Happy Birthdays...And "The Party Pooper"

Today I send out a big giant Happy Birthday to my Jonathan...HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY...and to our baby of babies, our beautiful Ella Luna...who turns 6. We don't know Ella Luna's exact birth date but it's defiantly sometime in December and Jonathan said he wanted to share his day with his favourite bunny girl. I usually do a new birthday image every year and this year Jonathan's aversion to celebrating his birthday inspired me, ha ha....usually for me, the more hoopla and people to help celebrate the better, for Jonathan the least amount of celebration the better...so, ha ha, in coloured pencil on illustration board I conjured up this grouchy little birdie whom I affectionately call "The Party Pooper". This one won't be available as a print but will be available very soon in greeting card format at my members space at the wonderful Art On Main and later on through my new website and possibly etsy shop.

Our Ella Luna...6 years ago in the month of January you were a few weeks old and we saw your big beautiful feet sticking out of a log house at a pet store that didn't deserve your precious spirited little heart...we weren't looking for a new family member...we just lost our first bunny baby and we're still heart broken...but I couldn't take my eyes off those feet of yours and I found myself saying without even thinking "Can We See That Little One Under That Log House" and the sales person pulled you out and put you in my arms and into my heart and you haven't left them since:D We brought you home and you were the light in our darkness...our Moon...our Luna....Our Bella Luna....one of the best decisions we've ever made and one of the best little souls we've ever had the pleasure of knowing.

Happy Birthday to my love. Happy Happy Good day to you my sweet...If anyone deserves birthday wishes coming true, it would indeed most certainly be you:D XOXOXOXOX

Happy Birthday our little bundle of craziness and sweetness, laughs and joys...We love you you perfect little furry person, we love you.

Toronto...Part 2 of 4...The Beach

Walking along the seemingly endless wooden boardwalk along Toronto's waterfront is one of our favourite places to spend some time when we're in the big city... And despite there always being lots of people around, you can always find moments of complete privacy and quietness, because people seem to mind their own business and are involved in their own stories and lives...sometimes you can't find that in smallish towns like where we live! In the city you have anonymity...sometimes I miss that...

This was a building right alongside the boardwalk and I loved how the shadows of the afternoon danced on the siding...

This dog playing along the shoreline made me feel so cozy and content but also made me anxious to get to my best friend who I knew I'd be spending the evening with and also made miss our furry babes back home...usually half a day or even a few hours away from home and the bunnies makes me crave to get back to them.

Something about the Toronto police on horseback makes me giddy with awe, ha ha.

This woman looks good on her horse...I was happy to see a female up there in the saddle as well.

I really like this shot...with the duck in the water and the upside down Tim Horton's cup on the fencepost! It does speak of our lack of respect for the natural world doesn't it...well whomever left it there is not treading lightly on this earth I am quite sure!

And than just when we didn't think the day could get better we saw two people on the beach creating these cool little stone pillars...a balancing act of sorts and quite impressive to view and watch. There were tons of these stacks taking up at least 10 metres of beach...

I found this guy so beautiful to photograph and the way he so intently and serenely focused on his tower of balancing stones was lovely and calming to watch...I found myself breathing easier just watching him...

I think part of what I found so beautiful about this scene was not just the perfect day we were previously enjoying, or the fantastic warm summer air wafting gently around everyone, nor the waves crashing down on the beach but it was how these two people building their rock creation didn't give a single fig about what anyone thought...they were simply in that moment building whatever they were building and not caring a second what anyone else thought...I have to learn to do that better...

...Full concentration on the task at hand...feeling ease in the moment present because you know your doing exactly what your meant to be doing at that exact moment...also something I am working on, ha ha...

A wonderful day...with some pretty cool shots taken too I think:D Again thanks for joining me here and having a look at some of my photos...like I said before, I don't call myself a photographer by any stretch of the imagination but I sure do love my camera....and I do plan to open an Etsy Shop for some of my photos...why not give it a try right!? I already have my banner and name picked out too. Come back again on Friday for another and new Beautiful Bird. Be Well All.

Can Cute Rabbity Faces Coerce You....

I've noticed a drop in comments on this beloved blog of mine the last few days and I know it's just because every one's busy but still, I've been complaining about it to Ella and Roo saying 'Dammit and I thought I was finally on the right track here guys, what going on?...." and Ella and Roo seem to think that I've just not been putting enough pictures of them up...they said 'Sure mom...it's your artwork that might bring them to visit BUT it's us that makes them stay...' ha ha...so upon their suggestion, I took some shots of the Queen and King of our rabbity manor...

