A Rabbit in Ducky Company

Ella Luna, Jonathan and I were out in the front yard enjoying a beautiful evening...

Ella was washing herself by the big tree in the middle of the yard,

She leans against the tree and it holds her up, so it's one of her favourite spots right now...



When suddenly Ella Luna said
'Heh I think we have some company....'

(Can you see who???  Look to the right of the photo)

The 'court ducks' decided to grace us with a lovely long visit.

They've been coming back to our court year after year, for about 10 years now.

They waddle around the court but usually seem to prefer the other side of the street to our side.

Ella Luna watched them...
she's never ever had the company of ducks before.

...and they watched Ella Luna...
perhaps they've never seen a black rabbit before!

Everyone got along swimmingly.

The ducks stayed with us for a couple of hours and they must have decided that they liked

the little black bunny because when we woke up this morning and looked outside

there they were, fast asleep by the tree & they've been there all day...

maybe they are waiting for Ella to go back out.

They are welcome visitors....Ella Luna says they seem like very lovely souls,

and I am extremely content to watch them waddle around our front yard

as I sit inside working on a watercolour.

Once again life delights...ahhhhh.

XO Mandy, Ella and the Court Ducks

Squirrel Stories & Antics

We always have a beautiful grey squirrel around here...
They make me so happy & are simple reminders of life's beauty.

I had a speacil little bond with a gourgeus grey girl named Chapman for years.
She would sit on my lap when I read.  She would take fruit out of my breakfast cereal in the mornings.
She would sit very silently and nearby whenever I had one of the buns in my arms on the deck,
like she wanted to be part of our little family.
I remember a certain time when our Hazel suddenly passed away...
I was outside in the yard, crying...stretched out on my belly near Hazel's favourite yard spot
and Chapman slowly walked over to me, and stretched out on her belly in the grass opposite from me,
she wasn't even a foot away and I said to her
"Chapman I am so sad, I miss Hazzy"...
and that squirrel looked at me, blinked & quietly put her head down to stare at me so gently.
We laid stretched out on the grass facing one another for some time.
It's never happened with any other squirrel, I'll never forget it, It was such a speacil experience.

Anyhow,
One day not long ago we saw the newest edition outside on the kitchen porch

and we moved in for closer inspection when we said to one another

'what the heck is she doing'...

Well apparently she was taking all of the stuffing from Jaks porch blanket

and stuffing her mouth until it was super full...

than coming back again and again until the blanket was half empty!

...

We keep a puffy blanket on the deck you see because Jaks little legs are so short, he kind of slides instead of hops down the deck stairs, so we spread out a big soft blanket over the stairs whenever we're

going down to play in the yard, so he can go up and down without getting little bunny boo-boo's!...

I guess we'll have to buy a new one this year,

for the blanket is not quite so puffy anymore, ha ha...

We let her take as much as she wanted,

Since it was no doubt being brought to her secret nest in preparations for her new little babies.

The antics and beauty of the grey squirrels never ceases to delight and enchant.
I am grateful for them.

XO Mandy and the lovely grey squirrels of our yard.

Goodies For Cheap

I am not a mall person whatsoever, 

I love thrift stores and the uniqueness that comes in the items from them,

I totally believe that 'someone else's trash is another's treasure'.

It can be the smallest little find that gets me so excited,

Like last month I found a paper doll book from Emily Martin & The Black Apple for $5

(I squealed for the whole store to hear when I came across that one, ha ha,

because I've been designing some paperdolls and I loved seeing how she presented her beautiful line).

Or recently, my heart did a giddy little flutter,

when I found these threads, including the case, for something like $2.

I love making felt goodies and I knew I could use them straight away.

The thread colours put me on cloud nine, ha ha...

and I had never seen these super handy little floss divider's before, I am hooked on them now!

And just look at this...

My heart did a happy little dance when I found this ceramic cherry pie for $3.

I already scored a giant ceramic strawberry last year for my upstairs studio, it holds my muslin...

When I saw this pie, I knew it'd be the perfect place to store other fabric goodies on the go.

(bunny hair in the upstairs studio is a constant battle after all, ha ha).

...and check out the super delicate table cloth, handmade and only $2...ahhhhh.



