Drayton Blues Festival

The way we came about going to an excellent blues fest a couple months ago was kinda neat.

Jonathan took lots of video at the Jazzfest we went to in Toronto just a few weeks before...

Where an excellent blues group named Braithwaite & Whiteley played. 

Well Diana Braithwaite and Chris Whiteley saw the video that Jonathan took and cut together

and they were so pleased with it they asked Jonathan if they can use his video
and if we would be their guests to 'The Underground Railroad Blues Festival'.

Well, I LOVE the Blues and we've never really had the chance to enjoy it live so we shouted a resounding

'YES...Yes we would love to come'

So we hopped in the car one early Saturday morning and drove out to Drayton, Ontario and
unfamiliar countryside for an amazing unforgettable day.

Let me share my favourite shots from the day & show you who we felt very lucky to see/hear...

Curly Bridges was up first...he does this cool buzzing sound with his mouth, ha ha...

(Check out some video of Curley Bridges right here).

Than was my favourite, the super talented Harrison Kennedy,

his voice is so soulful and deep, seeing him live was such a treat...

(Check out some video of Harrison right here).

Up next was the sassy 'Miss Angel' who sure can shake her booty, ha ha...

(Check out video of Miss Angel right here).

Chris Whiteley and his son Jessie, who rocked the keyboard, were so so good...

(Check Chris & Jesse out in my honey's video, right here).

Up next was the talented Donovan Locke....

(Check out his vocal stylings right here).

Then all the way from The Mississippi was 'The Prepare A Table Ministry Choir'...
and a preacher who was very charismatic and who completely tuned us in...

We were surprised to find ourselves really enjoying pastor Tim Bailey's powerful message,
it wasn't the usual preachy stuff but it was all about a humans basic right to freedom and dignity and
the importance of fighting for those things, not just for our ourselves but for everyone planet wide...

Up next was the Douglas Watson band...   

(Check him out here).

Than another of my favs was Canadian Folk singer & Juno and Gemini award winner Kevin Breit...

(There is something so honest and gentle and fun about his music, check him out here).

And last but not least, the lovely Diana Braithwaite...
or otherwise known as Braithewaite & Whiteley...

(Check out Diana's gospel set right here and here).

It was a wonderful day with a really friendly and quaint atmosphere.

(The only negative was that there were no food options for us vegetarians, besides watermelon, ha ha,
so we were quite ravenous by the end of the night!)

The day and program ran so smoothly, we only had to wait 5 or 10 minutes at most in between sets.

...

Besides enjoying some great blues talent, the day was all about paying homage to the underground railroad and the people who made it, worked it and used it...
and to celebrate the freedom we in this country possess and enjoy today.

We are hoping the festival will take place again next year and that we'll be able to attend.

Thanks for having a look everyone....

Now let's go off and enjoy our freedom full day.

XO Mandy

Another New Felt & Beaded Brooch

Just hopping in today to show you all another felt and beaded brooch I recently made...

 I just organized a nice big toolbox for my beads, felt and stitchery goodies so I can just grab the box and get to work wherever and whenever the mood strikes me....usually it's during movies I just can't get into but still want to 'watch' or when my sweets wants to watch one of his gory zombie flicks. 

Today however my fingers are itching to work with coloured pencils, I have several pieces on the go and I am anxious to finish at least one of them and my back is feeling better...so I am off to do just that.

Have a wonderfully cozy day.

We're a little off schedule this week, so I'll be seeing you all again on Saturday.

XO Mandy whose love love loving this week of constant rain

New Changes

I am so so pleased and excited to announce that new changes have been made to

my beloved website

http://www.bijouswhimsy.com/

I am extremely proud of my site.

(my honey is the web designer/maker supreme & I am so lucky to have his talents mix with mine)

I am over the moon to have it looking better than ever & to be showcasing my work so beautifully.

Do hop on over and have a look around.

There are new rotating intro images...

New works in the What's New section of course...
New studio/about shots have been added...

The newsletter and contact pages have been  updated and streamlined...

and most importantly are the new sections added...

now you'll see a 'photography' section which showcases all of my favourite photos.  

There is a new 'out and about' section which houses all of the fantastic mini-sites

which we conjure up for special arts events that I've participated in.

AND

There is now a 'This and That' section which is home to my dolls, felt work and

soon to showcase jewelry adventures, etc.

 

WOHOO

I am so so pleased with the changes. 

We've been working on it for some time now but I think it was worth  the work and wait.

Do take a few minutes to have a look.

(Make sure to clear your Internet cache or simply hit ctrl+5 if your using Internet Explorer)

and if you've another few minutes leave me a message and tell me what you think.

Thanks Everyone.

I've been laid up in bed with a seized up back...

but it's all good, ha ha because I am getting lots of new felt goodies made...

and catching up on older movies I've been wanting to see.

XO Mandy

An Enchanted Garden

So when last in the big city, we made a fantastic discovery.

It was an enchanted Garden full of sweet surprises...

Such as vultures perched high above our heads...

