This Week

I've been finding the news so difficult to take these last couple weeks,
especially with the attack & murder of Cpl. Nathan Cirrilo at our parliament hill in Ottawa

& all the scary Ebola news...

so I've been diving into rabbit time & snuggles even more so lately.

Just laying on the floors hanging out with my babies is one of the best ways to settle my whole being.

 

So from that perspective...

from the floor with blankets & pillows. surrounded by bunnies in every room to hug & love,

with an Alice Hoffman constantly tucked under arm...and jazz tinkling & candles flickering....

The week was good and looked a little something like this....

 

 

 

It was good until Wednesday A.M. that is!
That's when Jaks stopped eating completely and went into g.i.stasis

(which fellow rabbit parents know is very serious & can quickly kill buns).

So medical bromide injections, Gas-X tablets, belly rubs, critical care feedings, forced movement,

very little sleep, etc were also our part of our week for 48 hours. 

 

Jaks is eating today though, so it's looking like he's on the mend, thank goodness.
He's the last of the original 'tough-nut' clan & the bridge to the new brigade.

 

Well it's time to turn off all the lights and hunker down with my guy & some take out,

It's time for our ritual Halloween 'Walking Dead' marathon.

Nightie night all & Happy weekend.

The Bird Who Carried Around A Star

A new inkling just finished.  Next is a couple of beady-eyed muskrats, a Dall sheep, a fish & more...

 

 

I am working on getting the lot of them into the shop as soon as possible...bear with me!

A Tree For Elsie & Henrie?

This will be Elsie & Henrie Biggens very first Christmas with us.

  

 

And whilst the upstairs is always all decked out in holiday cheer,

this is the first year I need to decorate my downstairs studio space...

Since it's their first Christmas here, I want Elsie and Henrie to have a beautiful twinkling tree

all of their very own (hopefully a pink one to match my room, their eyes and their ears, ha ha).

 

 

I would put the tree up there on the little green desk to the left of their couch (see above)

 

So let me ask you... 

Are you up for a ornament swap???????

 



 A swap for these two awesome buns who were given away & spent almost 2 years in a shelter?

 

 

I think it would be SO lovely.

I would create and make a special ornament, something handmade & whimsical of course

that I would send to you and in turn you would send me something

that you have made to hang on their tree.

 

 

What do you think???

If anyone is interested do let me know and I'll begin work on my ornament right away...

and once it's all up and decorated I'll do a post for the tree and we'll list everyone who took part.

 

(I have to say rabbit-themed ornaments would be SO awesome, they are so hard to find in the stores!)

 

So yes, do let me know...

could be so much lovely fun, for me, for you and two big bunnies

who will be able to spend their first Christmas here gazing up and into a dazzling heartfelt tree.

This Week

This was what my week looked like mostly...

 

 

 How did your week go my friends?



Goodbye my Dear, until next season

Summer is over, so I am reflecting on it and have decided it was a good summer...

abit of a wet one, but over all really really very good.

(Aside from a huge reno needed on our garage that kinda ran away with a lot of our playing time!)

 

 

But, I am abit sad, my lovely friend has been wrapped up & tucked away for another year

(yep, I am talking about my kayak! we aren't suppose to get attached to things, yes I know, but I am!)

Whiles I look forward to a snowy winter on our cross country skis, I miss her already!

21 Years

I unequivocally believe in soul mates....absolutely...
and we recently had a ball celebrating our 21st....
21 years so far in this life atleast.

 
 

 

I am so honored and lucky that I get to make & share my life with this awesome gorgeous guy...
He is beyond words and just beyond amazing.

 

(XXXOOOXXXOOOXXX to infinite times 2 babe XXXOOOXXXOOOXXX)

Leaves

I am sitting at my coloured pencil desk...
The skies today are in such a lovely tango...going from sunny and happy to dark grey and foreboding.
There is a sweet little black and white bunny sleeping at my feet...
eyes closed tight, nose twitching, front feet digging away in a deep deep dream.
A cup of green tea steeps beside me...
My favorite Toronto jazz station is on...
Soon my honey will be home...
we'll make a delicious dinner together as the buns start to wake up for our evening routine.
I just love days like this.

 

 

The barren trees are making me happy...

they signify that 'hibernation' time is almost upon us.
Coziness...
like a giant hug from a huge furry bear dressed in the softest angora sweater wrapping around us...

Soon it's time to rest up, be cozy all together in our sweet little home.
I don't have to worry about anything outside...
except for shoveling snow, bringing in fire wood, some skiing, walks on the lake with hot coca
and short brisk rabbit romps through snow tunnels.

AH
I really really do love days like this.

Pile of PRINTS...Why YES PLEASE!

I am now offering discounts on my 8x 10" PRINTS

for those of you who want to save and order multiple images.

It's the perfect chance to begin your own collection

of joyful, colourful & whimsical artwork by Yours Truly.

These deals may or may not be a permanent thing so take advantage of it now.

 

 

Two for $35, Three for $52, Four for $69 or Five for $85

(plus shipping & handling of course).

 

So head on over to my shop & go nuts...

cause who doesn't love a deal.

www.BijousWhimsy.Etsy.com



I'll Be Back On The 20th

Migraines & bad headaches have been seriously kicking my ass these last couple of weeks.

I've been trying to be stubborn & work through the pain but one night got so bad I almost called 911.

And now, I also have some tummy bug to contend with SOOO....

 

 

I am going to take a teeny tiny break from the blog to regroup my wits, patience, stamina

and all that good stuff that one needs in huge amounts to run a small indie business!

