NEWS FROM THE RHODE ISLAND BUNNIES...

The bunnies have just received this email from two intrepid bunnies who were sent off to Narraganset, Rhode Island to live with Ashley whose shop WillyWaw is one of The Bunny Maker's favourites.

Hello!

Very happy to announce that Best Bun and Flower Bun arrived in the United States of America safe and sound. They got through customs with no delay; however, Best Bun had a rough landing and puked up all his carrots. He's feeling much better now and says "better out than in"!



They were greeted by Hedge Pig, who kindly presented them with The Teasel, a rowing dory with a tanbark sail. Tomorrow, if Best Bun is feeling better, they'll rowed down the river on the outgoing tide to see the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.


All tuckered out and snug in bed, Best Bun and Flower Bun wish all the
bunnies in The Warren a good night and promise to write as often as
they can.

Cheers,
Ashley, Joe, Cody, BB & FB



Thank you so much for letting us know you are safe, bunnies! We all hope you love your new home and will write to us again soon...

A-yurting we will go .... ho ho.

This weekend we all went 'Yurting' - or 'Glamping'. Glamping is 'glamorous camping' I've been told. I think that means we are yuppies or something. Oh poo.

We stayed at Barefoot Yurts in Brede, East Sussex. All there are are two yurts just for us. No other yurts and no other people . YAY. You get two yurts to yourself - one is the living area and one the sleeping. There is also a kitchen and shower room in that little wooden hut in the picture. We also had a great compost toilet off in the trees which amused the boys (and me) no end. And then you get this view .......

It goes all the way over the hills to the horizon and not a house in sight except in the way off distance. *sigh* lovely........

The boys loved it! Here's my youngest - wearing blooming White Company pyjamas damn it! The stereotype gets worse. And the other two WERE running around in their Boden surfing shorts. GAH! What have we become?



Look how knackered they all are waiting for the barbeque to cook! The previous night, having no clue what the time was, we went to bed when it was dark which was probably pretty late. Then the next day we dragged them around the very pretty town of Rye, in the heat, and finished them off in the sea at Winchelsea.

None of them wanted to come home and the middle one wants to do it again for his birthday treat. This is not until February, mind, but he always has been one for forward planning. Both yurts have wood burners in them so I guess it would be quite cosy ... hmmmmm.

Not forgetting that I run a multi-squillian pound craft empire I took along the latest chickens to find a better background than the last two I've been struggling with.














I'm a lot happier with these ones so they've all gone onto Folksy and onto my website.
Third time lucky! I also took Widget along too and learnt a little about ancient bunny history ... READ HERE
I'm now off to re-assess my stereo-typical lifestyle ......... harumph.

WIDGET GOES YURTING!

This weekend Widget had the privilege to go and stay in a Yurt! The Barefoot Yurts are just two (a living room one and a bedroom one, as you can see above) so it was a lovely, peaceful place for a bunny to be. He immediately made himself at home and though the compost toilet very amusing indeed! The Bunny Maker and her family had a barbecue and Widget got a little worried about the wine ...


I did tell him that it was absolutely made from grapes and not bunnies which did cheer him up a bit. He spent ages staring at the pictures and reading the label though.

He enjoyed the barbecue as there were carrots and lettuce on offer (without dressing of course) and he enjoyed some of the seeds off the bread too.
The next day everyone went to walk around Rye, which was very lovely with it's cobbled streets. Widget did hop along for a while but the cobbles got a bit too much and he had to be carried the last bit in a pocket. It was all a bit hot and humid so the beach was the next stop......


We went to Winchelsea Beach which was lovely and deserted, probably due to the stones but stones are good for throwing into the sea which was good for the Bunny Makers offspring. Widget discovered that, although good for throwing, they are not good for burrowing!
The next day - after a lovely night's sleep for some very tired boys and bunnies, everyone went to Battle to learn all about the Battle of Hastings.


Widget wanted to know about rabbits back in 1066 but no one seem to know much. He listed to the whole audio tour on a special listening device and found no mention of bunnies at all. There is little known history about the bunnies and not many people know that they actually played a large part in many of the major battles over the last 1000yrs. Harold would not have been 'conquered' by Willian if the 'League of Messenger Rabbits', who carried messages back from the Spy Buns in France, were not discovered by the French Bunny Resistance. Widget still mumbles references to 'Carrot Nibbling Surrender Rabbits'. I keep telling him that it has no bearing on the Battle of Hastings and that the French Resistance had nothing to do with the Battle of Hastings but he's having none of it. It's bunny history and that's it.

