Drawing

I am drawing in the sunlight.

'Road to Avonlea' episodes are playing in the background as I work.

 

 

What are you up to??

Any exciting weekend plans???

Buns & Blubs

The sun is shining and whiles, yes, my head is pounding...

when I wake up to most of my days starting off with this...

with bunnies begging for blueberries...

 

 

Well, it really does kind of snap things into perspective pretty quickly, ha ha.

It really does make it impossibly hard to NOT find the joy and sweetness in a day.

I truly do have rabbits to thank for my joyful heart & happy outlook on life.  Thanks Babies XO.

Temporarily Shut Down

I just wanted to let you know that my Etsy shop is temporarily closed.

I've never shut it down before

but I found it necessary to do so in order to make much needed changes.

 

 

We should be back up and running on the 19th of February...

Prices will change but that's only to reflect the much more beautiful prints that will now be offered.

Hope your having an awesomely joy-filled day.

News From The Whimsical Warren

Hey everyone.

Life is busy as ever...

but we all need doses of whimsy & colour, if not often than at least now and than, I hope you'd agree!

My Studio e-news may perhaps be the answer to your joy & whimsy needs!

As you can see, it's always colourful, playful, full of awesome bunnies & art and most importantly, because your all so busy, it's always quite short & sweet for speedy reading...

like a monthly chewable vitamin C

 

 

Perfect right? 

It is if you don't wanna miss a beat of what the buns & I are up to in the studio...

which is pretty much always joyful and whimsical and therefore a dose of happiness...we hope!

 

You see the spot of the sidebar where you can sign up???

We hope you'll click there now, if your not already receiving our monthly news.

(January's issue went out a smidge late due to my wrestling matches with *+#@*$ printers all week!)

One Thing I Know To Be True

Ahhhh....There are many many things in this life, on any given day, that I am quite unsure of.
BUT I do know one thing to be very very true, a fact so solid & lovely that I can always lean on it.

 

 

The fact is that seeing rabbits, who were previously stuck in cages at a shelter, stretch out and nap

happily away on my studio floor is one of the best things in the world, EVER!

Pens, Sun & Pain

The sun has been shining, my head has been pounding and I have been drawing...

 

 

Drawing more sweet beautiful bunnies of course...now back to my pens, the sun and some Glee!

10 Things

Let's do something a little different which I've not done in a really long while.

Let's do a "10 things you may not know about me" post...

 

 

1.  Before I knew I wanted to be an fulltime artist, I once upon a time wanted to be a stewardess, than a veterinarian and that was followed by a dream to work for snow/water search  & rescue.

2.  I've taken in and taken care of rabbits for over 20 years now...that's over 7 thousand 300 days of
snuggling, nurturing, diligence, worrying, pampering, doting, slaving over, loving, mothering, etc...

3.  I listen to a mix of Spotify streams, RadioTunes 'Datempo' stream & Jazz.fm 91.1 most of the day

4.  I don't always feel like making art everyday.  And I definitely do not usually like to admit that!

5.  I have my dream vehicle.  A Jeep.

6.  Every single time I see a star I wish for 3 things almost exclusively...
to have a very long healthy life with my love and to see the end of animal testing & the seal-hunt.

7.  I dream of staying in Bali & melding into an artist community there for a nice long spell someday.

8.  I dream of spending a short spell by the waterside in Austria someday.

9.  I dream of seeing England via a leisurely meandering train trip someday.

10. I have no idea how I'll do #7, 8 & 9 when I also dream of always having a house full of rabbits!!!

Now you?....do a list of 10 things on your blogs and leave the links below in the comments section.
(P.S Thanks to my friend Deb who did a '10 things' post over on her blog, yayyy:D)

The First Rabbit Inkling of the year

A new ink drawing...
Isn't he just a darling?  The detailing on this one took quite some time.
I am sure you knew the first drawing of the year would have to be a rabbit, ha ha!

 

 

I've been diving into my ink pen work almost as soon as I wake up these last couple weeks
and I have admittedly been drawing rabbits almost exclusively!

(Prints will be listed at some point.  I'll let you know when and where.
Interested in the original before it's listed, gone and sold?  just email me).

The Book Pile

It's that time again.

Time to share my book pile from last year.

It's a bit on the small side again but that's because I was quite addicted and busy with back issues of

my favorite magazines such as Artful Blogger, Coloured Pencil Magazine & Art Doll Quarterly.

