Sick....

Hi there, I am popping in quickly to say I am sick....super sick, I haven't been sick like this in atleast 2 years...ugh...it's been over a week now and on top of a bad cold is a bad migraine constantly plaguing me and refusing to let up...ANYHOW that is why I disappeared on you for a bit there...sorry....I think I'll need a couple more days atleast before I am back in the swing of things....

In the meantime I leave you with a photo of one of my sweet stuffies on our upstairs rocker...in the evening when the sun goes down, it hits the dollie just like so and I love it...makes my toes tingly with happiness...even despite the sickies, ha ha....

I really wanted to say THANK SO MUCH to everyone whose been entering my September print giveaway.  This is only the 2nd giveaway I've ever done on this blog and the first time I think only 2 or 3 people entered! so this time the response is much better thanks...soooo many lovely comments as well, your all really making my day. 

For those of you who haven't entered and are interested, you can still enter...the info is right here....on my sidebar or just on the post below this one.

I hope none of you are suffering a cold like this & are having a lovely September...I am honestly very annoyed that I am so sick because September is one of my favourite months & I am not able to fully enjoy myself in it...but ya know I find it funny & sweet that even at 32 and even though I have a partner who takes incredible incredible care of me, even though he's sick at the same time, that there are still cravings to have my mom near, ha ha....I don't think that speaks of me being a suck but just reinforces what a good mom I have and the great care she gave me as a child....ahhh feeling much mom love today, ha ha...she & my dad sent over some delicious dinner last night...and even though we couldn't taste it much, it oozed that mommy-goodness which we both enjoyed, ha ha...Thanks Mom...

Be well all....see you soon.  XO M & the buns (Ella wants me to mention that she was a very brave & good girl at the doctors yesterday....more on that later).

Happy Birthday Mom

Today is good and special day because it's my wonderful mom's birthday...HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM, We love you OHHHHH SOOOOO MUCH:D XOXOXOXO....

I chose this photograph today for my mom's day, because in it I see loveliness and warmth and coziness, and comfy-ness (I know that's not a word but I don't care), and sweetness and beauty...all things that remind me of my mom, all things that my dearest mom possesses and all things that she imparts to those around her.

Have a wonderful day mom, we'll see you tonight...Love Love Love with Big Elephant Hugs, Mandy and Jonathan and Ella-Luna and Roo and Hazel and Jin and even the 2 goldfish too:D XO.

Another 10 things you may not know about me...

(My silly attempt at copying the grouchy man in St. John)

1. I used to be able to play alto sax and clarinet quite well...and I took 4 years of piano lessons when I was a kid but unfortunately have lost most of it...though I itch to get a piano and pick it up again soon.

2. My favourite play is "The Lion King" and my favourite dance/musical has to be 'River dance", both of which we saw in Toronto. My favourite concert ever would have to be Peter Gabriel, than Great Big Sea and than Jesse Cook whom we saw just last year.

3. I almost quit college in my 3rd year to go to veterinarian school instead!

4. I have an older brother, whose birthday is on xmas day...he's 5 years older than me and a carpenter's apprentice by day and a kick-ass tattoo artist by weekend and night.

5. I am alongside my Jonathan, a supporting member of PETA & IFAW, have been for awhile.

6. We are also supporting members of The Toronto Humane Society (who have a 'no-kill' rule).

7. I love Bollywood movies, my favourite so far are 'Bride & Prejudice' and 'Monsoon Wedding'.

8. My favourite jazz song ever is 'In a Sentimental Mood' by Coltrane.

9. In college my professors always told me that coloured pencil wasn't viable for serious work!...but I ignored them.

10. I love that right now, life is meant for me to be at home, be with the bunnies and my honey and my work.

10 More Things You May Not Know About Me...

1 . I would someday like to live in places like; Seattle, London, Cuba, New York, Ireland, New Zealand, Germany, Italy, Bali and San Francisco for atleast a month each.

2. I dream of using my art to work extensively with an animal advocacy group/s.

3. I am slightly obsessed with reading historical fiction...especially stories about queens and kings and royalty. I just finished "Shadows of the Sun" and have to 'officially' add it to my 'favourites' pile.

4. I must have atleast 3 spoons of sugar in any of my black teas or coffee and lots of cream, otherwise I just don't enjoy it at all! I get my sweet tooth from my dad. 5. I have horrible luck with my teeth...Apparently my favourite pastime as a kid and young adult of sucking on lemons wasn't a good thing!

6. I love ashtanga and hatha yoga and pilates.

7. I relax and de-stress by running on my treadmill.

8. I am hyper yet calm at the same time, very ultra sensitive to almost everything but espeacially towards animals, and I am usually stressing about 20 things all at once! It's the magic that is me!

