Bata Shoes With My Bestie

My bestie, Judit, lives rather far from me & I only get to see her once or twice a year...

once or twice that is, if I am able to travel to the city, which is sometimes impossible with the buns

and it's a bit too tricky for her to come my way because the usual 4-5 hour trip

ends up being an exhausting 7 or 8 hours with her little one, ha ha.

But last time in the city, I did get to spend a whole day with her

and we decided to visit the Bata shoe museum together...

it never matters what we do,

as soon as we're together, we're home, we're with family

and we feel settled and warm and hugged and happy.

One of the many things that binds us in friendship is our love for history and historical fiction...

I took a lot of photos but it was the Victorian wing that really had us intrigued and interested...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We weren't aware of what a horrible toll fashion, especially shoes

and crinoline cages took on the 18th century ladies and gentlemen.

Right from the horrific conditions of picking the cotton for the fabrics etc to the super poor and dangerous working conditions for the bone-weary souls who were the makers, right down to the people who actually wore the clothes who were often times poisoned to death because their dresses and shoes contained high levels of containments like arsenic and lead!

We also had no idea that way back when there was no left and right shoes, only one to fit both sides!

Or that corsets and such dress cages actually killed woman because they were so flammable,

unfortunate woman would go up in an horrific blaze of no escape if they happened to near a candle!

Or all the poor little kids who died because they were put in pretty blue or red velvet shoes

not knowing that that particular dye was more poisonous any other colour...holy crap!

Can't you imagine....

we'll we walked out of there feeling rather quite grateful for our comfy jeans & comfortable boots!

 

(for more of my Bata Shoe photos just visit my Flickr album...

it's a catch all for many shots I don't show here on the blog)



Dangerously Close To Spontaneious Combustion

It was feeling like the pressure of all the recent rabbit stress etc was building and building.

I might have been getting dangerously close to spontaneous combustion in fact! ha ha!!

So an impromptu trip to the city was exactly what I needed apparently.

Even if it was a long 4 hours there & 5 hours back all in one day cause we don't have a bunny-sitter!

 

 A few precious hours with my beautiful best friend Judit
(carpet & wall paper designer extraordinaire)

whom I haven't seen for over a year and who I have been missing desperately was muchly needed.

It was also a day too to celebrate my sweet hard-working honey

who was beckoned to the city to be honored and recognized for a wonderful achievement in his work.
 

Ahh the city, a change of scenery & best friends to enjoy it all with...than getting back home....lovely.



A Visit

I got to spend a short time with my best friend Judit recently,

which we so so needed and which has filled up my heart happily until our next visit.

We live a far 400km away and it's just not always easy for us to get together unfortunately.

But this beautiful girl is a part of my heart and I love love love her so.

We don't need a million friends, or a hundred or even ten...

we just need one really true and blue soul who gets us and loves us through thick and thin.

I was lucky to travel the 400km with my oldest and and most spectacular best friend, Jonathan.

whiles leaving our beloved buns and home in the hands of another beautiful and awesome friend, Maria.

to travel to and spend time with my dearest kindred Chicken, Judit.

I am so very grateful for these friendships, they are my rocks.

Now it's off to yoga and then the dentist (ugh!)...have a beautiful day everyone.

My Best Friends Baby Bean

Okay so it's abit strange I suppose to hop into my blog and be greeted with photos of a baby, ha ha, since I keep it no secret that I myself only have plan/wants to be a mama to animals and have no inklings whatsoever to procreate (sorry but there's no reason to be delicate about it)...BUT you see, I am still completely head over heels in love with my pals little handsome babe...he is just ohhhh so perfect & sweet, even if he is lacking fur, ha ha

And I can't let the week go by without sending out a blog birthday wish to my best friend's Beautiful Bean...

I asked Judit if it was okay if I shared some of the shots I took of him way back in the summer and she was fine with me showing him off...though it was difficult to just pick a few photos cause he's just one of the cutest babies ever to photograph...but here's some of my favs...

Happy 1st Birthday little Benjamin Bean....Auntie Mandy, Uncle Jon & The Bunnies are sending over giant hugs & kisses & are celebrating your first brilliant year with you in spirit.

............

