Jeremy Beagle arrives....

There was a parcel waiting at The Warren when we arrived back, all soggy, from Wales. Everyone was very excited as we could hear little woofs coming through the wrappings. It was Jeremy Beagle! All the way from Hot Dog and Me. He was wrapped up in lovely paper tied with ribbon and a button which Widget and the others ripped off - no manners at all!


Here he is with his birth certificate. It was pretty hard to make him sit still as he was rushing around sniffing the plants and other bits and pieces in the garden. Then they found SOMETHING WRONG!!


Nosey and Jeremy discussed the problem. The doggy treats must have been packed into Jeremy's bag before he was posted but there were only empty wrappers in the bag on his arrival! What had happened? The Bunny Maker asked where the Pear Drops were and then Nosey wanted to know how she knew they were Pear Drops. Suddenly The Bunny Maker was very busy in her workroom with the door closed and wouldn't answer any more questions.
Nosey and Jeremy are deciding what to do .....

How not to go camping in Wales ......

Take three friends, eight assorted children, nine stuffed toys, one non-plussed dog and three tents. Put them all in a field on the Welsh coast. Add wind, rain and a severe weather warning (but of course!) and see how long you can maintain a stiff upper lip!











See how grey - see how miserable - see those guy ropes strain! Hear that flap-flapping tent slap slapping around your head ALL night - hear that rain lashing against the tent ALL day and ALL night. Oh how we laughed. Ahhhhhaaaaahhhaaaaaaboooohoooooooosob.
The kids did things to amuse themselves ....
















Such as wearing a stuffed woodlouse as a hat .... and dressing up in girls' clothes and wearing a sock nose protector.
The dog got to dress up too .....

We did have one afternoon when we actually got out of the tent .....


..... but it was still an opportunity for some interesting headwear.














And on arriving home ... look what i'm going to have to deal with for the next few days ...

Lovely!

ANNOUNCING THE BIRTH OF ....

.... a baby sock bunny! Lisel is so proud of Baby Meep and can't wait to show you her. She is called Meep because that is the little noise she makes. It will be up to the new bunny owner to give her a more appropriate name.













Lisel is not the only bunny to have had a baby - there will be some more appearing in the shop later on today so hop along and take a look in The Bunny Shop on Folksy.com
We have a Daddy Bunny too ....

This is Morgan and his son. He is very pleased to have a boy to carry on the family strawberry growing business. It will be a long time before this little boy can earn the family crest though - a long apprenticeship in the art of fruit production.

UK HANDMADE SUMMER ISSUE is ready!

Yippeeee! The summer issue of UK Handmade is now live - it's full of wonderful stuff, some of it written by me (gulp!).

"The Summer Issue of the UK Handmade Magazine is ready to view from the website, packed full of articles including an interview with the fabulous Lucie Summers, lots and lots of business advice from setting up your first craft fair to approaching publishers, as well as our usual how-to's and recipes. We hope you like it!"

CHECKER BUNNY HEADS FOR AMERICA!

Checker Bun is off! She is going to join Huckleberry, Treacle and Harriet Sockbunny in Michigan on 'The Farm'. She was selected to work on the farm because she is fantastic at arranging, organising and checking up on things. Treacle and Huckleberry might have to realise that it's not all play and no work.
Here she is in a box ready to be posted. She's even packed her own notebook ready to start work!
She is also bringing some of Harriet's mystery plant seeds so Harriet won't miss out on seeing what the plants look like when they grow and flower.

Widget and Nosey Mouse are going to help me take her to the post office in the morning.

THE 100th BUNNY LEAVES THE WARREN!

Yesterday The Warren sent out it's 100th 'bought bunny' - YAY! The lucky bunny was Strawberry Bun and she went off in the post today with her bunny twins and a lovely bunch of carrots as part of the free giveaway to mark the occasion.

Thank you to everyone who bought bunnies last night!

Harriet heads out across the Atlantic.

