Psssttt

Pssst...

My September e-studio-news was mailed out earlier today.

Sweet & short as usual, just enough to give you a quick once monthly round up

of what the buns & I have been up to in the studio & a bit beyond the studio as well I suppose.

 

 

If you signed up to receive my e-news

it would just be like the best cup of sweet creamy coffee ever...

or like a big bowl of whipping cream with chunks of marzipan & dark chocolate on top!

It really really would be that wonderful!!

Just email your name & email address to MandySaile@BijousWhimsy.com or sign up here.

I Got Em

Every 3 days for almost a month I was going into a local thrift shop to bid

in a silent auction for these gorgeous lino cut prints.

When I saw them in the window, I gasped out loud & thought they were so so beautiful.

When I look at them I feel happy, at peace & like running to my studio to work...

now that's the kind of artwork I like to have in my home.

 

 

Well, just last week, I got the call that my tenacity won out & that they were mine...WOHOO!

I've never bid in an auction like that & must admit it was fun..well it was fun to win, ha ha!

(It's a dream of mine to someday go to a real auction house & witness the action)

Anyhoo, I still have to paint the gold frames white, but I couldn't wait to get them up.

YAY.

Framed Ink

I got some of my ink drawings framed up and I am so happy with how they look...

 

This gives you a sneak peek of part of our new kitchen reno too.

Another Inkling

A newbie just finished up.

 

 

Flynnster was the model for this one.

Bunnies & Bells

Are you having a good day today?

 

 

I am outside with a sore head, a thick blanket, a bunny or two & my bell project.

Back To The Office

Well my honey's telework application was not renewed so it's back to the office full-time he goes...

There's no sense in being upset about it...

We had him here with us working from home 3 days out of a 5 day work week for the past 13 months and it was so awesome but we knew it wasn't going to be a permanent schedule.

Still, all that being said, I've been partly dreading September for this reason.

 

 

I've been keeping my fingers crossed...waiting with baited breathe.

I've loved having my love home with me so much, I've treasured it & the rabbits loved it too.

I'll have to dote on Frenwyck for abit for he's going to miss having his daddy home the most...

he was always quiet and despondent when Jon went into the 'real' office Thursday & Fridays.

 

 

But it's all about attitude & perspective right...

Having him home for the last 13 months has, like I said been heaven & we appreciate the experience.

And he does goes back to the office full of lovely people & great co-workers

and to a pretty spectacular view of the skies and lake.

So a new shift of schedule is upon us and we're gonna embrace it the best we can.

Weekend Fall Clean Up

The beans & cucumbers are done & the plants barren, brown and frost bitten.
On the counter sits two huge platters of tomatoes that need to turn red still.
We're outside, starting the usual fall clean up...
plants in the composters...pots being piled away...
some furniture tucked away...ponds & fountains are being emptied...
the hammock is sadly being rolled up..one last run to the city recycling yards is being planned,
wood is being stacked & extra birdseed is being put out.
 

 

The buns are all quiet and naughty at the same time.

They seem a bit lost at this time of year, when the doors are closed more than they are open.

They don't seem to understand until you crack the door open in the morning

& a cold blast hits their furry little faces as their little bodies preciously expand &

huff with the intake of unexpected crispy cool air.

Today, we're all together, waiting for some company to arrive, basking in the busy-ness

of another season ending, one that somehow & once again, went by way to quickly.



More Sweet Swags

Her wish was my command...

After a fun trip to the fabric store together to pick out colours that matched her room.

 

More sweet ribbon swags...

From a doting Auntie to her pretty & cool niece.

XO.

9/11

There is something in the air today isn't there.

Something that makes you want to hold your loved ones closer.

Something that makes you want to gather all those dear to you.

Something that makes the house cozy but stiller...the need to feel sheltered is stronger.

 

I can't believe 9/11 was 13 years ago already.

 

It all still feels raw and incomprehensible doesn't it.

I can't think on it and not well up.

I don't personally know anyone who was there or directly affected

but every year on this day, it hits me, the tragedy, the shock, the terror.

The fact is that the whole world was affected.

 

 

I remember the day.

I had the day off from the bookstore I was then working at.

I was at my parents house with my mom, Jonathan and my dad were at work.

I was working on a drawing or a painting.

My mom & I were just commenting on how there was a lot more planes flying overhead than normal

When my honey called from the office and said

'Did you see what's going on, turn on the tv'...so we did.

We spent the next couple hours watching the news coverage...speechless, afraid & stunned.

Air traffic was being diverted & grounded, that's why our little airport was suddenly busy.

I had this immense need to have Jonathan home, next to me.

I called him and asked him to leave work early, to get home now...he did.

 

So today, I light a candle for all those lost & affected by 9/11.

I feel extra extra grateful that I am here...that my family is here safe & sound.

I light a candle for all of us, for the whole world really.

I make a wish that we never forget...

never forget to be kind & to love & to go above and beyond common courtesy & decency

because the world since then is a bit more tender & in need of light & gentleness, isn't it.

Duck in Ink & Dishes In The Bathroom

Hi ya everyone...

How's is your day so far?

