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.

Necklaces in the Shop

You can now officially buy the following necklaces from the shop...

Finally, I was able to take some good and flattering shots and I finally got this small batch into my Etsy shop.

I have to toot my own here and say that I truly think my necklaces are very well made, unique because of my colourful and whimiscal illustration and just really fun to wear. I am hoping that they sell quickly...so if your interested head on over to the shop to check them out and hopefully pick one out for yourself and/or a loved one.

Join me tomorrow for something new...and thanks for taking time out of your day to pop in.

Welcoming a New Pup

My parents surprised us last weekend by calling and telling us they brought home a new puppy. And this is the adorable little fur person with the sweetest face and personality who is the newest addition to the Saile family...

They named her Missie (though she was almost named Milla) and she's sweet as pie. I spent all of Wednesday at my moms this past week, just playing with her and holding her when she napped (which right now is all the time, ha ha) and just staring at her adorable precise little self. My mom says she has 'hot lips' and Jonathan and I say her little face is very reminiscent of an Ewok. I can't stay away long...I had to go visit with her again on the weekend and I plan to again this week for sure...a new furry baby is always a wonderful thing.

Welcome sweet little darling...Welcome.

New Avian Painting

Just popping in to share the 2nd painting on wood in the Avian series. Now I am off to ski with a friend...Have a wonderful weekend everyone and see you here again on Monday where I reveal the newest addition to the Saile family.

For the Sake of Rabbits Worldwide....

This is our beautiful and most wonderful Roo...a giant chinchilla who we happily adopted into our home about 3 years ago...those eyes of his, are the windows to beauty and peace...look at him, and look into his eyes and tell me it's okay to take rabbits just like our Roo here and tape their eyes open to smear lipstick on...the spray perfume on...to pour bleach on...until the rabbits either die or go blind...and this is considered the least evasive of animal testing...Now, I am not trying to ruin your day...but I promised myself that I would authentically blog and so please next time you buy beauty products or household products think our or precise Roo and millions of other just like him that aren't lucky enough to be in a loving home but stuck in a testing lab cage...

I am posting today from the deepest place in my heart and asking you, my dear readers to Please use Cruelty-Free, Not Tested on Animals Products, if you already are not. Again, I won't terrify anyone by showing the reality to you in photos etc, because some of the photos I've seen are quite traumatizing and are to this day still seared in my brain and scorched on my heart, but seriously if you love animals, be it rabbits or dogs or cats, than don't live another day in support of companies and products that treat them inhumanely. Switching your current products to cruelty-free is easy and just as affordable and nowadays there is a wide range of choice in most stores for your easy convience. You just have to look for the little rabbit logo or 'not-tested on animals' caption on any packaging for a clean and free and conscientious purchase. I've shown you our favourite Cruelty-Free products before, but I haven't done so in awhile, so I wanted to again stress the importance of doing this simple act...and I wanted to show you one of our favourite new lines..."Earth Therapeutics"... This is just a small sampling of the products we have by Earth Therapeutics. Pictured here are their fantastic Green Tea soaps, heel repair balm, stress relief bath salts, Bedtime lotion, hand cream, foot cream, body scrubs and my most favourite, the lavender and chamomile body wash.

This line is only one of many many cruelty-free options out there, so don't just think because you can't find the ones I suggest here on this blog that there aren't any to be had, part of the fun is looking and trying all the wonderful choices out there...experiment with different cruelty-free brands to find your favourites, trust me you won't be sorry.

Thanks for listening, I hope this post sparks even just one person to change over to better and more conscientious buying habits and I hope, as always that you'll join me back here another day. Be Well and of course 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.

I've Joined an Art Jury and Another New Sketch

I wasn't sure if I'd have time to post today as I was suppose to spend the day running errands and jurying some work, but my plans have been cancelled which is fine with me, I happy to stay home and get into the studio for some work...did I mention that I was asked to be on an art gallery jurying board? I've been doing so for about a month now, and it's so much fun...I love going in, meeting the other jury members and discussing the current applicants artwork, I've never done anything like this before and it's nice to be encouraged to voice our true opinions, I am really glad they asked me to join their team. Otherwise today, I just wanted to keep today's post shot and sweet so here, I have something new to show you...

