Kookabura smiles

A Kookaburru sittig on part of our old kitchen boards...
There are a lot of Kookaburra birds around here.
You can hear their laughing calls all the time: it always makes me smile.
 

The kitchen renovation/make over is almost finished: the tiles are laid and grouted , the hand made sink is waiting to be put in its place this weekend and the gas is connected to the stove. The stove is not yet fully in place since it needs to be wired to the electricity as well, but hey, at least I can cook now even when the electricity fails. So what do you think I used the stove for first? No, not a gourmet dinner…too tired…I actually used this super duper bi energy stove first for? ..wait for it… warming up hot dogs….I know! Slap! And to add to the injury, I even let them explode…lol…Paul took photos but I’m too embarrassed to put them up. I’m sure he will, the first opportunity he gets…rofl.

The kitchen is starting to take shape and I think it is coming pretty close to the image we had in our minds when we drew it up in our minds. Which is lucky, because sometimes you think things up and the reality just doesn’t do it justice..slowly but surely we are getting there and I am especially proud of the handmade sink Paul and his mate Travis made. It’s a one of a kind totally awesome industrial piece of art. Thanks guys!

Apart from kitchen reno stuff there has been a lot of spinning and dyeing going on as well. Lots of fun spinning butter and caramel with chocolate yarns, art yarns and fine yarns as well. It is really amazing how spinning can help you keep sane in times of stress by the way. That little machine is awesome. Talking about an awesome little machine: I was lucky enough to receive a beautiful new wheel from the amazing FIBERIFIC! Chantelle Hills called the Hitchhiker from the Merlin Tree. Go to www.fiberific.blogspot.com for more info. It spins like a dream and is just such a cute funky wheel. I am spinning some pure angora on it at the moment but after that project I am so going to paint bunnies and carrots on it: my own little funky bunny wheel for sure ! By the way, apart from its natural awesomeness the Hitchhiker also uses Ashford bobbins ! Great! You can never have enough bobbins floating around that can actually be used on different wheels I say!

My new Hitchhiker wheel from the Merlin Tree and Fiberific !

On another note: I received a free issue of the magazine Wild Fibers this week as a prize for entering our angora bunny photos! So exciting! Thank you Wild Fibers Magaine! Have a look at Wild Fibers facebook page and this link they have on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/wildfibersmag/angora-rabbits

Well I better let you enjoy the ride with some photos of our kitchen project (more on my flick photostream ofcourse!) and this weeks offerings. Enjoy!

Tiles are in !

after.....

handmade sink with the Master in the background
 

stove not yet in place but the gas is working !

yep: cool club lighting is planned ..lol

Apart from all the above mentioned excitement I can offer you some very new funky fibres and yarns !

Have fun snaffling !

How To Order from this Shop blog

 until the website www.ixchel.com.au is up and running –which will be sooooon-ish!-yeah yeah start laughing will yaYou 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.

Payment : direct bank deposit, card or paypal ! easy !

Thank you so much for your help and supporting our little fibre farm !

(((HUGS)))

Charly

 

Bunny Mink Yarns 

A great blend of angora bunny and Mink fibres, handspun to a fine 3 ply with an amazing meterage of 300meters per 50grams! Super light and super soft!
50grams AU$25

Classy Purple

Grey Pearl-sold-

Dusk Twilight

King Fisher

Ocean Spray

Lake

Happy

Zombie Bunnies

Baby Whispers

Lush Bunny Tops 

hand dyed super soft fibre blend of Angora bunny, Cashmere, Tencel and 18micron merino! Wonderful and super soft to spin and wear!
100 gram braids AU$24

Only a limited supply !  

outback sunset

citrus tree-sold-
 

Uluru Sunrise -sold-

Summer Holidays

Valkyrie rising

Purple hearts

it’s magic!

Dusky-sold-

Dates to Remember:
Bunny Spin in at the Ixchel Fibre Farm (11am-4pm)
Every Third Saturday and every fourth Thursday of the month!

