The Wild Days before the Show starts and Karma

hand dyed angorino tops drying on a sunny day

Chaos rules here at the farm in these wild days before the Australian Sheep and Wool show starts next week. Or should I say FIBRE rules: it’s everywhere: the living room now has two wheels where I’m working on (I wish at the same time but unfortunately I am not that clever…lol); one Ashford Electric wheel for my production spinning and the other one the Majacraft Rose with its Wild Flyer and huge bobbins for my art Yarns. I have been in Bendigo show production for so long now I cant remember: working til 3am in the mornings is more a given than an exception to the rule, watching the Tour de France while spinning or packing. Batt making and “last minute o-maybe-I-don’t –have-enough-of-THAT-blend-dyeing” is left to the daylight hours.

Pattern printing, packaging, labelling, you name it: it is a huge job. One that I can surely say , wouldn’t be able to do if I did not LOVE what I do completely. Especially when you work with colour and fibre there is something you need to know (apart from that it can take over your world..lol); it shows when you are not in the mood or…you are on auto pilot. Believe me: when your heart is not in it , the colours , the colour combinations, the way that you treat the fibre and the yarns you make will show it ! I have seen heaps of people starting enthusiastically and thinking they can make a “business”out of their passion. Sure! Anything goes ! But, as with everything, as soon as you start thinking that you can make heaps of money with your craft or the production mode takes over , beware!
You have to put your passion above everything. When the passion goes and you start thinking: “Oh I HAVE to do more dyeing..yuk!” then you have to STOP! And do something else.

All of us who love fibre and yarn are in this together. It is not who we exclude, it is who we INCLUDE. It is not how we shut ourselves off , or fearfully put protective barriers up on what we do that defines us, it is how we share and how open we are to others, that does. This, by the way, does not only apply to fibre, spinning, dyeing or craft. It applies to everything in our lives. What brought this on you say? Easy: I have made a decision some time ago to be open, to share with the world. It started when I decided to start the IxCHeL fibre farm but then when adversity hit me, when I was diagnosed with uterine cancer 18 months ago, even more so. I shared my life with all of you and I now know why: because I cannot possibly separate “me” from what I do , I cannot separate the things I make from the passion inside me. And I have been blessed, because I know now, that having this attitude to openness and sharing, is giving me so much back.

These last weeks have been a difficult time here with our animals being hard hit by the mutant calici virus strain and again I am absolutely flabbergasted by the responses of my fibre friends : Whorled Dominations Daniel MacBride , designing a Bunny Love Mitten to help with the rebuilding of the Angora bunnies, Siobhan Colley sending me heaps of gorgeous spun yarns for the Bunny fund, Elizabeth Streeter who has blown me away with her parcel of amazing hand spun and hand dyed shawls, the Don Valley Spinners and Janet Knoop with a wonderful card and embroidered hankie (much needed!), Catherine Bateson with a wonderful care pack, Marg Bozik with the much loved and needed chocolate fix care pack, Jill MacDermott with a wonderful sculpture she made in honour of Popcorn and all the bunnies lost !!!! and so so so many more of you who have shown me their love and compassion! Thank you ! I am overwhelmed by your passion, your love and friendship. So, if any of you out there think that sharing and openness is a bad thing because people will steal your ideas, hurt your feelings or destroy what you have built, think again and change the way you think. Even if it is only for a day, you will see the difference it makes to you and what you experience. Make it a fun experiment and let me know how you go!

So, thank you all so much for everything ! It is your love that shows through in what I do ! I could not possibly do what I do without you.

So, what does it come down to? I suppose it is passion more than anything really. Keep the passion alive and love what you do and accept that it will take over your life. Talking about that: I am very lucky to have a super supportive husband who not only has to live with me but also with tonnes of fibres and yarns that totally take over the house this time of year. Tops drying in the living room, spinning wheels , niddy noddies, bobbins of fluff everywhere, yarns dyed and drying, labelling, badges….This is not even talking about the bunnies !

Talking about bunnies:..ahem....Elvis had to be confined to a pen of her own in the studio this morning by the way, after I discovered she was parading with a skein of Nip’n’Tuck yarn freshly spun on her behind like she was in a costume play looking like a French Madame Pompadour. (Where’s that camera when you need it) This, by the way, was not her first act of destroying capability: her rebel gene is surfacing just like that of her sister Skye, while Jazz the Bunny dog is getting more mellow every year : sleepy Jazz ....

