Chickadees

The little souls outside never cease to delight...

...And I just thought today was the perfect day to share these favourite new photos...

Hope your starting this new week with something simple and sweet to delight in.

XO Mandy & The Bird Watching Ella Luna and Roo

New Necklaces Added To Shop

Happy Friday Everyone.

Just hopping in today to let you all know that these 4 necklaces handmade by me

and featuring some of my favourite illustrations (also by me) have just been added to my shop.



I only have one left of each of these pendants, they are one of a kind...

so if there is one that interests you do head over to my shop and have a look.

(Psst...These lovelies are on sale for $18 from their regular price of $25).

See you all on Monday and thanks so so much for hopping by this week & spending some time with me.

XO Mandy & 4 bunnies who will likely be frantically running around this

weekend trying to get the yard cleaned up before the snow flies!

Roo Boo

I thought today should be a rabbit dose...
a dose of our big boy Roo...just to get my heart a smilin' and hopefully yours as well...

...Cause sometimes when the world is feeling all jumbly and crumbly around you...
Snuggles with a giant grey rabbit are just what the heart needs...

Have a Good Snuggly Day Everyone.

XO Mandy whose spending the day with her Giant Roo Boo

Nubbins Now Available As Prints

Finally...Finally I am getting my dear sweet 'Nubbins' into my shop as prints.

I'd like to introduce the actual 'dolls' as well but that depends if I can get enough pieces cut and

prepped before the snow keeps me from the garage and my tools (it's already pretty cold out there!). 

Up until now they've only been available for purchase directly from me, from local sales,

from local galleries or through my own studio.

Atleast for now they are coming out as prints...

Here are the first 3 available in print form...



Nubbins 'Ellie Ebben Gray', 'Avril May Aviva' and 'Lillie Fionn Lapradie' now available as prints.



Interested? Just hop on over to my Etsy shop to have a look-see.

Hope your weekend was wonderful. 

Ours was very beautifully cozy as we were stuck inside all weekend due to rain and bad migraines.

XO A recovering Bijou & Her Beautiful Bunnies who are listening to Jesse Cook in the studio today

(We JUST saw him & his band in concert & they were amazing, a blog post on that coming soon).

Drayton Blues Festival

The way we came about going to an excellent blues fest a couple months ago was kinda neat.

Jonathan took lots of video at the Jazzfest we went to in Toronto just a few weeks before...

Where an excellent blues group named Braithwaite & Whiteley played. 

Well Diana Braithwaite and Chris Whiteley saw the video that Jonathan took and cut together

and they were so pleased with it they asked Jonathan if they can use his video
and if we would be their guests to 'The Underground Railroad Blues Festival'.

Well, I LOVE the Blues and we've never really had the chance to enjoy it live so we shouted a resounding

'YES...Yes we would love to come'

So we hopped in the car one early Saturday morning and drove out to Drayton, Ontario and
unfamiliar countryside for an amazing unforgettable day.

Let me share my favourite shots from the day & show you who we felt very lucky to see/hear...

Curly Bridges was up first...he does this cool buzzing sound with his mouth, ha ha...

(Check out some video of Curley Bridges right here).

Than was my favourite, the super talented Harrison Kennedy,

his voice is so soulful and deep, seeing him live was such a treat...

(Check out some video of Harrison right here).

Up next was the sassy 'Miss Angel' who sure can shake her booty, ha ha...

(Check out video of Miss Angel right here).

Chris Whiteley and his son Jessie, who rocked the keyboard, were so so good...

(Check Chris & Jesse out in my honey's video, right here).

Up next was the talented Donovan Locke....

(Check out his vocal stylings right here).

Then all the way from The Mississippi was 'The Prepare A Table Ministry Choir'...
and a preacher who was very charismatic and who completely tuned us in...

We were surprised to find ourselves really enjoying pastor Tim Bailey's powerful message,
it wasn't the usual preachy stuff but it was all about a humans basic right to freedom and dignity and
the importance of fighting for those things, not just for our ourselves but for everyone planet wide...

Up next was the Douglas Watson band...   

(Check him out here).

Than another of my favs was Canadian Folk singer & Juno and Gemini award winner Kevin Breit...

(There is something so honest and gentle and fun about his music, check him out here).

And last but not least, the lovely Diana Braithwaite...
or otherwise known as Braithewaite & Whiteley...

(Check out Diana's gospel set right here and here).

It was a wonderful day with a really friendly and quaint atmosphere.