Next bunny spin in

Saturday November 17th, 11am-4pm and 

Thursday November 22nd,)   11am – 4pm

Bring a plate to share your wheel or spindle, knitting or crochet, yourself and a smile and have a fun day out amongst bunnies and friends ! Please contact me to secure a spot !
Bunny food like cabbage, bok choi or broccoli is always welcome as well ! : the bunnies will cuddle you more for it  !

Any questions or special requests?

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

RABBIT ON !

((hugs))

Charly

True Love is Magnetic

Smile no matter what

 

There was no update last week Friday. Not because I was too busy or because I forgot. Not because I was tied up in the kitchen renovations or not even because I was feeling sick or was otherwise incapacitated. No, there was no update because internet connection failed miserably. Also customer service of all the overseas techs failed miserably I might add. For about three days I spent at least 2 to 3 hours on the phone trying to explain to Jennifer, Robert and Roy , that there was a line failure of some sort which led my internet to drop out and stay out. One of the above even mentioned that there were drop outs and failures in the northern territories so that may affect me…for the record, last time I looked the Northern territories in Australia are not even close to where we live in Victoria. Not last time I looked on the map anyway, although the re may have been some shifts amongst the continental plates happening while I was asleep at some point in time. I wouldn’t mind being a bit closer to the Northern territories every now and again to warm up on cold winter days, but alas, it is not happening. Anyhoo, I was off grid, off line and going through cold turkey for a week without any world wide web and fast communication. It made me definitely realise how addicted and dependant I am on the internet and telecommunications on the whole. I know there are people out there who frown upon the whole internet social media thing but I cannot emphasise enough how many friends I wouldn’t have known at all without the internet. So being without internet was scary. Nevermind, its back in bits and pieces and still drops out every now and again and I was not really idly running around pulling my hyair out and going cold turkey all the time: there was a kitchen renovation and heaps of yarns to spin and fibre to dye and bunnies to groom and clip. Internet or no internet , there was no down time for me.

The kitchen demolition has passed. The empty shell has now been filled up with wool insulation, wiring, new walls, a ceiling and yes, kitchen cupboards!! The power and lamps will go up this weekend, the tiling later next week. The pantry cupboards will be finished all built in the week after together with hopefully the granite benchtop and by that time hopefully the sink will be ready as well. We have been working it out ourselves and with the help of lots of friends and oh boy I tell you it is a steep learning curve. I am in total awe of those brave souls you see on the TV show Grand designs who build their own house or renovate an old fallen down ruin. It is amazing how much languages you have to know to talk to all the technical trades and get the stuff you need and what was in your mind as an idea. Us fibre folk can talk orifices and microns and hues and blends etc but wait til you talk to steel construction engineers, plasterers, electricians, builders. You will be amazed how easy it is , even when you take the greatest care to explain your self plainly and get that image in your head across to everybody involved, to have the other party think something totally different. There have been no major dramas at all thank goodness, but I can tell you there were some very close shaves…lol I will share some progress photos with you here but you can always see more on my flickr account in the kitchen renovation set.

Safe to say that Jazz and Bear have been very social and it is very funny to see both of them pitter patter towards all our friends in the renovation area to see whats going on. I think they imagine themselves to be our quality control team..


For the next two weeks I will still be camp cooking in the studio no doubt but there is light at the end of the tunnel..lol

ready to be plastered

after.....

walls are in and undercoated . the top coat is ..wait for it..a colour called cottontail!
How can a bunny fan possible resist that?

True love is magnetic ! I wanted the stainless stell pantry walls tot be holding up my magnetic spice containers…little did I know that good stainless is not magnetic! Doh..so we improvised and added strong very strong magnets hidden behind the stainless steel wall to be placed there. we added the text "Love is magnetic"behind the magnets as a token and a signature ... 

the kitchen cabinets and doors and drawers were everywehere even around my spinning wheel and in the hall and on the couch…lol
they are offcourse still in bits and pieces but you get the idea !

still a lot of work to do ! but ...there is a happy man in the kitchen..lol
the cabinets are in, the stainless steel walls are in !
tilling and the lights will be done soon so next week there will be more photos.

