Bunny Duck Musings

So, there was no update at the usual time on Friday night..It was Pauls’ birthday and we had a day out on the town ..Melbourne that is.

Somehow his birthday always falls on the Woodwork Show in Melbourne..lucky him..lol…so we made the big hike to Melbourne town centre (which on a Friday only took us 2.5 - 3 hours each way...).

We hardly ever get away from the farm at all. Not only because of the bunnies and all the other animals, but more so because we cannot leave Jazz our bunny dog home alone. She has the most severe separation anxiety ever. We tried everything we could , but it just has not worked at all.

We rescued her when she was about 11 months old from a shelter where she had been dropped off together with her sister by   -pardon my french-   some immoral imbeciles, who had obviously used them for piercing practice: fishing hooks were removed from their nipples...All physical damage healed over time, but not the mental ones.

Jazz is an absolute treasure of a dog and a part of our family. She will not leave us out of her sight. So, for  Paul and I to go away for even a day, has proven a bit of a problem. Lucky for us, our neighbour , who Jazz loves dearly , took her for a long walk..lots of walks actually..lol.. and then he stayed with her close to our house so there was no distress.

Big sigh of relief for all of us and we were able to have some “us” time in the big city. Paul got hold of some amazing rare woods : spalted white desert woods among other things and some amazing 19th century reclaimed French Oak from an old Vineyard !!! That French Oak sure is going to make some amazing French support spindles and phangs ! I love it how the provenance and the history of the woods give such a rich story to the tools we use to make our yarns! It is like the story of the tree and the wood and the places where it has been and even what it has been in its past tells a story that translates itself in the yarns we spin.

Well, that said, the day spent at the wood show was very interesting and we had a ball. I even scored a second hand book about weaving history of the Scottish Highlands with huge templates of all the woven tweeds of all the regions ! Who would have guessed that in between all the second hand books about wood turning, carving and furniture making, I would find a treasure like that?   See, you never know what you can find in even the most improbable of places.

Talk about improbable places and bunnies: As you know I always look around for interesting bits and pieces bunny related and I am especially interested in bunny sculptures. The bigger the better. Maybe because I would LOVE to add a landmark to the Yarra Valley and make Gilderoy the home of the BIG BUNNY. I mean there is a big merino, the big pineapple, the big banana…why not a big bunny?

I found that there is a Dutch artist, Florentijn Hofman, who made a HUGE bunny in Taiwan : This colossal white bunny rabbit, Hofman’s take on the lunar rabbit from Chinese folklore, was unveiled in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan for the Taoyuan Land Art Festival. The enormous bunny was made of waterproof paper, styrofoam and wood and measures 25.3 meters (83 feet) long. He lounges happily against the side of an old aircraft hanger in the middle of farmland, watching the clouds pass overhead.

Unfortunately, the big moon rabbit, burned to a crisp last month on September the 15th, due to a fire that was somehow started by technicians who were disassembling the bunny after the show was over. It started a fire in the brush nearby and , well roasted bunny was the result..insert sad face ..

 

The huge artworks of Hofman have had their share of bad luck apparently: the crispy bunny followed  the stormy demise of Hofman's giant yellow duck in Guiyang this July, when heavy rains washed the duck away and the provincial government set up a 24-hour hotline and offered cash rewards for information on his whereabouts.  Whispers now circulate online of a "Curse of the Yellow Duck”…(also making a mental note not to make my Big Bunny sculpture of paper and Styrofoam..lol)                                                                   

I have just come to realise there is a link between bunnies and ducks ! Just look at the next brain teaser and you can see both in the same picture ! ;-)

From Giant Bunnies (and Ducks) to this weeks update..not a giant leap, but it does need some creative imagination..but such is life..lol...

It is almost Halloween. I love Halloween. I love Samhain. It is a special time to remember loved ones lost, and remember the spirits of our ancestors. It is a special time. …so because of this special time of year I am offering you something awesome as well..you know, to celebrate!

Please don't hesitate to contact me at any time if you have any questions okay? Always happy to enable. All my contact details are to be found at the end of this weeks blog entry. Have fun !!!

Halloween Special

For $50+postage you will receive THREE IxCHeL exclusive blend tops or Yarns !

300grams (+/-10.5Oz)
AU$50 

Just let me know your favourite colours  and if you would like a YARN or TOP pack and I will pick three different blend tops or yarns for you.

Normal price is at least $24/100grams! This means that you will receive one top or one yarn for free!!!

It can mean anything from cashmere fling, super hero, lush, diva, happy tiger, tundra or rare breeds and for yarns it can be my IxCHeL special blend sock yarn of angorino/nylon or even handspun pure angora and bunny mink!

Do not let this chance pass you by. This is an offer you can’t refuse: my Halloween treat for you ! This Halloween offer is only valid until Tuesday the 28th of October !!!

 

 SMAUG ADVENTURE

The IxCHeL Event to start celebrating the next Hobbit movie coming in December is all sold out…sorry!!!!

 

I will have some very special other blends with rare sheep coming that I can proudly offer you in December and the new year, so do not despair. Here is the little tease I offered for the Smaug adventure. There are going to be lots of new adventures planned for 2015 !

Smaug Dragon Bunny Batts and matching Smaug Dragon Tops!

We all know that Smaug the Dragon loves GOLD so here’s your chance to spin some amazingly special batts and tops with a blend of :

angora

cashmere

eco merino

Peace silk and ....

very RARE SHEEP BREEDs !!:

Valois blacknose (the cutest sheep !) +

North Ronaldsay!(seaweed sheep) all combined with a magic gold ingredient!!!!!!

The Smaug batts will be inspired by the Dragon from the Hobbit in all its grandeur ! and I will ONLY make enough batts for those who sign in. Same thing goes for the tops! Sign in on the Smaug batts and tops will close end of this month!! Only the ones that sign in will have these exclusive IxCHeL Smaug Dragon Batts and tops!

the batts will each weigh appr 150grams each! 
the tops are a 100g + each !
For all adventures there will only be a very very limited supply!!

Keep your eye out for more adventures to come in 2015!!!

 

 

How To Order:

1. You can email me on ixchel at rabbit dot com dot au or ixchelbunny at yahoo dot com dot au
2. 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? Any custom orders for yarn or dyeing fibre? Please don’t hesitate to ask! Always happy to enable.

Thank you so much for your help and support !

 

 RABBIT ON !

((hugs))

Charly