 

Before I rush off to my treadmill, I wanted to show you another drawing I just finished up.

I am so happy I've discovered a love for ink drawing and doing so in black & white.

I am really feeling very pleased about these inklings of mine

(even if my last one was so horrible, I tossed it in the fire, ha ha!)

I am so loving them mixed in with my usual super colorful work...

I am honestly surprised because I never expected my color-loving heart to so readily accept B & W.

I've even been adding these new ink drawings to my Creative Source portfolio,

that's how confident I am in them...which is just awesome.

 

 

Well amidst some big projects outside being worked on furiously still....

Amidst a kitchen reno on the go (doing dishes in the bathroom for a week was long enough for me!)

Amidst long hours being put in on my new website...

Amidst lots of headaches, pouring rain keeping us all indoors, bunny snuggling, etc...

I did manage one last update on my current site, do check it out www.BijousWhimsy.com

(but keep in mind it's a flash site & not available on tablets or phones, hence the new one coming!)

I feel a little sad about leaving it but excitement over the new site will make it easier to let it go.

 

I hope your having a wonderful Wednesday...

the bunnies are happy, the jazz is tinkling, the sun is shining, the leaves are falling!

& my honey & I are anxiously waiting to see if his work-at-home app will be accepted or denied.



Nervousness

I am getting nervous.

Soon my dearest blog will be moving from this blogger space over to my brand new beautiful website
(oh I am just so beyond anxious for you all to see it, we've been working so very hard on it all).
I know it's the right time to move it all over...I know it'll eventually be even better.
BUT I am still nervous.

 

 

According to my analytics an average of 200 people visit me here everyday & I think that's a lot!

When I move over will you all follow me?
Is what I do, show & share here worth the bit of effort of you all refreshing my url etc???
I hope you'll find it worth it.  I hope you'll follow me over...
but I admit I am nervous for sure!

Starry Starry Night...with a Bunny

A new ink drawing.  I love this one...each new one becomes my favorite, I love that!

 

 

I am defiantly going to keep moving forward with these since I am enjoying them so much. 



Sharing A Muddled Day...You Don't Mind Do You?

You know by now that here on this blog of mine,  I tend to keep to the joyful & cheerful.

You get yucky days.  I get yucky days.

But I always figure that if I am lucky enough to have you visit me here, I want to offer you

positive things like inspiration, joy, colour, whimsy, purity & sweetness...

if only but to momentarily take you away from your present muckiness.

I try not to complain or vent, it's not why I invite you here.

But, I am having one of those days where things are feeling muddled & messy.

One of those days where everything I touch screws up.

(Like my printer...I want to mercilessly murder it right now or at least kick it down the stairs!)

The smallest everyday studio task suddenly today feels like climbing a mountain with bad shoes on!

I am feeling stressed all the sudden when yesterday I was feeling blissful & balanced.

I know it's for all kinds of reasons,

poor sleep, headaches & allergies are contributing no doubt but really it's nothing in particular at all.

It's just one of those days...one of those days that every one gets.

Chaos of house renos is getting under my skin too.

I try not to dwell because I know how lucky we are to be doing house reno's at all.

To be making our sweet little home even lovelier is gratifying & great...I know this...I do.

 

Yet, dust covers everything.  Everything that I just cleaned!

One big thing leads to 10 small things before you can get back to getting that one big thing done!

With house reno's things always have to get worse before they get better, I know this too.
(it doesn't help that my upper studio is all messed up right now due to a big window installation we undertook last week! We can't decide on something, other things pulled us away, so it to sits undone).

It's just one of those days where my energy just isn't matching up with all that needs to get done.

I just wanna nap!

and truthfully my head is just abit too sore to be the 100% that I wanna be today!

But in writing all this, I realize, I am not complaining or venting or bitching, I am sharing & that's ok.

Because what's the point of blogs if we're not sharing from our authentic selves right!?

Maybe knowing that I am stuck in muckiness too will help you outta yours?  who knows!

And in writing this, it's focused me enough to realize that I need to stop.

I need to stop & go to the water.  Because being near water always soothes me.

How do I forget that though!  How on earth does that happen!

I am in the middle of messiness and dust, yes...but I'd really rather be nowhere else.

So, I am stopping...just for abit.

I am going to pop some codeine, grab a bottle of water & I am going to go sit by the water.

It'll help balance me & help me to steep in the gratitude that I should more easily be soaking up.

 

What do you do to get yourselves out of muddled times?

 



The Bench Project

I asked Teela "What we should work on next baby girl"
Well, she had an idea right away...

 

 

She said 'Look Mama, our deck bench is all yucky and dirty...'

 

 

Emmett was in agreement with Tee-Tee....

 

 

So we gave it a fresh coat of paint and free hand painted a design on it....

 

 Of course Emmett teased Tee saying 'Na na na...mama is repainting it for ME, not you...'

(naughty buns!)

 

And because I can't ever leave things done simply!  I added some red beads all over the whole thing.

 

 Gave it all 4 thick coats of outdoor varnish and VOILA a pretty new bench for the back deck!

 

Everybun including moi, the artist are pretty happy with it.
What do you think?