I'll be back...hmmm...let's say on October 20th.  See you again than.  XO

A View To Appreciate

We enjoy time by the waterside as much as we can...

especially since it'll all be frozen over cold & forbidding before we know it.

 

We are having our lunches here on weekends.

We bring our dinners here many nights & are usually still munching & chatting away

as the stars peek out & start to twinkle and the crickets seal it all as perfection with their song.

 

 

I am a firm believer in 'Growing where your planted'...

Not waiting to grow & take root until you think you've found the perfect place.

 

I believe that there's always time to slow right down and take in the beauty around us...

Put cellphones down, turn off computers...just be present.

Hold your loved ones hand abit longer...hug harder...breathe deeper...and count all our blessings.

 

A Lovely Weekend is being wished your way...Be Happy.  See you next week.

Sleepy Bunnies & Falling Leaves & Barbie

It's a quiet day today...

perfect for a sweet hot tea, cozy napping bunnies & diving under a warm blanket
to start in on a new book called 'Homeward Bound' by Emily Matchar
whilst bright yellow leaves fall like rain outside of the studio windows.
I think there might just be time to squeeze in a Barbie movie too as we draw later on this afternoon...

 

 

Yep, that's right, I am 36 years old, child-free-by-choice and I unashamedly admit to
loving the Barbie movies and in fact this Friday night I plan to watch some Tinkerbell too.
That's right, bring on the super cute, the uber sweet, the girly and the sparkly...
especially on such a cold & rainy week, AH....yes...ha ha.

Bell Play

So Teela & I have been playing with some bells.

(and because I am a nice neighbor I took every single chime out so they are completely noiseless!!!)

 

We arranged the white bells with some driftwood collected from the beach

and slices from an old tropical plant that had long since died & dried out.

 



However, I am in agreement with my Tee-Tee that whilst we like the new bells & swags,

we no longer like the painted fence boards so next year we're gonna paint that section plain white.

 

What do you think?

Sometimes a simple crafty project is just what a perfect autumn day calls for.

 

Psssttt

Pssst...

My September e-studio-news was mailed out earlier today.

Sweet & short as usual, just enough to give you a quick once monthly round up

of what the buns & I have been up to in the studio & a bit beyond the studio as well I suppose.

 

 

If you signed up to receive my e-news

it would just be like the best cup of sweet creamy coffee ever...

or like a big bowl of whipping cream with chunks of marzipan & dark chocolate on top!

It really really would be that wonderful!!

Just email your name & email address to MandySaile@BijousWhimsy.com or sign up here.

I Got Em

Every 3 days for almost a month I was going into a local thrift shop to bid

in a silent auction for these gorgeous lino cut prints.

When I saw them in the window, I gasped out loud & thought they were so so beautiful.

When I look at them I feel happy, at peace & like running to my studio to work...

now that's the kind of artwork I like to have in my home.

 

 

Well, just last week, I got the call that my tenacity won out & that they were mine...WOHOO!

I've never bid in an auction like that & must admit it was fun..well it was fun to win, ha ha!

(It's a dream of mine to someday go to a real auction house & witness the action)

Anyhoo, I still have to paint the gold frames white, but I couldn't wait to get them up.

YAY.

Framed Ink

I got some of my ink drawings framed up and I am so happy with how they look...

 

This gives you a sneak peek of part of our new kitchen reno too.

Another Inkling

A newbie just finished up.

 

 

Flynnster was the model for this one.

Bunnies & Bells

Are you having a good day today?

 

 

I am outside with a sore head, a thick blanket, a bunny or two & my bell project.

Back To The Office

Well my honey's telework application was not renewed so it's back to the office full-time he goes...

There's no sense in being upset about it...

We had him here with us working from home 3 days out of a 5 day work week for the past 13 months and it was so awesome but we knew it wasn't going to be a permanent schedule.

Still, all that being said, I've been partly dreading September for this reason.

 

 

I've been keeping my fingers crossed...waiting with baited breathe.

I've loved having my love home with me so much, I've treasured it & the rabbits loved it too.

I'll have to dote on Frenwyck for abit for he's going to miss having his daddy home the most...

he was always quiet and despondent when Jon went into the 'real' office Thursday & Fridays.

 

 

But it's all about attitude & perspective right...

Having him home for the last 13 months has, like I said been heaven & we appreciate the experience.

And he does goes back to the office full of lovely people & great co-workers

and to a pretty spectacular view of the skies and lake.

So a new shift of schedule is upon us and we're gonna embrace it the best we can.

Weekend Fall Clean Up

The beans & cucumbers are done & the plants barren, brown and frost bitten.
On the counter sits two huge platters of tomatoes that need to turn red still.
We're outside, starting the usual fall clean up...
plants in the composters...pots being piled away...
some furniture tucked away...ponds & fountains are being emptied...
the hammock is sadly being rolled up..one last run to the city recycling yards is being planned,
wood is being stacked & extra birdseed is being put out.
 

 

The buns are all quiet and naughty at the same time.

They seem a bit lost at this time of year, when the doors are closed more than they are open.

They don't seem to understand until you crack the door open in the morning

& a cold blast hits their furry little faces as their little bodies preciously expand &

huff with the intake of unexpected crispy cool air.

Today, we're all together, waiting for some company to arrive, basking in the busy-ness

of another season ending, one that somehow & once again, went by way to quickly.



More Sweet Swags

Her wish was my command...

After a fun trip to the fabric store together to pick out colours that matched her room.

 

More sweet ribbon swags...

From a doting Auntie to her pretty & cool niece.

XO.