She Nurtured Her Kindred Spirits

This is to date, my favorite illustration yet.

 

"She Nurtured Her Kindred Spirits"

 

 

This is one of those rare occasions where the tangible turns out better than what was floating about

in my head.  I love the mood I achieved with the painted background mixed with the

crispness & fun of the foreground bits.

 

Here's a closer look...

 

This image is for any animal lover.

Especially those who love the coziness of rain and of September...

It's for those souls like me, who rush outside everyday to feed the furry monkeys out there

as well as any monkeys you may have inside.

 

And yeppers, you once again guessed it.  Prints are already sitting in my shop for you.

 

Thanks SO much for dropping in this week....see you all next week.  XXOO.



Peek

Want to take a peek at what's currently on my desk?

 

A new image called 'The Honey Tongued Hostess"

 

Another dapper little critter whose name is "Wolowitcz"

 

And a sweet gal who just wants to be a safe haven for bunnies...

 

 

I am hoping to finish up all 3 pieces this week, but we'll see.

 

What are you working on this week, in your studios or elsewhere???  Do Share.



The Si-Fu's Garden

I was going to wait to show you this latest picture of mine,

But I can't wait...

it's so bright and colourful and happy

and it's just delighting the heck outta my own eyes, ha ha

so I am hoping that it'll delights you as well.

 

It is called

"The Si-Fu's Garden"

 

 

It is 100% coloured pencil on watercolour paper.

The original is only 8 x 10" (Prints will be listed in my shop shortly).

I've been working on really thin and smooth paper lately because it's just easier on my wrist,

but this one I sketched out on watercolour paper because it was planned as a watercolour

but at the last minute it told me that it wanted to be a coloured pencil...

I am glad I listened to my gut because I forgot how lovely it is to work with

prismacolours on such thick, textured paper.

 

It was a complete joy to work on this week

Now onto the yet one!

Hope On Wings

A new mixed media called 'Hope On Wings' by yours truly, inspired by

Love, Inspiration, Strength & above all else HOPE...

"Hope is the thing with feathers

that perches in the soul,

And sings the tune without the words,

And never stops at all."

(one of my favourite poems by Emily Dickinson)

This piece is dedicated to two beloved souls:
My niece, Karly, a strong, unique & inspiring little girl who makes me so proud to be her Auntie.
and
Our precious girl, Ella Luna, a strong little rabbit who loves us like no other.

Happy Valentines Day Lovelies

XO M & The Bunnies

...And The Dreams Perched

A new illustration...

"...And The Dreams Perched"

and they refused to leave her, so she nourished them until they helped her take flight...

This image of mine is all about those dreams that stick around and refuse to be pushed aside...

The exact dreams we must nourish for in doing so they nourish us, even if they never fully come true.

This is a 12 x 16" acrylic and coloured pencil on stonehenge paper

(soon to be mounted and sealed onto a cradled panel & is indeed for sale).

Nourish your lofty perched dreams today.

XO A coloured pencil loving Mandy

Abundance In Beauty

I think life is just alot easier when you get in the habit of cultivating beauty

and surrounding yourself with as much loveliness and comfort as your possibly can...

(people may try to make you feel like it's wrong to do so, but just ignore them!)

This new illustration of mine is about that...

"Abundance In Beauty"

It is a coloured pencil image with abit of paint added...and prints will be available, yes indeed.

Wishing you all days abundant in beauty.

XO Mandy & Ella Luna XO

The Conversation

Another little tiled piece.  This one is called....

"The Conversation Between Leeson & Thibeault"

...Are they gossiping...

...are they complaining....

...are they being kind and giving each other words of encouragement...

well I guess we'll never quite know...

What would 2 feathered friends be likely to chat about???

(I personally think they are of the gossipy variety, ha ha)

This one is another mixed media on a wood block with a row of tiles.

(I can't believe I messed up the order of the tiles!)

My dad made me some frames for my exhibition and I just adore them so much,

they add so much finish and punch to the pictures.

Have a lovely iced-tea & bird-song filled day....