....And pass along a big "Hello" from Ella-Luna and Roo today:D

A New "Beautiful Bird"...

Most of my birds are singular...but of course as a gal so in love I just had to create at least one lovey dovey couple... Soon will come the first batch of ready to hang mounted prints in my shop.

That's all for today...short and sweet...and lovey dovey:D

Be Well All...Be Well.

p.s. For my fellow animal lovers and lovers of the long earred, abit of good news that will make the world a tad better! I just realized I never posted the link, sorry about that!

A 4th Beautiful Bird

Another 'Beautiful Bird' and I love this grouchy little guy, ha ha. And I think I managed to give the background a warm richness, don't you think? I do love acrylic and how fast it dries, since I seem to mostly dry brush everything.

Well he may be abit snickety but I think he'll make some people smile anyways, ha ha. I started painting strawberries all over some chairs the other day...my wonderful friend Becca is opening up an organic health spot and has hired me to adorn all the furniture with berries, ha ha. It's going to be alot of berries but so far it's really fun to be working on something abit different.

Also tonight, I'll be at my arts collective for the following shows and fundraiser (also where you can purchase 4 of my paper cuts for only $100) Anyways, I hope it's fun and very crowded, I am deemed the official photographer for the evening so wish me luck!...

After this evening we are looking forward to a warm cozy weekend full of bunny snuggling and xmas decorating...wishing you all a great one as well.

The City Walks Sale...

As you know last Saturday I spent my day selling my goods at our local "City Walks Tour", an artisans sale where several houses host a few artists each and than the public are given a map and can come tour and shop at each house. It was my first time participating, but the 11th year it's taken place and despite the current troubles & worries of flu & recession, was a great success with over 300 people visiting each house. Here was my display and little corner...which I loved it was so cozy and comfy...

Every sale is different, sometimes I sell mostly necklaces, other times I sell an equal mix of everything, this time however I sold lots of cards and my felt star and bird ornaments.

Mary Bon, our lovely and fun house hostess was selling her pottery in the kitchen which was also full of baked goodies and warmth and across from me was my friend Jana, selling her beautiful jewelry, she is such a strong and lovely gal that Jana Brogan...

In the living room were 2 artists...you can see abit of Florence White's set up in the photo below, she was selling her lovely knitted goods and had also brought her spinning wheel and added coziness to the day but spinning wool.

I refuse to show the other artist for he was wearing a suit he made from buck skin! (which as you can imagine just horrified me, and even more so since that morning on our way up to the sale Jon and I saw the most beautiful deer and we felt so lucky to take in it's majesty!) and I am sorry, but from what I could see the guy had enough skin of his own to wear! So since this is my blog and I can post what I want and because this blog is also about animal advocacy I have no desire to advertise or share his wares with my readers.

It was a great day, alot of fun with alot of sales and full of lovely people and defiantly something I would do again next year. For now...my hands are so cold I can barely move them, I turned my studio heat off over the weekend and forgot to turn it back on! so I am slightly frozen, ha ha...so I am going to go partake in a warm cup of something sweet and bury my hands in some warm rabbity goodness. So than, 'adieu' for now, be well, be warm and thanks for popping in!

Toronto Photographs By Moi...Part 1 of 4

Way back in June or July of this past summer, Jonathan and I spent a couple days in Toronto, just enjoying our old stomping grounds and one of our favourite parks... We sprawled out under the towering trees with some ice cappuccinos beside us, a full beautiful day ahead to do at leisure whatever we wanted and we just basked in the heat and calming noise of park life...ahhh it was blissful... It's a park in the Beaches area that we frequented quite often when we lived in the city...it holds good and cozy memories for us...

We've seen lots of couples dancing and bands playing on summer days in this beautiful gazebo.

...and we've gotten hit in the head by acorns thrown by black squirrels quite often too, ha ha...which is why we're often seen looking up...like my Jonathan in this shot, ha ha.

Okay okay...so this blog is mostly for my artwork and artistic inspirations but I do include Jonathan in that group, and do oh so love to photograph him and I just love these shots of him so I thought I'd add them in:D

I also love taking photos of houses and gardens...or places and moments that just strike me as being quiet and cozy and most likely overlooked...like the side of this house near the park...

...and Jonathan of course took this one of moi...which I of course had to alter and crop etc...I think I had a sore head that day, which is one reason we were laying under the trees but I am happy that it doesn't show too much in my face, since bliss and contentment defiantly overshadowed any head pain that day...

