Missing Hazel...It's Been A Year Today

...Oh Dear, Sweet Hazzy...our funny, silly & precious Pud...I can't believe it's been a whole year today that you've been gone...

...It feels like so much longer that you've been gone. It astounds me that a single heart handle missing somebody so much.  365 days sounds short but feels huge when it means you haven't been here with us...

...But we're doing good, Hazzy...Jinny is well, she misses you but she & jaky have bonded perfectly...he'll keep her good company until she's with you again, her most beloved sister...

...I hope your with Beanie, Thodan, Gimmley, Hobbs & Noo Noo, keeping them good company & teaching them to be sweet & silly like you...

...We think of you everyday & how having you in our lives blessed us and made us better...this is a special post for you my angel girlie...We miss you Hazzy...We love you still & always. XXOO

Enjoying Summer...

I am so enjoying this summer...I admittedly sometimes have to force myself out of my cozy & safe little warren for I am not an introvert but any stretch but I can keep myself content and busy & do I have a tendency to find most of what I need right here in our cozy, safe, warm warren...but I have been popping out in the world alot lately and enjoying time and events with family and friends...like a visit with my niece, Karly last week...

...she is so goofy ha ha and loves to make people laugh so when I brought out my camera and was silly right along with her....we had a good time as you can see, ha ha....

I am sort of on holidays with Jonathan and though I am still getting work done it is at a much slower pace/rate...thus the lack of new work being shown...but I never show you photos here unless I think they are worth seeing or ones that aren't among my favs, so I hope your enjoying the photography as well. Tomorrow is a post for Hazel, our bun whom we miss dearly, I couldn't let the day go by without proper homage, so pop in for those, they are sweet sweet bunny shots that will make your heart melt I am sure:D...and after that who knows...tis the loveliness in blogging of sorts though isn't it:D

Some things I MUST mention before I go & I hope you'll check out:

1) my friend Michelle May over the the wonderful "Tales of the Raspberry Rabbits" blog has a whole new layout/plan for her blog, so check her out. Actually I see that she also just posted photos of her & her niece, ha ha...great minds think alike indeed:D....Tell her Mandy & the Buns sent ya over.

2) Is this very touching & interesting talk by Elizabeth Gilbert (the author of Eat, Love Pray) & hitting the walls of creativity & moving past them.

OH AND 3) but not least, the very sweet Amy Friend over at 'Cypress Sun'  featured my work in a post recently & I was tickled pink, surprised & very very happy for the inclusion...I love her blog, so do hop in for a visit & again tell her Mandy sent ya;D

Thanks everyone, your time is precious & I am honoured that you spent any little bit of it here on this blog of mine.  XXOO M & The Buns, Ella Luna, Roo, Jin & Jaks:D

...Lessons From Rabbits...

People often ask me why I love rabbits so much...These recent photos we snapped during some of Jin & Jaks time outside just perfectly captures what completely & totally captures our hearts about bunnies...

...They are not just wise & serene, familiar & beautiful...they are their very own little creationists..they don't have a bad day unless theirs something to be upset about & they enjoy each & every beautiful day right down to every single moment as fully as they can...if only people could learn how to do this with more ease & regularity...

...They love hard...they play hard...they are brilliant...they are pure...they are such a big part of the beautiful essence that makes up my life...thank you honey bunnies, thank you XXOO

Whenever I hear this song (which is almost everyday cause I have it right on my computer desktop) I think of the bunnies...

(p.s. some of these photos will be in my new photo shop.)

Have a great weekend.  XO M & The Buns...

Another Under Glass Pendant Design...

Hi lovelies...just popping in quickly to show you another 'under glass pendant' design I just listed in my Etsy Shop...

I currently only have 2 of these left and I am still yet unsure if I'll make more once they are gone...I guess it depends on the interest and demand or if I just want to move onto making more under glass versions with new imagery, etc...click here if your interested...be well and thanks for hopping in, have a lovely, creative & inspired day...see yous tommorow with a bunny post. XO M.

Introducing Glass Pendants...

For any of you who have followed my blog for awhile now, you've probably seen these little lovelies in my photos of different sales/events I've done locally BUT NOW I am finally getting around to putting them into my Etsy Shop...This lino-cut bird of mine is still one of my favourites so I thought I'd show you all this design first.

...as you can see the backs of the glass pendants are sweet also with a fancy little dragonfly as the clip ring/bail, each is signed to show you they've all been handmade by me...and each shipped in a lovely organza bag often with special treats from me to you...

If your interested in purchasing one of these necklaces they are now in my shop for only $10.95u.s.d or you can email me directly & we can do a pay pal transaction, whatever is easier for you. I made about 10 of them and there are only 4 left, grab them whiles you can because at this point I am unsure if I'll be making more. I am listing only 1 at a time over at the shop, so click here or visit there for more info.

Cheerio lovely blog land peeps:D

Our Lady Peace Concert Photos...