This picture is of Widget outside the gatehouse. He is especially excited as those daisies in the grass next to him mark a major tunnel used by the League of Messenger Rabbits.

All in all Widget had a fantastic time and taught The Bunny Maker and her family all kinds of things about how important rabbits are in our history. Who would have thought?

Half an Acre gets loads more chickens!

Since my last post with a meagre selection of chicken decorations I've been in the stygian gloom of my workroom whilst the sun has been shining and the flowers blooming. I've been chickening.

I'm pretty pleased with them and the colours are getting brighter as I do each one - which makes me happier than just the classic pale blue, cream and red. They need to be strung together in pairs but I'm struggling with the string - nothing is looking right at the moment - I think I'll try leather next. The fish look nice with the jute twine as it has a kinda beachy, natural look to it.
Ponder.....ponder.......ponder

GLOBAL BUNNY ARRIVES ON OCRACOKE!!

I'm pleased to announce that Global Bun has arrived on Ocracoke Island. The island forms part of the Outer Banks, a string of islands off the coast of North Carolina. I don't know about the bunny population but the mosquitos certainly enjoy living there!!
I'm looking forward to receiving news from her that all is well. It's probably getting hot there now so I hope she has sunscreen on her ear tips!

A lovely Folksy find for you

The other day I bought this adorable felt tub from Snowdrops and Daisies on Folksy. I'm sure I spend more than I earn on that site! I can't resist all the cute handmade stuff - er ..... okay that's pretty much the whole site! Its a work hazard.

It is perfect for my little collection of pewter thingies. I don't usually keep it on top of a load of House Leeks but I liked the background - soft vrs prickly - you know - that kind of thing.
There are lots in the shop on Folksy and they are perfect for rings, trinkets and all kinds of ephemera. Here's the shop link >>>>>> SnowdropsandDaisies

The Chickens hit the shelves.

Ha Ha I love that imagery! Chickens hitting shelves. *SIGH* I'm overtired.
Right - new this week are in fact the chickens in store. I've re-shot the pictures as the last ones were pants. These ones are annoying me too - not sharp enough or is it my poor old
eyes?













Definately not crisp enough for my liking but how many times can you re-shoot something? I quite like that soft look but is that 'softness' really just an arty way of saying 'out of focus'?
These things are troubling me so I'm going to make some nice strong coffee and ponder a while.
In store here >>>>>>>> CLUCK CLUCK CLUCK

THE PLASTER COMES OFF!

I am pleased to report that Widget is now up and about. His plaster is off and he is starting to bounce around a little.
It really has been very scary for him and the other bunnies as they were safe in the knowledge that living at The Warren meant they were far from the dangers of farmers, guns and nasty older brothers.
It seems that when they stray too far they open themselves up to the nastiness of the world.

All new buyers of bunnies will be vetted from now on!

WORRYING TIMES.

All is not well at The Warren. Following Widget's very nasty experience in Wiltshire, with The Bunny Maker's older brother stabbing him with a knife, the bunnies are all in a whirl of worry and anger. They are twisting their ears in frustration at not being able to get to Wiltshire to mount a revenge attack. I have told them that revenge is not a good idea but they just mutter 'its a dish best served cold' under their collective breath. I am very alarmed at this attitude pervading The Warren - it is most out of character.



Caught on camera.








Thank you to all for your messages of concern for Widget. Last night I received a very concerned email from Little Spotty in Holland

Dear Widget,
We, Little Spotty and me, were very shocked when we saw what happened to you!
Little Spotty is so afraid now, she won't leave her favorite pocket.
I told her she's safe her, but she doesn't believe me.
Even her best friend Mister Jimmy can't brighten her up.
She's is to much in shock to write this email, so I do it for her.
Little Spotty wants to give you a lot of hugs and hopes that you will be fine soon.
Greetings,
Tessa, on behalf of Little Spotty

I can tell you that Widget is okay. He has been prescribed bed rest for a few days as he is deeply shocked by what happened. He also has a sticking plaster in place and, although things are heeling nicely. He is very worried about its removal.

The Farthest North Division of Widget’s Warren

WOW! We have heard back from all the bunnies in Alaska! A large party of them had been dispatched overseas to their new home in Two Rivers, Alaska and everyone was a little worried at the ratio between bunny height and deep snow. It seems that they have arrived in summer time - phew! Below is the email from the newly established Farthest North Division of The Warren....