9. When I was a kid, I dreamt of being a mountain rescue or water rescue person...but as I grew older I realized I get to sucky and grouchy when I get super cold for too long! and I am not at all a strong swimmer..I hated all of my swimming classes, sigh so alas some dreams must fade!

10. My biggest dream is to one day successfully operate my full time studio in the middle of a huge and happy rabbit sanctuary...recusing rabbits from testing labs, etc...where my studio and work is the primary source to operate the rabbit sanctuary...that's my biggest heart of heart hope and dream (how this will work with #1, I am not quite sure of yet!).

New Painting 'Avian 4" & Birthday Wishes

As promised last week, I have a new painting to show you. The 4th little painting on wood in my Avian series.

I am very pleased with it and they are all looking so lovely together. The golds and silvers in the paintings come through abit more in the scans than in these photographs. I will put the originals up for sale shortly after the whole series is complete. Whether it will be on my new website, at my Etsy shop or somewhere else, I've still yet to determine.

Today is a speacil day...it's my dad's birthday....HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD, my big and strong dad is 58 years young. We'll be seeing you later on this evening dad...

Thanks for stopping in and until tomorrow, by joyful, be inspired and be creative.

A Favourite New Find

I am just popping in quickly today to share with you one of my favourite new finds. Whiles out and about in a thrift store a couple weekends ago I found this old glass bobble...which I know was an light attachment but as soon as I set my eyes on it, I had to have it...and for only $4.00, why not! I brought it home, gave it a good scrub, used one of my dad's wooden vases as it's base and Voila, a perfect and beautiful new candle holder...I just love it and have been using it almost every evening since I got it. I love finding uses for old things and it defiantly proves the old adage right...someones else's trash is indeed another persons new found treasure, ha ha.

I am so happy and pleased that my best friend Judit, featured my new necklaces on her blog last week. Judit and I usually share very similar tastes and I know she is also like me in that she won't post anything on her blog that she doesn't really like, so I am just glad that my necklaces made the cut, ha ha. Click here to read the post. Thanks Judit.

Until tomorrow, when I'll finally be able to show you the 3rd Avian painting...Be Well and Happy Creating.

Love Deeply

Of course I didn't illustrate any valentines day pictures! I need to get better at that, ha ha. I meant too, but I've been to occupied in my world of 'Nubbins' and other sparks of creativity. But I did take abit of time to play around with one of my photographs...not too shabby for someone who barely used a computer, ha ha. Anyhow, just popping in quickly today to wish you all a very Happy Valentine's Day weekend...

...May you Love Deeply, as much as you can, for as long as you can, and with as many as you can...Happy Valentines...See you all Monday. Love Love Love, Mandy a.k.a. Bijou of Bijou's Whimsy.

(p.s. To my amazing man...your love is beyond belief and beyond words, Happy V-Day my super-genius, thank you thank you thank you...love you love you love you...to infinite. XXOO)

Member of PETA

Just popping in quickly today to remind all animal lovers out there to renew their memberships, or to join as a member of PETA for this new year, if you already haven't.

(As a member, we received from PETA, this great package at Xmas time with fantastic recipes and this beautiful poignant photograph)

Jonathan and I are members, we have been for a few years now and it's a very crucial cause in the continuing fight for Ethical Treatment of Animals. I know some people don't like or just don't understand PETA. Sometimes their methods are seen as being too extreme...but in this day and age, where most of the population of this earth is desensitized, extreme methods, extreme visuals and extreme action is what is necessary to engage people and to spark change. PETA and it's people work with a strength and courage that people like me just don't have. Aside from talking about animals and ethics, etc once in awhile on my blog, encouraging friends and family through my own daily practices of animal kindness and dedication and perhaps, I finally admit to sometimes 'hissing' at the old ladies who walk past in fur coats! I just don't have the heart strength or vocal power myself to invoke change...so I count on great organizations like PETA. A membership is cheap...it's worthwhile...it helps them continue the fight...so please, if you love animals, do your part and join.

Incase you haven't noticed I have included a new section to the sidebar with my favourite links referring to Cruelty-Free companies, which products are and are not cruelty-free and also which companies do and do not test on animals. I have been asked a couple times now, as to where I find such info, so these are the links that I refer to often. When I find others I will add them. I've included this on my blog for everyone's easy convience and I hope it helps.

Thanks for listening....and perhaps considering. Be Well and until the next post Happy Creating.

10 Things You May Not Know About Me

The other day I saw fellow blogger do this "Ten Things You May Not Know About Me" and I really liked the ideal...a fun way for my readers to get abit more inside info about me and my world and work...so here we go...

You May Not Know That...

1. I have been with my honey, Jonathan for 16 years now, we meet in a strawberry field when I was 15 years old and he is my biggest artistic fan and supportor.

2. I can not create without music on...and usually I play it fairly loud...I am somewhat addicted to the sky.fm stations and the Toronto Jazz Fm.

