Finding my way… Into the new year š
I hope you had an awesome Christmas and New Year Celebrations Creative Friends…
Happy new year from me!!!
I am very fortunate to live a life I love and I’m looking forward to all good things to come in 2018 :).
But to be truly honest, I am also very apprehensive of other ”not so good” things to come…
I’ll share with you if you care to read…
The health of Poppy, my little fur child and closest buddy of over 15 years, has gone downhill over the last 6 months. He has been diagnosed with steadily progressing kidney disease and some dementia…
I am always slightly stressed constantly closing doors and putting barriers around him, not trusting anyone because he has given me the most horrible frights of my life jumping off heights and smacking his head unconscious on the ground a few times!
His little back legs have arthritis and cannot carry his weight when he jumps but it doesn’t seem to care lol He is still a puppy and always will be š
It has happened 3 times over the last year…
The worst time was when he jumped about a good 1.5 metres out ofĀ my parked camper van (about 1 meter high!) because he saw another dog he wanted to chase, silly bugger! One minute he was barking and the next he was lying unconscious on the concrete with his head at a weird angle š š
He was unconscious for what felt like an eternity and I can tell you the entire neighbourhood would have heard my screams as I thought he had snapped his neck!! Obviously I know he will die very soon but I will do everything in my power to ensure it is not from something stupid like this or from something we could have prevented…
Honestly I have not been able to talk about it much because it was traumatising for me and then it happened twice again after despite my best efforts š
Now the poor thing is constantly supervised and living in restricted quarters for his own safety hahaha But… I live with a background worry of when ”that time” will come, which is most likely over the next 6 months max.
The beast who drives me crazy š
I know this is not so fun for you to read about but let’s be realistic, life isn’t always all rainbows and fairies and I wouldn’t be honest with you if I only shared positive things right? š I know I will end up finding my way through all of it in the end, just like I end up finding my way in an art journal page (except that art journalling is fun lol).
Anyway… Now that I have this off my chest, let’s do some painting!!
Keep in mind this is a quick tutorial to share my process with you, this is not how I teach! If you’d like to learn mixed media with me, all my workshops (and books) are highly detailed so you never have to wonder what is going on or what I’m doing š
With love and sunshine, and to finding your own way!
Mimi Bondi
Art supplies used:
(click on blue links if you want to buy the same ones from my store!)
- Blue Impression Watercolour Stickers
- Dylusions art journal small
- Americana Acrylics: Sour Apple, Royal Fuchsia, Jack O’Lantern, Lemon Yellow, Sea Breeze, Snow White
- Gel medium
- Sharpie waterbased marker black extra fine tip and white medium tip
- Bombay India Ink – Teal and Black
- FW Pearlescent Acrylic – Hot Cool Yellow
- Pebeo Iridescent Acrylic – Blue/Green, Green/Yellow and Violet/Blue
- Posca Marker – black fine tip
Finding My Way Mixed Media Art Journal Page by Mimi Bondi
Want to learn mixed media effortlessly?
My workshops show you absolutely everything, from start to finish so you can learn & build confidence in your art!
BOOKS to tear up and use in your own art!
Use my collage paper books (full pages and elements) for inspiration and for collage fun in your own art!
mimi, i don’t know much yet as I have only begun the research, but there is a ton of information on how a raw food diet specific for cat or dog in this case can heal their bodies tremendously. just a thought and I’ve already said a prayer for your little baby. God bless you all!
Oh you are so sweet thank you Jody!! He’s already on a very strict special kidney diet and it’s meant to help a lot. It’s just sad not to be able to please him with little treats or his favourite foods like chicken meat anymore š Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers, he has been better lately! xx
Love and light coming your way for you and your fur baby.
Thank you Marie, I appreciate this š xx
Mimi, I’m so sorry to read of your sweet Poppy’s issues. It’s the hardest part about owning a dog…they just don’t stay with us long enough. But think of all the joy they bring us while they are here with us š Hugs to you, sweetie. And kisses on the nose for Poppy too!
