Mandy Saile: Self Portrait

Oh boy have I ever been having a rough go with another really bad 3.5 day migraine from hell!

So it's feeling like the most perfect time to show you this new illustration of mine

because Jonathan & I pride ourselves on living our own unique lives.

We don't try to fit in...we rarely ever do.

We've learnt that together with our motley crew of long-earred loves
(& sometimes a bird or squirrel or ground hog thrown in too!)
that it's only the little group of us that needs to 'get it' because it's us who live & love this life.

So yes, with me being out of commission yet again,

I can't help but embrace this precious little island of sorts we've created together.

Despite the negativity of the pain and all that that entails
I still feel richly surrounded

by beauty, goodness, love, endless gentle support
and my sweet motley crew of beautiful pals...

I am on an island with my love of loves that I never never ever ever want to leave...it's me...it's us...

it's "The Exclusive Party"

(It's an 11 x 12 coloured pencil on paper with a metal key & acrylic paint all on a wooden panel)

(the original is NOT for sale BUT lovely 8 x 10" prints are available already).

So yup if you guessed that it was a portrait of sorts of my love & I than you would indeed be correct.

I think the detailing deserves a closer look...

So this image is to celebrate unity, love, support

and the beauty of a unique life.

It's for all of those couples &friends out there who feel like they

together create their very own private & amazing world.

It's for those out there who don't have the need for a million friends...only a few true blue ones.

It's for those who only share the secret key of their beautiful self-made kingdoms with kindred spirits.

It's for all of you who recognize exactly what you have...

for those who want to live as much as humanely possible on & in their own

unique beautiful shining light/island.

It's for those who embrace and appreciate the beauty & abundance

of their own uniqueness & their own exclusive and elusive party!

Prints are indeed already in the shop.

Enjoy!

Firstly today, I am wishing my little buddy Noah, a big Happy Birthday today. Noah is the wonderful and cute-as-pie son of my oldest friend Lisa (who just celebrated her b-day on Monday) and I know he relates me to rabbits quite often so today, I picked this older illustration of mine to share with all of you and to wish Noah a wonderful 5th Birthday. I wish I could be there to celebrate with you little one but some presents are on their way.

So, I got a wonderful new toy. I wasn't going to share my joy of it with anyone because well in the last year I've been 'punished' for my good fortune, nice life and the fact that Jon likes to spoil me and the bunnies! But I realized that hiding my good fortune, innate cheer and luck did me no good either and if people don't like it or aren't happy for me then they really aren't my friends than are they! So with that said a couple weeks ago, Jonathan and I treated ourselves to a new toy, a Sony Alpha slr camera and I just adore it. I seem to be dragging it with me everywhere despite it's weight and it serendipitously fits perfectly in my lovely new Kimono bag, ha ha. Today, I thought I would just share some of my new favourite photos.

I wasn't going to post this one, but my best friend Judit, seems to really love it so I am posting it for her and to show off the cute knitted hat my mom made me awhile back (Judit has the matching one of course).

This little butterfly was so funny. Whenever I got to close he would crawl upside down on the under side of the leaf to hid his beautiful pattern but I finally got a decent shot.

I grew up surrounded by raccoons and I still love them so when I saw the opportunity to snap this close up I took it. He kept laying down on the deck but every time I'd open the door to get my picture he thought I'd have food for him and he'd jump up, ha ha.

And of course here is our handsome and majestic Roo.

So with this new toy finally exposed, I shall be slightly nervous of my honesty in sharing it's delight but I will hold fast to the positive fact that my real friends won't give a damn. Hope your all well and until tomorrow...Happy Creating...or photographing.

p.s. My best friend Judit has just passed along this lovely interview she did for The Organic Mechanic blog. Read the article here. Congrats Judit, it's a very good article.