Voodoo Rabbit

Stitch 'n' Bitch - 25th Jan 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:20:00 +0000

Sorry for the late notice bunnehs, it has just been one of "those" weeks.

Anywhoo the first Voodoo Rabbit Stitch 'n' Bitch will be held this evening at the bunneh clubhouse :0) If you can't make it tonight never fear we will be holding these on a regular basis. If you think that you will be attending tonight please let us know so we can make sure that we have enough chairs.

Where
Office 1 (Upstairs via Side Entry), 904 Stanley Street, East Brisbane

Phone
0422 215 053

When
25th January
5.30pm - 9pm

What
Bring along a project (knitting, crochet, embroidery or anything you want) and join us for a chat and a snack. We will have tea, coffee (instant sorry), hot chocolate and cookies. If you need something a bit more filling there is a Crust Pizza and a Thai restaurant nearby. There is one sewing machine available to hire for $5 but this will be on a first in basis.

Cost
none (though a gold coin donation for tea and coffee is appreciated)

Parking
On Site - There are two car spaces located in the carpark behind the building.
Stanley Street - There is on street parking on Stanley Street in front of the building after 9am. Please check parking signage for parking terms.
Side Streets - There is on street parking on Potts, Hampton and Lisburne Streets.

Public Transport
Inbound to City - 184, 185, 210 ,212, 235, 230 stop across the road in front of Dan Murphy's
Outbound from City - 184, 185, 210 ,212, 235, 230 stop on the corner of Wellington Road and Stanley Street (1st stop after the Wooloongabba bus station).

Opening Hours for 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Happy New Year! Our showroom will be re-opening tomorrow, 3rd January, 2012 after a great festive season break for the Bunnies.

Showroom Opening Hours for 2012 are:

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 11am - 5pm
Wednesday: 11am - 7pm
Thursday: 11am - 5pm
Friday: 11am - 5pm
Saturday: 10am - 4pm
Sunday: Closed
Public Holidays: Closed (unless otherwise noted)

We have tentatively scheduled our first Stitch n Bitch for Wednesday 25th January - more information to come on this later :D

We will also be closed Tuesday 10th January so Ky can move into her new house.

Don't forget that if you want to arrange a special time to visit the showroom, you can call us on 0422 215 053 to arrange an appointment.

See you soon!

Ky & Cloud

Christmas Trading 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 03:22:00 +0000

Merry Christmas Bunneh Lovers

Do you need some last minute supplies for all of those holiday projects you have planned then never fear we will be open from Tuesday - Friday this week 11am - 6pm.

The showroom will be closed from 24th Dec 2011 - 3rd Jan 2012. Our online stores will remain open during this time but shipping will be subject to Australia Post opening times.

We will probably be popping into the showroom from time to time over the holiday break so if you are desperate for a fabric fix give us a call on 0422 215 053 and we will see what we can do :D

We have also re-added Gift Certificates to our online shop, the perfect last minute gift idea for the fabric fiend in your life.

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

- Ky and Cloud

Showroom Opening Hours 13-17 December

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 01:52:00 +0000

A few things have come up so we have had to make a few adjustments to the shop hours for this week.

Tuesday - Thursday
11am - 6pm

Friday
11am - 2.30pm

We will be in King George Square from 5pm - 9pm as part of the BrisStyle Indie Twilight Markets.

Saturday
10am - 4pm

Please call us on 0422 215 053 if you need to check to see if we are open before you pop in.

- Ky

Update - Showroom open this Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 04:14:00 +0000

Hello Bunneh lovers,

Just a quick post to let you know that we have decided to skip the Kustom Krafts Xmas Vintage Rockabilly Extravaganza Market that we were going to attend and we will be in the showroom instead.

We will be open from 10am - 4pm if you would like to pop by for a fabric fix. Full showroom details can be found here.

See you soon!
Ky and Cloud

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 04:47:00 +0000

The wait is finally over! Brisbane now has a fabric and craft shop that stocks only the best designs from around the world. We are proud to specialise in the hard to find and harder to get fabrics that other stores won't stock. Come down to see the full range of skull, goth, rockabilly, spiderwebby, geeky, retro, kawaii & downright awesome goodies on offer. There are a load of items that aren't available yet in our online store including - Sublime Stitching patterns, DMC embroidery threads, new Alexander Henry, Lecien and Michael Miller fabrics.

