Table Hopping

Ah Ha...
she's been caught in the act!!!
I was wondering which bunny was eating my puzzle pieces!

 

(I don't want to know how many times she's missed this giant leap of hers...jeepers!!!)

 

 

One wouldn't normally want a bunny on your dining table....

 

 

But apparently, guess what, it doesn't matter, because Rule #1 with rabbits tends to be

...if you don't want them to go somewhere, they will very likely find a way to get there anyway!



Guess I have to find a new place for puzzle time!!!

since now chairs are being left out for the little leaping missus to use to more safely jump up

since she's apparently going to anyways!

More Sick Bed Sketching

Another cutie from the sick bed of Bijou's Whimsy!

 

These guys are tiny...only 4 x 5".

My instinct is to add colour of course but I think they are nice in B&W.

 

 

I think this one would be sweet on a cup as well, don't you?

 

I am having fun & it's nice to give my wrist a break from all the colouring I've been doing...

Gotta see the bright side of things and all that jazz after all right, ha ha!

Mischievous Monkeys

I am always so glad when my honey & I are sick at separate times...

 

 

Cause it takes at least one of us to keep an eye on the mischievous monkeys!!!

Drawing From Bed

I've been knocked down by a flu or a cold, I can never tell which is which!

My ink pens & teeny little notecards have been keeping me company...

 

 

Don't you think this image would be just so darling on a coffee mug???

Would you perhaps buy it if I put it on a cup? hmmmm....

Chantilly Swish

 

The newest addition to my 'Nubbin' series...it's been awhile!
 

"Chantilly Swish"

 

 

Prints of her will be available shortly.

In the meantime, do make the acquaintance of her friends over in my shop.

Art Card GIVEAWAY

Happy Valentines Day Everyone.

 

Let's celebrate with a sweet little Giveaway from me to you.

 

The winner will receive these 3 art cards of mine.

(Beautiful handmade darlings printed on 140 pound watercolour paper)

They will be lovingly wrapped up, filled with good bunny mojo &

sent to you from my cozy Northern studio when we draw a name on March 3rd.

 

 

How to enter???

Just sign up for my monthly studio news

(sign up is right here)

or email me at MandySaile@BijousWhimsy.com with 'Giveaway Yes Please' in the subject line

and I'll add you to my newsletter list & enter your name for the draw.

 

p.s. If you already receive my studio news by email you must still enter your name if your interested.

Just let me know that your already on the list.  Thanks.

Linkedin

There are SO many ways to connect & keep in touch online nowadays.

 

I know Linkedin is a popular one so I finally set up a profile for myself.

I wanted to let you know here on my blog just incase it's a preferred method for you to keep in touch.

 

Click right here to go to my profile & add me to your LinkedIn network.

 

 

I think it's so important as entrepreneurs to keep trying out new venues to connect in.

Especially when you believe in what you make & sell

and when your advertising budget is non-existent!

I also think however that, since there are SO many places to sign up for that it's crucial

to be honest with ourselves and after a trial period,

keep what works and feels good and to ditch what isn't working.

 I really enjoy Twitter but I detest Facebook...so I am seriously thinking of deleting my f.b account.

 

Tell me, what are your absolute favorite networks???  Do tell.

I am Gonna Gush About Frenwyck

Today is a special day, for it marks a whole entire year that our Frenwyck has been with us.

Yayyy.

 

 

We love him so, I can't even really put it into words...sappy, I know, but true nonetheless, ha ha!

We just can't imagine not having him in our rabbity family. 

He really has healed our hearts.

 

 

This amazing rabbit was at the Toronto Humane Society.
Can you believe someone just dumped him off & in horrible condition too...poor baby. 
He was at the shelter for too long and even though they took stellar care of him, he became a very grumpy boy.  He needed a lot more space to run & be a bunny & desperately needed love & a home.

 

Many of you know the story of how we fell in love with him long before we could adopt him.

(You can read the wonderful story right here if you'd like).
We both just knew he was meant to join our family.

 

 

I must say, going to the shelter (all 3 times) was by far not easy.

We were insanely excited about adopting our new family member

BUT we were also feeling awful & incredibly sad about all the buns we were leaving there.

It was worth the torn hearts though cause we came home with Teela, Yuuji, Flynn & Fren

and I just kept telling myself saving one (or in our case 4) was better than none at all.

 



Now he's an incredibly happy joyful rabbit.  Like a little puppy, following us around the house.

He just loves us so much...it's so awesome to feel that pouring out of him.

He is one of thee most enthusiastic buns we've ever had.

We can tell everyday that he appreciates his home.

 

 

He's just amazing and awesome and fabulous and snuggly.

and he has made my heart grows 10 times it's size.

He simply is 'Frenwyck the Incredible'...that's his nickname around here...also 'Muppet'.

 

So, yes, ha ha, you know me & my bunnies, I could go on and on...

So I'll just say Happy 1 year anniversary Fren.

 

 

Adopting you was one of the best things we've EVER done.

XXOO



Goodwin

I want you to make the acquaintance of a very cool little dude...