XO an ice-tea sipping Mandy & her four dandelion munching bunnies XO

Emmeline & Everly

I have been wanting to introduce you all to...

Emmeline and Everly

Emmeline is a gentile lady with a strong constitution and a love for the natural world and

the friends she finds there in, such as her dearest kindred spirit Everly, truly two peas in a pod

This is an acrylic and coloured pencil painting on muslin and companions to Tilda and Thorton.

(I'll let you know when prints will be available in my Etsy shop).

XO Mandy & her 4 pea pod bunny buddies XO

Abundant In Strength

A new coloured pencil illustration.

"Abundant In Strength"

Just wanted to hop in quickly to show you this new image...

I've been a busy bee and have so many other new pieces to show you.

This Wednesday, I'll be guest posting for The Courage To Fly Blog Hop, so do make sure to hop in for that.  There's some amazing women, sharing some amazing stories on this fabulous blog hop being hosted by Marked By The Muse and it's not to be missed.

XO A very studio busy Mandy & 4 rain gloomy bunnies XO

Morning Glory

I just finished up a new illustration in coloured pencil on Stonehenge paper,  it's called

"Morning Glory"

It speaks of the loveliness of simple mornings and the beauty that is out there in each and every day, if only you'll stop just long enough to notice it and grab hold...





It will go in my solo exhibition.

Prints of 'Morning Glory' are available here.

I am going to be on Lauren Holgates lovely blog, yayyy, I am so excited & proud to be one of her featured artists.  The post all about moi will be on March 27th and 28th, I can't wait.

XO Mandy and 4 spring bunnies XO

Tilda and Thorton

I am crazy in love with this newest picture of mine...

"Tilda & Thorton"



(these are photos so please excuse any slight blurriness)

The complementary kinship of a fine lady & her feathered friend.

This is an acrylic painting with coloured pencil on muslin, which I sewed up in tapestry style, so a black wooden pole will slip through on the top and bottom & it will hang by a beaded string. 

ohhh soooo loving it.  It's been awhile since I've done a picture, stood back and whispered to myself 

'wow, you did that...' 

Well this was one of those pictures & it's awesome when that happens cause it doesn't happen alot.

Prints of Tilda & Thornton will be available in my online shops soon.

XO Mandy

"Refresh" a new image...

I think no matter what situation your in, your able to approach things with a stronger sense of self if you just allow yourself to refresh often, in whatever form that may take, for me it's; rabbit snuggle time, coffee & book time, treadmill time and sketching time & oodles of down time with my honey...And I know that 2011 for me, is about refreshing my body, soul & mind and not giving a fig what other people think about that...

This is what this new image is about...Refreshing Oneself...hence the title 'Refresh'

This one is a coloured pencil on birch plywood measuring 8 x 8 inches.

Prints will be available through my Etsy and Artfire shops and the original for the time being at The Art On Main Gallery or through me (just email at mandysaile@bijouswhimsy.com).

Hope you all had a good weekend and that you'll join me here a couple more times during this new and what will be a fantastic week.

Have a lovely day. 

XO Mandy & The sun basking bunnies

Pond Frog

A new picture....this one is coloured pencil on a pine block...

I am loving the slightly darker tones that my coloured pencils are getting when worked on raw wood.

I think in the middle of all this snow, cold & head pain, my body is craving to relax in the embracing warmth of summer, hence this summery image in the middle of winter, ha ha...

(The next 2 shots turned out abit light...)

The original is 6 x 6 inches and will be for sale at the Gallery I show at here in North Bay...but if your interested in purchasing it just shoot me an email at mandysaile@bijouswhimsy.com

Prints will be available in my ArtFire Shop and my Etsy Shop...

What do you think?  is is making you long for summers warmth too....

XO Mandy & 4 Oatmeal Crisp Munching Bunnies

Tiny Bird 1 Illustration & Tiny Canvas and Easel

I have a sweet new image to show you...

It is a new little series I am working on called 'Tiny Birds'. 