I wanted to share another sketch with you all today. This is again from one of my photos, taken a few years ago, when Jonathan and I had the extraordinary pleasure to nurse, ween and care for a baby robin who lost it's mother and was near death. We futility tried not to get attached to him so we never named it, just calling him "Bird"...he graced our house for almost two months...when he was healthy, could fly on his own and could catch his own food, we set him free...believe it or not he came back to our very yard for years afterwards...we could always tell it was him because we were sure we could recognize his little voice and when we called "Bird, is that you?..." he would chirp back excitedly and fly closer and closer to us...it was a beautiful and wonderful experience and it was a pleasure to stare at his photograph once again in order to create this pencil sketch. That's it for today...have a wonderful weekend.

New Sketch of Ella-Luna

I am so pleased to be able to pop in quickly for a post and to tell everyone that our Roo is much much better. It turned out, (through our own diagnosis) that his upper teeth were misaligned badly and we were able to rectify the problem ourselves by grinding the teeth down until they were the proper length and equally flat (I don't however suggest this to other rabbit owners, we had the proper tools and were confident in what we were doing, especially since the vet would only clip the teeth, not grind them and clipping can cause teeth fractures which in turn can lead to an assortment of other troubles). About an hour after doing so, he started eating with his usual gusto.

It never seizes to amaze me, that even after 15 years of owning rabbits, we still face new and challenging illnesses and situations. But even during hairy times like this past one, my heart is so so very full with love for not only our rabbits but all rabbits and how much beauty and significance they bring into our lives.

Thanks to Jonathan, no one but you could care for me or our furry babes like you do, Thanks to our Roo who was his usual strong self and didn't give up, and Thanks to everyone who sent little notes telling us you were thinking of us during our stressful and scary time. All is well now.

If anything a new and lovely routine has happened out of this situation, which is Roo becoming my 'studio bunny'. The basement of our house, which is where most of my studio is, is usually a rabbit-free zone...but whiles Roo wasn't feeling well, aside from bringing him for quick jaunts outside, we'd bring him downstairs because it being a new space made him move around abit more whiles he was sick...and keeping a rabbit moving when they aren't eating is crucial, it helps to keep their system going. Anyhow, he has been nothing but a gentlebun..not chewing a thing, or peeing or pooing anywhere and he's already picked out his favourite spot to lay all stretched out on the studio carpet, he takes off down the hallway and into the den every so often but never fails to come back to his spot...so for a couple hours a day now, Roo is down in the studio with me and I must say that I adore having his company.

Whiles Roo was sick, I spent alot of time on the floor with him and his partner Ella-Luna (as I will continue to do for the rest of this week just as a precaution to make sure he's eating his normal amounts). My sketchbook has been my trusty companion and I've been sketching alot...new dolls, new clay character, new card designs, new illustrations, alot of series work...but it was nice to switch gears and to just draw for drawing sake so here is a quick sketch I did from a photograph of ours of our Ella-Luna a couple years ago digging under our back deck. Enjoy...I am off to my beloved bunny filled evening...Until tomorrow's post..Happy Creating and Being.

We Need Your Good Energies....

I made up this image of our beautiful Roo last summer from a photo I took of him out in our yard and today is the perfect day to share it (If I haven't already, my brain is slightly fogged and I may have posted it before). We need your good energies to be sent our way today because our Roo is sick and as we deal with the stress of a rabbit who won't eat, we are trying to remain positive and hopeful that he'll pull through, being the trooper and fighter that he's always been. I knew something was wrong when he didn't jump on his Cheerios the other morning...when a rabbit suddenly stops eating their favourite things, you know something is up. We are unsure at this point if we're looking at calcium build-up, a tooth problem, or g.i. stasis but regardless of what it is, for us...it is simply terrifying when one of our little ones stops eating, Espeacially when our vet is out of town until end of next week and no other vet in this city is comfortable with rabbits! Sometimes I wish my tender little heart were stronger and that my brain could have handled science/math etc better because I may have become a vet...and one who speacilizes in rabbits for sure!

I am so grateful, again, that I get to stay home with our furry hearts, so that I can spot problems right at the root and also be able to stay by their side 24/7. I am grateful that Jonathan has a job where he can indeed work from home on dire days...because it does take two people for force feedings and injections, etc...

So, I am just popping in today quickly, to first ask that my fellow bloggers and readers who are in tune with my blog and life send some of your good energies our way and hopeful and positive thoughts that our Roo will get better soon....secondly, I know that you'll understand my absence from posting, until Roo is better...when one of our furries is ill, it's entirely consuming for us and we can do little less other than sit by their sides.

Thank You and Hopefully all of your beloved pets are healthful and happy today, Be Well.

