Studio Sweetness

So this is what most of my days look like (besides the pain)...sweet, soft...joyful...

happy at home, in the studios, hanging with bunnies (and my honey)...what could be better?!

Pretty In Pink

I walk into my downstairs studio & this cuteness emerges from my fuzzy pink pillows...

OH MY GOODNESS....she makes my heart sing....I can't even...she is everything...everything!

A Pink Leaping Bunny Who Could Want More!

My sweet vegan guy and I have been working so hard on my new website...

This pink leaping bunny was supposed to go on t-shirts BUT for now it's my new site header

and I adore it so so much, I feel like it just brings my website to  a whole new beautiful fresh level...

take a look-see and tell me what you think so far at www.MandySaile.com (bookmark it too please)

We are doing things a bit differently this time around with my website,

we're just tackling one page at a time and uploading & refreshing that page as we're done it.

So check out the changes so far, tell me what you think

& keep checking back cause it's just

getting better and better, so far we're done the Home page, Keep In Touch and Contact pages.

Pink, Bunnies & More Pink

People are just loving these shots from my Instagram stream...

A happy customer of mine sent these pics of my art prints framed up professionally

in her adorable and unique pink rabbit filled bathroom...

Happy customers make me an even happier artist.

I don't get photos of how people live with my work very often so I am soooo tinkled pink

with these shots, if I may say so myself, my prints looks awesome in her whimsical bathroom.

Starting With A Pink Bunny

I have so many plans for studio work...probably way too many to be anywhere near realistic...

Excitement builds, at the drop of a hat, about the smallest art project & keeps me up at nights!

I won't list them, they are my delicious little secret until I let you all see them...

But as I work harder, I must also just try my hardest to get as many of them done as I can,

because towards the end of 2017, I really realized just how much time I loose to chronic head pain.

My word is still "Fluidity" I'll let the year flow as it's meant to & as it has to,

BUT this yes I going to do my best not to let anything superfluous run away with my time & energy!

I am diving into myself and into my art more than every before...
I will offer my heart & soul through colour and shape and composition.

I begin small and sweetly and excitedly with a pink leaping rabbit...

I can't wait to see 2018 unfold, pain-riddled or not, your going to be beautiful XO

Beauties & Bees

I am going to skip Food Friday this week cause I just want to show you these beautiful flowers...

I don't know what they are but there sure did amaze me when we came across them when biking.

Jelly Bean Jewels

I started another new batch of butterflies to help pay for our Jelly Bean's heart meds...

Here is one of the latest ones released from it's paper and ready for it's background.

Pink Xmas, Pink Heart

We were going to skip Christmas this year, because of Teela
but than we realized that wasn't very fair to the other sweet buns who like the sparkly lights etc.

 

So we got the studio tree up first, it's for Henrie, Elsie & Misa to gaze upon & dream under.

 

 

It's full of favorite ornaments and hand-made love, like this felt one from my friend Deb Dunn.

 

and this sweetness from my rabbit loving and creative pal Michelle from the Raspberry Rabbits...

 

(Henrie had to pop out of the blanket to supervise the decorating of course!)

 

and this gorgeouness from my animal loving kindred friend Natascha Rieper

 

life is hard...it knocks us down many many many times doesn't it, especially as you get older...

 

So you've gotta put up sweet pink trees, treat your pink heart kindly

& eat pretty macaroons with honeyed cocoas as often as possible!



New Illustration "The Lock and The Key" & More...

Hi everyone, thanks soooo much for all of the wonderful comments on my recent posts, especially for your feedback about my opening. Comments really make my day and I appreciate every single one. Finally! I feel like I am starting to find my own community in the big blogosphere and that is really exciting. I wanted to pop in and share a few things...first being a new illustration, well it was for my exhibition so you probably saw it in the show photos but I really wanted to post a full version here today. I am really happy with this one and I am honestly glad that it hasn't sold so far at the exhibition, but than again I was to keep all my rabbit-y images! ha ha. It is called "The Lock and The Key"...it's about a woman and her beloved bunnies and the knowledge they pass back and forth between each other and the beauty they hold for one another and that together in those things, they will find their way to better understanding and place of being...make sense? ha ha. The banner reads "...They are the Key...through the door...together... we will go...and I am the Lock..."

A print is available here.