(The only negative was that there were no food options for us vegetarians, besides watermelon, ha ha,
so we were quite ravenous by the end of the night!)

The day and program ran so smoothly, we only had to wait 5 or 10 minutes at most in between sets.

...

Besides enjoying some great blues talent, the day was all about paying homage to the underground railroad and the people who made it, worked it and used it...
and to celebrate the freedom we in this country possess and enjoy today.

We are hoping the festival will take place again next year and that we'll be able to attend.

Thanks for having a look everyone....

Now let's go off and enjoy our freedom full day.

XO Mandy

Another New Felt & Beaded Brooch

Just hopping in today to show you all another felt and beaded brooch I recently made...

 I just organized a nice big toolbox for my beads, felt and stitchery goodies so I can just grab the box and get to work wherever and whenever the mood strikes me....usually it's during movies I just can't get into but still want to 'watch' or when my sweets wants to watch one of his gory zombie flicks. 

Today however my fingers are itching to work with coloured pencils, I have several pieces on the go and I am anxious to finish at least one of them and my back is feeling better...so I am off to do just that.

Have a wonderfully cozy day.

We're a little off schedule this week, so I'll be seeing you all again on Saturday.

XO Mandy whose love love loving this week of constant rain

New Changes

I am so so pleased and excited to announce that new changes have been made to

my beloved website

http://www.bijouswhimsy.com/

I am extremely proud of my site.

(my honey is the web designer/maker supreme & I am so lucky to have his talents mix with mine)

I am over the moon to have it looking better than ever & to be showcasing my work so beautifully.

Do hop on over and have a look around.

There are new rotating intro images...

New works in the What's New section of course...
New studio/about shots have been added...

The newsletter and contact pages have been  updated and streamlined...

and most importantly are the new sections added...

now you'll see a 'photography' section which showcases all of my favourite photos.  

There is a new 'out and about' section which houses all of the fantastic mini-sites

which we conjure up for special arts events that I've participated in.

AND

There is now a 'This and That' section which is home to my dolls, felt work and

soon to showcase jewelry adventures, etc.

 

WOHOO

I am so so pleased with the changes. 

We've been working on it for some time now but I think it was worth  the work and wait.

Do take a few minutes to have a look.

(Make sure to clear your Internet cache or simply hit ctrl+5 if your using Internet Explorer)

and if you've another few minutes leave me a message and tell me what you think.

Thanks Everyone.

I've been laid up in bed with a seized up back...

but it's all good, ha ha because I am getting lots of new felt goodies made...

and catching up on older movies I've been wanting to see.

XO Mandy

An Enchanted Garden

So when last in the big city, we made a fantastic discovery.

It was an enchanted Garden full of sweet surprises...

Such as vultures perched high above our heads...

...ready to welcome in all who were willing to leave the heaviness of the adult world behind...

...a walking stick stopped to say 'how do ya do?'...

...A turtle shuffled out to ask us if we needed directions,

he instructed us to just follow our care-free hearts and let whimsy be our compass...

...It was a quiet place where shy snails wanted to talk about the weather...

....and where you were invited to tea with a tortoise and a berry picking bear...

...where long secret pathways amongst tall and towering grasses lead you to smiling snails...

...Where on top of a sweet little hill you spot a wooden gazebo and what looks like

a wonderfully secretive spot that your feather light heart craves to leads you next...

...but where on your way you meet one of the happiest of rabbits who invites you to spread your smile

and of course to frolic and play...

...and who requests a shy peck adieu before your off on your way...

...It was a place where that secret spot we glanced upon the smiling snail hilltop was finally found...

And what wonderful energy the place held...

you could feel magic sparkle and shimmer all around you...

...It was where I met a fellow book lover who read me a story so fantastic I dare not even try to repeat it

for it's something you have to hear on your own...

...I was very reluctant to leave, but the storyteller promised he'll be there ready with another grand story whenever I am able to visit again next...

...This was a magical garden which seemed to even enchant grown up boys...

...It was a most wonderful place for hearts that like to believe in magic...

...For souls who believe in the beauty of their dreams...

It was a place that reminded one that the most ordinary of days can suddenly

be turned into the most splendorous soul drenching moments.

That moments of pure unexpected blissful delight can tingle your soul,

if only you'll let your heart be light & open your eyes to enchanted magic...

Thanks for hopping in this week everyone...have a great weekend and see you all on Monday.

XO An Enchanted Bijou