Old Illustration 'Joy, Find It In Everyday"

I am popping in quickly today to share one of my older coloured pencil images with you. I picked this to share today because it's a sentiment that I firmly believe many of us are lacking in...and it's a sentiment that I know I myself follow blindly...

..."Find Joy in Every Single Day", because at the end of the day all we have are our truths, our own beliefs and the large or small things that we decided to feel blessed and happy for and about...not always an easy sentiment, but I believe a very important one...Have a Happy Day Everyone and see you at tomorrow's post.

...Off Into To the Weekend

So I had a hard day yesterday, actually it's been a hard week with constant migraines, hence the 2nd Avian painting not getting done to show you all yesterday as planned! I've not been in my studio as much I would have liked this week, but health must come first in this new year, so my priority was to tend to my tender head, slightly low spirits because of the constant pain and lots of water and exercise when the throbbing wasn't too bad...So as we head off into another wintery weekend, my wish is a simple one...no pain, perhaps some good skiing, cozy movie nights with roaring fires, happy and fresh-aired sleepy bunnies and yummy foodies...

(Yep, that's Moi...skiing out on the lake the other weekend)

(...and that's my honey, looking oh so great in his ski gear...a friend joked that she was suprised not to see a rabbit or two poking out from the orange backpack, ha ha...)

In the spirit of wishing you all a wonderful weekend, full of goodness and rest...I want to share this link , one of my all time favourite songs 'Stand By Me' but done in a brilliant, beautiful way...give it a whirl as I hope it cheers and squeezes your heart like it did mine.

Happy Weekend to you and meet ya back here next week for more creations and illustration by yours truly. Bijou...

A Beautiful New Shelf/Door & Pantry

So over delicious holidays my ever so talented and handy honey made this beautiful and very useful addition to our cozy little abode....

It is the door to our new pantry area and I am so excited and happy with it. It's a lovely new place to display some of my work, such as cards, small paintings and jewelry. But it feels like a wonderful secret everytime I open it to go into the pantry (which for about 7 years now has been such a disater. It was simply a place for us to throw everything we didn't know what to do with). So over the holidays it took a good 3 days of sorting things out, recycling, redistributing and just plain chucking and Jonathan spent another 3 days giving it a fresh coat of paint, putting in lots of shelving, new flooring etc...he did a wonderful job. Here is what lays behind the shelf/door....

...and yes of course, being somewhat of a neat freak...even the pantry has to be orderly, the only room I don't organize and touch, and yes begrudgeling so, is Jonathans office space on the main floor, I want to trust me!

Last but not least I wanted to mention, to any of my local readers who like to come by my studio to browse, look or purchase, I do have a good selection of Pretty In Print fabric cards, by my talented and lovely friend Judit Gueth. They look great alongside my cards on my newest card shelving.

Well with that bit of new goodness shared, I am off....lots to do, lots to do...Happy Creating and join me tommorow for a new little Avian Painting.

Star Light Star Bright Wishing You A Cozy Night

A new illustration...meant to be a Christmas card...yes it's abit late but it'll be right on time for next year, ha ha...I really wanted to finish it up before packing away all the Christmas drawings etc in my studio.

This is suppose to be our Roo (grey, on the left) and Our Ella-Luna (black, on the right, even though Ella is a lop). On the front it will say "Star Light, Star Bright..." and on the inside of the card it will say "...Wishing You A Cozy Night". I won't be offering any prints or greeting cards of this image until the xmas season of 2009.

So though Christmas is long gone, I hope you enjoy this image nonetheless...tonight I plan to finally pack up all our xmas decorations and such, it was on the agenda for this past Sunday but unfortunately a monster migraine decided to keep me captive in bed!

Join me here again tomorrow...where I'll share with you two latest house projects. XXOO Bijou.

It's The Little Moments

Sometimes it's the little moments that are the most brilliant. As I ran to my beloved treadmill this morning, being my stress-relieving time, I felt like I was ready to burst...I had so many things 'bugging' me and so many feelings running around my little heart. I thought I would be running on the treadmill this morning to try to figure some things out...get plans made in my head, etc... But the sun starting to shine in, right on my face which was uncommon because my treadmill is in the darkest room of our basement! I looked up and caught my breath...outside the basement window I could see small sparkly snow falling lightly, it looked like fairy dust, and as the sun beat down brilliantly I watched the snow, so beautifully draped over the barren tree twigs, slowly and bit by bit drip off.