They are tiny coloured pencils measuring only 2 & 3/4 x 2 & 3/4 inches.  The originals will be sold at first at the Gallery but there are prints available for purchase here in my new ArtFire Studio.  The prints are abit bigger than the originals and measure a sweet 4 x 4 inches.

Note:  I finally treated myself to a new printer and now I am happy to announce that all my prints are now being printed on lovely 140 pound artists watercolour paper, this new paper is simply divine, giving the prints a beautiful weight.

This little cutie is also available as a tiny mounted print on a teeny tiny canvas that comes with it's own teeny tiny easel...aren't they darling...

These little guys are also available right here in my ArtFire Shop...

I've been sketching up a storm with new ideals for illustrations, it feels soooo good to get back to some drawing & colouring, 'ahhhhh...', & there is a blissful studio day ahead of me full of it, extra 'ahhhh'...

...but first a coffee...

XO M & The Box Eating Bunnies

Life Is Good...Live It...A New Illustration

I am so excited about this newest illustration of mine. It is just pure good old coloured pencil on a brand new Arches paper I am trying for the first time & which I am in love with...

I had this sketched out ages ago, literally the design sat in my sketchbook for atleast 2 years, than last month I actually transferred it to the paper & when I saw that Illustration Fridays theme this week was 'double', I instantly thought of this image & that it was the perfect time to get it done & I am just so so happy with the colour & how playful yet peaceful the creatures are.  It was created slowly but surely because I had a pretty sore head whiles I worked away on this one & well I had to really make sure I was paying attention because coloured pencil is pretty unforgiving to mistakes but it was also made with the beautiful company of my sweet Ella Luna snuggled up to my feet almost the whole time I was colouring it so definatly it has extra good mojo:D....what do you think?

(Prints are available in my Etsy Shop)

We had the most fun evening at a friends party for an art exhibition opening, it was a gin & tonic party & I admit to never ever having one before...well now consider me a gin & tonic gal, ha ha.  We also had some rabbit drama today of Ella Luna & a ground hog holing up in the same burrow, that made for some serious heart palpitations & for one very super duper sonic speed bike ride home for Jonathan!  We are so looking forward to this weekend, it's going to be another great one, I can feel it:D  Be Well Lovely people, Be Well.

Breakfast...

This week's theme/topic for Illustration Friday was 'Breakfast'...I am abit late but this is what my brain conjured up for that topic, ha ha...



When I showed Jonathan the final results this evening his first words were "Ohhh she's cool & kinda creepy..." which is exactly what I was going for, ha ha.

I don't know if this concept comes from my dislike of breakfast!...I've never been big on breakfast-y foods or eating early in the morning...my tummy is usually not ready for food till oh 12-2pm!!!

Or perhaps it was sparked from my sitting outside last night, after the war in my poor noggin subsided, I was sitting in my favourite rocker enjoying the cool evening breeze, wrapped up in a blanket with sketchbook on my lap as I watched all at the same time; Roo stretched out eating raspberry leaves, a chipmunk sniffing Ella's tummy whiles Ella munched on yarrow, a grey squirrel hanging upside down to get birdseed out of the feeder & 2 chickadees sitting side by side on a branch up above all this furry sweet action...all of this was happening without a span of a meter...wonderful, ha ha...so this illustration could also be stemming from my connection with nature & earth...hmmm one never knows what my whimsy filled brain will come up with.

(If Your Interested In Prints of This Illustration They Are Available In My Shop)

Hope you find her quirky & enjoy...have a wonderful weekend, see yous next week. XO M & the Buns.

Owl 2...a New Picture & Print

I don't have the post about the garden show ready quite yet so I am hopping in today to show you a new picture I just finished up. Another sweet owl...of the kindly vegetarian variety...it's a 5.5 x 5.5 inch coloured pencil with abit of paint added.

(Prints of this little guy (as well as the first little guy) are now available in my Etsy Shop)

You may have noticed that my posts are abit different...I am loving the bigger photo sizes but bare with me as I play around with the new blogger post template & try to get something fancier going on on my sidebars.  Some link back buttons are coming soon as well, for anyone who loves this beloved blog of mine & who wants to support and share with some link loveage.