Sleepy Jazz

Well, better get to this weeks update so I can go Batty again this afternoon (otherwise I will keep on talking and talking..well you know me….lol)

Todays offering is the (in)famous CameBunnySilk tops ! It has been such a long time since I put this blend up for sale and I had a great time dyeing it: the fibre takes the dye beautifully , has a gorgeous aura about it and above all is so soft ! Enjoy this weeks update !

You can email me on ixchel at rabbit dot com dot au or message me on facebook or ravelry where I am Ixchelbunny. I will email you right back with all your order details and payment methods. Any questions? Please don’t hesitate to ask! Always happy to enable.

This weeks’ offerings are the last before the big Bendigo Show ! So all of you who cannot make it to the show or at Mapleton this SHOP update of Friday the 8th of July will be the last one for July to stock up on your bunny fluff. I will try and post updates on the show and mapleton while I am on the road ofcourse so keep in touch via flickr, facebook and ravelry !

Thank you so much for your help and support !
(((HUGS)))
Charly


CamelBunnySilk (50% baby Camel, 5% angora,45% Silk )
50g AU$19 Amazing to spin with gorgeous sheen . Heaven to spin and felt. An absolutely awesome blend and exclusive to the IxCHeL Fibre farm !

I am also offering some undyed CamelBunny Silk tops : 100grams for $30.

Wild River

Froggy went a courtin’

Political Science

Reckless

Fall of Rome

Robin Hood strikes again

The Boys light up

Harvest Moon -sold out-

Broken Romeo

Rainbows’end

Inconceivable

World Peace

Email me on Ixchelbunny@yahoo.com.au or ixchel@rabbit.com.au if you want to adopt any of these or fibres : message me on Ravelry or facebook where I am Ixchelbunny !

Dates to Remember:

Bunny Spin in at the Ixchel Fibre Farm (11am-5pm)

All bunny spin ins are cancelled due to the calici virus out break until September ! I will let everybody know through this blog and Ravelry when the spin ins will start again, probably in September.

Contact me on Ravelry where I am Ixchelbunny, message me on facebook there or email me on Ixchelbunny@yahoo.com.au


The BENDI PARTY is ON!
15-16-17th of July !
Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show (with a big dash of Rabbit from yours truly)
see website ; www.sheepshow.com
Bendigo Sheep & Wool Show is NOT to miss in this year of the rabbit ! Now more than ever!
Lots of special goodies on offer, prizes to be won and a super competition of “Bunny dress up”again this year! Make a a statement ! This year there’s a “Rock-a-Billy Bunny-dress up competition”and win a super duper Bunny Spin or Yarn bunny Prize! C’mon be a rockin” Fibre Bunny! You know you want to J and everybody who spends over $50 to support the IxCHeL fibre farm will have a chance of winning amazing prizes !
Also there will be petitions to sign and buttons for sale to support the cause of making this world a better and safer place for our pet and rare breed rabbits.

All the preperations are already on their way to make this years Bendi show an amazingly FUN & EXCITING FIBRE EVENT !!!!!


Bunny invasion in Queensland planned again just after Bendigo ! @ Mapleton Camp of the Queensland Spinners & Weavers

Mapleton Camp July 22-24 !
Contact the QSW&FA if you want to be part of this awesome weekend of fun !! I will be doing workshops on Art yarn (my nip ‘n’tuck special and Jewellery Sculpture Art yarn)


RABBIT ON !
((hugs))
Charly

Joining Forces and the Return of Birds

Tawnee (from Rivkah angora stud)

Ever since the disastrous day of the 31st of May, branded in my memory forever as the bunny disaster where we lost 70% of our gorgeous angora bunnies to a mutant strain of calici, there was something else going on : there were hardly any birds around our farm anymore....

It was a strange phenomenon and I could not explain why, other than the fact that it might have something to do with the sudden attack of mutant calici. We had found a higher amount than normal of dead birds around the property in that period as well and until a couple of days ago there were hardly any wild birds visiting us at all. That is, until yesterday. The king parrots have come back, the galahs are back in numbers and the finches are darting here there and everywhere. Honey eaters are still down in numbers, but the bower birds and the rosellas are back as well and the laughing sounds of the kookaburras are echoing through the trees in the bush at the back of our property again. It must be a sign that bad things have finally passed us by , like thunderclouds in a storm.