The bunnies arrived the other day and have made themselves at home here in Alaska!
The last two days have been rather miserable weather-wise. The only bunny who was enjoying himself was Rainbow Bunny, who waited eagerly by the window for the storms to stop so he could look for his namesakes. He was disappointed not to find one.

The first out of their traveling box was, of course, Speedy Cheetah Bunny, and the last, poor Shy Bun, who immediately scuttled underneath the bed pillows and refused to come out for the last few days.

But as soon as the rains stopped, Cheetah lead all the bunnies, with the exception of Shy Bun, Book Bun (who is pouring over the stacks of reading material in my daughter’s room-to her delight a whole set of Harry Potter!) and Chilly Blue Bun, who wanted to keep Book Bun company. I don’t think it’s cold enough outside for him to venture forth yet, but I’m afraid he has a long wait for snow!

The first great find was a patch of dandelions right outside the window that Rainbow Bunny had been watching thunderstorms out of for the last few days. At fantastic speed, Cheetah played ringleader and drew all the excited bunnies out to discover what lay beyond the dandelion patch.



Heartsy Bunny and Grey Stripey Bunny found a lovely patch of purple lady slippers. Who would’ve thought they grew here in the Arctic Circle?!
Grey Stripey looks as if he might sneeze. I hope he’s not allergic!



A fast thinker, he, and brought one bloom in to show Shy Bun, which perked her up straightaway!






On subsequent days, we were able to convince Book Bun to leave her novels for a moment and take some fresh air. She and Chilly Blue Bunny then found the following bluebell flowers and a Spruce tree bole.





Everyone came out to see the strawberry patch flowers!






At long last ready to return indoors, Rainbow Bunny takes one last look into the cloudy sky, hoping for more thunderstorms and possibly a rainbow!






And when he came back inside, he and Shy Bun made a new friend! (His name is Fiver, after the Watership Down character.)

We all look forward to seeing the rest of the bunnies join us.
Thank you so much!

The Farthest North Division of Widget’s Warren
Speedy Cheetah Bunny, Rainbow Bunny, Heartsy Bunny, Baby Spotty Bunny, Shy Bun, Book Bun, Chilly Blue Bun, Grey Stripey Bun and Pink Ribbon Bunny

The Movable Meadow goes out again...

Today The Movable Meadow was assembled on Wisborough Green for the local primary school's summer fair. It had to be a slightly smaller than usual meadow as I took a few other bits and pieces - stencil and gardening kits to go with the gardening theme. As usual I had forgotten a float and the selotape and the scissors and the string and the bags and ........ *big gasp for breath* .....pretty much everything useful I might need!
It was a lovely day though - one of those sunny/cloudy very British ones - a bit windy though - actually very windy and that green tablecloth spent most of the afternoon blown out horizontally, forming a big lime green flappy barrier for customers to wrestle with.

I sold a few bunnies and some other bits and pieces and spent a nice afternoon in a very comfortable deck chair lent to me by the stall next to me (forget a chair), in the sun, reading my book (in between customers, of course!). I did, however, witness something quite extraordinary. Maypole dancing to U2 and Take That!! Very radical of the school. Maypole dancing in June and with great music. So, with Take That blasting out 'Greatest Day' over the green, I was a very happy bunny indeed!

I bought this little hanging basket thingy from the stall next to me and Stripey Pink Bun had a lovely time swinging in it in the wind. She refused to get out and let any of the others have a go.

This evening I am loading a whole bunch of new bunnies into the bunny shop so don't forget to stop in and have a look ...... click here to go there very fast indeed.

I've made some more hag stone rounds! YAY!

These always sell as soon as I make them and I only feel like making them when the sun is shining!



We went to the Isle of Wight over half term again and - behold! the sun shone! I did some concentrated beach combing for Hag Stones. This is where I find most of them along with a lot of sea glass too.

Both of these are £8.99 in my Folksy shop

So, what are Hag Stones exactly?
Stones found with a natural hole through them are called Hag Stones. The holes have been worn away by years of wave action on weaker minerals within the stone. In bygone days, when superstition played a part in everyone's lives, it was common to see these stones hanging above the doors of people's houses in England. They were believed to provide protection for your home and those living within it. A horse was vital to the family in these days and people also tied them into their manes to ward off any disease that might afflict the horse.
They are also known as Witch Stones, Fairy Stones, Holy Stones and Eye Stones.