Have you had any awesome thrifty finds lately??

Do share.

Have a fabulous summer day...

XO Mandy

Mama's Day

I have a wonderful mom....I LOVE her SO.

Happy Mother's Day Mom.

Happy Mother's day to all of my friends out there who are mama's too...

 

And of course Happy Mother's Day to all of the animal mommy's as well

 

XXOO

I hope your all super spoiled today

(My man snuck out early this morning to bring home a massive
flower bouquet & chocolate croissants)

XO Mandy & Jonathan & The Bunnies

On My Desks

Sometimes I get in the habit of working on several pieces all at once...

usually you know that it what is happening when you've not seen new work from me in awhile.

I promised last year to not just show finished pieces

but to also offer sneak peeks into works in progress...

I don't quite know when the awkwardness of doing so has melted away, but it has and it's nice.

So here's some of what I am working on lately...

In my make-shift studio to be near Ella Luna, I am working on this lovely coloured pencil lady.

And in my upstairs studio that I share with Jin and Jaks,

I am working on this rabbit with a basket watercolour.

(the driftwood/wire piece you see hanging from my brush holder was just given to me
from my beautiful new friend Aline, who I spent a wonderful day with yesterday...
I am so happy to have it in my workspace).

I am also playing with this small 5 x7 watercolour, just for fun

& to rest my wrist in between coloured pencils time.

Whether your making something in your home, in your kitchens, in your garages or in your studios,

Wherever in the world you may be...

The buns and I really hope your heart is full, blissful & inspired.

XO Mandy and the bunnies
who have the doors thrown wide open to enjoy the beautiful wind & birdsong today.

Time Outside with Jin and Jaks!

Jaks and Jin got outside the other weekend and had a complete ball...

They made us laugh so hard with their crazy high speed frolicking and in Jaks case, spastic pop-corning.

We think we got enough video for another great 'Bunny Diverson'...

After several hours they came inside the house completely spent and napped the rest of the day, ha ha.

Time spent outside with the buns is always wonderful time...

It's stressful abit though,

there's alot out there that can hurt them so we stay very vigilant...

and now they must all get their flea meds of course...

But keeping them inside just isn't fair, not when they've been enjoying their large yards for years now...

So here's hoping it'll be a wonderful and safe summer for all,

even though the routine of summer days will change drastically for us and Ella Bella...

but she's been spending time with us in the front yard now, since she can't run away...

she watches us as we work on the gardens, etc and she seems happy with that thus far.

Hope your week is going wonderfully.

XO Mandy and Jaks and Jinny

A New Bunny Diversion - Beanie At The Cottage

I am hopping in today with a new 'Bunny Diversion' video for you.

This is the rabbit who started our addiction to the long-earred.

Our Beanie...

We recently uncovered this old footage of him enjoying his outdoor 'cottage'

and my honey made it into a new Bunny Diversion video for me.

This little guy had quite the life, ha ha.

He was very well travelled, he went with us everywhere...

he probably had more miles under his belt than many people, ha ha.

He was super hyper and crazy and happy and never sick a day in his life.

He passed away peacefully in his sleep at the age of 8.

We miss him everyday and are so glad he graced our life.

I hope you enjoy watching our little spaz as much as we do.

XO Mandy and our angel up above, Beanster

P.S. One of the super great Polarity/Bijou's Whimsy magnetic locket necklace sets
is now available in my own shop.

April's Newsletter

April's newsletter has just been mailed out.

If your not on my mailing list you can view it by clicking RIGHT HERE.

To sign up to receive them just CLICK RIGHT HERE.

You can subscribe or unsubscribe at anytime,

Your email address is never shared or sold,

and I only email once a month....

It is a nice way for you to keep up to date with the on-going's of my studio,

especially if you don't have time to follow my blog or join me on facebook, etc...

Hope your all having a wonderful week

& enjoying the budding trees flowers and all the freshness spring always offers.

XO Mandy

Friday Today

Today...

Today was full of time helping a sweet bun hop around...

and some time for a couple of baths and blow dry sessions as well to clean a wet little bum.

It was gentle time taken to soothe the bunny after she got stuck underneath a shelf!

(that was a new one! but something we always have to look out for now...Ella getting stuck!)