...and I just had to show you my favourite little charm...my 'bunnies will be just fine while your gone' talisman that I just can't leave town without!

...A sweet little garden and house making the day even sweeter...

...a lonely park bench reminding us of how lucky we were for each others company...

...and fallen leaves reminding us of precious time being quietly passed...

I think as a carpenters daughter, I was raised with an appreciation for wood and the beautiful places and trees that they come from...so a 'normal' set of tree branches often holds much beauty for me...

I think this is one of my favourite shots I've taken of Jonathan so far...

But this "I am coming to get ya" shot is a possible close 2nd, ha ha.

And for now that's it...we took tons more photos but as always I try for this blog of mine to par it down to my absolute favourite imagery...so there you go...part 1 of 4....do join me next Wednesday for Part 2.

Be Well and may you find many beautiful simple moments and places to photograph wherever you may be.

AOM Display Refreshed

So last week, I had alot of shifts at my arts collective, Art On Main. They were great shifts though where I met alot of lovely people including quite a few who were crazy about my work and wanted to shake my hand and who continued to make my head puff up about 10 times it's normal size, ha ha. But they were also shifts full of chores getting done, a lovely surprise visit from my mom, whom also brought lunch:D and actually even abit of willy-nilly web surfing which was relaxing because I can't remember the last time I was on the Internet just to browse. Also I took a couple hours to rearrange and refresh my artists space and I am happy with the results...what do you think?

I brought in my 7 paper cuts, 3 of the more intricate designs are hanging in my space for $155 a piece. Four are to be hung for our members show where they will be only $100.00 a piece(this show runs from Nov 30th to the end of December with the opening happening this Friday evening).

I was pretty giddy with how elegant and finished off my paper cuts looked in frames.

That's all for today...join me tomorrow for the first batch of my favourite photographs from a Toronto trip this past summer. Join me again on Thursday for some photos of City Walks and do try to join me again Friday where I plan to share another Beautiful Bird. We have now officially begun our winter and are covered in snow with more apparently coming tonight...I normally wouldn't worry but I still have pots and garden hoses, etc to pick up! yikes!

Another Beautiful Bird...

I survived the long stretch of daily headaches which finally abated into a nice stretch with no head pain, WAHOO:D! and the weekend sale 'City Walk' was alot of fun and a great success (I'll post a couple photos soon). I have to admit that I am glad that the busy week is over with and I am looking forward to just spending abit of time with friends, the buns and Jon and just getting back to my own self-imposed projects, such as more birds. Speaking of Birds, here is another of my 'Beautiful Birds'. It seems birds are a popular thing to illustrate/paint around blogland lately, ha ha...but I swear I didn't realize this until after I started my series! I just wanted to divert abit from rabbits..though I do have inklings of a similar series with rabbits roaming around my head. This one was actually the first "Beautiful Bird"that I did...I am really happy with how the painted backgrounds are complimenting the coloured pencil birds. I've used this technique before and it's defiantly one that is growing on me. What do yous think? I hope you can join me on Wednesday for some of my favourite photos from a summer trip to Toronto (I told you I was behind!). I have alot that I want to share so I'll show them in 4 part over 4 weeks..well that's the plan at the moment!

I hope your homes are all glittery and cozy with holiday cheer...ours is full of happy bunnies and really that's all we want for Christmas.

The Past Civic Long Weekend!

Okay so quite abit late with these photos ha ha...but I just got around to adjusting them etc and I love these shots so I really wanted to share them with you all. I find I am so very very content lately, sitting on my computer, playing around with my photos with music blasting...I feel at home...I feel cozy and than I hit a really great shot and my heart dances...so maybe I defiantly should look into opening a photography shop sooner than later!!! We'll see... Anyhow...During a long weekend this past summer, our little city of North Bay had it's annual summer festival. Jonathan and I always walk down, spend the day hand in hand enjoying the bustle and crowds (and avoiding the petting zoo)...these are my favourite shots from that weekend festival... I do love taking shots of really cute houses...so I snuck a couple on the way there... ...and than we hit the festival area...

I think these are some of my favourite shots of the whole year!...

...and a couple more cute abodes on the walk back home:D...

I think perhaps my achy body and head are already longing for the warmer days of summer past!!! Oh Oh...and we're only at -8 so far soon enough it'll be the -30's! But than we'll have the warm coziness of xmas decorations to help us past that chill:D

Be Well all...Be Well...may memories of perfect and lovely summer days past embrace you with inner smiles, warmth and remind you of the happiness in that exact moment of where you were.....and perhaps of where you currently are:D XO Mandy.