3. At our bunny journey peak, all at once, we had 6 rabbit and a skinny pig...I miss those days terribly. The house was so full and chaotic and busy and warm and everyday I miss those who had to leave us. Our first bunny was Beanie, than came my first skinny pig Gimmley, than followed our Ella-Luna, then the best skinny pig ever named Thodan, than we found Roo lost in the forest, then came the triplets we saved from a farm Noodle, Jin and Hazel, than came the wondrous muse and beautiful soul in Hobbs whom we found in our backyard with broken leg...now you know all of our babies names...Rabbits fill my life, my heart, my soul and my art.

4. I am crazy about books...A home isn't cozy to me unless it is filled with books.

5. I don't eat meat and I am very rigid within our household about only buying cruelty-free products.

6. I think if there is a god on earth it may very well be Peter Gabriel...or atleast look and sound like him, ha ha.

7. My favourite sweets are chocolate dipped strawberries, strawberries dipped in whipped cream and chocolate covered marzipan.

8. My favourite alcohol is Peppermint Schnapps. My favourite non-alcohol is Iced Tea with no ice!

9. I love to dance but my honey doesn't, so I do so alone, crazy style in my studio whenever my little heart pleases.

10. So far I have travelled to Germany, Switzerland, alittle bit in the States in and around Traverse City and Mackinaw Island, A month travelled around the West Coast, A month touring the East Coast, and of course around our beautiful Ontario.

That all for today, until the next post...Happy Creating and Please do pop back in again.

A Studio Visit & My 2009 Words

Firstly, I just had to share these cute and recent photos I took of our sweetie-pie Jin. Usually my downstairs studio is a rabbit-free zone, but sometimes I feel just abit too solitary and needed some furry company so I brought Jin down with me for a few hours. She enjoyed the comfy studio couch and carpet and well it just made my heart happy to turn around and see her cute little self sharing in my beloved studio.

So some of my 2009 plans (and I will no doubt add on endlessly as the year moves forward) but wait, actually let me start with my 2009 words...this year for me, they are "DIVE" & "HEALTH".

'Dive' because I want to let myself, for once, to dive 100% into my work, which for me, involves many things such as; more commitment, less fear, more time, more movement, being more proactive and therefore again less fearful, even more positive thinking...yes, I want to be a possibilatiran, I will dive into whether I am having a bad day or a good day, I will keep a very rigid and strict schedule...it will in sorts be my own, new tropical island, because goodness knows there's an abundance there to discover and play around with.

"Health" because in this last year I've suffered alot and therefore my work has suffered because simply I can't create whiles I am stuck in bed in a dark room with ice and heat surrounding my poor thrashing head. So as an acute and chronic migraine sufferer, I am realistic and I know there is no cure, only pain management. Doctors don't know what exactly causes migraines, just that it has to do with a slight pressure change in the vein vessel walls. And because I am one of those stubborn people who is mindful of the rest of my bodies health and not just that of my precious head, I refuse to be put on beta-blockers etc..I suffer abit more. Anyhow...I can't fully 'DIVE' into my work unless I get these migraines under control abit more and if at all possible....so I say 'HEALTH' because I will concentrate just as fully on relaxing my body and muscles, being kinder to my body. More healthful eating, more eating (I am a bird when it comes to eating!) more water, more yoga, more Pilate's and all whether I feel like it or not. Hopefully sooner than later if I kick all of these things up a few notches I'll notice a difference, have less migraines and therefore be able to dive into my work more successfully.

And though I had plans today to begin a list of my '2009 wants and plans' I am going to end this post here since it's long enough already and I must remain respectful of every one's time, including my own because this new year includes a plan to spend less time on my computer. So we'll leave that list for another post. Until the next post...Happy Creating & indeed Just Being.

Goodbye 2008 and Hello 2009

Goodbye 2008...You were a quiet year. You were an enchanting and blessed year. You were a relaxing and wonderful year. You brought us much time together. You again gave us lessons to show us that we stand strong against any upheaval. You reminded me how strong I can be in some trials and triubulations you threw my way. You tested my tolerance and strength with all the migraines and headaches, but I survived and will continue to battle them will all my might and more. You showed me even more of the beauty in simplicity. You helped me live and finally be comfortable in my own abundant life...now I move forward welcoming more abundance instead of being afraid of it. You were a year full of delicious naps and rabbit snuggles and new friendships being fortified and forged. And though you were in many ways a difficult year, you were a year in which we grew and had our eyes and hearts opened even further. Thank you 2008, we leave you now to move forward up and on, we leave you in kindess and grace.

Goodbye 2008...I will remember you fondly as I excitedly and happily move forward into the even better year of 2009. My dreams from 2008 move forward and expand and grow brighter and more assured...so today, I say "Hello Again" from a beautiful and long break and a wonderful and fun and restful holiday. I say 'Hello 2009". Hello, Hello, Hello I know your full of more goodness and beauty, hardships and lessons and I am ready...I am ready, Hello 2009.