I've begun preparations for my upcoming solo exhibition, it's the perfect 'excuse' to get to some more 'complicated' work I've been itching to attack...I am buzzing with a very strong creative flow, now if my migraines will just cooperate for abit I'll be all set!

To everyone hopping in today....I am wishing you sweetness, light, luck & love...

XO M & Ella Luna who sprained her front right foot...and won't rest it because she's one of the most rambunctious rabbits in the world! 

Congratulations To My Best Friend...

I don't have any new illustrations ready for this most auspicious day so a quick shot of some of my hallway flowers must do...some kind of happy visual to reflect the happiness in my heart as I announce to my blogging friends that my bestest friend Judit had her very first baby, YAYYYYYY!!!!! And oh what an amazing mommy I know she'll be:D

I am off now to drink some wine with my honey as we toast to Judit, Ed and their new arrival, Benjamin...CONGRATS GUYS....WE LOVE YOU:D...Hooray, we are auntie and uncy again:D

Featured On Judit Gueth's Blog

I guess it's not a big surprise to being featured on Judit's blog since we're best friends, ha ha. But I appreciate it very much nonetheless. We had a wonderful visit in September, she only makes it up to North Bay once a year but our time is always very precise and anyways, I gave her some goodies from my studio and she sweetly put them on her blog in September...check it out here or click the image below.... Thanks again Judit...I told everyone I was way behind in my posts, ha ha. Check out Judits wonderful wares at http://www.juditgueth.com/ .

New Illustration "I am A Beautiful Home"

Finally there was a chance to do some scanning and finally I can share with you one of my newest creations, one of my favourite illustrations "I am a beautiful home".

I created this with coloured pencil on Stonehenge paper, it's approx 14 x 20inches and I am so happy with how it turned out. It was inspired by my beautiful friend who is currently 5 months pregnant and she is indeed a most beautiful and loving home. The dove symbolizes peace and serenity from all the worry that comes with being pregnant. The black birds are symbols of good luck and positivity in the future.

You can buy a lovely print of this illustration o' mine right here in my Etsy Shop.

For anyone local, you can come see it and possibly buy the original at my upcoming solo exhibition at Art On Main, October 3rd-November 1st with a fantastic opening being held on Oct 3rd 7-9pm.

Freindship and Fullness

I just had a wonderful wonderful long weekend with my best friend and I was in heaven having her and her partner here in our home for 4 day and 3 nights...we live 4 hours apart so we don't get to see one another as often as we'd like so the time we do get we soak it up fully and blissfully.

The weekend was also amazing with Judit and Ed meeting alot of my friends and local artists, including my oldest and dear friend visiting from Ottawa with her husband and two beautiful kids AND over the same weekend our sweet Jaks completely and suddenly bonded with our sweet Jin and well life right now just feels so very very full and warm and comfy with love and support and friends and family.

I have a beautiful new piece for my exhibition to share with you all hopefully on Thursday, I still have to scan it in but it's suitable to share after this post because it was inspired by my best friend.

I hope life today and this week finds you all with full and happy hearts as well...be well and see you again soon. XO Bijou.

Happy Birthday To My Chicken...

My best friend and I call each other 'chicken'...we don't know why, we've just been doing it for years now...one of the many many things I love about our friendship. Today is Judits birthday...and I just had to do something special on my blog for you today Judit...so here are the photos of us from a couple weeks ago which you haven't seen yet...surprised? ha ha. Judit is by far one of the best people I know, she has a wonderful and beautiful spirit and a pure and kind heart and my life is that much more brilliant and warm and lovely because I have her in it...

Happy Birthday my dearest dearest chicken, I love you...I love you...I love you XO.

It's Here...It's Here...The Carpet is here.

Following up from the last post...I also came home from Toronto with a hugely fantastic present from my best friend, Judit...one of her carpets!....Check it out... Finally, ha ha...Judit told me months ago that she was giving me this carpet and Jonathan will vouch that I've since then been drooling in anticipation to bring it home...alas it's here and it is simply beautiful and just perfect for our downstairs den. Thank you Thank you Thank you Judit, we love it and I am so so proud to have one of your creations in our home:D Click here to see Judits carpets, etc... Be Well All and Happy Creating.

Presents From My Best Friend

So last week, I mentioned receiving a parcel from my best friend Judit. Well I just can't help but share with you all some of what was in that lovely package. She sent me two of her beautifully designed pillow covers (which I serendiptously had two old pillows that fit into them just so perfectly). Here's one of them that has found it's perfect home on my computer chair...