Yesterday Widget helped to post Harriet Sockbunny off to live with Huckleberry Dog in Michigan. The second package was Bip Bun who was going to Ocracoke, NC hopefully to hook up with Global Bun. The purple package envelopes were picked from the catalogue by the bunnies as the said that grey was just too dull for them to travel in.


This is Harriet - she was just about to prick out those seedings when I snapped the picture. We don't know what the plants are - a seed head was given to us that was, apparently, taken from Monet's garden! A slight hand and a handbag!
There are little black dots all over the leaves and the plants grow quite big and bushy with blue flowers. Now that Harriet isn't here to look after them I've taken over so will be posting some more pictures later to see if anyone knows what they are.

Huckleberry has his own farm (or would like to have his own more like!) and Harriet will be able to help with the gardening. Unknown to her, Treacle, from Hotdog and Me has just arrived over there after travelling all the way from Dorset. What a surprise will be waiting for her!
Hopefully the three of them will get along magnificently and get on with sowing, planting, raking and weeding. Perhaps they might like some of the 'Monet's Garden' seeds!

NEWS FROM GLOBAL BUNNY

As I mentioned earlier, Global Bun is on Ocracoke Island, NC in the US of A. Her bunny host, Tricia, has been sending back diary extracts:

23 June 2009
Hello. Global Bunny has just arrive in America on Ocracoke Island. She is settling into her room for a little nap and tomorrow will start her adventures here in the USA, on this little island. I am hoping to get a post stamp in her passport that says "Ocracoke NC" to document her arrival. Until tomorrow...Trish

23 June 2009
Friday Global Bunny will be going to visit the wild ponies here in Ocracoke with the pony caretakers. They promised to take photos. I think she will have alot of fun!

20 July 2009
Global Bunny has just been picked up by Laura and is going to the Pony Pens for a photo shoot.....she is going to spend a couple of days with Laura (she works for the Park Service) and go behind the scene in Ocracoke...

She really is having a wonderful time there - I am just hoping that she has been wearing a sun hat and not going out in the heat of the day. "Mad bunnies and Englishmen ...." as the saying goes.

Laura has also just bought her own sock bunny which is good news for Global Bun. Bip Bun is already on her way to Ocracoke. Widget helped with the posting yesterday. He is striking quite a fetching pose with his ear there. The post office lady told him to "Get off the scales you smelly bunny"!!
Poor Widget! I know he needs a bath but it isn't time for his bi-annual one yet.

NOSEY MOUSE ARRIVES .....

We had a package arrive the other day from "The Beauty is in the Detail". The bag was almost as lovely as what was inside. I, The Bunny Maker, knew what was in it but Widget and the others didn't so it was fun watching them open it.


It was Nosey Mouse! She has come to live at The Warren. I decided that what we needed was a mouse about the house and found the ideal Mouse Maker in Shelley from 'The Beauty is in The Detail'. Widget, Hooverer and Murky helped her out of the bag and they all proceeded to sniff each other for a good while.

After all that was out of the way she set about sorting out photogenic places to sit and look cute.














She seems happy!
Murky Meerkat, on the other hand, is slightly miffed because Nosey's nose is a lot cuter than his and a lot of attention is being paid to how adorable it is with that little button on it. I may have to have a little chat with him ...

NEWS FROM FLORIDA

What a surprise everyone had this morning! The bunnies LOVE to hear their bunny friends and an email arrived from one of them. One of the bunnies from the "Farthest North Division of The Warren" has been sent to a new home in Florida

Hi Widget,
I received a great surprise on July 11th. A package came from my friend MimzMum - a bunny slave who lives in Alaska. Her bunny, Mimzy had the sniffles, so my bunny, Samantha Bunnykins, sent him a hanky. As a thank you, MimzMum sent me Rainbow Sockbunny! He has come all the way from England via Alaska to live with us. I am so excited!


