Category Archives: Contests

Contests, Knitting, Randonymity, Tunes

Random entropy

30 Comments

Check out this amazing knitted music video!

AmberMoggie is celebrating her 500th post – leave a comment about your favorite yarn and you could win yarn, needles, and stitchmarkers. Winner will be selected March 24.

Chappysmom has a nice post about the Match It for Pratchett campaign to support Alzheimer’s research.

Ruth is having another contest. She comes up with really creative contest ideas that I have a hard time summarizing, so I’ll just send you over to her place for the details. :) The contest is open until May 10. (This was moved over from yesterday’s post – so you are experiencing deja vu.)

When I went to bed Wednesday night, there were four kiwi fruit on the counter. When I got up Thursday morning, there were three. Hmm. Fortunately, the fourth kiwi was found in the living room behind my knitting bag, unmolested.

Last night I met and knitted with ikisti, a very cool knitblogger who lives all of eight blocks away from me. Eerily, she lives in the same apartment building I did before I bought my condo. *insert Twilight Zone music here*

Remember my Keen World post from last Friday, with the picture of all my Keens carefully arranged in a circle? Keep that circle in mind as you look at the pictures below. In the first picture, the red Xs indicate shoes that were removed from the circle and worn during the past week. The green X indicates a pair of sandals removed to be washed when Chaos horked in them. (Why, yes, that would be the only pair I hadn’t worn yet.)

“Still waiting to learn the point of this game…” -Mayhem

“Maybe I’ll just have a little nap while I wait…” -Mayhem

Not quite a week later, this is what remains of the circle. What a remarkable demonstration of entropy in action!

…or possibly just Chaos and Mayhem in action…

Contests, Those Cats

So apparently cats don’t react well to being told “No ducklings for you!”

33 Comments

“I’ll get you, Mom, and your little dog Toto, too!” -Chaos

But… I don’t even have a little dog Toto!

Kmkat is having a captioning contest featuring a picture of Chaos (and 9/10ths of me!). Leave your captions by midnight CDT, March 21, for your chance to win “something fibery and something chocolatey.”

Knitnana is having a contest/vote to select a closure for the new KnitPicks Options case she’s designed (which is the prize in the contest). More details on her blog; the contest closes midnight EDT, March 21.

The Purling Dervish is looking at a possible career change – leave her a comment (by 4 pm PDT, March 22) suggesting a possible new career for her (you can be as off-the-wall as you’d like) and you could win assorted fibery goodies.

Wendy’s giving away a skein of Wollmeise to someone who’s Wollmeiseless. Contest closes 4 pm EDT, March 20.

Contests, Knitting, Reading

Expanding Options

30 Comments

Ali’s having a spring 2008 knitting goals contest. Let her know what your spring knitting goals are, and you could win Blue Sky Dyed Cotton and more. Contest closes at midnight CDT, March 20.

Janet’s having a seven weird things contest – if you’ve already done that meme, you can leave her a link to your list or you can leave your list in her comments. She’ll randomly select a winner to receive a gorgeous skein of Manos Silk Blend on March 21.

Yay! Cyn’s black kitty Cosmo is doing better!

Reading Update
Falling into the World by Karen Brichoux. I loved Brichoux’s novel Coffee and Kung Fu and have kept up with her writing since then. In this novel, she explores how the death of a woman’s mother six years ago has affected and trapped her, her sister, and their father.
Bowled Over by Kasey Michaels. Mystery author Maggie Kelly’s Regency hero stepped out of the pages of her novels and into her life; the shenanigans continue in the latest book in this series (#6). I just wish the book didn’t have distracting asides into the “mind of the killer.”
The Myth-Hunters (Book One of the Veil) and The Borderkind (Book Two of the Veil) by Christopher Golden. These were well-written contemporary fantasies and I’m looking forward to the third and final book when it comes out next month.
Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany. This book was formative for me. I read it in elementary school, and the powerful message it conveyed about how the language you know shapes the way you are able to think affects me to this day. It’s science fiction, won a Nebula Award, reads more like poetry than prose at various points, and isn’t for everyone – but if it’s for you, it’s powerful.
Holy Smokes (Aisling Grey, Guardian, Book 4) by Katie MacAlister. More light’n’fluffy paranormal romance from Katie MacAlister.
Big Boned: A Heather Wells Mystery by Meg Cabot. The most recent mystery featuring former teen singing sensation and inadvertent sleuth Heather Wells moves her story along in a most satisfying fashion.

Knitting Update
I finally talked myself into ordering a set of KnitPicks Options interchangeable needles. I haven’t used them yet, but I have plans to. As have so many others, I thought the case that came with the needles was totally fugly, so I’ve commissioned a case from ZKnitter, using some funky retro black kitty fabric.

