New PRINTS available

Over at my Etsy Shop.

XO Bijou & Her Bunnies XO

BIrds Of A Feather Exhibition

So as many of you know I just finished up my 3rd solo gallery exhibition called

'Birds Of A Feather'

at the W.K.P Kennedy Gallery, here in my little city of North Bay.

I thought I'd share some photos with you...

My sweetie & I are almost done a great little promotional site for the exhibition.

I can't wait to show you all...it'll have more photos not shown here, video & interview sections.

It will act as a lovely little archive of the show, as well as a nice virtual tour of sorts.

There were definitely some 'snags' with this show...
Such as it going from a planned 4 week run and being cut down to a mere 10 day run!

Having no choice but to hang the entire show just a few hours before the opening which was totally exhausting and left me just a tad too popped to thoroughly enjoy my special night...
....etc....
BUT you gotta roll with the punches after all..and try to concentrate on the positives....

It was a lovely space to show in & a treat to have my exhibit in the same place where years ago

I worked as gallery coordinator, alongside the amazing Dennis Geden.

(a job I loved but one I left for pursuit of my own full-time art making).

I had many lovelies & sweet-hearts come out to support me on my special night...

including a large flow of people I didn't know.

Hopefully, my grant will be approved & that will help with costs of the show...fingers crossed!

and it's ultimately something new that is proudly added to my artist's c.v.

I must send out extra love and huge thanks to:
My Jonathan, who has so much patience with yours truly...it's not a light task to live with an
artist, let alone one whose preparing for a show, but no one does it better than my guy...
Thanks oodles to my Dad, he swooped in and made me such beautiful frames for over 20 pieces,
even whiles suffering with a broken foot! 
He's no matter what, always on my side & sometimes that all a sensitive little artist needs...
Thanks to my mom, someone I can count out blindly & who is always there to help
with the tiniest or biggest of things...you rock mom...
and thanks to my pal Jules, who helped me hang my show & who tirelessly
wrestled with demon screws on my behalf...
XXOO to you all.

Thanks so much for having a look.

Have a superb weekend.

(As you read this I am likely prowling a bookstore & sipping on a Starbucks coffee with a bag full of art supplies by my side...so if this be true, I am having a lovely day indeed).

XO Mandy & Ella Luna, whose fur has finally all grown in again all beautiful like XO

Merret St.John

Finally I introduce you to the 3rd birdie making up the motley crew alongside

Shim Bivel-Baum & Camden Trott-Worth...

...kindly say Hello to....

Merret St.John

Merret seems to be the more serious leader of the group with a keen interest in the weather....

Shim is abit of a joker and likes to keep things light and positive...

Whiles Camden is a keep-on-schedule & mapped-out-route type of fella...

A motley feathered crew indeed that just seems to work perfectly together.

(Prints of all 3 are coming soon)

I am off to another full day of photo editing
(I always really enjoy this task)...
It's the perfect day to do so to because as I always chant on rainy days....
"It's Raining, It's Pouring The Bunnies Are Snoring"
(espeacially after a few hours of leaping and zooming around the grass the last few days)

Thanks oodles for stopping by.

XO Mandy & her 4 dozing fur babies XO

p.s. Do you guys prefer the x-large images or just the large, like in this post???
...I can't make up my mind!

Camden Trott-Worth

Introducing Shim's little feathered buddy...

Camden Trott-Worth

I really like this little series, there are 3 so far...one more to show you after this guy.

Our long weekend was most excellent & included lots of lovelies like:
Gardening & tomato planting
rabbits frolicking outside
reading in the pouring rain
oodles of movies
soft ice cream by the lakeside whiles ducks visited at our feet
going to bed each night to the sounds of the carnival just down the street
running to a window every time we heard fire works being set off in neighbouring backyards
and being lulled happily every evening by frogs croaking away midnight tunes
....ahhh.....
I am feeling a bit more smoothed out now....

Did anyone do anything special???

XO Mandy, Ella Luna the spazzy & Roo Boo the sleepy XO

Food Friday - Meatless Golden Tofu Soup

As promised...a recipe
Though on retrospect, I will likely not share a recipe every Friday after all...
I gave it further thought and realized that I love blogging the most when I keep my posts free form...
This beloved blogling of mine will remain more true blue if I share & show when & what
I want to share and show and not just because that's what's 'scheduled' to be shown...
ya know what I mean?  ah, I am quite sure you do.

Anyhoo...today there is a recipe I want to share.  This soup is super easy, fast and YUUUMMMY.

Start by heating a tbsp of olive oil in a soup pot...

than...

-chop 1 onion & grate 1 tbsp of ginger root...put them into the oil in the pot and cook until soft.

-Than add in 2.5 tbsp of curry paste

(I usually don't have paste so I just add milk or water to make my curry powder into a paste).

-Add the paste to the pot.

-Also to the pot add 1000ml of veggie stock & 2 cans of coconut milk(yummy)

-Now your going to want to stir in 2 tbsps of sugar and abit of honey as well...to sweeten up that curry.

At this point, have your soup on a simmer...

Than add in your choice of veggies...about 2 cups worth but really as much as your prefer.

I added mushrooms, red pepper and broccoli to this batch

(the next batch we agreed that we'll substitute grated carrot for the mushrooms)

-Lastly you'll cube a package of your favourite medium firm tofu...preferably organic & put that into the pot.

Bring it all to a boil for about 5 minutes...than lower the heat to a simmer & let cook for a further 10 minutes.

Voila....

Yummy easy peasy golden tofu soup.

I tell ya, I love having a guy who eats tofu...most guys I know would say 

'ewwww tofu, no way'  without ever have even tried it!

Veg-Head guys rule:D...as does this soup.