...ready to welcome in all who were willing to leave the heaviness of the adult world behind...

...a walking stick stopped to say 'how do ya do?'...

...A turtle shuffled out to ask us if we needed directions,

he instructed us to just follow our care-free hearts and let whimsy be our compass...

...It was a quiet place where shy snails wanted to talk about the weather...

....and where you were invited to tea with a tortoise and a berry picking bear...

...where long secret pathways amongst tall and towering grasses lead you to smiling snails...

...Where on top of a sweet little hill you spot a wooden gazebo and what looks like

a wonderfully secretive spot that your feather light heart craves to leads you next...

...but where on your way you meet one of the happiest of rabbits who invites you to spread your smile

and of course to frolic and play...

...and who requests a shy peck adieu before your off on your way...

...It was a place where that secret spot we glanced upon the smiling snail hilltop was finally found...

And what wonderful energy the place held...

you could feel magic sparkle and shimmer all around you...

...It was where I met a fellow book lover who read me a story so fantastic I dare not even try to repeat it

for it's something you have to hear on your own...

...I was very reluctant to leave, but the storyteller promised he'll be there ready with another grand story whenever I am able to visit again next...

...This was a magical garden which seemed to even enchant grown up boys...

...It was a most wonderful place for hearts that like to believe in magic...

...For souls who believe in the beauty of their dreams...

It was a place that reminded one that the most ordinary of days can suddenly

be turned into the most splendorous soul drenching moments.

That moments of pure unexpected blissful delight can tingle your soul,

if only you'll let your heart be light & open your eyes to enchanted magic...

Thanks for hopping in this week everyone...have a great weekend and see you all on Monday.

XO An Enchanted Bijou

...And The Dreams Perched

A new illustration...

"...And The Dreams Perched"

and they refused to leave her, so she nourished them until they helped her take flight...

This image of mine is all about those dreams that stick around and refuse to be pushed aside...

The exact dreams we must nourish for in doing so they nourish us, even if they never fully come true.

This is a 12 x 16" acrylic and coloured pencil on stonehenge paper

(soon to be mounted and sealed onto a cradled panel & is indeed for sale).

Nourish your lofty perched dreams today.

XO A coloured pencil loving Mandy

18 Years

Happy Thanksgiving All...

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend surrounded by warmth, kind food & loved ones...we sure did.

Today is a special day for us as well because today marks our anniversary.

18 years ago we found one another and decided to never ever let go.

So HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to my fabulous & amazing sweetheart
whom I feel so incredibly blessed and lucky to share this life with.

and Happy day to everyone else.

See you all tommorow with a new illustration.

XO A Much Loved Bijou

New Felt Bunny Brooch

Happy Friday all.

I am hopping in today to show you my newest felt and stitched brooch.

Doesn't this white rabbit have on the cutest sweater, ahhhh I love it, ha ha...

I don't know if this one will be for sale.  I might just have to keep it for myself, ha ha.

If your interested in any of the felt brooches you've seen here on my blog but don't want to wait

until their listed in my online shop, just email me at mandysaile@bijouswhimsy.com

XO Mandy, Ella Luna, Roo, Jinny and Apple-Jaks

A Bunny Diversion..Yes, It Was A Very Good Day

So, most of you know that Jaks got really sick at the very beginning of September.

It was a long and tiring road to get him well again, but he's healed up beautifully.
 Finally this past weekend, after a long month inside the house,
we were able to let Jaks and Jinny play outside.
They LOVE it outside...
We took the camcorder out with us as and...

my honey just finished this video of them being silly out in the yard.
(I just couldn't wait to share it with you all).

Now everyone can see Jaks and Jin playing outside...YAY...
We've been wanting to post bun videos to my YouTube Channel for some time now.
Jonathan had the great idea of calling each bun episode 'A Bunny Diversion'...
which is perfect because I am quite often diverted from my artwork because of the buns.
Now when you visit me on YouTube you can watch my artsy stuff & our bunnies, YAYYY again, ha ha.

We hope you enjoy it & hope it lightens your heart and makes you smile.

See you Friday.

XO Mandy, Jonathan, Ella with very sore feet, a sleepy Roo, and the romping silly Jin and Jak-a-boo

Outside With My Co-Workers

While I've been outside working on a new illustration...

 

...My co-workers have their own important agendas.

It includes the munching of yarrow...

...and of course Ella Luna needs to constantly check on what Roo is doing,

apparently he's abit of a slacker and needs much supervision and direction,

which Ella Luna is happy to provide since she's appointed herself boss long ago...

...Of course there are birds to listen to, breezes to bask in, soil to turn over, leaves to collect 

and squirrels to watch as they skitter by, annoyingly so according to Ella Luna...

...Breaks ARE allowed, especially when deemed fit by the boss...

...But breaks don't last long for there is lots more work to get done such as the pruning of trees...

...Of course whiles the boss is busy pruning, Roo always manages an extra nap,

He says that it'll make him much more productive in the long run...

...we're all busy bees as you can plainly see, ha ha.

Have a wonderful day.

XO Mandy & her co-workers