A Most Beautiful Amazing Gift From Natascha Rieper

This arrived a few weeks ago...

one of the most beautiful and generous gifts I've ever received.

When most people in my life just didn't really seem to get how lost I've been without my sunshine

and how that was making me feel even more discombobulated and lonely and lost,

one super kind, lovely, fellow animal loving friend who've I never even met in person said to me

'Send me your favorite photo of your girl,

I want to do something for you'

The talented and wonderful Natascha Rieper made this insanely beautiful clay portrait of Teela.

She knew through my blog how special Teela was and how much she meant in my life

and she gifted me a memorial plaque that I will cherish every single day.

I put it on my side of the bed...

I go to sleep gazing at my beautiful bestie's face and I wake up to it.

It's so so special and so incredibly beautiful and

even more so because of the kind-hearted spirit it was made and given in.

If you've never seen Natascha's blog or work do click on over and check things out...

her blog is here, her shop is here and her Instagram is here.

She's a big hearted animal lover with a house full of different fur-babies, I am sure you'll be hooked.

And thank you again a million times my friend not only for this gift

but for the connection, the shoulder via email and for the friendship

XOXOXO

A Birthday Present

So my sweet niece turned 9 just last week.

(YIKES Time is flying by!...)

I asked her 'Munchkin, what do you want for your birthday'

and she thought about it...

and than said "One of Your Birds With the Twigs...

But All in Black & White"

Well, who can resist their niece asking for a piece of original art, ha ha...

Her wish was of course my command...

I turned one of my 'Nubbin' birds into a black & white version

and painted a different bird on each side so she can flip it from time to time...

Happy Birthday Munchkin

You awesome little girlie You

XO Auntie Bijou XO

An Old Picture Newly Revealed, Drama Revisited & More Motley Muttons

Here is a coloured pencil I did a couple years ago but never actually showed anyone...I don't know why, it was just a quick little study from one of my photographs that I did for fun and then I guess I tucked it away without realizing I never showed anyone..except perhaps my friend and fellow artist Judit. Anyhow...as I've been preparing more prints to add to the shop this coming week, I came across this one and thought I'd share it with the world, here on my blog.

A print of this image will be available through my Etsy shop. Well, it's been feeling like a drama filled month here at the Saile-Peterson household. And because today is Thursday, I am naturally thinking back on what was going on last Thursday. Here's what happened last Thursday, I woke up, not feeling too great (I think we are both coming down with another flu) but I was looking forward to the day and was setting about getting things done when all the sudden Ella Luna and Roo completely freaked out and went ricocheting all over the house, stomping and screaming (yes rabbits do scream and it's an awful sound)...something on the deck must have spooked them and well after having rabbits for almost 14 years now, I've never seen two more scared bunnies. First I had to excavate them from underneath the bed, which was no easy task. Then I had to ensure that they didn't hurt themselves, and that all teeth were intact ,I was worried about Roo because he's such a big boy. Then I had to try to calm them down because rabbits can indeed have heart attacks if they get too scared. It took over 2 hours to get them to stop stomping and crying. Luckily, Jonathan was able to take a couple hours out of work to come and help me, he did agree that it took the two of us. At one point, for about an hour, the four of us were all snuggled up on the bed together, Ella was pressed against me and Roo was pressed against Jon and we had a nice soft pillow and hot water bottle underneath them and that did the trick, before we knew it they were sleeping. They stayed there in our little protective circle of warmth and loving arms for over an hour. Frightened bunnies aside, that part was just lovely lovely lovely. Having a bunny snuggle up to you and press their precious little bodies up against you because they are scared but feel safe with you is one of the best feelings in the world...having them fall asleep against you because they know they are safe is even better. Ahhhh, My little family...it's not the typical one by any means but for me, it's paramount and all mine and just wonderful.

So with that story of Ella and Roo just told let me share with you two other amazing presents that my sweet Jonathan surprised me with last week (yes again in the mail).

Two more "Motley Muttons", which I just adore so much. The top one Jonathan picked out because it looks alot like our Roo, and the 2nd one he said he had to get because it's a lop like our Ella (though she's black) and he said one goes with the other, ha ha. When I am not wearing them, I have to hanging from our bedroom lights and they just make me smile. I also love these two photos I took of them, they were the perfect little subjects. Luckily this Thursday, today, has been uneventful so far which I am glad for because honestly I am feeling abit tired and just want to call it an early night if possible as I think we're in for another busy weekend. Well actually the next few weekends will be busy as we have alot to get done outside and alot to pack up and clean before the snow flies, which around here could be anytime soon since our nights are already in the single digits! Hope your well, that your enjoying my blog thus far and that you come back to visit me again soon and until next post...Be Well, Take Extra Good Care of Yourself and Your Loved Ones and I am also wishing you Happy Flowing Creativity.