We went to this fantastic rock concert a couple months back.  I just got around to fixing up the photos & I am so in love with some of the shots we got, I just had to show you all, just like I show you all of my other favourite photos here on this beloved blog of mine.

The concert was 'Our Lady Peace' & though not one of my favourite bands, I bought the tickets as a gift to my sweetie...by the end of the 1st set I was thrashing & jumping about as much as the die hard fans around me...I love love love live music & great concerts, the energy of the artists & the crowd just gets right into your center & pulsates long after the music has ended & the crowds disperse...it's a feeling like no other & I love it...

We took tons of pics but these are my very favourites... 

I try to keep posts on this blog of mine related to my creative journey mostly so I thought for a few minutes...'maybe I shouldn't bother posting these...' but I decided to because a) music does play a huge part towards my inspiration and b) I love taking photos & though I won't go as far as calling myself a photographer, I am indeed day by day grower prouder  & stronger in my photo taking skills (hence the photo shop "Bella Bijou", opening soon, I just have to find the perfect place to host the shop..any suggestions since Etsy just doesn't seem to be working for me!???)...hope you don't mind seeing these.  We'll be back to some art work next post.

A Weekend Festival

Last weekend, Friday through to Sunday Jonathan and I enjoyed a little festival that happens every year in our little city that is only a 20 minute walk from our house...

...Fairs & festivals are an odd mixture to me, one of excitement and a lovely buzz of bodies, lights & movement but also I always find an air of eeriness floating about and sometimes there is a hint of desperation, especially when the carny folk start beckoning & taunting you to play their games...

...I wanted to share some of my favourite shots from the weekend...

It was a good time including a concert by David Usher & my favourite part of the whole thing, an outdoor movie showing of "Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs", complete with a handsome sweetie beside me, a cozy soft blanket to keep warm and hold hands under & of course a whippy:D....

Hope your summer weekends are finding you amid oodles of fun.  XO M & The Buns.

New Mini Promo Site For The Garden Tour Is Complete

The new mini promo site for the North Bay Symphony Garden Tour 2010 is now complete & ready for your browsing. There are alot more photos to view than I included in my recent post, there is a short walk around video & of course the YouTube watercolour demos have a nifty spot here as well...OH AND this one has the cutest little buttons ever, teapots & bunny cut  from our photos, they are too cute...

I think Jonathan is abit disappointed that this is going to be the last little promo for my art/business for abit, ha ha...

To my Jonathan, who is the mastermind/creative hand behind these promo sites of mine (okay yes, with some often times demanding little requests from the artist!!!)  Thanks again babe, once again you did an outstanding job & I am completely honoured that you think my work/photos/little artsy events require such lovely documentation & attention...you are my most favourite & best supporter. XO.

Our Girls Project...

Ella Luna really wanted me to pop in today to show you her latest artistic project...one that she's been working on diligently, one that she's been slaving over, with little breaks unless we force her too (because like her mama she's quite obsessive & will work herself sick!)...she's burying half our gazebo with this new little project of hers..  But shhh...don't tell her, it's us, who every couple of weeks will sneak out to fill it up!  Years ago we let her go on & on without any filling & well let's just say part of our yard actually caved in, ha ha.  When she appears to be done digging for the day, she than goes mad filling her mouth with grass & bringing mouthful after mouthful into the burrow to make a nice soft green bed for herself...

Roo Boo doesn't help, he just likes to lay & snooze in the freshly dug sand and watches his hard-working black beauty...

Seriously though, who could possibly deny this sweet little face her own burrow, ha ha...Tis the life with lovely & slightly spoiled bunnies:D

(I am trying not to freak out but it's difficult because Ella's bump is back, the same one she had 2 surgeries for this year already, it seems to get bigger by the day...we aren't quite sure what to do other than bring her in for the doctors opinion in a few weeks time & hope really really hard that it reaches a plateau & just stops growing....send us good mojo pretty please!)

Mandy Saile - Painting Demo In The Garden 1 of 2

My first EVER YouTube video...Oh Oh Oh, I am sooo excited:D  It's a two-parter & each one is about 13 minutes each BUT the demo is outside in natural light & has the loveliest music so we didn't think people would mind the extra bit of length...

(Thanks again to the amazingly talented musician Bert Alink.  He gave Jon & I permission years ago to use his music & we still adore it & think it fits these first videos of ours perfectly).

...p.s. I'll be giving this original watercolour work away...so stay tuned for that as well!

Mandy Saile - Painting Demo In The Garden 2 of 2

....and here is part 2 (sorry I don't know how to install both videos in 1 post yet, bare with me!)

...I sure would love it if you'd not only visit & have a watch but also if you'd leave a comment here or/& on YouTube to tell me what you think.  I am excited to do more of these so I really hope you find it enjoyable to watch?

...and thanks oodles once again to my sweet genius-y partner, Jonathan who put these videos together for me, I just love em babe XXOO.