The Scottish Lamb

Happy Mother's Week!

I hope everyone had a nice Mother's Day.  Frankly, I think it should be Mother's Week because one day is just not enough.  I got flowers, a basket full of bathing goodies and a gift certificate for Elann... always a good choice.  We spent the day with neighbors and friends, Ken and Tari.  Ken and Dan did all the cooking (BBQ) and Tari and I sat around and enjoyed it.  They made us Pina Coladas with a little too much rum... but hey, with my new plan of "Mother's Week", I can sit around all day today guilt-free and let it wear off. 

Okay... okay... I know what you're really here looking for....

Well, I guess I've figured out how to drum up comments!  Just give away free stuff.  Thank you all for stopping by and saying hello.  With the help of Cal poly's Random Number Picker, out of 54 comments, without further ado, the number of the winner is commenter #27, which is non other than.....  are you ready?  Okay.  No more stalling....  really.....  the winner of the not-going-to- MSWF drawing is, drum roll please....  Jessica from Rose-Kim Knits this is your lucky day!  You've won a fantabulous trip for two... wait... wrong card....  2 skeins of hand dyed sock yarn.  The picture is lousy... I really need a new camera (that was a hint, Dan).  The yarn is sport-weight wool in lovely variegated blues and purples.  Hope you enjoy it, Jessica!  To sweeten the deal even more, I'm sure a little German chocolate will sneak it's way into that package.

And just to clear the air, I'm not *really* bitter about not going to MSWF.  Just having a little fun.  I'm actually looking forward to everyone's stories of the meet-ups and money spent.

So you aren't going to Maryland?

Okay... We had to go through it with Rhinebeck.... and now Maryland....  We know the drill... All that's going to be on the blogs on Monday is, "Maryland, Maryland, Maryland" (reminds me of Jan on the Brady Bunch... only different).  There's going to be  blah... blah... blah.... lots of wonderful posts filled with bragging sharing.

Margene says it's not good to be bitter....  hmmm....  I'll have to work on that one.  I wanna have fun too!!!  It does help a little knowing that I'll be in NY in a little over a year and have three full years of fiber festivals.  You can bet your 2mm's I'll be at every single one of 'em!  I have *years* to make up for! 

In the meantime... for all of those stuck at home.  Drop a comment sometime this weekend just to say howdy and I'll have a little drawing on Monday morning (Germany time).  What am I giving away?  Not sure yet, but I promise it'll be something good.  Not as good as Maryland, but it should help cheer you up come Monday morning when all the braggers  bloggers are posting about how much fun their weekend was.

Me?  I'm getting a glass of wine now and getting this party started.

Ahh... The Sweet Smell of Success!

Finally had success with the Amazon Japan order!  Amanda joined in on my order with me and we're going to split the shipping.  It's too funny because after I posted the other night about the frustration of all the Japanese, Dan and I sat down to watch a movie.  He put in The Last Samurai!  LOL!  I just looked at him.  You know that look.  Tom was looking pretty good in long hair!  Good movie actually and the Japanese must have rubbed off on me because I had no problems placing my order this morning! Click here to see what I bought.  Wee Wonderfuls and Super Eggplant are the culprits that got me over to the Amazon Japan website in the first place. Once you start adding things to your basket it shows you pictures of other related books and before you know it... you're hooked.  The only thing I can say is to use the English links where you can and if you're stuck, use Babelfish.  Another good site to link for foreign shopping is this one for a currency converter.

So... I get this email from my SIL about the cotton baby surprise sweater:

OH MY GOD!!!  You are such a rock star!!!  Thank you so much!  I had to brag to all of my co workers.   I can't wait for Danny to see it tonight!!!  Say hello to Dan and the boys!

Maricela

Smart girl!  Guess who's getting more hand knit baby gifts!  ;-)

Mariana and I ran to Rothenburg (webcam in the Marktplatz - way cool!) the other day to get some dried apple chips that I fell in love with at an Organic food store.   We stopped in the little yarn shop there and I bought some Online ladder yarn in a gorgeous coppery bronze.  This stuff is slippery as snot to knit with but oh-so-gorgeous and slinky!  I love the copper and bronze colors in it!