~Michelle
Thank you so much Michelle, that is so true!! xx
Hi Mimi,
So sorry to hear about Poppy. I’ve been through times like you are having a few years ago with my doggie. Now I’m just at the beginning of the downfall of another one. Keep Poppy safe. I’m thinking of you!!
Oh no Deb, that’s awful, we get soooo attached to our beloved furry children, don’t we? Thank you and sending you lots of love!
Oh, Mimi…I am so glad to see you here with a new tutorial, but I am just as sad for you and your precious Poppy. I teared up at the point in your video when you wrote your message. You are not alone–I am in a similar situation with my beloved pet, but yes, we will find the way. Thank you for sharing this with us! Sending warm wishes to you and tender pets to Poppy.
Thank you Heather, I’m sorry to hear you are in a similar situation with your beloved fur child, they touch our heart so much don’t they?? Sending you hugh and there will be more tutorials š
lots of us know your heartbreak . MY FUR BABIES tOLOUSE AND MR. BOGGS BOTH CATS ,PASSED AWAY ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS APART. THEY HAD CANCER… THATS OVER A YEAR AGO NOW.. IT WILL BECOME EASIER .MY ART IS NOT THE SAME WITH OUT PAW PRINTS..i NOW PUT THEM IN MY SELF AT THE FINISH. My love to you and your fur baby Poppy..
Thank you for sharing Jan! I lost a dog before and it took years to recover so this is going to be very hard. So happy they are in every piece of art you create, that’s beautiful š
I know how you feel I lost a very Dear puppy in 2017. Quite quickly due to illness. They fill your your heart with so much love and then one day they leave you empty. But you never forget and you move on. We have a lovely young lady now who does the most silliest things that fills That void with different feelings and emotions. So take plenty of pictures and Give loads of hugs and enjoy what time you have.
šš¤
Enjoying time with him as much as possible Silvana, thank you so much! He’s happily sleeping near my feet right now but he could barely walk just before that… So hard! Sending you lots of love xxx
You poor thing re dog. I feel for you. I just put down my 19yr old best friend and companion. It leaves such a big hole in your life. He looks loved and loving and thatās all we can ask for in life eh?
So true Chris and I’m so sorry to hear you lost your best friend of 19 years! What a long and beautiful life he must have had with you š I just can’t imagine what it must feel like to have to make ‘that’ decision š Thank you for your support! xx
Oh, Mimi, I am so sorry for you and your sweet dog Poppy’s behalf. I do not know what to say to Comfort you, only then you must try to take care of all good days together with Poppy and you will have good memories forever. It’s always very hard to see someone you love getting sick, seriously ill. It applies to both humans and animals, but that’s how life is. Life always ends with death. Hope you still see sunshine and enjoy every single day. I cross my fingers that your little Poppy will have a good ending.
Thank you very much for all your nice tutorials!
Hugs, Anita
That’s what I wish for too Anita, and thank you so much for your kind words and thoughts, that’s plenty already š Hugs back to you! xx
Oh Mimi, I am so sad to hear about Poppy. I know you love him so much. Our dogs are part of the family and it breaks our hearts to see them suffer and then lose them. I have lost several and people in my family and my friends have lost dogs to old age or various illnesses and it is always sad. I’m sending you a virtual hug of support in this difficult time. But I know your sunny self will shine through in the end.
Thank you for your lovely words Renee! Poppy is my closest family member and as much as I am trying to prepare myself, I know it’s going to be really hard š Thank you again xxx
Je pense beaucoup Ć vous pour votre petit chien …il est toujours trĆØs difficile de penser qu’un jour son compagnon de 15 ans puisse vous quitter et je sais cela.
Merci Margot, je suis desolee de savoir que vous avez fait cette experience š On aime nos chiens trop fort! š
My heart goes out to you with your sick fur baby and it was like you put a picture up of my 11 year old fur baby. We love them with all our heart don’t we?