Upstairs, 900-904 Stanley Street, East Brisbane
Saturday, December 3, 2011
10am to 4pm
Limited carparking is available onsite (via Potts Street). Free street parking available in Potts Street and Stanley Street.
Short walk from the Woolloongabba Bus Station.

If you can't make it on Saturday our regular opening hours for the rest of the year will be:
Tuesday - Friday
11am - 6pm

Saturday 17th December
10am - 4pm

We hope to see you soon!

- Ky & Cloud

Bubbles and Baubles and a New Showroom

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 05:32:00 +0000

We are very excited to be attending the Piece Together Bubbles and Baubles launch party tomorrow night from 7pm. It is to be a night of craft, art, design, food, wine and live music. There will also be a suitcase style market where you will find Voodoo Rabbit, Kimono Reincarnate, Wimcee, Ties & Whimsy, Mad Weevil, Little Bubble and more.

Where: Piece Together - 33A(Upstairs) Logan Road, Woolloongabba
When: Thursday 17th November, 7pm

Piece Together is a workshop and market place where you can create things, meet people and purchase local handmade and vintage items. The studio is located in the antiques precinct of Wooloongabba which is only a 5 minute walk from Voodoo Rabbit's new showroom.

What's that I hear you say, Voodoo Rabbit is opening up a showroom? You heard right, finally Voodoo Rabbit will have a permanent home where you can come to get your fabric fix! It's been a long time coming but we are super excited to be opening up shop to the public as well as selling online. It would be great if you could make it along to our Showroom Opening day!

When: Saturday, December 3
Time: 10am - 4pm
Where: Office 1 (Upstairs via Side Entry), 904 Stanley Street, East Brisbane
Phone: 0422 215 053

We will have new Alexander Henry fabrics, a huge selection of our own Voodoo Rabbit original designs, DMC embroidery threads, Sublime Stitching Kits, Funky Friends Factory patterns and kits all in stock. The best part is that you can BUY FABRIC OFF THE BOLT! We will always have precut fat quarters but if you want to sew clothing, you will now be able to buy continuous lengths at the showroom.

More details to come soon.

- Ky

Win FREE tickets to the Craft and Quilt Fair - Brisbane 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Cloud) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 11:24:00 +0000

The Brisbane Craft and Quilt Show starts in LESS than 3 weeks and for the first time ever Voodoo Rabbit will be there! The bunnies are madly cutting and folding fabrics in preparation and we also have FREE TICKETS to give away, in conjunction with Pauline at Funky Friends Factory.

Pauline has designed lots of new patterns since last year’s show like SAMMY the SHARK. He is super quick and cute to make!

Cloud is such a child sometimes - she loves to play with the toys!

To celebrate our Craft and Quilt Fair debut, we are giving away FREE TICKETS to the show AND you can also win PATTERN AND FABRIC VOUCHER prizes.

BUT, FIRST…

Let me show you where we will be so you can come and say Hi!

We know we will be well looked after at the show - Pauline will be set up nearby with her Funky Friends Factory stall and will make sure we don't get ourselves into trouble. We will be selling Toy-making KITS made up with Pauline's Funky Friends Factory Patterns and our quirky cotton fabrics. We thought it would be a great idea to do a joint promo to give away our free tickets and vouchers to use at our Show stands.

What can you WIN?

1st PRIZE:

2 FREE TICKETS, a Funky Friends Factory Pattern Voucher and a $15 Voodoo Rabbit Voucher (only redeemable at the Show)

2nd PRIZE:

2 FREE TICKETS

3rd PRIZE: 1 FREE TICKET

4th PRIZE: 1 FREE TICKET

5th PRIZE: 1 FREE TICKET

6th PRIZE: 1 FREE TICKET

HOW do you enter?

All you need to do is to leave a comment on this blog post BELOW, or on the FREE TICKETS blog post at Funky Friends Factory to let us know ‘WHICH Funky Friends Factory toy pattern you think would look AWESOME made up in WHAT Voodoo Rabbit fabric’. (English teachers – please excuse any gramatical errors!!!!)