Here is a pix of him making himself at home. He also looked you up on Facebook so I could email you to say he arrived. He is reading this email as I write. She chose Rainbow sockbunny as a reminder of my beloved Spockie, who crossed over the Rainbow Bridge a year ago last December. He was very sweet, and so it Rainbow Sockbunny.
He is very, very cuddly and soft. A welcome new member to my little warren here in Florida.
Very truly yours,
RabbitPam

We all really hope that Rainbow Bun will stay in touch and that he won't forget to put suncream on his ears. We have heard how hot it is in Florida!

LITTLE SPOTTY IS COMING TO ENGLAND!

Another email arrived for the bunnies today, from Tessa and Little Spotty in Holland:

Hello Bunny!
In one of my first e-mails I told you that I would go to London.
This Monday Tessa and I are travelling to London!
By train, so I must get up very early.
I'm so excited.
I'm hopping around the house all day!

Also I'm reading about London.
Tessa took some photo's of me between London books and maps.
I'm all ready packing my bag and hug Mister Jummy a lot.
Mister Jummy isn't coming with use.
Tessa said that he doesn't have a passport.
Luckily I have one!




To brighten me up, Tessa gave me a little present.
She gave me a cuddly toy.
His name is Artis de Partis and he is also made out of a sock!
He's is coming with me.






When I'm back, I will let you know how London was.
Greetings,
Little Spotty and Tessa


Little Spotty having a last cuddle with Mr Jummy.

THE WINTER BUNNIES BEGIN TO ARRIVE!

The Warren is nothing if not up-to-date. The fashion industry is always a season ahead and so are we! Two autumn bunnies arrived a last week but got whisked off to new homes before they could unpack and have their pictures taken. Since then we have had some other arrivals. Two cosy little winter bunnies arrived this morning. I told them they were a little too early but didn't have the heart to turn them away.

They are both happily settle in their burrows and have already taken their places in the bunny shop, so keen are they to find homes before the weather starts to turn cold.
There are seven other new bunnies in the shop today too so hop on over and take a look!
Bunny shop - Bunny Shop - Bunny Shop - Bunny Bunny Bunny shop!

UPDATE: I am pleased to announce that the two bunnies above have been sold and are on their way to Alaska where their fuzzy sleeping bags may come in useful!

A very British day .....

It is Sunday today and the day of the boys' school summer fair so we had lots to do beforehand....











There were vegetable monsters to make .....























And seed tray gardens to assemble .......











The weather was lovely - which was a relief as yesterday, saturday, was pants.
There was a ballon race, tug of war, farm animals to pet, cakes to buy, a tombola, May pole dancing and a whole heap more. Half an Acre had a stall as usual and the bunnies were on display too.

I have to confess that the above (and left) seed garden was a stolen idea from Dan Jackson - I hope he doesn't mind. There is an adults display table and, being an irritatingly creative family, we are the ONLY people to put anything on to it and I feel the need to come up with something curious and entertaining each year! So, for once, I was drained of any ideas at all so I stole one! I'm hoping that linking to Dan will make up for it! DAN'S SHOP >>>> CLICK HERE!

I am so pleased that the boys are at such a wonderful school. They are allowed to (seasonally!) play in the dirt, throw snowballs, get wet and play with sticks. I value these things. They have really benefited from the inclusive ethos of the school and my eldest especially has changed from an anxious worrier to a cool, confident, self-assured dude-in-the-making.
So BIG thanks to Mr Potter, head-teacher extraordinaire, for looking after everyone so well and making school a pretty good place to be ....

Widget gets a present .....

The Warren received some lovely mail the other day - from the MonkeyGang - who they are always thrilled to hear from.


It contained a little note and this hand-painted bunny peg.
Widget has been using it to keep his ears under control in the garden. It's been a bit stormy and windy here and he has been trying to thin out the carrot seedlings but his ears flap in the way.

The bunnies vegetable patch isn't doing that well this, its first, year. The manure wasn't rotten down enough and the salad vegtables look a little unhappy and yellow. The beans, tomatoes and sweet peas are pretty happy though.

