, you MUST check it out.

It's a beautiful reminder of the utterly amazing earth we inhabit.

I may be on hiatus for the next few days and may not be posting as I usually do...
I really do like to keep up with the Monday, Wednesday and Friday postings but
with our precious Ella Luna's super sore tootsies to deal with and
some rough headache days being had, I just found myself falling behind schedule...
(I did manage to squeeze in a super fun pizza-from-scratch making lesson
from my beautiful Italian friend however, ha ha)
Anyhow, I'll be back with a new coloured pencil as soon as I can,
I have so many lovely images on the go and I really can't wait to share them...
Also some new goodies for my Etsy shop.
I'll hop in again very soon, probably Wednesday.

Hope your all well.

XO Mandy and the buns

Monday Rabbit Dose

I am so glad when Monday hits...cause that always means it's 'back to work' and
well I spend my days with artwork, bunnies and music so I can never really complain about Mondays.
But I know Mondays are abit yucky for many people so
I thought to myself, hmmm what can I do to help...

...well give everyone a rabbity dose of ultimate cuteness...
Yes, that might just be the thing to help some out...
So here's the adorable face of our Miss Jinn....

...She and I hope it helps any Monday blues out there.

Stay cozy warm today everyone, thanks for hopping in, thanks to everyone who spread around my 'Remembrance' illustration on Facebook, and make this Monday a really really great one.

XO Mandy & Jin

Remembrance

Hopping in today to show you a new picture I just finished up.

"Remembrance"

In the spirit of honoring all of the men and woman who have sacrificed their lives so we can all be safer.

It is a small 5 x 7 coloured pencil on canson paper.

(the original and prints will be available for purchase shortly)

Have a beautiful day.

XO Mandy

34 Years Young

Today is my Birthday...

I like to think positively about turning a year older.

I like to think of myself as one year better, not necessarily just one year older!

So yes indeed, today I am 34 YEARS BETTER.

XO The Birthday Girl

Outside Cleaning With Cuties

We've been outside with these lovelies for company...

We got so much done this past weekend with regards to outside fall clean up and it was all that much more pleasant a task thanks to all the cuties surrounding us having fun as we worked away.
Ella Luna can't go outside without her feet wrapped, but she did well despite the sore tootsies.
and Jaks couldn't understand what the heck his dad was doing on the roof...he says "eavesdrops, huh?!".

There's alot to do this week, the jazz is streaming nice and loud, the hot chocolate is already made,
bunnies are napping, the sun is out shining and my coloured pencils are calling...
Ahhh....it's going to be a great week in the studio, I can feel it.

Have a great day everyone.

Mandy & The Bun Babies