*** You can comment on BOTH blogs for TWO CHANCES TO WIN
- pretty cool! Huh? : )

The Vouchers are ONLY valid at our show stands.. so we look forward to catching up with the winners at the Craft and Quilt Show…

We will draw the winners on Wednesday night, the 12th October.

GOOD LUCK everyone!

Bulimba Festival on Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 01:19:00 +0000

Voodoo Rabbit will be at the Bulimba Festival this Sunday. You can find us between Cambridge and Jameson Streets just up from Riverbend book shop and the K Rudd tent (see map below). Entertainment will include Mental as Anything', and 'Ross Wilson' from Daddy Cool with other acts including local Brisbane band Prefontaine (Nee Wayward Gentleman), The Frets and Russ Walker duo.

When:
28th August 2011

Time:
10am - 4pm

Where:
Oxford Street Bulimba

What:
We will have fat qtrs of all of our commercial fabrics as well as a selection of Voodoo Rabbit original design fabrics, kits, buttons and handmade goods.

Payment:
We except payment via EFTPOS and cash at all of our market stalls.

If you would like us to bring meterage of any of our fabrics for you to pick up at the markets please contact us at sales@voodoorabbit.com.au. We will be more than happy to bring your order along with us.

- Ky

Making Bias Binding

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0000

Occasionally you just cannot find the right size or colour bias tape (or all of the shops are shut because it is midnight and you just have to finish your project right now) required to finish off a project.

Bias Binding around bib made from red homespun cotton

Never fear, making you own is not too hard and a few minutes on Google will supply you with numerous tutorials. Here is one of our favourites as, unlike a lot of tutorials, it uses the entire piece of fabric instead of leaving you with two fairly unusable triangles at each end.

How To Make Continuous Bias/Binding Tape by Make It Modern

The link to this tutorial has been added to our Tutorials page.

Another niffty little device is the Bias Binder Foot for your sewing machine, I purchased mine here. It can be a great help and enables you to attach the bias binding to an edge in one go.

Bias binding can be used for more than just binding quilts, we have used it for binding bibs, armholes, neckholes and corsets, joining bunting flags and embellishing clothing. It can be a great was of using up a 1/2m remnant of fabric.

Bias Binding made from chocolate and tan homespun and a Japanese fabric
remnant. Used as embellishment on the bottom of a skirt

- Ky

Customer Project: Invader shirt

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 03:40:00 +0000

Daniel sent us these images of his awesome new Invader shirt, click on the images to go to Daniel's flickr page.

The black accents on the placket, shoulder loops and sleeves add a nice level of interest to the shirt design don't you think. I also love the little section of musical tape under the front placket. The very neat pattern matching of the pockets and shirt front is also to be applauded.

This shirt was made using our Gingham Invaded White on Black print. Available via our online store.

If you need a large amount or would prefer a different basecloth you can purchase it direct from Spoonflower.

Have you made something awesome from one of our fabrics, we'd love to see it.

- Ky

Lazer Cut Fabric

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 04:12:00 +0000

Fashion designer Diana Eng creates these very interesting t-shirts, the intricate cut out pattern is created using a lazer cutter.

You can read more about her techniques and purchase her designs here.

Found via this site.

- Ky

BrisStyle Indie Designer Markets

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0000

The Bristyle Indie Designer Markets will held next Saturday in Hamilton, Brisbane. Once again we will be sharing a stall with Pauline from Funky Friends Factory.

Pauline will have a bunch of her awesome Funky Friends patterns and kits and we will have Original Design Voodoo Rabbit fabric, Voodoo Rabbit sewing kits, dyed buttons and a selection of handmade items. Our stall is going to located outside in the church grounds (see map below), here's hoping the weather co-operates.

The market will also feature local emerging and established artists, crafters and designers from Queensland's South East who specialise in producing quality handmade goods including handbags, sweet art, jewellery, children's wear and vintage re-creations.

Where: St Augustine's Church Hall and grounds, Racecourse Road, Hamilton
When: Saturday July 9, 2011. 9am-2pm
Website: http://www.bris-style.com/page/indie-designers-market/

- Ky and Cloud

I do not like green eggs and ham but I do love Dr Seuss!