A Treasury Spot & The Hand Printed Towel I Love

I am so happy to be included in another Treasury page...just when I was having one of those days where it felt like no one out there was noticing my work, I got a sweet message from Niki letting me know she put my "Bodhi The Elephant" print in her treasury. Thanks so very much Niki, you made my day.

Click here to see the Treasury page, there's some cool stuff in the collection...and of course don't hesitate to buy the print of Bodhi, pretty please! Niki's Etsy shop is here and she also has a blog here. I love being a part of the Etsy community.

So I have another goodie to show you today...a beautiful hand printed towel that Jonathan surprised me with in the mail a couple weeks ago.

But I couldn't stand to get it all messed up in the kitchen ,even though it's 100% cotton and washable. So I put it here, in our dining room. It goes perfectly with the new Poodle Breath bowl.

And it's just high enough so the nibbly little rabbit teeth can't get to it. In a house with bunnies and so for the past, oh I'd say 15 years! This is a primary thought...'Can the monsters reach it' and if it's not metal, then it will most likely be destroyed! ha ha. Rounded wood and metal are key in this cozy home of ours. Anyhow, the towel was made by Lisa L. Price over at Art Goodies. Lisa, I love it thanks. And Jonathan, I adore it, thanks baby...it was a delicious surprise to arrive by mail. I must have forgotten to mention that my honey broke his nose! If it comes between a handsome little nose and a big old heavy 2 x 4 falling 2 feet from up above, sadly the nose is going to lose. We thought it was just badly bruised but shortly after we realized it was indeed broken...my poor guy. That was some drama just before Roo got really sick...it's been kind of a tough month. I really wanted to pass along this post to you all...from Swirly Girl and the lovely musings of Christian Mason Miller, I was espeacially touched and inspired by her post called "Alive"...click here to read it, for those 'searchers' out there, I think it'll really hit home. It's been a crazy few days, with rabbit drama and alot of headaches and a flu catching on, so I haven't actually been in my studio much this week so far. The horse did get about 4 hours of painting but that's about it, I've really just been busy taking care of myself, trying to feel better, being with the bunnies, dealing with Jon's very sore ear ache and well just being...being tired, being happy, being worried, being sick, being strong and being excited to perhaps spend a good productful day in the studio tomorrow and over the weekend! Be well and until next time...Happy Creating. XXOO Mandy p.s. For all of the local readers, don't forget about the always enjoyable Fall Studio"Country Roads Tour" happening this coming weekend, the 20th and 21st. It's always so nice to drive around the country roads, popping in on one artist's studio then the next, usually accumulating treats along the way. This time I am on the outlook for some local honey and edible luxuries , Jonathan and I plan to tour as many of the studios as we can.

A Little Bit Lost & An Amazing Pillow

Honestly I've had abit of a slow week, I think it stemmed from just being so stressed out and exhausted from the drama and scare with our Roo. In browsing my usual favorite blogs today, I am glad to see that I am not alone in feeling abit lost, there seems to be quite a few other artists/bloggers who are feeling a lose of direction and spunk. But September is the best month for new resolutions and change and though I am feeling abit lost at the moment, I am also feeling exciting. And today I've rediscovered my beloved Toronto jazz station and that just instantly started to settle things for me so I look forward to a better and more productive day tomorrow. It's just easy sometimes to get lost in priorities and dreams, which are more important and at which time...we can't always get what we want, and just have to go with the flow keeping the grand scheme of things in mind when that flow seems to be pointing us in a direction away from our original plans. ahhh...Jazz....for me, the key is jazz..so over the next few days I will lean in on my jazz music and trust that it'll help me find my way once more...I know I will, maybe it's just because I am tired, or the creative flow is tired, or all the self-imposed pressures are feeling tired! I do however, always like to remind myself, that I am strong and bounce back quickly. But on to cheerier things, another of the amazing presents my honey surprised me with last week was this gourgues pillow...and let me tell you...receiving a pillow in the mail is great fun because the package was so big but also really light and I had no ideal what was inside.

It is handmade by Brooke Biette from Portland, using Japanese fabrics and I just love it so much. It is made so beautifully and I love the imagery of the rabbits with water, it's a very uncommon pairing which to me makes the pillow very unique. And yes, to anyone who is wondering...Rabbits can indeed swim. quite beautifully actually, though the majority don't enjoy it. Hmmm...I think there's another children's story to conjure up. I have been sketching alot, but it's my usual habit to keep my sketch's and linear process a secret and I think at this point, I am still most comfortable in continuing to do it this way. But I am exciting about the new images to come. And, I can feel some portraits coming also. I sketched alot whiles Roo was ill and I love how the pictures reflect how I was feeling during those days...one day when he was really sick came a sketch of a powerful bird being sucked into a whirlpool, the viewer makes up the birds fate...an another day when Roo was looking better, I drew this lovely art nouveau style of picture with flowing lines and flowers all around a rabbit. Later that same day when Roo was looking bad again produced a sketch of a very sad girl, art nouveau flowers surround her on heavy, draping curtains. Anyhow, you'll eventually see these burst forth in colour. I've been spending some time on work for a new client and also on some intricate designs for the carousel horse saddle. I will be working at the Calander Gallery on the horse with Arlie over the next month. It's been awhile since I've worked in a group with other artists so I look forward to this venture, even though it's making me feel abit short on time. Okay, till the next post....Happy Creating...and extra thoughts to all those out in the world who were affected by that awful day years back...Today, feel extra extra grateful for your health and your loved ones. Peace.