XO Mandy, Jonathan, & the Bunnies XO 

Shim Bivel-Baum

My exhibition installation shots aren't ready to share yet so I thought I'd introduce you to
a new little guy who is in the exhibition but whom you've not seen yet...

Meet...

Shim Bivel-Baum

He is a mixed media on canvas...that brillant strip of orange is actually a silk ribbon...

he has 2 other pals you'll be meeting soon.
Isn't he a cutie with one of thee best names, ha ha (I let Jonathan name the cuties in this series).

Hope your all having a sweet, green-filled, bee-buzzing day...we certainly are.

XO M & The Grass Romping Bunnies XO

Birds Of A Feather Article

Well my 3rd solo exhibition 'Birds Of A Feather' is now up.

I have to go back to get better installation shots (I'll post those soon).

For today I wanted to share the wonderful newspaper article that ran about my show.

I've been in the local paper quite a few times now but this article is by far my favourite.

XO A Very Pooped Bijou XO

Original Giveaway

Time for a GIVEAWAY.

An ORIGINAL from Yours Truly...

a teeny tiny piece to celebrate the beauty of nature & it's feathered friends.

This is a 2.5 inch x 2.5 inch original coloured pencil mounted on a wooden block and is ready to hang.

How Do You Enter, You May Ask??

Simple...

*Just leave a comment on this post and

tell me what your favourite animal is and why*

Those of you who mention this giveaway on your blogs, twitter or facebook,

or those of you who sign up for my newsletter,

...will have your names entered twice.

(Please do a separate comment for each type of entry)

The Winner will be announced on June 6th 2011

GOOD LUCK

I'll be leaving you with this post for the rest of the week....
Last minute show preparations have me super duper busy, wish me luck...it's gonna a tight deadline!

For anyone local (though I know only a handful of people here in town visit my blog!)
I do hope you'll come out to my exhibition's opening...This Friday, May 13th 7-9pm.

XO Bijou & Her Hon Buns XO

Note:  Comments/Entries for this Giveaway are now closed.
Thanks to all who entered.

Hattie and Humphrey

Happy Monday.  I hope all the mommies out there had a special weekend....
Today I am hopping in quickly to introduce you to....

"Hattie and Humphrey"

These two pals love to talk & quarrel over politics. 

By day, Hattie is a newspaper columnist and Humphrey is her fact checker. 

By night they crochet, knit and spin yarn to make sweaters for orphaned orangutans...

Ah two souls after my own heart.



This is a mixed media & I had so much fun with it. 
Give me some coloured pencils and I know I can work some magic but paints...epp...I still get nervous BUT
I am learning to accept my meager painting skills & to still enjoy the process of painting...
I mean I am not after a Mona Lisa creation after all, ha ha. 
This sweetie is acrylic paint and ink on a papered and painted background.

(Prints will be available soon)

See you Wednesday for a special giveaway.

XO Mandy &  4 Box Loving Bunnies

Food Friday: Meat-Free Sheperd's Pie

I've been planning on sharing some of my favourite food recipes on this blog of mine...
so finally here we go, I'll try posting a new recipe every Friday.
(except next Friday which I am taking off from blogging).

I make a mean Shepherd's Pie....and it doesn't have any meat in it.

Jonathan loves it, my dad always goes back for 2nd's and I think it's scrumptious (& guilt-free)...

Want to try it out, it's super easy to make???

You'll want to preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

AND

You'll want to put on your potatoes at this time.  I steam the potatoes and usually use 5-6 small ones.

THAN

-In a large pan, put 1 tbsp of olive oil...let that heat up and than...

-Add 1 large onion, finely chopped...let that cook up till the onion is nice and soft.

-Let the liquid and onions cook together for a couple minutes.

-Than add the soy ground meat (we use Yves Hamburger) and let that simmer until the 'meat' is cooked.
-Than add 1 cup of vegetable stock or a cup of water with a spoon of gravy mix.

-Than your going to add vegetables.  As much as you like. 

I usually use corn shredded from 2 corn cobs and usually 2-4 shredded carrots.

-Let the veg cook with the rest of the mixture for about 5 minutes, stirring often so nothing burns.

-Your done with the pan, wohoo....

NOW

Take a casserole dish and scoop the mixture into it, spreading it evenly.

-Spread your mashed potatoes over the mixture.

-Grate some cheese on top and sprinkle some fresh pepper and salt

THAN

Put it in the oven for 25-30 minutes and

VOILA...

Enjoy Meat-Free Shepherds Pie.

Happy & Kind Eating To You.
XO Mandy, Jonathan & The Bunnies XO

Birds Of A Feather Invite

This is what we conjured up for my exhibition's invite...



What do you think???

XO Bijou, Soon To Be Having Her 3rd Solo Show XO 

Owlette Oakley

Happy Monday Everyone.
Today I am introducing my newest Owlette....

Oakley

Whoo wanted to fly in and say 'Hoot Hoot Hello'

(Prints Will Be Available Soon in my Etsy Shop, I'll let you know when)



You'd perhaps think that Ella Luna, Roo, Jinster and Jaks mind their mama making these Owlettes...

But No Worries...

These owls of mine are of the vegetarian nature & befriend the long-earred kind
(Oh wouldn't that be nice in real life!!!)

I've had a hell of a few days with a monster migraine plaguing me,
I lost pretty much all of Thursday, Friday, Saturday and most of Sunday night.
Most of that time was spent in a dark bedroom, covered in ice packs & with a pillow over my head,
 not fun!
Today I am still feeling abit of the aftermath and must move really slowly, ugh.
I really hope that's it for awhile.  Before this bad bout I was doing pretty well for a couple of weeks. 

I hope your all pain-free, enjoying this rainy yet cozy day and that your weeks are off to a wonderful start?

XO An owl making Bijou & her owlette friendly bunnies XO