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0000

We are super excited about this - we have the whole range of the brand new Celebrate Seuss! and The Cat in the Hat fabrics from Robert Kaufmann in stock!

Dr Seuss: Cat In the Hat

The fabrics feature all your favourite characters and illustrations from the books Horton Hears a Who; One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, Fox in Socks, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and of course The Cat in the Hat.

Dr Seuss: Celebrate Seuss - Character Stripe

Dr Seuss: Celebrate Seuss - Words

Dr Seuss: Celebrate Seuss - Characters

Dr Seuss: Celebrate Seuss - Character Spots

The co-ordinating spots and stripes are to die for and are delightfully quirky and perfectly complement the main character fabrics.

Dr Seuss: Celebrate Seuss - Spots by Robert Kaufman

Dr Seuss: Celebrate Seuss - Stripes by Robert Kaufman

Free quilt patterns are available from Robert Kaufman for you to download if you are in need of inspiration.

Bump Thump Panel Quilt Pattern

Let's Party Quilt Pattern

The Cat in the Hat Quilt Pattern

- Ky and Cloud

My Creative Space

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:19:00 +0000

Just a quick update on my secret garden cross stitch.

Over 3/4 of the crosses have been stitched.

Here is a quick reminder of what it looked like 2 months ago.

I'm not sure if I will make my self imposed October deadline but I think it will be pretty close.

Have you been creative this week, head over to the new home of our creative space to share.

-Ky

Customer Project: Geeky Business Shirt

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 11:16:00 +0000

Sorry that we seem to have disappear from the face of the Earth since our return from Japan. In hindsight booking 3 rather large markets in the week and a half after our return wasn't the best of ideas. We have been very tired little bunnies.

Things seem to be a bit more under control now so hopefully you will see us around here a bit more. Today we would like to share another awesome customer project with you all.

Rosemary was kind enough to send us a picture of the business shirt that she made.

She has used our very own Invaded Pinstripe fabric design, the great thing about this fabric is that it looks like a standard stripe until you get in close enough to see that there are actually little space invaders on the fabric. Sneaky Geeky :)

Do you have a project that you used Voodoo Rabbit products for? You can share them with us via email (sales@voodoorabbit.com.au) or our Flickr group.

- Ky

Cool Pacman Street Art

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 08:28:00 +0000

This awesome street art was found in Milan, Italy. It looks like string cross-stitched over metal mesh (chicken wire?). Hopefully the zip ties mean it won't be stolen anytime soon.

Original Source found via Sprite Stitch.
- Ky

BrisStyle Twilight Markets

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Thu, 26 May 2011 23:00:00 +0000

We arrived back in Brisbane yesterday after our mammoth Japanese shopping trip but there is to be no rest for the wicked! You can find us at the Brisbane Indie Twilight Markets (BiTM) tonight in King George Square.

It looks like to weather is going to co-operate this time, so it should be a lovely night out under the stars.

Once again we will be sharing a stall with Pauline from Funky Friends Factory and in the stalls around us you will find Hungry Designs, Pannikin, Feybles Nel and Catamation. We are tucked away right up the back of King George Square on the Anne Street side (see the map below).

Pauline will have a bunch of her awesome Funky Friends patterns and kits and we will have Original Design Voodoo Rabbit fabric, dyed buttons and a selection of handmade items.

Where: King George Square (in front of city hall)
When: 5 - 9pm Friday 27th April 2011

- Ky and Cloud

Travelling Bunnies - Den-Den, Giant Bugs & Going home (Day 8)

noreply@blogger.com (Cloud) — Thu, 26 May 2011 11:42:00 +0000

We're home! First thing yesterday we went back to Excelsior Coffee (a bit like a Japanese version of Starbucks) for breakfast. It was the only place we found in Osaka that had a barista and a real espresso machine and didn't charge 400 yen per coffee (which would be almost $6 AUD with the current rate). Ky was super happy because not only was it a real cappucino, it came with choc sprinkles on top.