It was time in the sunlight with rabbits napping all around me and with a great book...

& time nursing a slightly sore head after spending all night last night with a really super sore one!

It was watching Ella Luna get all excited when she saw Jonathan pull in the driveway...

and Jonathan in turn smiling huge and happy to see his girlie's in the window waiting for him.

It was a day where I was delighted and surprised when my honey came home with

our favourite bread, my favourite Kefir milk and not one but

THREE bouquets of beautiful flowers for me to spread throughout our cozy home.

It was a day with delicious homemade pad thai for dinner...

a documentary on the Titanic and really great green tea I got my acupuncturist.

A day where taxes were finished up, lots of laundry was done &
the next Bijou's Whimsy newsletter made.

It was time spent on sorting vintage buttons & getting excited about future projects for them...

and it was time spent on a watercolour featuring a rabbit with a basket...

It was pretty much a spectacular day...

How was your day???

What filled your time with beauty & abundance?

XO Mandy

Rabbits These Days

Ella Luna and Roo seem extra content these days...

They snuggle together and kiss all day long by the back door,

Taking in sunshine and fresh spring winds...
And the snow!  For the last 2 weeks anyways.

I am home with them day in and day out so they get lots of healthy snacks throughout the day.
And, as you can see, the floors are all covered with soft thick comforters,

so that our Ella Luna doesn't get hurt when she falls over or drags herself around,

We've been doing this for some time now but Roo still seems to think it's the best thing ever, ha ha.
He sinks into them like they are a puffy cloud, gives a big happy huff and than promptly falls asleep.

...And little Miss Sunshiny Sweet herself gets carried around &pampered like the little queen she is,
(she's getting such beautiful auburn colouring in her older age, it really comes out in the sunlight).

Her newest favourite thing is the time every day that we spend in Jin & Jaks room,

(not with Jin & Jaks because the 2 bun couples don't get along at all)
but on the big window bench that looks over the whole front yard and court...
She likes to people and car watch & every evening we watch the setting sun.

Life feels very good when it's full of rabbits, sunsets and art-making!
I am so grateful for this beautiful and full life.

XO Rabbit Addict, Mandy

Hope Eternal

I just finished up this new coloured pencil called

"Hope Eternal"

It speaks of many thing including renewal of hope, springtime & beauty in nature,

but mostly it speaks of the finding strength and peace within ones self.

It is already available in my shop as a lovely 8 x 10" print.

XO Mandy & 4 sleepy bunnies

Birthday Munchkin

It's my Munchkin's 10th Birthday...

She is speacil, she is loved and she is one super duper cool kid...

Happy Happy Happy Birthday Karly.

We Love Love Love you.

XO Auntie Mandy, Unky Jon & the Buns.

My Love My Heart

She is My love and My Heart...

She's The Skip In My Step...

She's The Breathe In My Lungs...

and The Beat Of  My Heart....

She's My Precious One,

Completely Unique, Sweet & Wonderful...a Best Friend.

 The word 'Pet' is simply not synonymous with our Ella Luna...
or, with any of our bunnies for that matter,
Not in our world, life and story anyhow.

I am still struggling a little bit with balancing my time between Ella Luna and my artwork. 

Art wise things still feel a tad elusive & sticky...

But things are indeed feeling smoother and more settled
than the last time I wrote about Ella's leg troubles.

People have been sending me little notes asking after Ella Bella...thanks oodles you lovelies.

She is not necessarily doing better...this isn't something she'll ever get better from,
But she is doing just fine, she is a tough nut and she is a happy girl, that's for sure.

We did have a custom 'wheelchair/cart' made for her,
But, it just isn't working out as we had hoped.
So we are still doing the tried and true method of plenty of time on the floor with her,
We gently support her right side and leg and in doing so she can move around like normal,
(it's just slightly tiring for us because boy oh boy she's fast, ha ha).

I am in the midst of trying to figure out some kind of 'baby sling',
Because it's a nice break for her to get off her feet and be carried around by her mama.

The beauty of finding balance in life continues...

It's going well & I am grateful .

XO Mandy and Ella Luna

Mauve, Milly & Miles

I am excited to show you a new image I just finished up.