 

his name you may ask?

why how polite of you to ask,

his name is

"Goodwin"

 

Read on to hear a tiny bit of his story...

 

 

You may perhaps mistake him for a squirrel or a guinea pig (the latter to which he is indeed related),

however our fair dapper Goodwin is actually neither of these...

he comes from Central America and is in fact an 'Agouti'.

 

Do you know what he does for a living?

 

Well our furry friend here owns a very popular button franchise.

(with a couple of stores just opening up now in South America...how exciting!)

He is proprietor, designer and maker of much sought after buttons made from Brazil nuts.

Ever single button in his shops are created by Goodwin himself with his very own nimble teeth.

You see, Agoutis have a special tooth enamel that is twisted in this super cool way

to make the teeth super extra tough and super strong. (oh that Mother Nature is a clever one she is).

Goodwin's parental background & special teeth really are the makings

for the perfect button nut nibbler/designer....no wonder his creations are so sought after.

They are really quite something to marvel at...and very expensive, naturally of course!

 

See the nifty blue denim jacket he's wearing?

 

Well that's his favorite thing in the world.  He's never without that coat of his. 

It was handed down to him by his father...a great old Brazil Nut farmer named Papa Rojas.

He was the one who taught Goodwin how to find the biggest & best nuts out there.

Goodwin still has a collection of very special nuts which he collected with his dad

when he was still but a wee tiny thing.

These nuts are saved only for the most important of clientele, like kings, queens and huge rock stars.

 

(Prints of Goodwin will be available soon)

(The original is up for grabs, just email me at mandysaile@bijouswhimsy.com)



Ugh & A Promise

Ugh!
So sorry to disappear on you this past week.
This is the first time all week that I've been able to sit down at my computer!
Once again any forward momentum came to a stop...and you know I hate it when that happens!

Jinny was doing rather poorly again & needed to begin meds again...
BUT she's doing better again.

Flynn wasn't feeling well with an bad ICS flare up...
BUT he's doing better today also.

And I had a pounding head for almost a week straight & though the throbbing wasn't horrible,
it was just sore in the wrong spot, so I found myself completely useless & unable to concentrate
& just ended up resting and snuggling bunnies!
Sometimes this head pain just completely wears me out, jeez!

BUT today the pain has cleared...so far!
So I begin again!

New artwork coming next week...I PROMISE!!!

P.S.  My newsletter is about to be mailed out...want to receive it's whimsical goodness???
Just sign up Right Here. 



Loving Days Like This

I love days like this...

 

Days that begin with a good cup of coffee

and the knowledge that I have a whole day ahead of me to be creative...

 

Days that start with a giant fluffy rabbit jumping up onto my lap to say good morning.

 

Oh how I love starting my days like this.

Bunnies and Art...that's where it's at for me...

I am feeling so very very lucky.

 

So very very much in love with my daily bunniful creative routine.  Ahhhh.

 

Hope your feeling lucky and happy as can be too. 

Have a super day Everyone XO.



We're Back...YAYYY!

Hi Hi Hi Everyone.

Yayyyy...how exciting to begin blogging again.

 

Let's get right to it shall we...

Here's some of the colourful goodness happening in my studio right now.

 

A sweet little lady with some furry loves...

(I have a brand new coloured pencil desk set up in my upstairs studio & I LOOOVVVEEE it)

 

A funky lady who thinks that the higher the hair the closer to shooting stars...ha ha.

 

Another pretty lady who will be a mixed media and who dreams of hugging Panda Bears... 



 

A beautiful woman and her trio of friends...

 

 

and my oh my much more...

 

I usually do abunch of coloured pencil work and wait till I have a pile before I

do the cutting & painting parts of each piece

but I went crazy over the holidays and just kept colouring and colouring.

So this week I'll have to concentrate on finishing some of the darlings off.

 

So Yeppers...I am back.

Do join me here a couple times a week at least pretty please.

2014 is going to be a GREAT blogging year, I can just feel it.



Back Real Soon

Hi Lovely Peeps.

 

Can I just send out a big massive hug to you.

I am feeling so very very warmly embraced & supported by my blog land circle...

 

Thank You.

 

Things around here are good & busy.

January is always a really great time for me to instigate new healthy changes & routines.

My head is amazingly behaving so I am in my studio a lot &  making lots of new pieces.

I am cleaning my studios big time...ugh it's been quite the job & I am nowhere near being done!

Soon it's back to work on the new website & I just can't wait to launch it.

Also new changes to the blog are way overdue & in the works as well...YAY.

 

(this is one of my all time favorite photos of our Teela)

 

Everybunny is good.

Teela & Yuuji love the newly finished bedroom.

(I think we were the only ones who were measuring the height of bed frames for bunny usage, ha ha!)

Frenwyck loved having his pa around constantly for our 2 week holiday.

Jinny is hanging in there.  She might need a 4th round of antibiotics and we are still quite worried.

The sneezing has stopped but the labored breathing is still present.

 

I just wanted to let you know that I'll be back really soon.

On January 20th to be exact.

I am excited. 