I really enjoyed this page and I loved the colours you used. I especially loved the music. It really suits our, very hot at the moment, Summer.
Lots of love and light coming your way,
Pauline XO
Oh i’m sorry to hear you know what i’m talking about Pauline. Yes, we love so, so hard!! Thank you for your message and thoughts xxx
Aww, Iām sending you Prayers of Peace & Comfort as you share in Poppyās last months.
Iāve dealt with similar situations with our past pets, who have always been like members of the family! Your Poppy is a cutie & I Know is very Special to you~
He sure is Connie, more than words can describe! Thank you so much for your message and for loving animals too š xx
Poppy is precious. Anyone who has loved and lost their furry companion understands the awful feeling of grief. What comforts me is this – your lovely little one has done his job which was loving you and reminding you of the joy a dog can bring.
So true Jeri! I think the worst part is waiting for the end š I’m enjoying his presence as much as possible xxx
Oh Mimi, I am so sorry to hear about your much loved fur baby. Our pets become a part of our family and I fully understand all that you are going through. Keep all your memories of better times and they will help get you through these hard times.
Your pages are lovely, as usual and once again will say that I am blessed by your videos. Keep up the good work.
Thanks so much Sharon, I’ll do my best to focus on the positive š xxx
Just wanted to reach out and say how much I feel for you right now..I did read about your stress and understand how you feel.. dogs…they give us so many fun memories and stories to share and some of our hardest time at the end… thinking of you and sending warm hugs from British Columbia
Thank you for understanding Deborah! Yes they sure are a huge part of our lives, often way more than humans… Thank you for the hugs š xxx
Awwww Mimi I really feel for you š our wee family dog Jessie had to go to sleep christmas time 3 years ago, she was 14. She took a stroke on Boxing night and didn’t recover enough despite the vet trying everything she could. We had to put her to sleep although it was so difficult it was actually a lovely peaceful time and we were all there with her. A year later we got another wee rescue dog we called Pixie and she really is full of beans! She doesn’t stop! The funny thing is when we got all her adoption papers through we saw that she was born on the same date our wee Jessie died! Exactly 1 year later! WOW! sending big hugs your way, Sharon xx
What an amazing coincidence Sharon! Maybe the light from Jessie got passed on to Pixie somehow š Thank you for loving dogs as much as I do and for your lovely hugs xxx
Dear Mimi, I know exactly how you feel and it is like a hole is being drilled in your heart. My friend Spud came to me in 2001 from a local shelter. I had never had a dog before but having just moved to California from Texas I didnāt want to be alone all day. He was my shadow. Sadly around 2008 he injured his back. It turned out to be a ruptured disc. Thanks to the skills of a wonderful surgeon and a little luck he did get back partial use of his legs allowing him to still run around with help. Sadly as he got older the worse his legs got and his control of basic functions left. I carried him downstairs in the morning, outside for nature breaks and back upstairs to bed. Sadly on the 1st of May last year his brave fight was fought and I had to say goodbye. I painted a picture of him at a local art studio where you send in a photo, they draw a sketch and you then paint following along with an artist. I would never have thought I could do such a thing but that painting is my most treasured possession today. We lost a second dog last year due to cancer so it was a tough year.
The journey is hard but the love never goes away and your baby knows it! As you will when itās time to say goodbye.
Hugas and š
Thank you for sharing Hazel, it’s so hard to see them hurt and unwell, isn’t it? It just doesn’t seem fair… What a lovely idea to create a painting of your beloved dog, I can understand how treasured this would be! So sorry to hear what a year you’ve had, my heart goes out to you xxx
It’s always so hard to see them go. I would like to share my favoirte quote: “don’t cry because it’s over (almost)~SMILE~because it happened”
Big Hugz, to you <3
Very true Zandra, thank you so much for the reminder š