Apart from all the above mentioned excitement I can offer you some very  new funky bunny batts and yarns ! Because you all had to be without update material last week, you will receive a 10% discount for your order this week !!

Have fun snaffling !

How To Order from this Shop blog

 

until the website www.ixchel.com.au is up and running –which will be sooooon-ish!-yeah yeah start laughing will yaYou 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.
Payment : direct bank deposit, card or paypal ! easy !

Thank you so much for your help and supporting our little fibre farm !

(((HUGS)))

Charly

 

Funky Bunny Batts

 

A great blend of a wonderful mix of fibres as exotic as yak, mink to angorino, angora bunny , silk, glitz, blue faced Leicester and bling! And much much more even wensleydale and Navajo churro
Wonderful to spin and felt with !

 

Funky bunny batt Blush 138 grams AU$35

Funky bunny batt Chicago 147grams AU$36

Funky Bunny Batt Ivy 115grams AU$32

Funky bunny batt Spindle candy 142grams AU$35

Funky Bunny Batt Mermaid 132grams AU$34

Funky bunny batt Kiss me 127grams AU$33

Funky Bunny Batt Powder room 144grams AU$35

Funky Bunny Batt Baby Candy 146grams AU$36

Camelbunny Yarn  

hand spun and hand dyed super soft yarn with a meterage of +/- 110m/50grams. Wonderful and super soft to knit with and wear!
50 gram skeins AU$25

Only a limited supply !  

Eagle (2 available)

kata Tutja (2 available)
 

dreamy (4 available)

classy zen (2 available)

black night (2 available)

ocean grove (2 available)

red ochre dark (2 available)

burgundy (2 available)

moss twist (2 available)

red ochre light (2 available)

Dates to Remember:

Bunny Spin in at the Ixchel Fibre Farm (11am-4pm)
Every Third Saturday and every fourth Thursday of the month!

Next bunny spin in
Saturday November 17th, 11am-4pm and 

Thursday November 22nd,)   11am – 4pm

Bring a plate to share your wheel or spindle, knitting or crochet, yourself and a smile and have a fun day out amongst bunnies and friends ! Please contact me to secure a spot ! Bunny food like cabbage, bok choi or broccoli is always welcome as well ! : the bunnies will cuddle you more for it  !

 

Any questions or special requests?

Contact me on Ravelry where I am Ixchelbunny,

message me on facebook

or email me on Ixchelbunny@yahoo.com.au or ixchel@rabbit.com.au

RABBIT ON !

((hugs))

Charly

Demolition Party

Partying Bear..look at the clock! The Bear never sleeps ! lol

 

Bear is running around like a wild bear at night ! Thumping around the house, Bear actually sounds more like a horse than a Bear..lol…He loves running around and playing with Jazz AND opening the bedroom door, hopping in and out and having a party. We had to put a board against the door so he cannot push the door open with his nose because Bear was just waking us up all the time! Even when he was in a quiet mood he would open the bedroom door and wake us up very very early in the morning asking for food. He really is a character !

Renovations are in full swing and what used to be a kitchen is now floating around somewhere flatpacked and demolished…Paul has been super busy with his demolition job and although tiring and a lot of hard labour, he’s having a great time. I’m calling him demolition man at the moment….

The old cupboards that were falling apart are gone, the cracked old tiles : gone, the cracked plaster: gone ! and old crappy insulation : gone!  and being replaced by new eco wool insulation that will do a very good job keeping us cool in summer and warm in winter.
New plaster is going on the walls and ceiling in early next week , painting will start after the walk in pantry has been built and the cement sheeting for the tiles has been put down and then …oh how exciting ! it’s all ready to house the new redgum wood cupboards!! I have seen a glimpse of these beauties and eventhough they are not finished yet: they look awesome !

Still a lot to do before all of that can happen , including dealing with some very nasty glue on our brick wall and the floor where part of the tiles were glued directly on the floorboards. Luckily it was just one spot, it could have been much worse. Paul probably wanted to use his new toy to drill all the tiles off, but unfortunately only a little work out was needed to get all the tiles neatly in a huge pile and into the skip !