Widget's sunflower, for the competition being run by Veryan from BeadyPool, is looking ridiculously pathetic. It really is an ill plant!

I think it is looking so weedy because Widget has been lying about it's height. I had no idea that he was such a competitive rabbit. Perhaps it will get a spurt on now that we've planted it out in the vegetable patch thus releasing it from its pot prison.

WHERE IS GLOBAL BUNNY?

I thought I would post a little update on where Global Bun is.
She has been on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina - and will then be sent off to San Francisco.

We can't wait to hear all about her adventures!

You zoom in on the map below to see where Ocracoke Island is. If you go in far enough you might see some bunny ears!


View Global Bunny's World Tour in a larger map

Whale/seal/shark/fish thing update ....

Now, I was asked at Winchester Handm@ade, by one of my 'followers' (that sounds a bit cultish!) Trashalou about my whale/shark/etc thing. I have a visual update ...

Yup - it is back up on the book case. At least it has got the map on it. It's that chicken. It won't let me near it. Honest ......

Hello Mary!

Widget met a little girl called Mary yesterday at the Winchester Handm@de craft fair.


Mary bought a little bunny for herself and Widget insisted on having his picture taken with them both. He's trying to give his 'best side' in this picture because someone told him he had green paint on the other. He has been a bit self-conscious since and has turned down Hooverer's offer of paint stripper.

The Warren bunnies hope you love your new bunny friend, Mary, and that you will let them all know what adventures you have together.

Widget wasn't that helpful yesterday. He busied himself organising the other bunnies and telling them to sit in all the places that I didn't want them in. Finally I convinced him to sit up by the watering can with the job of 'overseer'. He was happy with that. So was I.

Twenty-one of the bunnies went to new homes! Wow! Imagine how much excitement there was there. The reserve bunnies had to come out from their tub trug which caused lots of cheering from them as they weren't happy about being under the table out of sight.

All in all it was a great day.

Yesterday I went to a craft fair and I bought .......

Yesterday was Winchester Handm@de. It was interesting going back to the town - er, city - because I went to school their and my parents-in-law live just outside it. I also had the most interesting experience of about 5 people coming up to me and saying that they read my blogs ......WAH! er ...... hello ....... I feel all self-conscious now. *waves nervously*. I felt all famous for a few minutes and then a bit exposed. So, to make my self feel better I went shopping. I bought .....

...a monsta!

Monda Loves makes these from old jumpers - she had a big row of them on her stall and there was a tricky moment when I nearly gave in and bought them all but ...... this one won out. His name is Egor and my youngest son has stolen him and taken him to bed. Damn.






This ring ......... from David Corbin.

I needed this ring. I did. Really I did.

It's on my right hand middle finger and is going to get in the way when I hold a paint brush but I simply don't care. It is too yummy to take off and I've been looking for a ring for years.







.....and this little owl brooch from MeninaFeliz. It is for an old friend who has always loved owls.














I also managed to slip in time for the purchasette of one of these little ceramic houses from Hodgepodge Arts. It is like the little one with the heart on. I also bought two of her gorgous buttons. I had a little trouble choosing.









I sold lots of bunnies which you can read a bit about on The Bunny Blog and had a very nice time indeed.

The Greatest Day ......

I went to Wembly last night to see Take That. The stadium was full - sold out. It was THE MOST awesome show I have ever seen and for a glorious two hours I forgot about anything and everything. What makes it even better is that the boys are all getting on a bit (like me *ahem*) and are married with kids (okay, not all of them) so it is okay to fancy the whole damn lot of them without feeling slightly old and leery! (tell me it's okay yeah?)


They had clowns, tumblers, tightrope walkers, fireworks, unicycles, rain, umbrellas, balloons - I think they stole half of Cirque du Soleil. We sang and danced and sang some more and then took three hours to get out of the car park ........

happy days ......