Our Super Eight Angora bunnies are fine, everybody is eating like little piggies and Elvis’right eye has almost returned to normal after it was infected due to some serious fighting with her surrogate mum Topping. I am relieved, happy there are no more casualties, exhausted by the whole experience and still heartbroken ofcourse, but on the way to recovery and joining forces.
Yes, joining forces, not only to bring in “new blood”to the IxCHeL fibre farm after I come back from Bendigo show and Mapleton camp in Queensland. Christina Heaphy from Rivkah Angora Stud in Victoria is an mazing woman who has been breeding English angoras for years and years and is also very well known at shows. She is a groomer extraordinaire as you can see in the photos below. I am very much looking forward to joining some of her wonderful bunnies to our flock later in the year. I am already spinning up some of Midas’s fibre into super fabulous soft yarn for the Bendigo show and will also have fibre from her coloured angoras for sale. All the sales of the coloured angora fibre will go to the Angora Rabbit Fund so we can bring some new bloodlines into Australia.

Here are some of her gorgeous bunnies.

Midas(Rivkah angora stud)

Tawnees kits at 6 weeks old …aaaaaaaw father is Midas (Rivkah angora stud)

Millie (Rivkah angora stud)

Mareneko LoganBerry (Rivkah angora stud)

Rivkah angora stud at the show

I am also joining forces with a wonderful artist Sally who, just like me , loves bunnies and is actively promoting and fighting for the legalisation of the myxomatosis vaccine here in Australia. Her wonderful artwork will be available at the Australian Sheep and wool show at my stand so we can all fight together for our beloved bunnies. Please check her work out here: http://sallylandart.blogspot.com/2011/06/in-stars-avant-card.html She has some gorgeous bunny art work and more !

Apart from joining forces and keeping all the farm stuff going, I am feeling like the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland..jumping here there and everywhere, looking at the clock and thinking "I’m late! I’m so late…” lol The Bendigo show is only two weeks away and there is still so much to do! I have designed some new buttons and are printing them, assembling and packaging ( they look absolutely fabulous but will show some off next week ;) ) and ofcourse dyeing, and spinning. These next two weeks are all about spinning and batt making for the show and Mapleton. A huge job , considering I want to make more than 100 batts and it takes me about 30 to 45 minutes to make one…you do the maths….boing Boing BOING!

Todays offering is Blue Faced Leicester Bunny ! It has been such a long time since I put this blend up for sale and I had a great time dyeing it: the fibre takes the dye beautifully , has a gorgeous aura about it and above all is so soft ! Enjoy this weeks update !

You can email me on ixchel at rabbit dot com dot au or message me on facebook or ravelry where I am Ixchelbunny. I will email you right back with all your order details and payment methods. Any questions? Please don’t hesitate to ask! Always happy to enable.

Next weeks offerings are the last before the big Bendigo Show ! So all of you who cannot make it to the show or at Mapleton the SHOP update of Friday the 8th of July will be the last one for July to stock up on your bunny fluff. I will try and post updates on the show and mapleton while I am on the road ofcourse so keep in touch via flickr, facebook and ravelry !

Thank you so much for your help and support !
(((HUGS)))
Charly


Blue Faced Leicester Bunny Tops (95% Blue faced Leicester, 5% angora)
100g /AU$20 !!! Amazing to spin with gorgeous sheen . Heaven to spin and felt. An absolutely awesome blend and exclusive to the IxCHeL Fibre farm !

Bella

Sunshine Smile

Bush Tucker

Pink Rules

Arctic Dusk

Sherlock

Wattle Wiggle

Plum Berry Fields

Parrots return

Polar Bear Party

Boing Boing

Sage

Only ONE weekend left to secure your club spots ! So, here is the information for all the club memberships :

IxCHeL Fibre Club
(july-august-september)
The subscription is for a period of three months and you will receive one special hand dyed top/roving per month to the value of AU$20 or more !
All the tops will be hand dyed and will be especially made for the members of Ixchel Fibre Club !
Price to join the Ixchel Fibre Club and receive your special hand dyed top :)) for three months is AU$60 + postage (parcel post or airmail). AND double and triple serves are available !!! So in short:
For Australia :
single serve $60+$18 postage (parcel post)
double serve $120+$21
triple serve $160+$33
For USA + Canada:
single serve AU$60+AU$35 (Airmail)
double serve AU$120+AU$60
For UK,Europe, rest of the world:
Single serve AU$60+AU$38 (airmail)
Double serve AU$120+AU$58
For Asia:
Single serve AU$60+AU$28 (airmail)
Double serve AU$120+AU$39
If you want to receive a fibre surprise every month then join the IXCHEL FIBRE CLUB #10 now. Numbers are strictly limited the first installment is going to be shipped out mid JULY:)
Payment via direct deposit or credit card. Just PM or email me your details :))


IxCHeL Funky Bunny Batt Club *** sorry!**** FULL !!!!! SOLD OUT!