This is the second pillow in beautiful reds and chocalate brown that so perfectly matches our upstairs living room decor...

Ohhh I love them so much and as excited and happy as I know Judit is in having her pillows in our house, I am equally happy and excited to have recieved them and to be able to use them in our home...so all visitors get ready to constantly hear me proudly annouce "...my best friend made these..." ha ha. (You can buy Judit's pillows here).

Aside from the gourgues pillows, Judit sent this beautiful silk headband or neck scarf with one of her beautiful patterns...

...which of course I've been wearing constantly and just adore.

Well that's about it for today. Join me back here tommorow for the latest and last (for now) of the Avian paintings. Be Well, Be Joyful and Be Inspired.

A Beautiful New Shelf/Door & Pantry

So over delicious holidays my ever so talented and handy honey made this beautiful and very useful addition to our cozy little abode....

It is the door to our new pantry area and I am so excited and happy with it. It's a lovely new place to display some of my work, such as cards, small paintings and jewelry. But it feels like a wonderful secret everytime I open it to go into the pantry (which for about 7 years now has been such a disater. It was simply a place for us to throw everything we didn't know what to do with). So over the holidays it took a good 3 days of sorting things out, recycling, redistributing and just plain chucking and Jonathan spent another 3 days giving it a fresh coat of paint, putting in lots of shelving, new flooring etc...he did a wonderful job. Here is what lays behind the shelf/door....

...and yes of course, being somewhat of a neat freak...even the pantry has to be orderly, the only room I don't organize and touch, and yes begrudgeling so, is Jonathans office space on the main floor, I want to trust me!

Last but not least I wanted to mention, to any of my local readers who like to come by my studio to browse, look or purchase, I do have a good selection of Pretty In Print fabric cards, by my talented and lovely friend Judit Gueth. They look great alongside my cards on my newest card shelving.

Well with that bit of new goodness shared, I am off....lots to do, lots to do...Happy Creating and join me tommorow for a new little Avian Painting.

A Special Note For Judit Gueth Design

I know I normally don't post on weekends but I just couldn't let it go past without mentioning my best friend Judit Gueth. Judit is taking part in the TCHFM (Canadian Home Furnishings Market) and the Interior Design Show. The first being this month, Janaury 10-13th.

Here are a few shots of Judit's booth...which she built and created all on her own, no easy feat I assure you, as I watched and heard of the whole affair from afar.

These trade shows are always a massive endeavour and often it takes months prior to the event just to get everything beautiful and ready.

Judit always does a beautiful job and her friends in the frozen Bay are wishing her great success, light and luck. You go girl...ha ha. As always, and not just because she's my lovely and most best friend in the whole world, she's impressed us with her talent and drive.

If we could we'd be popping in to bring her some much needed meals during the long & somewhat grueling show hours...but we're there in spirit, she'll do great, we have no doubts. XXOO.

Photos Courtesy of and Copyrighted to Judit Gueth Design 2009

I am back home

Good Monday afternoon everyone. Well, I spent 11 out of the last 14 days in Toronto and I had such a ball and had such a great time with my sweetie and with my best friend and her partner. The travelling back and forth however has catched up and today I feel really tired. So instead of floating around my studio with no purpose, I thought I'd write up a quick post, respond to a few emails, and just hang out with the bunnies and take a nap if need be. The last two days in Toronto were wonderful but bittersweet at the same time as I knew I'd be leaving and not coming back for a few weeks at least and I already miss Judit and the liveliness of the city. But that being said, I am anxious to catch up again with my pals here in the Bay and of course to get back into my studio.

I came across this blog this morning which I want to share because the artwork is pretty spectacular, I've seen her pieces on Etsy before but I was happy to see she has a blog also, check out Arts & Ghosts. There is something similar between our work but I can't quite pinpoint what it is.

So dear readers, give me today to catch up and find my footing again and I'll be back into the full swing of things by tomorrow I am sure. I got a big stack of beautiful canvases (smaller sizes) that I am drooling over, ha ha so I am sure some new paintings will be posted soon also.

Be Well Everyone and have a creative and wonderful week. Thanks and until tomorrow.

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'.