An Old Illustration & A Gift In The Mail

Good Tuesday all. Because it's been a crazy few days I haven't had time to do anything creative. I've been puttering around the house, trying to get things organized for fall etc...moving plants inside because it's just getting too damn cold out there at night. And, I've just been spending alot of time with the bunnies. Jonathan and I have both agreed that we've both been too busy and the bunnies need some more face time so right now that is my priority. But in hopes of getting some smaller pieces done this week, for now, let me show you an older illustration of mine. A small 6"x6" coloured pencil on board.

Also, the spoiling continues...any green-eyed monsters stop reading here, ha ha...

Jonathan has taken to sending me a slew of surprises in the mail again and what fun it has been. I think he loves the squeals of delight especially. Everyday for about 5 or 6 days I got a new package in the mail so over the next few days I'll share with you my new treasures from my sweet sweet Jonathan. This was the first to arrive...a tiny, non-descript package with little gems hidden inside (and nicely & sweetly wrapped I must add).

They are from Once Upon An End, she has some lovely little things in her store, She also has a blog here. As a stationary junkie, I just love them...though lately I have curbed my appetite and collection quite abit. I was going to send these little beauties to friends but then I love the fact that Jonathan picked them out just for me, so I think I'll hang them in my studio somewhere...right now they are a delight on the fireplace mantel. Nothing much else is new really, I disbanded my 'Fan's of Bijou's Whimsy' page over on facebook, it was gaining no momentum, I am getting sick of facebook and I just can spend my time better elsewhere, so for all those reason I've canned it. I am looking into my space pages and/or flickr now, so I'll let you know if I do anything with that. Yesterday was wonderful, as exhausted as I felt, I did get a few things around the house done and than at 3:00, the bunnies and I went outside, it was quite windy but a nice warm wind and sunny so I spread out a big blanket on the grass, and wrapped in blankets and a thick sweater and scarf, and with my trusty zen player, I took a snooze. It was so blissful to awaken about 20 minutes later, I slowly opened my eyes, the breeze rustling everything around me, and there not 3 feet away was Ella and Roo all stretched out in the grass too, eating away looking so content. That was just a perfect moment in time. What came next was perfect also....my wonderful honey through the garden gate with Chinese take-out and a smile on his face...what could have been better! Health scares and stressful events are also a quick and easy reminder to us of what is really important in life. I love the fact that Jonathan and I get through these things as a most wonderful team, in support of one another the whole way through. And on this lovely afternoon, with the bunnies near by, take-out and each other, we could honestly feel, atleast for that moment in time, that all was perfect and right in our little world. So with that...I wish you many beautiful moments throughout today. Happy Creating...and Living.

Nugget Article & A Snippet

Hi again everyone. Good Thursday to you all. I really wanted to show you all the most excellent newspaper article my lovely and talented friend Maria Calabrese wrote.

It was in our local newspaper 'The Nugget' (for which Maria is a reporter) and in Saturday's issue. I love the photo she took of all of us working (here is a better version just in case your interested)...

In the photo from left to right is; Arlington Hoffman, Mandy Saile a.k.a. me a.k.a. Bijou, Joanne Comerford and her twin sister Janet Comerford.

It was so exciting to see the article taking up the whole page like that and I am honoured that she choose one of my photographs to use as the feature image...and I am tickled pink (yes again) by being given photo credit and at also being quoted in the article itself, the whole thing just really made my day. You did a beautiful job Maria, thanks a million times.

To read the full article please click here.

And now I just have to show you the adorable little glass critters that Maria surprised me with last week....

Maria, they will forever live happily on our fridge (the magnetic side that is....tee-hee!), thanks. Today, I also thought I'd show you a small snippet of a new image...I can't show you the whole thing yet as I am not quite sure yet if it'll be done in time for the exhibition but just to add some whimsy and colour into your day...

Sorry the quality isn't too great, the photo was taken in a dark room and I am feeling too lazy to turn on my full spectrum lights etc. but I am too anxious to share it to wait till tomorrow for a sunny time to snap another photo. Now, I am off to another busy studio day, but oh how lovely it is that I can indeed spend my whole day in my studio...I am truly blessed. See you all next week and don't forget to enter a comment and your name for the giveaway draw (see yesterday's posting for details). Caio and Happy Creating.