I think after the opening my body said 'Ah Ha...Now you have time to be sick...' so I've been abit under the weather fighting some flu-ish symptoms, headaches, rainy aches, a really bad neck crink and just really needed to recharge my physical battery...goodness knows the creative battery is still running very strong:D...so I've been working some yes indeed but mostly taking it easy, reading and just snoozing with my heating pad and of course the best medicine around...snuggling with a bunny:D

I must again mention the amazing web promo Jonathan made for me to promote my show. Well he surprised me yet again but adding a few new things. If you go to the reception section, you'll see that he included abit of video from the night...where he inset the video in a poplar frame to match my work than he found a lovely little song to add than turned it to black and white which he knows I love....AND THAN!....I did a radio interview and he took that interview and included it as well and as you listen to the interview a montage of lovely photos flick by...wow, I am so blown away. He has created this amazing and complete and touching little package for me and years from now I can go back to this link and relive the evening. I knew that he was working on a secret project the past couple of nights, ha ha but all of this just blew me away. Do check out the wonderful additions here...and tell me what you think of my radio interview:D

I have so much to share and I am behind on posting but I think that's about all for today...Have a wonderful day everyone and thanks so much for your support and taking the time to pop in. XOXO.

A New Painting, Some Cute Rabbit and Thanks

Hi Everyone, well usually I don't look forward to Fridays quite as much as everyone else, I think that it's because I love what I do all week long, but I do look forward to them in the sense that I get to have Jonathan home and it usually means more time to play around the house and to spend with the rabbits outside, making them happy which makes us happier. Anyhow, the last few days I've not felt too great, I think I am coming down with a flu or cold, so today I made sure to get the painting ready so I could show everyone, but once I am done with this blog post, I think I may just take the rest of the day off and either take a much needed nap (I think the constant headaches are wearing on me now) or I might drive over for a visit with my mom. Anyhow, what I am trying to say at length just now is "Thank Goodness it's Friday" ha ha!

So anyhow, here is the new painting for today...

It is a painted version of a coloured pencil I did awhile back, but I liked the composition/shapes and I already had it drawn out on the wood so I proceeded to do the image again and I am glad I did because I really like the acrylic version alot more, it seems softer to me but with more depth. I am really enjoying all the painting I've been doing and I am feeling anxious to get back to the large paintings again. Actually next week I plan a semi-large one which I am excited about, my only hint is that it'll include a sandpiper.

Today, I also really wanted to share these two photos. There I was just painting away when I turned around and found Hazel all stretched out on the bottom shelf, ha ha. She looked too cute and luckily I was able to get to the camera without disturbing her. I cleaned that shelf off a couple days ago, thinking 'mmm, I bet the girls would like to sit on there' but I was just guessing that they would and I can't put anything too important within their little teeth's range! So I left it empty...and Iam so glad I did because it seems to be a favourite spot now, when they aren't under my chair trying to move my feet!, on the window bench or out on the kitchen porch...

I am happy that 'Blog Catalog' has accepted my blog onto their listings, I am hoping this will help to increase traffic.

I also really wanted to send a heartfelt thanks to Naomi and to Maia, two new readers, who sent me such beautiful messages through the Etsy shop yesterday. Girls, I so so appreciated your words, you really made my day.

And with all that said, I shall proceed to enjoy this Friday afternoon 'off'...the sun is actually trying to peek out now, thank goodness for the rabbits are starting to revolt...they need nice weather so they can go outside in the grass and stretch their legs, especially our Ella-Luna, boy oh boy she's been a handful this week, but I guess we really wouldn't want her to be any other way. Be Well everyone, have an excellent weekend and see you Monday.

"Everything's Going to be Okay"

Good Tuesday Everyone,

Here is a new image...a whimsical and unearthly blue bird flying amongst the stars. This illustration was done to be inspirational but also at the same time it is meant to be grounding, as I am hoping the bird looks and gives the viewer a feeling of relaxation...that everything will be 'okay'.

To buy the original please click here.

To buy a print please click here.

