"Marlie" our Carousel Horse is Complete

Our journey to bring Marlie to life began quite a few weeks ago....just a blank horse, beautifully carved but awaiting it's colour, life and character...

Diligently working alongside a handful of other talented and local carousel painters who were a complete delight to spend time with every week...our carousel horses, one by one came to life...

After a month and a half, the carousel horse that Arlie and I have been working on is pretty much complete. With a suggestion from my friend Maria, we have called it 'Marlie'.

We met at the gallery for pretty much 2 days every week, sometimes 3 to get it done during the carousel art exhibition.

Our time at the Alex Dufresne Gallery and Museum has been a great one. I want to send out a big grateful thanks to Carol and Christine, who welcomed us in warmly every time, fed us and warmed us up with coffee's and hot chocalate, and who forgave us when we destroyed their light grey carpet with a big pool of dark blue oil paint! Thank you so much for giving us a cozy and relaxing place to work on Marlie for the past month and a half. I will miss seeing everyone there every week, I truly will.

The horses are now on their way back to the carvers, to have the manes and tails attached. Then they will go into storage until sprin. In the spring they will receive any necessary touch ups, they will be 'antiqued' and than receive their final coat of varathane.

It has been a spectacular project to be involved with (again) and I am proud to have this 2nd carousel creation done along side my dear friend, mentor and adopted grandpa, Arlington Hoffman. We put much thought, love and good creative energies into these carousel creatures we help bring to life and we are proud that it's part of our legacy to our beloved city, North Bay.

Until we see you again in the spring Marlie, rest peacefully and happily in the creative enjoyment you were made with. And my thanks to Arlie for asking me to be his partner again.

To the beautiful and enchanting art and world of the carousel...may your live on and enchant the world forever...

Until tommorow....Be Well and May you find inspiration in everyday...such as in a carousel:D

Two days in Toronto and Chocalate

Hi Everyone. I hope this entry find you all well and cheery. I am abit tired here today at 'Bijou's Whimsy', so I'll make today's post a quick and simple one. Making things abit slower however, is my un-cooperating 'delete' button! It was working find before, now it just isn't.

Anyhow, we spent the last two days in Toronto and we had a absolute ball. I spent the Tuesday hanging out with Judit again, and we finished off her carpet stand together, we were so proud of ourselves and happy that we didn't need any of the boys help, ha ha. Abit of time was spent on an electric bike. A new and absolutely fabulous restaurant was discovered and thoroughly enjoyed by all (Check out Toronto's "Fresh" if you already haven't, an all vegetarian place).

Wednesday included a lovely shopping spree...we haven't been to Toronto in awhile so we needed to shop and get some treats. We tried another great vegetarian place for lunch called "Vegetarian Haven". I parallel parked in the tight and crowded Kensington area (again cause for some proud-ness, ha ha). And after a busy morning and afternoon, we grabbed some coffees, jumped in our rental truck, blasted the jazz and drove home in the pouring rain to our furry babies.....ahhh it's always great to get back home, regardless of the great time had.

On our adventures we visited the store "Ten Thousand Villages", I know I mentioned the website before so I was delighted to learn that they actually had a physical store. Toronto actually has two different store locations. We got some of this divine chocolate, ohhh it's so good (and all consumed). It's a fair trade product for the cocoa bean farmers of Kuapa Kokoo, in Ghana. Besides being delicious chocolate, you can feel good buying it because you know proceeds will go to help the makers. Plus, I couldn't resist the absolutely gorgeous wrapper....

That's all for today. I have a bit of cleaning to do, I need to call my sweet momma, and after abit of yoga and lunch, I plan to just sit on the floor with the 4 furry monsters and colour some simple picture. Stay cozy on this rainy Thursday...till tomorrow.

"Time Carries On WIthout You" New Illustration

Good Tuesday Everyone. I would like to share a new illustration with you today. I finished it a couple days ago...this is just a digital photo, it'll be scanned in and viewed more nicely through my website at a later point. It is called "Time Carries On Without You" and as before, I'll leave my story out of it and let you bring your own to it.

Here is a detail...
If it moves you enough to leave a comment or send an email that would be wonderful. If not I hope it atleast inspires.

I am happy that http://www.5starblogs.com/ has approved my blog for inclusion at their site.

Well, my tea and oatmeal await and I have some bunnies to snuggle before I get to work in my studio for the day. Thanks Everyone and have a great day.

Judit Gueth Designs

I have to bring some attention to my best friend and very talented designer Judit Gueth. Judit has her own line of wallpaper and hand-tufted rugs. Please do check out her website at http://www.juditgueth.com/.

Judit did a wonderful article about me and my work in her October 2007 blog, http://prettystylish.blogspot.com/2007/10/illustrator-mandy-saile.html check it out.

Here are some photos of Judit's work and for all of you local people, don't forget that I sell a small sampling of Judit's fabric cards here in my studio. I think her designs look so elegant in frames and I have about 6 or 7 hanging throughout our home.

Judit's wallpaper is a fast growing success and people are using her koy fish designs often for such things as spa's or as seen below, in a chiropractors office space. Judit welcomes custom work and will work with you to come up with exactly what you desire. Give her a call soon however because soon she'll be too busy to entertain all commissions, she's been getting alot of press and exposure which is wonderful for this very talented designer.

For more info about Judit Gueth, please visit her website or her blog www.prettystylish.blogspot.com or simply click on the link in my 'other great blogs'.