A Kind Night In Progress

I am so happy to be back to blogging, hopefully with my normal regularity now!

Although I have come back to find that the Blogger interface has

completely changed and I can't say I am a fan of the changes whatsoever!

Anyhow...let me start to catch you up on abunch of new images...

...so bear with me as I figure out everything

and get a new font etc sorted out!!

In the meantime here's a new piece almost complete,

it's a coloured pencil on paper called "A Kind Night",

it's taking awhile as it's full of lots of detail but it'll all be worth it I am hoping.

I'll be able to show you the final piece soon XO.

Meet The Maker - Day 5 - Community Over Competition

 Todays Meet The Maker Prompt is "COMMUNITY OVER COMPETITION".

My experiences with this has been a mixed bag to be truthful.

I really think finding community instead of competition is a matter of finding and approaching the right people.  You have to approach people you admire but you also have to get lucky in that those you approach are friendly & willing to share.  Alot of people won't actually be able to find the time to converse and connect but don't get too discouraged when someone doesn't respond to you in a positive way, just move on down the line because some people will be happy to connect and answer your questions. It's not always easy to find your own tribe and I admit to still being in the process of seeking out mine!

I personally have been happy to share my knowledge BUT I am careful with my time these days too because simply my chronic pain takes alot of my time in the studio away and my studio time tends to be shorter than a regular artist who isn't chronically sick. I used to respond to every question like 'how did you start your Etsy shop' with sooo much detail & length and then I would often not even get a thank you in return!  So now I am also more careful with whom I spend my time responding too. But yeah, I think it's important to share the knowledge but there's also something said in trying to figuring things out yourself first too!

So whiles I have myself unfortunately experienced way more Competition over Community, I still remain hopeful that that's not always going to be the case & my experiences so far sure have made me appreciate any connections & sharing of knowledge that I do experience, that much more, especially online, the online community can be just as supportive, if not more

than those physically around you....

My advice is take it where you can get it, appreciate it & make sure to give back!

.

Meet The Maker - Day 4 - Silver Linings

 Today's Meet The Maker Prompt is 'SILVER LININGS'.

This one is easy cause I am a Silver Linings kind of person.

I live with two neurological diseases and a disease of the nervous system

but despite the chronic pain that's constantly ravaging and testing my body, finding Silver Linings is essential to maintaining a positive mental attitude

through the storms.  It might be something small like "Hmmm okay I might feel like I was run over by a truck" today BUT at least I have a wonderful honey who loves making me wonderful healthy meals to help me get through and that fills my heart. Or maybe I am stuck in bed feeling like my head is going to explode BUT all of the bunnies are eating and I can hear them eating and that's one of the best sounds in the world, it makes me smile right through the pain.

Or perhaps it's a really bad fibro flare day

and it's one of those days where it feels like it's taking effort just to breathe!

BUT I've got all of the Whimsical Colourful Joyful Artwork

I know I will get back to the second I feel better and that's surely a Silver Lining.

 

I think too in this unpredictable and scary time with the pandemic

Silver Linings can be found all around if we really look hard enough.

I have been latching onto the extra uninterrupted time at home

with my family, that's been extra heavenly.

And I have been feeling so very grateful to all of you lovely souls

who are supporting us Indie businesses...

especially all of you who have understood that I needed to shut down

my online shop during this turbulent awful last year with our cancer fight

but you still showed much needed support with DMs

and emails asking after and buying original work, which has been amazing,

that has truly been a HUGE Silver Lining in all of this unstable upset.

Thank You 💖 SO much.

Pink Moon Almost Done

This one has so much detail, it's taking a really long time.

I am super excited to cut it out and get it on it's painted background.

Airabella Almost Done

Airabella has started whispering her story to me...

Hop on by my Instagram to see what else I am working on.

A Star-Gazer named Whimbley

I started this image awhile back of a star-gazing frog named Whimbley.

I put it away for awhile because it made me miss Henrie too much.

I am ready to get back to it now and finish it off & conjure up Whimbleys tall tale

but I sure do miss looking down from my desk to see these two snuggled up next to me.

No Mouth...What!?

Here's something new on my upstairs desk...

and yep, your seeing correct, she's not going to have a mouth.

I am doing this beauty in polychromos on stonehenge.

I am still learning which mixes I like best, the polys on this paper feels like more work but I like it!

Red Star Delight

Well we've been having a heck of a time with me and with the buns, especially Flynn.

More on that soon but for now I needed to share my newest piece with you all

(Flynn was indeed the model for this one so I thought it was fitting given all we're going through).