For the next hour I was mesmerized by this simple thing...the sun shining and snow slowly dripping off tree branches with a background of swirling glittering snow...No thoughts or plans needed...after my workout my mind was clearer and I felt calmer...it was an unexpected and lovely time...so here's what I am feeling today; That it's the Little Moments, the simplicity of an unplanned moment, the beauty of something unguarded and natural...is often what we'll find ourselves needing and being nourished by....Until next week, be well.

A New Painting

Just popping in to show you this new little painting I finished up last week. It is the first in a series of 5 which I am calling 'The Avian' Series.

It is acrylic and coloured pencil on a 5" x5" pine block with sides and back painted black. They will go for sale once all 5 are completed.

Even though I don't 100% agree with it...I plan to spend alot of time this year on series work. I do not have any series work really in my portfolio and I think I will only benefit from doing so. Already I have a couple series planned...this Avian series of 5 (and possibly more later on) will be my stepping stone.

Until the next post, be well and Happy Creating. Kufilaw, (meaning 'Take Care') Mandy Saile of Bijou's Whimsy.

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.

Flying Fish Necklace

So over the holidays, I thought I would get alot of jewelry made, but I didn't because I ended up putting all my supplies away in an effort to make my studio spaces look abit neater during the holiday potential visits. I did however have a complete ball over the holiday sketching future Nubbins, I designed 18 new ones and I am over the moon excited about them. I am just hoping the universe and people embrace them as much as I love them! Then we would have a success I believe. But anyhow...you'll see the new nubbins slowly and soon over this next year...today I wanted to show you another necklace I made before the Holiday madness.

A pendant I made with my 'Flying Fish' illustration. This one is sold, but I will be making more of a very similar design very soon and when I do, I'll let you know when a batch of the pendants are going into the Etsy shop.

I haven't been into the Etsy shop for some time, but that's because I've been planning to re haul what's sold in there....this time round I am going to try necklaces and nubbins instead of originals and prints. Perhaps I'll introduce prints back in when I have more 'series' type of work because that seems to be what people are looking for and therefore buying. But I'll rant about this at another more opportune time!

Join me tomorrow where I'll share some of my 2009 plans with you. Be Well and Happy Creating.

A Special Note For Judit Gueth Design

I know I normally don't post on weekends but I just couldn't let it go past without mentioning my best friend Judit Gueth. Judit is taking part in the TCHFM (Canadian Home Furnishings Market) and the Interior Design Show. The first being this month, Janaury 10-13th.

Here are a few shots of Judit's booth...which she built and created all on her own, no easy feat I assure you, as I watched and heard of the whole affair from afar.

These trade shows are always a massive endeavour and often it takes months prior to the event just to get everything beautiful and ready.

Judit always does a beautiful job and her friends in the frozen Bay are wishing her great success, light and luck. You go girl...ha ha. As always, and not just because she's my lovely and most best friend in the whole world, she's impressed us with her talent and drive.

If we could we'd be popping in to bring her some much needed meals during the long & somewhat grueling show hours...but we're there in spirit, she'll do great, we have no doubts. XXOO.

Photos Courtesy of and Copyrighted to Judit Gueth Design 2009

Stuck In Bed With A Back Spasm!

So do you ever have the sneaky suspicion that something out there in the big old universe is against you? or perhaps could it even be self-sabotage? stemming from what?....the same old nasty fears and doubts that quietly nest in the recesses of our minds and hearts and souls until we're just ready to step forward without them...we're just ready to start on new excited plans and hopes and dreams and they decide to poke out their nasty old heads in any nasty form they please, such as a bad back spasm...is that possible do you think?

Ha ha...I am still very excited for the new year and my new hopes and plans for 2009 as I wrote of yesterday, however for the past two days I've been bed-ridden! My back has completely gone out and the first day it even hurt to breath...so this sucks...here I am ready to jump into a new routine, full of new plans etc and I can't...but I can tomorrow...I am convinced and sure that for whatever reason this inopportune back problem happened, it won't get me off path, off course, off plan or off hope.

I am sure it's not self-sabotage, just really bad timing of on old back ailment that attacks and incapacitates me every few months for a few days. So I am just popping in to tell you why I don't have that new image to show you today...Next week I promise! It's really cute and sure abit holiday-ish but I figure I have another week to wrap the seasonal stuff up.

Bear with me and forgive me as I write this post slightly high on muscle relaxers, propped up in bed, and from a laptop my honey so lovingly set up for me with msn before he headed out to work so he can keep in touch and up to date on my progress through out the day, ha ha.

Until Next Week, Be Well, Have a Wonderful Weekend and Be Gentle to your Backs!!!!

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.