Peace & Kindness Begins With You

She's finally all done and looking pretty if I may say so...

"Peace & Kindness"

Prints will be in a limited edition.

I'll let you know when they've hit the shop.

Sign up for my e-news if you want updates on all new work & goodies hitting the shop etc.

Mexican Magnificence

I was lucky to be able to get to the city a few times this past Spring & Summer,
because like a lot of people with animals, it's next to impossible for us to travel anywhere.
 It's proven impossible to find someone who will willingly navigate days and nights of
multiple boards & gates to climb over with the constant worry of making sure they are secure,
9 little constantly hungry begging mouths with big veggies dinners to chop up and make every night,
13 potties and 9 water dishes that need to be changed every single night,
hay and poop and pee having to be cleaned up atleast twice a day,
possibility of biting, wet socks & stolen toast & stomping & harrumping & chewing & naughtiness
and never a solid nights sleep because rabbits are nocturnal after all...

It really kinda sucks though because everyone seems willing to bend over backwards
to watch other people's human children (and well I think my babies are way cuter!!)
But apparently this is just the way things are, fair or not, so we have to make all of these city trips
as rather exhausting daytrips, meaning 8-10 hours of driving.

 

But we pack in as much as we can on each and every trip because that much driving in 1 day

AND being away from the buns for such a long period at such a far distance

is never a decision lightly made. 

  

Anyhow, one of the last times I went I spent the whole entire day

at the Royal Ontario Museum all on my own

(this was the same day that I saw the Pompeii display).

it was wonderful to be able to go through at my own pace & linger when & where I wanted.

I really really enjoyed the special exhibit on Mexican design & wardrobe.

Having studied Frida Kahlo in my college days and loving her since, this exhibit really hit home

because it's the exact like of clothing that she would have worn.

 

One of my favorite things about the day was when one of the guards came to me and said

'Psst...want to see something really cool and kind of like a secret?"

to which my response was "Um, Yes, I do..."

and he lead me to drawers that pulled out and revealed tons of super delicate Mexican samplers.

Needless to say I had to pull out every single one to oohh and ahhh

for my heart may belong mostly to coloured pencils but my heart has secret love for embroidery too.

 

I took tons of photos because I am pretty sure some of this will inspire and appear in future pictures.

Thanks for letting me share some of my favorites with you today...

now back to my sweet Jaks I go.

Have a wonderful day.



Seraphina And The Night Owl

Finally I get to show you a new picture I just finished up...

It is a coloured pencil on painted paper and is called

"Seraphina And The Night Owl"



Here are a few details...

Finishing this one up seemed to take abit longer than usual.

I think it's because I am pushing my coloured pencil technique, trying to add more texture,

more free movement and more depth by using the pencils on a painted background...

which I am loving but which has caused me to pause and flounder abit here and there, ha ha.

One wouldn't think starting on a dark background instead of a light one would be so different but it is.

I had many moment of frustration where I thought

'Oh Jeepers just start it over on the usual white backing'...

But I purposely wanted to feel and push past that resistance/what-are-you-doing block that

typically bounces up whenever we try something remotely new.

Don't you love her and her lovely vegetarian owl friend...I sure do

(I'll let you know when prints are up in the shop)

See I told you I'd be back soon with a new picture...yayyy.

Be Well lovelies...Be Well.

XO Mandy & Her Black Beauty, Ella Luna

Hattie and Humphrey

Happy Monday.  I hope all the mommies out there had a special weekend....
Today I am hopping in quickly to introduce you to....

"Hattie and Humphrey"

These two pals love to talk & quarrel over politics. 

By day, Hattie is a newspaper columnist and Humphrey is her fact checker. 

By night they crochet, knit and spin yarn to make sweaters for orphaned orangutans...

Ah two souls after my own heart.



This is a mixed media & I had so much fun with it. 
Give me some coloured pencils and I know I can work some magic but paints...epp...I still get nervous BUT
I am learning to accept my meager painting skills & to still enjoy the process of painting...
I mean I am not after a Mona Lisa creation after all, ha ha. 
This sweetie is acrylic paint and ink on a papered and painted background.

(Prints will be available soon)

See you Wednesday for a special giveaway.

XO Mandy &  4 Box Loving Bunnies