“Well, at least it isn’t more socks.” -Mayhem

“Do you think if I do my best Vanna impression, KnitPicks would hire me to be their spokeskitty?” -Mayhem

“You don’t? Well, pooey. I’m outta here.” -Mayhem

Contests, Knitting

Finally Flatirons

36 Comments

Leave a comment with a post title idea for Romi (before 11:59 pm PDT, March 13), and you could win one of her gorgeous shawl pins!

Ruth is celebrating her blogiversary and mention in Knitty’s Cool Stuff with two contests. For the first, guess how many times during the past year that she’s used a number in her post titles. Leave your guesses by 9 pm MDT, March 17. For the second, participate in Ruth’s “Alphabet Soup” challenge – you could win a $50 gift certificate to the LYS or online store of your choice, plus $26 donated to the charity of your choice!

Please send good wishes to Cyn and her black kitty Cosmo, who is very sick right now.

At long last, I finished my Great Adirondack Flatirons (follow link for yarn and pattern details – I’m feeling lazy). I knitted one sock from each end of the ball of yarn in order to use as much of the yarn as I could. (The whole dividing the ball of yarn into two by weight thing has never worked that well for me.)

*yawn* “More socks? Hey, what’s that over there?” -Mayhem

They look pretty good inside out, too.

“It was a toy! I like it when you get boxes with these fabulous toys.” -Mayhem

Here’s a macro shot, right side out:

And a macro shot, inside out:

Contests, Randonymity

If I keep my eyes closed, did DST really start?

28 Comments

Debby’s husband Chris will be riding in the Get Your Guts in Gear bike ride again this year to support IBD research. If you donate to support Chris’s ride, you will be entered in a multistage prize drawing for custom-dyed sock yarn and other goodies. Contest closes May 26.

Nikki’s part of a Relay for Life team. If you donate to support her team, you will be entered in a prize drawing. Contest closes April 17.

Thanks to everyone who’s already captioned in the “Caption Me, Baby” Contest! You can caption along until 6 pm CDT, March 11. Speaking of cats and captions, here’s a classic. And here are two particularly good lolcats that made me giggle!

Those of you who feel you’re sufficiently hardened to scenes of toy mouse carnage from reading this blog should venture over to the Knitty Professor’s place.

I gifted the STR Mustang Sally Cable Twist Socks on Saturday and they were happily received by my SIL. She’s definitely getting more socks in the future! 🙂

On Friday, my car wouldn’t start when I was ready to go to work at 6:15 am, so I worked from home. No hardship, since it was a bitterly cold day (-11F, not including windchill, at 6:15 am). I tried some different things during the day on Friday and finally tried jump starting the car Saturday morning – all to no avail. So I had it towed to the shop Saturday afternoon and will find out what’s wrong with it sometime today. Frozen fuel line, clogged fuel filter, dead fuel pump, blown fuse – all are possibilities. However, it’s had a few intermittent symptoms (starting back in September) that suggest the fuel pump may have been in decline. Guess I’ll find out later… Maybe working from home today will make the whole DST thing less painful?!

“Y’know, I thought it would be nice to have Mom around more, like this weekend, but I forgot how tiring it is to keep track of every single thing she’s doing. I’m exhausted! Pale and wan! Send tuna!” -Chaos

Contests, Randonymity

Finally Friday…

26 Comments

Thanks to everyone who’s already captioned in the “Caption Me, Baby” Contest! You can caption along until 6 pm CDT, March 11.

Becka’s teaching a class on how to start a blog and is looking for examples of different ways blogs are used. If you leave her a comment with a blog link and explain how the linked blog is used (journal, shop, portfolio, etc), you could win a fibery art prize! Her contest closes March 8.

Jeanne has a fun post in which she ponders some aspects of Ravelry – make sure you read the comments, too!

As usual, I’ve gotten behind on my thank yous, so I’ll start getting caught up today. Last week, Fraro sent me some of her lovely yarn (many, many yards of Black Beauty – how did she guess?!) and some happy spring Regia.

“Stay back, May – Mom said this yarn was too special for your snickity-snick teeth to get anywhere near it!” -Chaos

“Hmph.” -Mayhem

She included this cute card, too – thanks, Fraro!

“Hey, how come this is un chat and not deux chats?!” -Chaos & Mayhem

KnitNana also sent me a package last week – check out the hair ties that she made and the cute knitting t-shirt! Thank you!