Yep another picture of food

Extra added bonus for Ky was grossing me out by eating prawns for breakfast (bottom feeders - totally ick). Ky managed to gross me out a lot on this trip by eating prawns, scallops & octopus tentacles whenever she got a chance to.

After a quick stop for last minute gifts and a play on the giant claw machines at a nearby arcade (Ky won me a Gloomy Bear plushie!!!!) we raced back to the hotel to check out & stash our luggage. We had five hours to kill before we had to catch a train back to Kansai airport & we weren't planning on wasting it.

We jumped on the subway to Nipponbashi station near Den-Den town. Den-Den in Osaka is the equivalent of Akihabara in Tokyo - full of electronics, comics, toys and capsule toy stores. At night, the area is lit up like a Christmas tree. During the day it is quite a lot more subdued.

Den Den town looking downright boring during the day

I was trying to hunt down shops that had accessories for my Usaggie doll - shoes in particular. I can make her clothes myself but no way can I make shoes. Ky researched the 'dolly' stores in Den-Den and found a recommendation for Volks. To be honest, it was a huge disappointment. Not much dolly stuff at all and none for Usaggie (or Blythe either). We stopped off for lunch and decided to wander around a bit afterwards.

In Japan, it pays to look up! We were looking down a side street at a huge 'Melonbooks' sign when we spotted this on the roof of a nearby building. No idea why it was there but we thought it was awesome.

Good thing we decided to investigate the giant bug too - it lead us to a back street and a stack of anime, toy & capsule toy stores. One of them, Kotobukiya had what I was searching for - Usaggie shoes! We also found that the same items found in stores on this street were way less expensive than those on Sakai-Suji (the main street).

We then wandered off back towards Namba via Doguya-Suji (Kitchen Town) and Dotombori.

Hovering Cow sign

Tako yaki cooking

We got back the hotel, collected our luggage and caught the train from Namba back to Kansai Airport. Along the way Ky managed to run over my foot with her luggage - all 35kg of it >_< All I can say is "Heavy fabric is heavy". We must have looked crazy because we were on the train platform laughing ourselves stupid while I hopped around on one foot trying not to cry and Ky kept saying 'Sorry! Sorry!' over and over again. I guess you just had to be there :P

The flight check-in was almost a disaster. Jetstar still had us down as being in Ecomomy even though we paid for upgrades to Business Class. To fix the problem meant that Ky & I may not have been able to sit together. I got stern. My feet were sore, I wanted a shower & I was not in the mood to deal with Jetstar borking our flight up. We needed to be in Business Class for the luggage limits! We were under by less than a kilo (not including our hand luggage). Like I said before, "Heavy fabric is heavy".

0.6kg under luggage allowance!!

Flights finally sorted, we caught the shuttle train (yup the airport is that big) from the main terminal out to our gate and the Jetstar lounge. No showers. They were back at the main terminal! We decided to have a coffee / snack then go back. I dropped by biscuit into my coffee. Made Ky laugh but it wasn't looking like our airport experience was going very well!

After a hot shower (500 yen & totally worth it) we boarded the plane. Our seats were fixed up and we were sitting together again. Business Class is rad. I've always flown Economy & hated it. This was.... incredible. Customer service, free Bailey's, plunger coffee, real food, hot towels, real napkins, real cutlery, free water... did I mention LEG ROOM! Another great thing about Business Class? When your flight is delayed by 2 hours due to engine problems and Japanese Customs won't let you disembark while the repairs are done you get snacks and LEG ROOM and drinks.

We landed at Coolangatta just after 8.30am. I got home around 11.30 and slept for the rest of the day. The Great Unpacking begins tomorrow.

~ Cloud & Ky

Travelling Bunnies - The Search for Coffee, More Shopping & Osaka Wildlife (Day 7)

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Tue, 24 May 2011 15:15:00 +0000

Hello Bunneh Lovers! Tonight is our last night in Osaka & we need to pack so this post will be short on words and big on pictures (^_^)


In our ongoing search for good coffee this is the best we have found.

We slept in (bliss) and then hit the streets for more shopping. After breakfast we explored a craft shop on the second floor of the Daimaru South building in Shinsaibashi Suji, so Cloud could look for yarn. They had lots of yarn but Cloud didn't know how much to get (they sell it in 10g lots off big skeins) so didn't buy any.