Possibly the cutest bunnies on the planet....

The bunnies at The Warren would like everyone to know that they would like to adopt these little bunnies. They are worried about them as they look a little lost and worried.

They are needled felted by UK seller Felt Me Up and available from her Etsy shop

Awwwww! Too cute!

As I type they are tipping out the bunny money box to see if they have enough coins to buy them.

A few new things today ...

I've gone all simple! I just fancied doing something red and white and spotty - so I did.

Although I have put them into my shop I'm going to reshoot the pictures as I think I can do something a bit better! I've priced these very reasonably as the designs are quicker to do than my usual ones.
Swim on over and have a look. Half an Acre on Folksy

NEW BUNNY BADGES! YAY!

With many thanks to the wonderful Floating Rabbit we have new bunny badges! If you haven't bought a sock bunny yet you most likely won't know that they come in a little box with a badge, sticker and instructions on how to keep in touch with the bunnies back at The Warren. There has been such bunny madness that I'd run out of the old style ones!

Floating Rabbit drew the perfect Widget! So, the best way to get one of these adorable badges is to buy a little sock bunny!

How not to make a paper mache whale/shark/fish thing...

The third in my "How not to......" series! I'm good at doing things all back to front and taking months to finish them. It all starts with a mad spurt. It would be fine if there wasn't that period for drying or setting or flattening, in fact anything which causes a break in the process. That is when the process stops ..... nice cup of coffee and 'I'll finish that tomorrow'...

It all began before Christmas - arghghgghghgghhh - so long ago!
*blows dust off*
So this time it was a whale. It was meant to be a whale. Why is that chicken wire stuff so expensive? At least, it was a my local garden centre. Expensive and spikey. I'd read somewhere that the thing to do was to make a wire frame. Hokay. Much snipping (using the kitchen scissors) and bending and spiking of skin ensued. It's pretty hard to make something vaguely fishy without having to mould a particular species ...... I'd made a kind of fish cockatrice - part whale, part shark, part seal, part submarine.


There it is in the picture - all papermached up. Now if you want something covered beautifully in this decoupagey manner visit Bombus - do not ask me. Got that? The fishy thing is all bumpy and dented and mis-shaped and no-one can agree on what it resembles most. The plan was to cover it in a star map but it because very clear that that just looked pants - due to the 'mostly blue with little faint constalations' - so it got more mappage. Its meant to fly over our map table (another How not to......) so I guess that more map would be okay.



Here it is - nearly finished. We used all the star map initally then put the other maps over the top - only we ran out. This means that there is that dreaded 'pause in the process'. Uh oh.





So - there it sits on the floor in the kitchen. At least it is down off the top of that bookcase where it has been since last year.
Now I have to listen to the boys saying "Mummy, it looks nothing like a whale, its a shark, on its side."
Thanks boys.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WIDGET!

June 6th is The Bunny Maker's birthday - therefore it is also Widget' birthday!! YAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WIDGET!






We have friends staying at The Warren this weekend and Ruth, a fellow bunny lover, knitted Widget a new scarf to use as a spare because, quite honestly, his old one needs a very good wash.


This is Widget studying Ruth's speedy knitting fingers wondering if he could learn to do it with his ears!
Ruth is a superdooper knitter!

Very smart!

The Adventures of Little Spotty

Little Spotty Sock Bunny is fast becoming a Bunny Ambassador Abroad! The Warren has just received another message from her in her new home in Holland:


Hello Bunnies!

Here is an other mail from Little Spotty.
Last week Tessa had a little surprise for me. I was very excited! Curious I hopped around. And then Tessa told me her surprise: she told me that she was going to Brussels (Belgium) and I could go with her! I was very happy! So we went with her school to Belgium by train. Everybody in the train liked me and thought I was cute. In Brussels Tessa took me to a museum.

Mister Jummy told me that Tessa loves museums. And now I do to! We went to
The Museum of Fine Arts. I saw a lot of beautiful paintings. My favorites are: Dalí and David. Tessa has made some photos of me while I'm looking at Dalí and David. Also Tessa had an other surprise for me: n her summer holiday she goes to London for five days. And I can come with her!
Greetings!
Little Spotty

Thank you so much to Tessa for helping Little Spotty with the computer and sending emails. The bunnies can't wait to here from her again!