It's Linie 106/Flair in color 05.  This photo doesn't even come close to doing it justice.  The little copper and bronze bits just glow.  I'll show you what I'm doing with it in my next post.

お手持ちの商品をで売りませんか

I think I'm turning Japanese... I really think so....  okay... that song's going to be in my head all day.

For three days now I've been trying to place an order from Amazon Japan for some cool felting books.  I was a Czech and Spanish linguist for the Army so I'm not usually deterred by languages.  But Japanese?! Ha!  I've almost got it figured out though... I think.  There are a couple of links where it'll translate into English and then it leads you into a dead end.  It takes me forever to find all the ones I want and then it empties out my shopping cart.  I'll let you know what books I bought once I've figured it out.

Another Baby Surprise done.   I wish we had feel-o-vision.  This cotton yarn is one of my faves at the local yarn shop here.  That's saying a lot because I'd far rather knit with wool than cotton.  It's SO soft.  It's for my new little nephew-to-be in Arizona.  My brother, Danny,  and his wife, Maricela, are adopting a baby boy this summer.  This little jacket should be just the thing to keep him comfy next winter.  I just need to find some buttons for this and the hand spun one.

Thanks to my Secret Pal 4 (I still don't know who you are) for the $15 Elann gift certificate.  Dan and the boys also gave me one for $50 for Mother's Day, so guess who has money burning a hole in her "pocket"?!

Speaking of Elann... is there anyone out there who wants my two grab bags?  I have the whites/naturals and browns/beiges.  I was going to use them for a knock-off Ab Fab Afghan, but who am I kidding?  I'm just not an afghan knitter.  In almost 20 years of knitting I've always knit clothing.  So if someone wants them, Email Me.   Don't worry, it's regular U.S. Postage because we're military over here.  Click on the photo for a bigger shot.  They are 1/2 pound each, unopened and $24.00 each.  If I don't have any takers by Friday, I'll just mail them back to Elann.... maybe....

Shameless Name Dropping

I meant to post about this three weeks ago, but with Jeremy visiting I completely forgot.   I'm not *trying* to brag, but my friend, Nilda, has a design in the current Knitty.  Click here.  How adorable is this?! This is not Nilda's first time in print (okay... don't get technical about Knitty not being "in print"... can you tell I have a very fact-based Asperger's son?!).  You can also read Nilda in Stitch N Bitch Nation and Knit Lit (too). Did I mention that I actually know her?  I'm just sayin'....  You'd think she'd start getting a big head, but she's very down-to-earth and a lot of fun.  I met her on the Spinning Retreat in Scotland last Summer (I'm telling you... it was a great group of people!) and I feel like I've known her for years.   Can't wait to see you later this year, Nilda!  Maybe some of that creativity will rub off!  Did I mention that Debbie New was at that retreat with us, too???  It might *seem* like I'm bragging but I'm really not.  Really.

Duct/Duck tape revisited.  I've been vindicated! There actually is a brand of duct tape called "Duck Tape".  That's what I meant.... yea... that's the ticket.  In my brain I was thinking "duct" tape... it just didn't tell my fingers.  It's really a mute point because in the military we call it 100-mile-an-hour tape.  So there! ;-)

I can finally tell you who my Secret Pal 4 was!  Suzie of Purly Gates in San Fransisco.  It was a blast sending gifts and cards to her but I almost blew it a couple of times.  I did hit send on an email that I signed, "Jean" and realized it just as I push the button.  Argh! Sent another warning her of what I'd done and she deleted the email before she saw my name.  In her last package I sent a card that was to remained sealed until reveal day.  That package had stuff I'd collected from all of my trips.  Fun, fun, fun.  I've enjoyed reading her blog.  She's even used the yarn I sent in one of the packages already for a baby gift.  Adorable.  I can now add her to my Daily Reads without giving anything away.  Go check her out!  I didn't take photos of the things I sent her, but she has them all up on her blog if you're curious.  If you're interested in Secret Pal 5 click on the button at the beginning of this paragraph.

I also added a new Support the Troops link to the top of my list in the right sidebar.  It's the Ships Project.  It's a knitting related one.  Click here to see what you can do!