 

 

There was sadly only one book that I absolutely loved and is now on my 'favorites' shelf.

 

 

These two aren't favorites but I thought they were quite good.

 

 

All of these ones were just so so in my humble opinion...

 

 

and these 3 I really didn't like at all.

 

 

I hope this year my book pile is twice the size

and I hope that the titles in the 'great' section are twice as well!

(check out last years pile right here if your interested in my reading habits)

 

What was your favorite read of 2014 may I ask???



Wintery Play

This has been us lately, in a nutshell...

outside dealing with loads of snow & bringing a fluff or two along with us for some snowy exercise!

 

Teela, Yuuji and Frenwyck like the snow so they get dibs on this seasons outdoor time

because Henrie, Elsie, Emmett, Flynn and Jaks aren't into the snow and cold quite so much
(and ummm psssttt isn't Teela thee BEST colour ever! Ha ha)

Why Hello There 2015

Ahhhh...

 

That was a good break, I must say.

Thanks for hanging in there and being patient during that rather lengthy break of mine.

I was in my studio after the Xmas holidays getting a lot of sketching done in the company of way too much chocolate, in front of roaring fires, besides napping bunnies & during indulgent trash t.v.!

I didn't get as much work done as I was hoping for because head pain has been super bad and unfortunately very consistent but I did get some needed studio organizing done

and I did get some much needed rest...I admit it, I napped away like 20 year old cat!!!

I did also got an incredibly awesome (and intimidating) new printer & I can't wait to start using it.

 

This break was needed too because to be honest sometimes a sensitive little artist such as myself

just needs to cocoon herself off all safe and snug like to warm up her soul & spirit before once again

spreading her wings and taking off into the big huge unknown world of 'online'.

 

I am ready to be back at it all now though.

 

I am ready to keep on plugging away...

whether people are looking and liking or not!
Whether those much needed and sought after opportunities come or not!

I feel proud of my work last year, I did ALOT, a whole lot, it was my most prolific year yet

which is something to note because it was without a doubt also my worst head pain year yet.

 

 

I step into this New Year full of possibilities and dream-making

with three things I know to be true acting as my sturdy diving board;

I am completely and utterly lucky in love and will unashamedly fully bask in all that goodness.

I am a bunny-mama and I am going to embrace all that that means, lone black sheep & all!

and I am an artist to the very core of my cells and this year I will continue to grown within that...

I want to unabashedly and happily submerge into it all...

to sink into it all the soul vibrating pleasure that unbridled creativity can bring.

 

I am also buzzing with anticipation over some big studio/art plans and changes that are in the works as I slowly transition from the old 'Bijou's Whimsy' illustration identity that no longer suits me
into the new whimsical handmade indie entity I am now meant to be.

 

So dearest New Year

I am strong, I am unique, I am true...

and I am ready for more of all of your abundant beauties.

 

and I really hope that you continue to join me on this blog as I share a bit of my world, work & joys.

 

XO and see you all next week.

Happy Holidays

Time for a nice long holiday...

 

 

...See you all mid-January XXOO

A Sweet Pink Tree, Lovelies from Lovely bloggers & Two Thankful Buns

Elsie and Henrie and I LOVE love love our new sweet-as-can-be studio tree

  

 

It tickles me pink every time I walk into the room.

 

 

And we are sending out huge delightful thanks & cheer

to our two lovely blogging friends who sent us such beautiful goodies for the tree....

 

 

The lovely and talented Natascha Rieper send us this gorgeous beauty.

Look at her 2 beautiful buns on the card..awww...I LOVE it.

 

 

 and the sweet and embracing Deb Dunn sent us this insanely cute & fun set of felt lovelies

and another handmade beautiful card.  So so so sweet, I love them.

 

I asked Henrie & Elsie what they wanted to send the lovely ladies in return

 

 

they choose this, my handmade rabbit felt goodies...

 

 

I have to thank my mom too for she gave me this bunny for Easter last year which I was able to add a string of sparkled snowflakes too and covert into the most perfect tree topper...

 

 

We look forward to adding new bunniful goodies to it in the coming seasons...