A New Little Painting

As promised, a new little painting. This is one is dedicated to all my favourite tea/coffee date people...Maria, Jon, Judit, Mom, Becca, Lisa...there are many.

This painting is a mixed media on canvas and there will be a print of it in the shop shortly. I also wanted to share this cute photo Jonathan took of Hazel the other day...this girlie sure does love her parsley...

Tis' all for today. I will not be posting tomorrow but join me Friday for an update on my brother's latest and greatest tattoos. Be Well and Happy Creating.

A New Print and Remembering That Strength Surrounds Us

This is a new print which will be put into The Shop today. The print is from a coloured pencil which I did last year specifically for my greeting card line.

This print is called "The Harvest You Reap", head over to view it in the shop for details. It seems funny to write this post now feeling so much better, positive and more focused, after the other day's post which was on the more negative side. I think Monday's post was an accumulation of what I've been feeling these past few weeks with things just building and building to a crescendo...which was when I let it out and wrote about it...which in turn helped me get back on track and to my more positive and usual sense of self.

Being around my adopted grandpa and beloved fellow artist Arlie Hoffman, has been very therapeutic and soothing to me. I love our conversation as we work on the horse together, some sessions we just touch on everyday and simple things. Other days, and more often than not now it seems we have good chats about all kinds of stuff and well they are just conservations that I never got to have with my real grandparents and I just feel like I am soaking up and basking in this lovely relationship. Also I have to thank my Jonathan...my forever supportive and unflinching Jonathan. How lucky I am to have this remarkable guy as my partner...well 'wow' is all I can say because any other words I write will just seem inadequate. Jonathan has been saying "Do what feels right to you...go for what you want..." but he always finishes off his pep talk with 'no it's not time to quit, it will never be time to quit..." or last night when I was complaining of one thing after the other falling through, he simply said '...then your going to just have to try a hundred more times than aren't you...". I need these quick little reminders and he always offers them with such simplicity and belief that I can't help but feel better and that's exactly his plan...to pass along his concrete belief in me, back to me. Also I can't forget Maria. My lovely and beautiful and special forever friend Maria. All artists, whether they admit it or not, need a strong support system...well everyone, not just artists need that of course. Over the last year my support circle has increased with some amazing people and Maria is one of them. We met through an unhappy circumstance, but the old adage 'every cloud has a silver lining...' well that was true in this case and Maria was my silver lining. As a writer and reporter for our local newspaper, she came to my studio to interview me and we became fast friends. Anyhow, this Friday, Maria came out to visit with me and Arlie as we painted the horse...in she walked with a beaming smile holding a big plate of goodies. She brought cookies and chocolate, crackers and cheese and strawberries and grapes...what a treat this wast not only to our taste buds and slightly hungry bellies but to my heart as well. I think Maria ended up staying with us for over 2 hours and I just loved her company. Maria is a writer and I am an illustrator, both of us avid aunties, both with a love for rabbits and all things cute and quirky , so we are cooking up a project together. I think with our talents intermingling will make it a fantastic project indeed, if perhaps but a bit slow in coming. I am very excited about it. Maria...if you read this..thank you oodles and oodles, your visit and sweet treat the other day was the tonic I needed. and I can't help but show everyone the awesome napkins Maria brought with the snack... So I think this past Friday was just a really great day and it was a reminder that strength and good people surround us constantly. We just have to lift our heads and hearts enough to reach out to them if we're feeling alone. Because the true friends, despite their own dramas and hardships will reach right back out to you. I needed this reminder...Arlie, Jonathan and Maria....thank you thank you thank you, I love you guys. So my dear readers, thanks for stopping by...I hope you are all well and that your enjoying what I am doing here. I know some bloggers are tuned out right now and taking some mental space from other blogs, etc...we need to do this once in awhile for sure...but I hope that you do come back to me soon. Till tomorrow...Be Well and Happy Creating.

Carousel and Exhibition is Coming.....Come One, Come All

I promised my fellow carousel artists that I would help advertise not only our work on the new upcoming carousel BUT also the exhibition we are all involved in...If your local, please do come on out and support your local arts. The artistic community we have in North Bay is a lovely and vibrant one and as strong as it may be, us artists always need your support and interest.

At the Exhibition's Opening, the painters of the newest carousel will be working on the new horses, hopefully outdoors if the weather permits...so come on out and take in some of the whimsy and magic of this wonderful project.

I was out visiting the horses the other day and I snapped this shot of them having been just freshly primed. Arlie and I can't wait to start our colour work and we welcome visitors as we paint...I'll let you know the schedule and location as soon as it's pegged down.

Thanks everyone and pop in again tomorrow for more artistic news from yours truly. Be Well.