We have officially started our summer holidays, I am so excited.  Jon takes his summer vacations off as 4 days weekends...and we have 2 months of them to enjoy & enjoy them we will indeed...I don't plan to take time off from my studio/work but if I do find I'll be absent for a few days I promise to give a heads up.

Hope you are all enjoying your summer as well.  Be well lovely people...see you in another couple days:D

A New Picture...Screech Owl

Hopping in today to show you my newest image, a serious little owl done in coloured pencil on paper with abit of white paint added, measuring at only 5 " x 5". I finished this little guy over the weekend and though part of me thinks I shouldn't draw owls because well in real life their diet does consists largely of rabbits, I still can't help but find owls fascinating and incredibly beautiful, hence this one...maybe we can dream up that this one perhaps is of the vegetarian sort or perhaps allergic to rabbits! ha ha...

Prints of this guy are now in the shop in your interested.

A bad migraine set in late Monday night and so I've been having a rough couple days because it just won't go away and in the middle of this heat wave, well let's just say it's starting to wear on me now, so this post will be short. If it gets better I'll post again tomorrow, if not you'll know why I am absent...I just hope it goes away in time for this Saturday for the Symphony Garden Tour where I'll be demonstrating my skills for 6 hours in the sun!

p.s. I just won a beautiful & generous giveaway over at my dear friend Michelle May's Blog "Tales of The Raspberry Rabbits"...I am so surprised and so excited, ha ha. Thanks sooo much lovely Shell. Shell & I might have a very exciting project cooking up together and well today I am just feeling so grateful to all the kindred spirits & beautiful souls I've met through my blog & blogland...hugs hugs hugs. Shell has a wonderful blog with many amazing giveaways, she is a fellow rabbit lover & makes the most beautiful stitchery patterns/kits, so do make sure to hop on over to her spot in blogland...

p.p.s. I am included in a great giveaway over at the fantastic RikRak blog, check it out here.

New Illustration "Fauna & Flora 1"

I am so excited to show you all one of my newest illustrations. This little sweetie is suppose to be our beautiful Jin. When she was sick a few months back, I was doing some sketching to keep myself from going crazy with worry and the drawing has been sitting there in my sketchbook calling to me and whispering 'come on, colour me already, I bet I'll be something extra sweet...' and well I think it turned out to be just that...I love the simple message, I love the soft colour, I love the serenity in it and that sweet delicate little birdie, & of course the subject matter, ha ha...What do you all think? I think more of these little beauties are to be conjured up...

(Prints are now available in the shop. The original however has been adopted, by me! ha ha.)

I hope you all had a great weekend...we sure did, (I'll share some photos soon), despite the heat we still managed to jump in the car for a few hours of adventuring, we spent lots of time by the water, had some great meals, picked over 20 litres of strawberries which included a super fun tractor ride, ha ha and we also fit in lots of gardening, yard work and most importantly of course, the buns got oodles of time outside, so needless to say we're all somewhat pooped but ready to head into this Monday & what will be a very busy week with happy hearts. Thanks for hopping in...come again soon, I've got lots of new stuff to show you all. XO Bijou & The Buns.

A New Mixed Media In My 'Celebration' Series

This little series of mine was started from something as simple as having a craving to paint with acrylic paint on illustration board. Than it seemed natural that the designs were well suited for birthday cards etc but I didn't want to pigeon hole these birdies of mine, they seemed more life lesson-y/life celebratory to me...hence the name "Celebration" series...

....You can see the first in the series if you click here... ...These two cuties share a message which I think is a good one and that is "You Can Learn More With Two Different Perspectives Than With Just One..."

...Now, don't you think that wording is nicer and more interesting than just a 'Happy Birthday'...I do...

( ...Prints of this new illustration o' mine are in the shop now...)

...I've drawn and just finished colouring in the sweetest little bunny with birdie...I can't wait to show you. Be Well all and thanks so so much for popping in and extra thanks to all of your sweeties who take time to leave me a message/comment, I can't tell you how much they make my day.