A New Painting, Etsy Showcase, A Realization and A Froggie

I had so much fun making today's painting which I have called "Mr. Fairweather". But before he transformed into the rest of the painting, he wanted to have a visit with his brothers, Bali and Tigger (Tigger is seen here in this photo with Mr. Fairweather).

The painting is 10" x 10" on canvas made with acrylic, collage & coloured pencil and it is indeed for sale. I will be putting the original and a print into the shop sometime next week.

I did this image today to celebrate my fish. Last night I spent about 3 hour cleaning out their tank and moving it to a better location and I reminded myself to do so quickly and gently as possible because Tigger and Bali are after all a great 8 years old. They are fancy tailed goldfish which is a species of fish that dates back to the Ming Dynasty. Goldfish were one of the first fish species to be domesticated. Back then goldfish were revered and were not kept in small tanks but in large ponds, they were only brought into smaller tanks when company was expected, so that guests could see the fish better, but soon after the guests would leave, the fish would go back into their large ponds. In 1162, people who were not royalty were forbidden to have the gold and yellow goldfish varieties because yellow of course was the colour reserved only for the royal families. I love having goldfish, they are so beautiful and calming to watch and mine are quite friendly with me. I hope you enjoy my "Mr. Fairweather" ?.

Also for today...

I was happy to see my work in the Etsy Art Showcase, I think the colours in that particular image really pop amongst the others...it didn't boost my shop viewership quite as much as I was hoping for, but I'll try again soon.

I've spent alot of time over the last week, tidying up my studio...making it feel more 'like me' meaning cute little beings hanging from the ceiling, twinkle lights hung, etc. I just adore my studio. Whiles doing this I realized something...a shift in my work ethic. Before, I would struggle to find time to create, something always seemed to come first, be it the rabbits (well okay the rabbits still come first but I am much better at juggling the two), the dishes etc. But now and I'd say for the last year, I don't feel like I need to find time anymore because without my realizing it, my work and all my creations have shifted to the front burner, as they should be and that feels really wonderful. I get up in the mornings and I just assume that my day will be filled with some kind of creative venture and some bunny snuggles added for good measure and I just feel really lucky for that, to be able to lead a fully artistic life. Now, the house stays messy until I am done whatever creation I am working on and I am finally learning that I don't need to make excuses for the mess, because I am an artist and it's an artist's house, it's a house full of happiness, books, music, bunnies, love and lots of art making...I just love that. To my Jonathan...your little artist Bijou wouldn't change a thing...except perhaps to add a skinny pig to the mixture of joy, ha ha.

My good friend Maria is so silly and sweet. Yesterday evening, when Jon got home from work, I was downstairs finishing up Miss Penelope and he came downstairs with a pretty pink bag in his hands saying 'I don't know who it's from', well my first guess was my Maria and I was right...she snuck over in the afternoon and left this parcel for me at the door...inside was a card with a silly little poem that only Maria could come up with, and this cute little froggie...I think it's for candles because the back opens up but I think he'll just keep me company on my studio worktable for awhile...though he's not the chattiest of fellows, ha ha. Thanks Maria it really made my day and I think has already prompted the beginnings of a story.

Now, I am off to make a pot of soup, since I am apparently a soup monster. Till tomorrow, Be Well Everyone and Happy Creating and Simple Joyful Being wished to you.

Terrific Treat & Work Wrapped Up

Hi everyone. I open up my mailbox and much to my surprise and delight is a gift left behind by my lovely new friend Maria. She knows how much I love bunnies and she knows how much I love treats in the mailbox and I just think it was utterly sweet and wonderful, Thanks Maria, I love them. I of course had to take a few photos to show you all.

Late last week, I finally wrapped up a very big project. I've had a few people asking me what I've been up to and what's taking up most of my time. Well let me show you, it was all of this...

I illustrated a 23 page book for the MNR's Foresty department. It was an exciting project and all the illustrations revolved around conservation during tree cutting. All the images had to be in grey scale and so I did them all in graphite. I'll be posting them on my new website so you can have a clear look then, as I don't think the book will be published for a few months yet. I had to collaborate with 3 authors for this project and that was interesting and challenging. I put all of the sketches and final drawings on a weight scale yesterday and they measured almost 5 pounds! We had to go through so many sketches, roughs and changes. On retrospect I loved it all, the challenging parts, the 6 or 7 changes per images, the subject matter, everything and it really just reinforced the fact that I do really want to pursue more book work. So this is what has been keeping me so busy and close to my studio since January!

I hope you are all well and already in the process of haveing a creative day. For me, a tea and book awaits me out on the back deck and than I'll spend the rest of my day transferring some images onto my new favourite Waterford Saunders paper. Happy days all.