The skip was big enough..largely due to the fabulous packing technique of Paul I must add!

In the meantime our fridge and cooker arrived, but they are offcourse still packed and waiting for the celebratory unwrapping when the tiles are in. Here are some photos of the renovation progress:

before

after.....

with Paul “conjuring”up the tiles with his magic arms
(I don’t know how I happen to catch that his arms actually look translucent in this photo! Amazing! Why haven’t I noticed before?…lol)

flatpacked kitchen

a sneak peek at the new natural feature grade (meaning wood in its natural beauty! ) red gum doors and drawers….happy sigh …
they are offcourse still in bits and pieces but you get the idea !

still a lot of work to do ! but see the proud look of Demolition Man ? !! he’s a Champ !

On Monday I had the most wonderful time at the Doncaster and Templestowe spinners where Tilda, our gold English angora, received a haircut, I talked about bunnies and rare sheep breeds and more and ofcourse there was lost of yarn and tops waiting to be cuddled. A big thank you to the wonderful Doncaster and Templestowe guild! Please have a read of their wonderful blog and look at their fab website here: http://dtswinc.wordpress.com/blog-2/

Tilda getting a haircut  

Apart from all the above mentioned excitement I can offer you some very exciting new tops and yarns as well ! I have some very special Halloween yarns on offer at scary low prices and for this week I even will give you a 10% discount !! Have fun looking at this weeks offerings !

 

Have fun snaffling !

How To Order from this Shop blog

 

until the website www.ixchel.com.au is up and running –which will be sooooon-ish!-: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.
Payment : direct bank deposit, card or paypal ! easy !

Thank you so much for your help and support !

(((HUGS)))

Charly

 

Angorino Halloween Tops

 

A great blend of 17 micron organic merino (95%) and angora bunny (5%)
Wonderful to spin and felt with in NEW colour combinations that will make your heart smile ! 100+ gram tops AU$22

Only a limited supply so snaffle quickly  

Vampire Feast-sold-

Zombie attack

Blue Faced Leicester Bunny Seaweed Tops  

A great blend of blue faced Leicester (70%) , Seaweed (25%) and angora bunny (5%)
Wonderful to spin and felt ! 100+ gram tops AU$24

Only a limited supply !  

Find the Carrot

Gone Fishing
 

happy go Lucky  

Rave

Happy Balloons

Elven King

Trigger Happy

Angora yarns

 

pure angora bunny yarn 3ply
with a wonderful meterage of 400meters per 50grams !!
50+ grams AU$22

limited supply  

white-one left-

sky-one left-

deep black-4left-

pumpkin soup SOLD!

Alice in Wonderland-one left-

Rainbow-ONE left...-

Angora yarns hand spun and hand dyed

 

pure angora bunny yarn 4ply
with a wonderful meterage of 110meters per 50grams !! 50+ grams AU$25    

white

hazy sky

purple haze

Merino 4 ply Halloween Yarn hand dyed  

pure merino yarn 4ply
+/- 275m/100grams TWO skeins for an amazing Halloween price of AU$30 (discount already applied)

   

pumkin smile -only one pack of two skeins left!

Witching hour SOLD-

Dates to Remember:

Bunny Spin in at the Ixchel Fibre Farm (11am-4pm)
Every Third Saturday and every fourth Thursday of the month!
EXCEPT October !!!!!!

Next bunny spin in
Saturday November 17th, 11am-4pm and 

Thursday November 22nd,)   11am – 4pm

Bring a plate to share your wheel or spindle, knitting or crochet, yourself and a smile and have a fun day out amongst bunnies and friends ! Please contact me to secure a spot ! Bunny food like cabbage, bok choi or broccoli is always welcome as well ! : the bunnies will cuddle you more for it  !

 

Any questions or special requests?

Contact me on Ravelry where I am Ixchelbunny,

message me on facebook

or email me on Ixchelbunny@yahoo.com.au or ixchel@rabbit.com.au

RABBIT ON !

((hugs))

Charly