It's called,

"Mauve, Milly and Miles'

A lovely lady, a wolf pup and a rabbit, all together harmoniously and gently.

In the wild rabbits are sadly prey to wolves

but in my imagination I can make them lovely friends instead of foe.

These lovelies are done in coloured pencil than sealed onto a painted wooden canvas.

Prints and the original will be available.

There will be 3 more characters in this series and I can't wait to show you the rest.

With this picture I offer to the universe from my own little universe...

Love,

Inspiration,

Joy,

Wonderment at nature

and a message of Kindness. 

& I hope some out there feel as connected to it and enjoy it as much I do.

XO Mandy & The Bunnies

p.s. I am sending out love and light to a friend and her bunny Sogna, who just passed away.

Incommunicado

Hi Everyone,

Sorry to unexpectedly disappear on you all for several days.

Once again, everything screeches to a painful and annoyingly sudden halt

as I suffer through another week of cluster migraines.

I've been getting extensive acupuncture treatments but it hasn't cured me quite yet.

I've been unable to get to any artwork, to my computer or to the blog...

let alone anything else past taking care of the buns & my poor noggin....

Ugh, it's not been a good several days.

The pain continues today,

So I as I type this my head is just pounding on the entire right side

(the side that always renders me completely useless when it's throbbing)

and now I must scurry back to my cocoon of a duvet and my heat and ice packs.

I just wanted to let you all know I am still here...just temporarily incommunicado!

I'll be back with you all with some new artwork and super sweet bun pics as soon as I possibly can.

XO Mandy

P.S. The acupuncture has worked wonders for my wrist, YAYYYYY.

Movie Magic

The other weekend Jonathan, my niece and myself headed out to the forest.
We initially just went to take a really good hike & to enjoy the fresh forest and waterfalls,

But. Jonathan and Karly decided that they needed to make a movie...ha ha.

Jonathan was the director, Karly was the star and I apparently was the
behind-the scenes photographer, prop master, assistant to the star & safety supervisor.

I just had to share my favourite shots from the day

The story they conjured up had something to do with a little girl lost in the woods,

who was being chased by some kind of bear-a-saurus, and magical sleeping berries...

We waited until it was dark & windy to head into our backyard and

to the park across from our house to film the 'nighttime scenes'.

We had a complete and utterly delicious ball...

Jonathan put hours upon hours into the editing, cutting and sound mixing,
He even created a movie trailer for it, ha ha...it's brilliant, ha ha...

Check it out right here.

XO Mandy, a doting Auntie

A New Felt Bracelet & A Bad Diagnosis

I just had to hop in today to show you a super duper cool new bracelet I just made for myself.

It's recycled felt with vintage buttons and is all hand stitched...

I am toying with the notion of opening a 2nd Etsy shop for my hand-stitched felt goodies,

But for now I may just start listing them in my original shop.

Would any of you consider buying a bracelet like this for yourselves if I offered them???

I've been having big troubles with my drawing wrist...

It's been pretty bad and has had me on edge for quite some time,

The doctors were hoping for Carpel Tunnel or Tendentious,

because those can be cured and treated with surgery and physio.

BUT, apparently I have 'Repeative Stress Syndrome'...

and I am told by the wrist doctor that the shooting pain that wakes me up from sleep,

the achiness & the yucky tightness and weakness (even when it's at rest!)

will only get worse and worse...

I am not a happy camper, not with this negative diagnosis...

And. I admit to getting teary in the specialist's office because the idea of more constant troubles,

when I already have severe migraines and a dislocating knee to always deal with, feels like too much...

UGH UGH UGH!

So I made myself this bracelet to kinda cheer up my own wrist, ha ha.

I am still trying to pin-point what is too much art making & what I can get away with comfortably.

Right now every little activity causes me discomfort

However, I refuse to not make artwork, it's who I am.

Though the idea of having this pain & trouble to worry about whenever
I do work on artwork is quite honestly sending me for a loop.

I am going to have patience & hope & seek a 2nd opinion because the very negative

'There's nothing you can do about it' attitude just doesn't work for me, certainly not as a full time artist!

and I am going to take extra good care of it, with heat therapy and more frequent art breaks,

and today I am seeking an acupuncturists help...

WISH ME LUCK!

XO Mandy