I have been given an award :)

How fabulous is that! I have been given "One Lovely Blog Award" by Dazzled Beaded Designs . That's very sweet of her. Check out her blog, it's a lovely blog about crafting for animals, and has some adorable photos on there.
So a big THANKYOU to Beaded Dazzler.

In accepting this award, I have been asked to pass it on to 15 other blogs that I enjoy reading. So here are the blogs I have chosen:
Cat with a garden
Daisy the curly cat
Dragon House of Yuen
Holistically Heather
KMStichery
Krugsecologic
Lynn's Musings and Mumblings
Mishkat
Panda with Cookie
Pigatopia
Rants and Raves of a New Age Chick
Starrlight Jewlery
The Fantail
The Jewellery Pitt
Vegan Mama

Fabulous Zine - Peace to All Creatures - Summer 09 issue 1

Have you ever wanted a different kind of magazine? One that looks at issues such as Upcycled Art, Freeganism, Converting to Veganism, Preventing skin cancer, and many more interesting and varied subjects? Then this zine will be of interest to you. It is new, it is fresh, it is written by a wide variety of people for a wide wariety of people.
The first issue is out now.
'But', I hear you asking, 'where can I buy this interesting new zine?'
You can buy it online from the following sources:
My Etsy shop: MidnightRabbits in the near future or
or the following Etsy shops: UberDuperCreations right now

The first issue contains 36 pages of awesome-ness about art, animals, veg'n diet, health, social and green issues, and much more is available now at UberDuperCreations
High-quality laser printed, hand bound with hemp cord.

Designed and edited by Pippi of UberDuperCreations and her fabulous new friend that she met through the Etsy for Animals Team. Visit her shop at GingerCardCo.etsy.com - jewelry, notecards, notebooks, and more.
intersting topics, new writers, wonderful artwork.

Bristol Vegan Fayre 09. A fabulous vegan day.

This year's Bristol Vegan Fayre was held on the weekend 30/31 May 09. Each year that it has been held, it has become bigger and bigger. There is talk of it not happening next year, and it would be a shame if it didn't take place, as it is very popular with, vegans, veggies and everyone else.
On arrival, we went into the marquee with stalls. A huge space for all things vegan to be sold. Many samples of food to try, from raw chocolate to burgers, and everything inbetween. Quite a few of the stalls are known by me, since I've been to several vegan fayres, so I mostly know what to expect, and it really didn't dissappoint.
There was Fry's food, that sell vegan fake meat products. If you can get over the likeness to meat, they make fab savoury things like burgers, sausages, 'chicken' pieces. I like their products, they're convenient and tasty, and 'NO' I' m not longing for meat, when I eat them, they make VEGAN products, if it was meat, I would never touch it. Hey, if it helps anyone lay off animals, , it's a great idea to try these, but also, like I said - convenient, and tasty, and in no way trying to be meat. I mention this because it's asked so many times, I would never eat animals 'because I liked the taste of it', I'm not trying to compensate for not eating them (as though i'm deprived), I simply see them as savoury foods, easy to cook, and somewhat easily available.
Other stalls where Bute Island Scheese, which sells a good variety of vegan 'cheeses', my
favourite being their 'cream cheese'. There were stalls selling clothes, shoes, all varieties of foods, stalls giving out leaflets and information, some for animals, some for the environment and even a political party, Animals Count who certainly get my vote!

Throughout the day, we listened to fab bands, bumped into a few people we knew,and ate lots of delicious vegan food.
My picassa collage above gives a picture of the day. It was fab. And I so loook forward to next year's - fingers crossed!

If the hens only knew...................................

10,000 battery hens are soon to be rescued and re-homed.
The fabulous Little Hen Rescue in Norwich UK have negotiated handing them
over from a battery farm that is soon closing down.
Battery hens live in appalling conditions, cramped cages, unable to move properly, sometimes unable to stand, with wire flooring, never seeing daylight or smelling fresh air. Many pluck their feathers out from boredom, frustration, pain, or through fighting.
It is not surprising that when these beautiful creatures
are rescued they can be in a terrible state,
having twisted joints, or lameness,
or having had their beaks cut down, or suffering from malnutrition.

So along with the rescue comes a host of health and medical problems. One problem that can easily be helped by anyone prepared to give a little time and effort is to make 'hen jackets' - yes, that's right 'hen jackets'. These simple tabard style 'jackets' will help keep the bald hens warm, and help them climatise while settling in to their new found freedom. it can be a bit of a shock to their system after being cooped up for so long. I have made an assortment of hen jackets to donate to Little Hen Rescue.
I'll be sending them off to the rescue this weekend (there are 17 jackets in all).
This looks like a scene from 'Washing Day at the Hen House'

These are a few jackets close up. It appealed to my sense of humour to make one with a hen on it :) yeah, corny I know!










Also the 'high visibility' ones made me smile.

I used a variety of fabrics, basically anything that was going spare. The hens need fleece for warmth, but I also used brushed cotton, and jersey. I made a template from the one provided on Little Hen Rescue site. Attaching Velcro for fastening. it occurred to me after I'd finished them (yeah, yeah, hindsight is a wonderful thing!) that maybe the edges of the fabric did not need overlocking, as the jackets will be discard once the hens have gotten used to their new homes and their feathers have, hopefully, grown back. So there may have been an even quicker way to make them, not sure................................. added note' I have been informed that they ask the jackets to be returned, so that they may be reused, so maybe my overlocking was needed after all'
I'm glad to have helped in my small way. If anyone wishes to help Little Hen Rescue, by making hen jackets, or donations, or indeed, giving a home to rescued hens, you can contact them, or check out their web page.