 

 

 Thanks again for taking part in our ornament swap Debb & Natascha,

bigs hugs being sent your way from me and especially from Elsie & Henrie Biggens

XXOO



Beady Eyed Muskrats

My Gorgeous Guy

Today, My Gorgeous Guy turns 39!
Happy Birthday Babe.  Love Love Love you.
I am sending this song out to you today my love XXXOOO

 



 (However!  Birthday celebrations are being put off for a few days this year for

my poor babe is not feeling so hot
as he had dental surgery yesterday to get his naughty wisdom teeth out...poor guy).

Henna & Headache

Oh boy did I ever have a monster migraine this past weekend

which left me feeling up to getting very little done unfortunately.

I only ventured out for 2 specific purposes, to get a blast of cold Northern air on my pounding dizzy head and to get a dose of Starbucks yummy goodness in the form of a caramel crème brule soy latte!

 

 

But I did manage to break out my henna supplies...

after attacking Jonathan's arm, I had a bit of fun on my own hand and wrist...

I mean if I had to sit still with a headache, I matter as well sit still waiting for henna to dry, ha ha!

What can I say, I am slightly addicted!

2 Years for Tee-Tee

Today marks the day, 2 years ago, that we went to adopt our Teela from the shelter.

 



 One of the best things we've done yet.  Love you little Miss Sunshine...so so much.

Happy Weekend

I am sitting here sharing a smoothie with Frenwyck & wishing a super great weekend your way...

 

 

My Shop has been invigorated with prints that have been resting in the shadows for abit, check it out.

Graeme Base...an inspiration

I've been thinking about early on inspirations.

Trying to remember my earliest memories of who and what inspired me to want to be an artist.

 

The art and incredible fantastical world of artist Graeme Base comes to mind right away.
(I am reading this book on him, his process and his artwork right now and it's great)

Though memory fails me and I can't remember the age I was when I discovered him...

I know it was one of the many many times my mom would bring me to the public library....

She took me there ALOT thankfully, ha ha, partly because she knew I was wild about books
and also because she taught herself English by reading English books.

Graeme's books used to be displayed behind the counter...you had to ask for them...and I always did.

 He brought animals to life in his stories...

He gave them larger than life personalities in wild and crazy scenerios

and I remember feeling a kinship...here was someone with a wild imagination for animals, like me.
Here was someone who must understand also that animals are more than just what meets the eye.

 

I would feel envious of the ladies who worked there in the library,

it had to be one of the best jobs ever! to get to spend their days surrounded by

amazing pictures and books and transporting stories, even if a tad on the quiet side!

Even when I was probably too old to be visiting the kids department I would still wander in.

I could not stay away from the books...and truthfully I still can't!

I have a rather large collection of kids books that slowly grows bigger each year.

(I did end up working in two bookstores for some time later in life and I was right!

whiles the paychecks sucked, it was indeed awesome to be near all the books, ha ha!)

 

I remember from first glance I was completely smitten with Base's work.

And I love that still to this day, his work pushes me on to be better, to do better...

His work also reminds me that there is magic in the detailing...and you know me, I love my detail!

 And whiles we are in completely different spheres...I can only dream of being as good as he is...

His work still somehow indirectly reminds me to keep making pictures no matter what...

That it doesn't matter if anyone cares about what your doing because at the end of the day...

there is some kind of magic in being able to make pictures.

Don't ya think?

A Favourite Place

Hi ya.  I hope you had a great weekend?  Today I wanted to show you a spot dear to my heart.
This is one of my most favorite places to spend my time...

It's my coloured pencil work area in my upstairs studio.
I love it on sunny days.  I love it on rainy days.
I love it during the daylight hours & as much at night.
I love that Jaks sleeps by my feet the whole time I am here.
I love seeing people walk by, the snow falling, plants in the front garden moving in the breezes...
Ahhhh...it's a happy space for sure.
 

 

I love being surrounded by the colours of my beloved pencils.
I love that this room is jam packed with plants.
I adore the 'heating board' that my honey made for me for my last birthday,
it melts the pencils just enough to make them feel like butter
and it's heavenly on my always achy wrist.
I especially like that it's right off the kitchen so I can keep working whiles my hon makes dinner.
Or I can peek into the living room & see the tv or a roaring fire.  Ahhhh.

I am lucky.  I have many desks and work spaces set up for my art work! something like 10 maybe!
That doesn't count the comfy couch or all the spots I set up for myself outside in the summers!
Well, what is that old saying...
"Too Much Of A Good Thing Is Wonderful" ha ha!