Japanese school girls have much more interesting uniforms than we ever had.

Shin Saibashi Suji shopping arcade

We also went back to the Bodyline outlet where Cloud bought her strawberry Lolita shoes. We got busted trying on a jacket by one of the staff members. She said "No try. No try." That meant "No buy. No buy." for us. Japanese styles are so differently cut than Western clothes there was no way were buying clothes without making sure they would fit first. The store did give us inspiration for the types of fabric we could be stocking for the Goth / Lolita / Cosplay crowd though!

Next was back to Otsukaya to pick up the fabric that we couldn't carry yesterday. Last night we worked out how much of our luggage allowance was left so that we could fill to capacity. We bought more lace trim - pink with embroidered cherries, skulls and spiders. We raced back to the hotel, dropped off our loot and went straight back out again.

Cloud got herself a new hairdo and also some shoes for her Usaggie doll. Then back on the subway and off to Umeda for a quick trip to Kinokuniya Books, Yodobashi Camera and Vie de France for a maple scone.

On the way home we checked out the Osaka wildlife.

Isn't it pretty?

Now it's off to pack, weigh our luggage again, see how much we can cram into carry-on and get ready to fly home tomorrow night. If we can get free Wi-Fi in the airport tomorrow night we will post again.

~ Cloud & Ky

Travelling Bunnies - Kokka & Fabric Store Raids (Day 6)

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Mon, 23 May 2011 14:15:00 +0000

We had our appointment with Kokka this morning and it was AMAZING! Australia is the last to see the new ranges after release at the international shows (like the recent Spring Quilt Fair in Salt Lake City) so getting to see them a week after the event was an opportunity we couldn't pass up.

We were very lucky that Kokka has an English woman working there at the moment so we had a translator (^_^) Cloud knows enough Japanese to get herself into trouble but that is about it!

We placed an order that should (hopefully) get to us in Australia in about 3 months or so. Here is a preview for you.

New Melody Miller Ruby Star Spring Range

After finishing up at Kokka we decided that it was time to do some more craft shopping for ourselves. First up, we took off to Namba Park to go to World Craft Shop. It isn't there anymore (>_<) but there was a great bookstore which used to have a large collection of craft books. I say 'used to' because we bought about half of it! Namba Park is also a pretty cool building becuase it has rooftop gardens - greenery is not common in downtown Osaka.

Toraya in Ebisu Shopping Street was our next stop. Success! Not only was this fabric store still in existence it was 3 levels chock full of textile goodness. We found some really cute goth / lolita pre-ruffled trim, skull ribbon tape, and new Kokka in colourways that we hadn't already ordered.

It was bucketing with rain but we rushed back to the hotel to drop off our parcels, jumped back on the subway and went to our next store - Otsukaya in Esaka. Again there was far too much too choose from. Otsukaya not only has Japanese prints, they also have a small range of Alexander Henry and also Liberty of London prints. The fabric of the day (it was a tough competition too) would absolutely have to be this Hello Kitty x Liberty print.

WANT!

Tomorrow we are going back to Otsukaya for the fabrics that we couldn't carry today. We also needed to check our luggage allowance to make sure we could bring everything back home! Also on the agenda is finding shoes for Cloud's new toy - a cute Usaggie doll (^_^)

We fly home on Wednesday evening so tomorrow may be our last blog post from Osaka. The blog posts about Osaka may be going for a while though - we have a load of photos.

~ Cloud & Ky

Travelling Bunnies - Rest day (Day 5)

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Mon, 23 May 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Today (Sunday) consisted of a lot of doing not much at all ^_^

We went to Umeda Yodabashi Camera to buy some head phones. Cloud also bought herself a Tonari no Totoro watch.

The rest of the day has consisted of eating mega amounts of Japanese junk food, blogging and watching episodes of Supernatural (aka Boy Buffy). Updates on our snack binge have been posted on our Facebook page and also our Twitter feed.

No we didn't eat it all in one go, the banana is for breakfast ;)

Tomorrow is a visit to the Kokka showroom to see the new ranges!