The subscription is for a period of three months (july-august-september!) and you will receive one special hand dyed funky bunny batt per month to the value of AU$32 or more . The batts will range in weight from 100grams to 150grams with luxury fibres like camel , angora, cashmere, silk, yak, llama even quiviut this time ! is on the cards for the next funky bunny club!! )
All the batts will be hand dyed and will be especially made for the members of Ixchel funky bunny Club ! Every month you will receive a HUGE luxury funky bunny batt !
Sign up now and you will receive an Ixchel Hand dyed , super luxurious funky bunny batt in july-august-september 2011 !
Price to join the Ixchel Funky bunny #10 :)) for three months is AU$96 + postage (parcel post or airmail). So in short:
For Australia : $96+$18postage (parcel post)
For USA + Canada: AU$96+AU$35 (Airmail)
For UK,Europe, rest of the world: AU$96+AU$38 (airmail)
For Asia: AU$96+AU$28 (airmail)
If you want to receive a fibre surprise every month then join the IXCHEL FUNKY BUNNY Batt CLUB now. Numbers are strictly limited ! the first installment is going to be shipped out mid JULY 2011 :)

IxCHeL Sock it to me yarn club
What is the deal? hmmm it is sooo good and fun and sockaliscious you just will HAVE to join :)
Here are the details:
Every month for three months you will receive:
1. enough hand dyed luscious yummy yarn to make a pair of socks; (the hand dyed yarn will be exclusive for the Ixchelbunny SOCK-IT-TO-ME Yarn CLUB and will range from a sockweight yarn or a 3ply or a 4 ply);
2. Every month a new sock pattern, tips and instructions ! Now is that GOOD or is that GOOD ??! :) I will even offer a double serve for those of you who like their socks extra long :)
Here is the nitty gritty:
For Australia :
single serve $78+$18 postage (parcel post)
double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +$21
For USA + Canada:
single serve AU$78+AU$35 (Airmail)
double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$49
For UK,Europe, rest of the world:
Single serve AU$78+AU$38 (airmail)
Double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$57
For Asia:
Single serve AU$78+AU$28 (airmail)
Double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$42

Numbers are strictly limited ! the first installment is going to be shipped out mid July 2011 :) Payment via direct deposit or credit card. Just PM or email me your details :))
By the way: you don’t HAVE to knit socks if you don’t want to.. the hand dyed yarn is amazingly nice for scarves, cowls, beanies and even tops ! Anything goes :)

Email me on Ixchelbunny@yahoo.com.au or ixchel@rabbit.com.au if you want to adopt any of these Yaaaarns! or fibres : message me on Ravelry or facebook where I am Ixchelbunny !

Dates to Remember:

Bunny Spin in at the Ixchel Fibre Farm (11am-5pm)

All bunny spin ins are cancelled due to the calici virus out break until September ! I will let everybody know through this blog and Ravelry when the spin ins will start again, probably in September.

Contact me on Ravelry where I am Ixchelbunny, message me on facebook there or email me on Ixchelbunny@yahoo.com.au


The BENDI PARTY is ON!
15-16-17th of July !
Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show (with a big dash of Rabbit from yours truly)
see website ; www.sheepshow.com
Bendigo Sheep & Wool Show is NOT to miss in this year of the rabbit ! Now more than ever!
Lots of special goodies on offer, prizes to be won and a super competition of “Bunny dress up”again this year! Make a a statement ! This year there’s a “Rock-a-Billy Bunny-dress up competition”and win a super duper Bunny Spin or Yarn bunny Prize! C’mon be a rockin” Fibre Bunny! You know you want to and everybody who spends over $50 to support the IxCHeL fibre farm will have a chance of winning amazing prizes !
Also there will be petitions to sign and buttons for sale to support the cause of making this world a better and safer place for our pet and rare breed rabbits.

All the preperations are already on their way to make this years Bendi show an amazingly FUN & EXCITING FIBRE EVENT !!!!!


Bunny invasion in Queensland planned again just after Bendigo ! @ Mapleton Camp of the Queensland Spinners & Weavers
Mapleton Camp July 22-24 !
Contact the QSW&FA if you want to be part of this awesome weekend of fun !! I will be doing workshops on Art yarn (my nip ‘n’tuck special and Jewellery Sculpture Art yarn)


RABBIT ON !
((hugs))
Charly