I love this piece because 'everything is going to be okay' was exactly the mantra I had to repeat to myself the days after I finished it. Here's a question, I don't want answered but that I still want to throw out into the void...can art actually sometimes foretell the future? Anyhow, here's what happened; I was having a wonderful time in Toronto at Judit & Ed's place. I was suppose to be home on a Tuesday but things happened causing my ride to be unable to come pick me up on the scheduled day, so we all decided that I would stay another week on top of the initial week. I finished this illustration on a Tuesday and Wednesday at 6am, I got a call from home saying Ella Luna was very sick and it was strongly suggested that I get home as soon as I could. The bus and train weren't an option because they took 6-8 hours to arrive at home and neither left till at least 9:30am. So I did what I originally thought was the unthinkable..I rented a car and drove myself, ha ha. Now I know this doesn't sound like a big deal to most people, but for me, it was a massive thing....a big fear overcome and conquered. Despite the fact that I lived in Toronto for 5 years and drive quite alot....I've never had the nerve to drive in Toronto on my own. I always needed that expert beside me telling me which lane to get into, and which exit to take etc etc. But when push came to shove, I had to get home to my Ella Luna and I just did it, in 3 hours I must add, ha ha. The whole time...being terrified of being in the car in the middle of Toronto and the expressway all on my own...being terrified that Ella wouldn't be able to hold on till I got home...I kept telling myself 'Everything is going to be okay"...and it was:D I got home safe and sound with renewed confidence in my strength and abilities and our beautiful Ella Luna has fully recovered.

Life is just so much more fulfilling and amazing when we can move freely through it...and when you reach that fear that is blocking your way, if you really must bust through it, have the belief in yourself that you will. I think that most of us are alot stronger than we give ourselves credit for. I love the saying "A woman is like a tea bag, she never knows how strong she is, till she's put in hot water".

Till tomorrow, be well everyone and happy creating.

I am back with a new illustration

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are all well. I am happy to be back to my blog. In a very short time, blogging has quickly en grained itself into my routine. I was away from my studio for almost a week. I had the pleasure of spending that time in Toronto with my best friend Judit and I had a wonderful time. Judit and I pretty much just hung out together, cooked and baked and ate together, created together, walked together...it was just a simple and very awesome time, Thanks Judit & Ed.

Here is a picture I created whiles I was at Judit's place. I drew out abunch of images to work on, so all I had to bring was my paper/drawings and coloured pencils basically. I decided to 're due' the painting 'Pink Jinny' in colored pencil and see how it would turn out. I am happy with how it turned out, she has her own kind of whimsy, just as the first one does.

To buy the original please click here.
To buy a print please click here.

Well that it about all for today. I feel like I've been away from my studio forever so I have alot to do today and this week. Be well everyone and until tomorrow have fun creating.

Pink Jinny

Good Monday Morning Everyone. Our weekend seemed to whip by abit too quickly, but it was good. The weather was wonderful and we spent most of our time outside with the 4 bunnies. The 'cabana' and 'gazebo' are pretty much all set up now and just awaiting some plants. We even had our Sunday dinner out there which I just loved. Whiles we ate Roo was sleeping almost upside down under my chair and Ella was eating any little piece of green grass she could find.

Finally I finished the pink bunny painting. I had fun with it. My work is usually very detailed and quite abit larger but I've been wanting to do some simpler, quicker things and this was a successful attempt I think. I called it "Pink Jinny". It is painted on kiln-dried pine with acrylic and has a uv protective coat. It's only about 5"x7"x1.5". It will be available to buy through my Etsy shop in the next couple of weeks.


With the sweetness and loveliness of the weekend however came some bitterness and stress. Friday I had a scare with Jinny. I was sitting at my little garden table finishing up my pink bunny...which I had just entitled 'Jinny'. When I turned around to see Jin laying in the corner of the room with massive tremors shaking her whole body. It was a double edged sword for me, first I couldn't remember seeing these symptoms before so my mind went to the worst case scenario and 2nd, laying there sick and being Noo's sister and looking alot alike, I just had a very vivid moment that I was there again with my sweet and dying Noo. Luckily, my husband rushed home when he got my urgent message. The rabbits are as much a priority for him as for me. I do think that Jinny favors Jon over me, just alittle bit. Anyhow, it just meant the world to me that he rushed home to help me and Jin. He reminded me that we've seen this before, that it is probably cramps and gas so we hurried Hazel and Jinny outside right away and made Jinny run around. The more she ran the better she looked, the shaking stopped and after about an hour she was playing with Hazel and jumping in the air ever so slightly.


Here is a shot of Jinny sitting on the window bench in my painting room. I took it yesterday in the evening and she just looked so peaceful and I was so grateful she wasn't sick after the Friday scare.

Well, with an eventful weekend like that I am looking forward to a hopefully quieter, event free week. I have alot of sketching to get done as I am off on a 'mini vacation' soon and I must bring some work to do whiles I am away.

Be Well Everyone and Happy Creating.