And So the Story Goes

I went to the Fiber Festival yesterday.  I went alone.  I thought I'd just go, buy bunnies, look around, and leave.  NUH-UH.  It was the best day EVER!!!

I can't believe how much I enjoyed myself.  It was a wonderful day.  I got there at 9:30, and went right to buy a bunny from the breeder I'd made contact with earlier this month.  The breeder brought five rabbits, one which was a Chestnut doe that I thought looked wonderful from her pictures, and would really add to the bunnies here.  When I got there and saw them all, though, the decision was not cut and dry.  They were all gorgeous, and their fiber is amazing.  I instead bought a Chocolate Agouti doe, instead of the Chestnut.  What can I say?  She called to me.  Her name is Daphne, and I took some bad pictures of her.  Here they are: 

Daphne trying to escape

Daphne's rear end

Can you see the coloration in there?  It's so had to get a picture of.  She's a light grey brown with a slightly umber banding.  Beautiful!

As I was picking Daphne, I heard someone else call my name.  This guy:

This is Daphne's brother, Buckley.  His eyes are bluey-brown, which just knocked me out.

But I didn't buy him for his eyes.  He's an Opal buck, and his wool is this amazing light pearl grey with a slightly darker banding. 

Probably the best picture of him is this one, while he's in his snazzy cage:

They are works of art, they truly are.  And I wasn't the only one who thought so.  When I went back at the end of the day to pick them up, the breeder had sold every one of her rabbits.  So yes, they were gorgeous.

I did make the rounds to the other breeders as well--there were only 3 at the show.  One had a nice smoky-colored rabbit, but I didn't like the way she/he (I never got that far) was being kept.  The cages were too small to turn around in.  Not cool, in my opinion, so I passed that one by.  The third breeder, however, had Satin Angoras, which I would not have considered, as I like the English so much.  But when I saw the color on the little ones, that went right out the window. 

Meet Camille:

8 weeks old, and a redhead.  I'm a sucker for ginger hair in an animal, I really am.  Look at her banding:

She's already got an amazing crimp, and she's as sweet as pie and feisty, to boot. 

So, yep, I came home with three, not one.  Oops.  I did say I couldn't be held responsible if I were to go alone.  And I went alone.  I did not, however, buy an Angora wether, and I could have, for a very reasonable price.  So I think, if you put it all in perspective, I did very well.

What I did not do, though, was walk through, buy bunnies, and leave.  It was such a gorgeous fair, I spent every minute I could taking it all in.  There's something very appealing to me about a craft that has tools that are as beautiful as the finished product.  I bought a pair of carding combs to work with the fiber I have already from Ygraine, some amazing roving to work with, and a pair of drop spindles. 

The one on top is a heavier spindle for wools, and the one on bottom is a lighter spindle for the Angora.  They were both hand crafted, by two different vendors.  They are amazing.  I also bought a hand-thrown yarn pot, because it's a brilliant idea.  And it's beautiful. 

In all, a fantastic day.  I haven't enjoyed myself so much somewhere in a long time, especially not alone.  It took me two hours to get home because of traffic, and I was an hour and a half late for feeding animals (and I heard about that, believe me), but it was totally worth it.  Today I will get everyone settled in the garage-barn and then maybe I'll feel all the beautiful fiber that followed me home yesterday. 

Have a wonderful day, everyone.  I leave you with a picture of the "bunny train", out in the back, while I clean out their spots inside.