I think that 2014 is going to rock & I can't wait to continue sharing with you here.

 

See you again really soon & Happy Happy New Years.

XO Mandy (aka Bijou)

Thinking of Torry

Today I am thinking of Torry McIntyre.

My beautiful niece who was killed in an awful car accident 2 years ago today.

(So let me share just a few of my favorite photos)

 

(Photo by one of Torry's friends)

 

4 teenagers died that horribly awful and life altering day.

 

(Me with Torry & her bunny and brother Cody)

 

(Me and my brother dancing with Torry)

 

(Jonathan, Torry and I going bonkers to some music, ha ha)

 

(Jonathan did this fun image of Torry long ago...I still find it so sweet)

 

I can't get into a car without thinking of her...

nor feel a sense of fear now whenever I am on the highway.

 

(one of my favorite photos of Torry with Jonathan)

 

She was only 18.  As beautiful and as full of life as we come.

 

(another photo by one of Torry's friends)

 

I think of her every day.

 

(and another beautiful photo by one of her friends)

 

Of the beautiful woman she was becoming....

of all the amazing & beautiful life she won't have that she so deserved.

 

 

I haven't been able to blog about it until now.  Not that it's easy now!

I just couldn't find or form the words.

 

Your missed desperately dear girl.

Every day this year I light a candle for you and hope that your happy & free somewhere 'up there'.

Happy Holidays

Hi Everyone.  It's the last post of the year, wow!

 

Thanks so very much to all who visited and supported me here on my beloved blog this past year.

Being able to share my art & some of my life in this special space is so lovely & important to me.

 

 

Now it's time for some much needed rest & rejuvenation with my honey & bunnies...

and lots of hot cocoas, roaring fires, movies, books, baths, naps, skiing, etc and of course art time.

 

I hope I'll see you here again in the New Year.

Be Well, Be Kind, Be Joyful and Be Inspired.

XXOO Mandy & The Bunnies

P.S.  The Buns have been entered into a draw for the best bunny Xmas card...
JUST CLICK HERE: 
Teela, Yuuji, Flynn, Jaks, Jinny and Frenwyck sure would appreciate your vote
(We're #28).
If they are the winners they get a lovely package of rabbity goodies from the host Buns Boutique

One Whole Year With Tee-Tee

This past week we celebrated joyously...

For it marked

1 whole year that our Honey Bee Tee-Tee has been with us.

Making our precious orange haired girl just over 2 years old.

 

One year ago on December 8th we were driving a total of 8+ hours and almost 1000kms

in a super duper nasty snowstorm to adopt our Teela from the Toronto Humane Society.

 

 

Every single time I look at her little face my heart just swells.

I just simply can not comprehend how someone can give her away to a shelter...

but in the end I am hugely glad they did because she's finally found her way home!

 

 

She called to my heart & soul as soon as I saw her little face on those adoption pages.

 

 

She was right from the start a balm to my heart

(missing our Ella Luna & during the last difficult months with Roo just 8 months after Ella passed).

She quickly became one of my brightest lights that I can't imagine life without.

 

 

Jonathan says that she & I are soul mates and I believe he is right.

 

 

She is adorably clumsy and so insanely endearing that she melts your heart.

 

 

She is so special. SO sweet, so funny & spunky.

 

 

And oh boy this little one just loves her Yuuji...

I find it sweet that they were across from each other at the shelter for a short spell.

It took awhile to bond them but now they are thick as thieves and so so precious together.

 

 

Jonathan is always saying 'How many different kinds of cute is she..." ha ha.

As naughty as she can get...she has her daddy wrapped around her little paw, ha ha ha!

 

 

and she is a huge foodie...she wants to eat everything! including walls!

The only things she's turned her nose up at so far is pickles, ha ha!

She LOVES her nightly sips of honeyed green tea with us at bedtime...

and buzzes super loud like a honey-bee...hence the nickname.

 

You know me, I could go on & on about my babies!  So I'll end here and just say...

Happy 1 year homecoming to our little Honey-Bee-Tee-Tee.

We can't imagine life without you our little sweet darling. 



Happy 38th

It is my handsome & amazing and wonderful guys 38th today...

 

Happy Happy Day my awesome love. 

Jinny

Sorry to be so absent these days.  I've not been on my computer nor in my studio much lately.
For we've been stressed....Our beautiful blue-grey Jin got really sick last week.

 

 

A rushed visit to an emergency appointment with x-rays and all the stressful bits

concluded in what looks like pretty serious pneumonia.

 

So we're diligently administering broad spectrum antibiotics twice daily for at least 2 weeks.

Keeping her nice and warm with ample company.

And of course her buddy Jaks is taking pretty good care of his girlie &

as sick as she's been she's still taking care of him!

Lots of fresh Oregano is being had too because apparently it's good to help rabbits fight colds.

 

We're tentatively optimistic that she's looking better than a few days ago BUT we know she's old

& that pneumonia is quite serious in buns, let alone ones that are upwards of 10 years old.

 

SO dear blogging peeps...send us our girl Jinny some healthful wishes and good healing mojo.