"Red Star Delight"

You'll find prints in my shop.

The original is not available at the moment.

I am hoping to get it on t-shirts etc but I am still looking for a place I am comfortable working with.

I am really really happy with how this one turned out

and Flynn made a most spectacular model if I may say so myself!

Sweet Tee

The picture I am doing for myself to keep of my beautiful late Teela is coming along nicely...

I think I'll be able to get this one & the watercolor version done this week which is exciting.

Working, Working, Working

I am whirling in circles between the studios, my new website currently underway & the bunnies...

Things feel crazy but my migraines & headaches have been a lot better the past 3 weeks, hooray!

Peace & Kindness Begins With You

She's finally all done and looking pretty if I may say so...

"Peace & Kindness"

Prints will be in a limited edition.

I'll let you know when they've hit the shop.

Sign up for my e-news if you want updates on all new work & goodies hitting the shop etc.

Changes & Colouring

I am sooooo loving this newest picture I am working on.

I think this is my favorite new rabbit ever

and with him comes new plans for my art & business...

It's feeling like time to switch things up, so some things are brewing over here behind the scenes.

I do move very slowly because of my head-pain & busy life with the buns,

so you won't notice right away

But I can't wait to see what this single little green rabbit has instigated come to life.

I've made some changes on my social media as well as you may have noticed...

Firstly, the name of my blog has changed...

Bijou's Whimsy was my old business identity, that I've been moving away from for awhile now.

So everything is now under my name, Mandy Saile, clean, simple & concise & that's feeling good.
(don't forget to update your blog links)

I've changed my Instagram streams too, boy oh boy it was a big decision but I am loving it now.

I'am now making @Mandy_Saile strictly for studio life & artwork.

I started a new personal stream @WhirlinCircles for life out of the studios

& I've teamed with my hon to create a beautiful new bunnies only stream @LeporidaeLovely.

(plus you can find my guys personal stream @DeyfennSlayd too if your interested)

I hope you'll join me in all these places & thanks so kindly for your interest, time & support if you do.

Works Almost Done

The lovelies signed up to Keep In Touch with me & the buns usually get to see new works first...

These guys are coming up, I am excited to show you, Sign up Here if you want first peeks/dibs too.

The Gift Of Colours

I have my very first box of 120 Polychromos from Faber-Castell, a top notch German brand.

Thanks to my honey who bought them for me as a birthday present

because really they are a small fortune

and I don't know that I would have treated myself to them.

But I am so excited and nervous to try them...I've been a Prisma girl forever!

What if I like them more than my beloved Prismas! oh my goodness!

 

 

Apparently the Polychromos are way better; pure pigmented colours therefore no wax bloom...

wax bloom with Prismas is always present but not a problem once your apply your fixative.

The Polychromos have the colour core binded to the wood which means a lot less breakage...

though I have finally learnt if I sharpen my Prismas with an electric sharpener they break a lot less.

The points of Poly's stay longer because they are harder whereas

Prismas are super soft so the points dull a lot faster meaning you eat through your pencils faster....

Well it'll be a new adventure for 2017 and I can't wait to see if I fall deeply irrevocably in love!!!

Glitter Bug 10

Hopefully I am on a better track for this week...
we'll see!

 

 

Here's a new Glitter Bug (#10).

He's up for grabs, if your interested just shoot me an email.



Naughty Monkeys & Mouthy Nargles

It always strikes me as awesome....how different every single rabbit is.

And how they misbehave in different ways too!

Because we have been SO preoccupied with Jaks and Frenwyck the last while

we've also had some naughty monkeys to contend with....

 

Flynn gets naughty and gets into things he normally doesn't.

He'll toss anything around that his little mouth can manage to lift & throw!

 

Henrie & Elsie get rather indignant and stand-off-ish and really make you grovel for snuggles.

(and apparently chewing a big hole in my favorite studio carpet

was a bit of their special brand of payback for this week!)

 

 

 Teela does the same thing, gets SUPER indignant, grumpy, turns her back to you,
pees where she shouldn't abit more than normal!

she even gets a bit nippy and will not hold back stomps & harrumphs.

As you can see from her very grumpy face, it's not hard to tell when she's unhappy with you!

 

 

It's interesting to see how the buns not being lavished with attention starts to behave differently.

 

The only one who is seeming to not be upset with us at the moment is 

Yuuji our forever easy-going-happy-carefree little babe and the sweetie pie Min-Min.

 

I gotta say that seeing how unhappy most of them get

with a small change in their schedule and life

makes me feel every so very very lucky and happy

that I am able to be their stay-at-home-bun mama!