~ Ky & Cloud

Travelling Bunnies - Kyoto: Berry Cafe (Day 4)

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Mon, 23 May 2011 01:30:00 +0000

This deserves a post all of it's own! While wandering (semi lost) around the Kyoto Train Station we walked past a cake shop called the Berry Cafe. It specialises in cakes covered in fruit arranged into beautiful patterns. Check these out!

real cakes

plastic display cake

The most elaborate (and expensive!) is the Mango Rose Cake. It is absolutely beautiful. It also costs around AUD$20 a slice!

Plastic display version

Real one

~ Ky & Cloud

Travelling Bunnies - Kyoto Day Trip (Day 4)

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Sun, 22 May 2011 15:27:00 +0000

On Saturday we went to Kyoto for the day. It takes about a half hour from Osaka on the Special Rapid train and is really cheap (only 530 yen each way). On the 21st of each month there is a huge outdoor market in the grounds of Toji Temple.

Japanese couple in traditional dress kindly posed for a photo

The market was very crowded and hot

We walked to get to the market. It was a super humid day in Kyoto so we were extremely hot bunnies! The market was big, loud & colourful. On offer were ceramics, second hand kimonos and yukata, fresh octopus, tea, mystery foods on sticks, and a mixture of second hand goods (a bit like a trash and treasure / flea market set up).

Octopus

There was so much to buy but we restrained ourselves - we need to keep our baggage allowance free for fabric. We walked back to the station for lunch and air-con.

Kyoto Station itself is a popular landmark - the roof is amazing. According to Wikipedia it is "Japan's second-largest train station building and is one of the country's largest buildings. It includes a shopping mall, hotel, movie theatre, department store and more under the 15 storey roof. Photos of the roof just do not do it justice, nor do they impart the scale of the place - it really is a place to see to believe. There used to be a cool Tezuka (creator of Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion) museum shop at the train station but we were very disapointed to discover that it closed earlier this year.

Kyoto train station

After lunch we jumped on a bus to our favourite fabric shop in Kyoto - Nomura Tailor for a spot of fabric shopping. Cloud's feet by this stage were swollen up to the point that her ankle bones couldn't be seen anymore - they had moved beyond 'cankles' to 'thankles' (ie: swollen up to become part of her thighs :P). Time to head home!

~ Ky & Cloud

Travelling Bunnies - Bicycles, Sore Feet & Fabric (Day 3)

noreply@blogger.com (Ky) — Fri, 20 May 2011 15:02:00 +0000

We have been doing a lot of walking the last couple of days while shopping and it is starting to hurt. To try to save our tootsies we borrowed the free bicyles available here at the hotel.

They were a bit rattly and had no gears but they got us where we needed to be much faster than walking. Osaka is quite flat too so the hardest thing about riding around is not running into people or having them run into you. Cloud took some pictures of the streets as we rode around today.

We are visiting Kokka on Monday so we rode to the area where the showroom is. Nearby we found a huge shopping arcade. It is under a massive highway overpass and contains 10 separate buildings. It runs for a kilometre, split into two sides and multiple levels. We couldn't take the bikes in there so it was back to punishing our feet again. We found some goodies though so it was worth it!

After coming back to the hotel for a quick nap & a shower, we headed to Tennoji and ABC Craft. Not much there for the shop but a load of stuff for us! Cloud bought forceps (for stuffing toys) and some Clover crochet hooks. Ky hit the motherlode - a blank umbrella frame (with pattern) so she can make her own parasol; a number of dressmakers rulers, belt interfacing (for making woven bags), sashiko kits and also a rotating bobbin holder. For the shop we found some great little bells that are going to be included in some of our toy kits and a cute little anchor fabric.

Our stomachs were growling with hunger after so much exercise so we went in search of okonomiyaki. It is referred to as 'Japanese Pizza' but it is really a cabbage pancake filled with either meat or seafood and then covered in sauce and mayonnaise. It doesn't look pretty but it is both tasty and filling. Ky got tentacles in hers just to gross out Cloud.

Tomorrow we are going to Kyoto for the day. There is a market on at one of the temples and we also want to stop in at a fabric store we love. Hopefully there will also be time to visit the Astro Boy store ^_^

~ Ky & Cloud