“Mom, is my hair long enough to wear a cute hair tie? And no, you cannot put it on my tail. Hmph.” -Mayhem

“Oh, I think it will make a great kitty toy instead!” -Mayhem

Happy weekend, everyone! Don’t forget to “spring forward” if you’re in the US or Canada… *grumbles*

Contests

The “Caption Me, Baby” Contest

89 Comments

Below you will find an uncaptioned picture of Mayhem. To play, simply leave your caption in the comments of this post by 6 pm CDT (*whimper*), Tuesday, March 11. A winner or two will be chosen randomly (although I reserve the right to ask someone to judge the captions). Knitters will receive a knitting related prize; non-knitters will be brutally forced to learn to knit… wait, no, that’s not right. non-knitters will receive a non-knitting related prize. Let the captioning begin!

[Contest is now closed, but feel free to leave captions!]

“………………………………” -Mayhem

Contests, Randonymity, Reading

Randumbs

30 Comments

Valerie’s having a blogiversary contest – you have until the end of March to post about some of your favorite things around your home and then send Valerie the link to your post. A random winner will be selected on April 2 to receive sock yarn or spinning fiber.

Pam’s having a monkey naming contest. Leave your suggestion by 11:59 pm EDT, March 16, and you could win a $20 WoolGirl gift certificate!

Yikes – Daylight Savings Time (DST) starts this weekend for the US and Canada. Have I mentioned more than 50 times how much I hate springing forward?! Kitty Absolute Time (KAT) does not formally recognize DST as anything other than an attempt to starve and torture kitties.

I never did make it to the Cloud Cult video shoot on Sunday – I was just way too comfy on my couch, reading and knitting with Chaos snuggled up against me… But I did win Jenn’s contest to guess how many WIPs she was going to take with her last weekend!!

Black kitties working in tandem – beware!

Oh oh – do you think I need to have “the talk” with Mayhem?

Check out these great/scary pictures from Saturday’s Polar Bear Plunge on/in Lake Calhoun, which isn’t terribly far from where I live. Please note that I did not participate! Those people are nuts.

Reading Update
You Slay Me, Fire Me Up, and Light My Fire by Katie MacAlister. Books 1-3 of the Aisling Grey, Guardian, series were very light and amusing paranormal romances with nary a vampire in sight.
The Blue Girl by Charles de Lint. This is a Newford novel about a teenage girl who manages to attract the attention of not only the high school bullies, but also a ghost and some malicious faeries.
The Used World by Haven Kimmel. This is the second of Kimmel’s novels I’ve read; the first was The Solace of Leaving Early, which I also enjoyed and need to reread because I remember nothing of it. In The Used World, Kimmel skillfully weaves past and present together to create a powerful story of being an outsider.

Random Photo Update
*makes mental note to not use this elevator without having cell phone in pocket*

I went to the dentist yesterday (just routine x-rays and a cleaning, thanks) and noticed they had a gallon of Listerine in the bathroom. For some reason, I found that extremely amusing… (Dude, that’s some seriously bad breath!)

Yesterday Evanrude wanted to know more about Chaos’s Feline Universal Theory (FUT).

“Well, Evanrude, as you correctly surmised, FUT does indeed include elements of String Theory – I sure do love playing with those strings! It also includes many elements of Chaos Theory, but no elements of Mayhem Theory.”* -Chaos

*Please note that the Mayhem Theory link has sound!

Contests, Festing

Friday night festing

28 Comments

Margene is celebrating her fourth blogiversary with a contest! Leave her a comment with a story about a place that brings you peace and joy and you could win a fabulous fibery prize. Contest is open until March 13.

Sydney is also celebrating her fourth blogiversary with a contest! Leave a comment on the blogiversary post (before 5 pm, CST, March 7) and you could win a mysterious yarny gift.

Brigitte’s having a contest, too – vote on which of three project she should knit. Place your vote by midnight, EST, March 8, and you could win yarn and treats.

Scout will be accepting 40-50 sign-ups for her new Scout’s Swag Sock Club starting 6 pm, MT (I think MDT by then?!), March 10.

Friday night I wandered over to Deb’s for dinner, conversation, drinks, knitting, and dessert… not necessarily in that order. Considering how tired I felt, I wasn’t sure I would be very peppy, but the company of Deb, kmkat, and Vicki Knitorious livened me right up!

A meta-blogger moment between Vicki and kmkat…

And of course, Sammy kept us entertained with her play and antics, too.

“You don’t find our play and antics sufficiently entertaining?! You have to seek out other black kitties?! Hmph. I bet I can swat her from here…” -Chaos

“Get her, big kitty!” -Mayhem

Contests, Randonymity, Reading, Tunes

Let us bow before the Goddess of Girlie Drinks

33 Comments

How many projects will Jenn take to her weekend knitting retreat, out of her 40 WIPs? Email your guess by 4 pm CDT, March 2, and you could win a mysterious prize.

If you live in the Twin Cities, you could be in a Cloud Cult video shoot (beware – link has sound) at Como Park this Sunday! (Thanks to Van for the heads up.) I might be there – I’ll be the one trying to knit while wearing mittens and dork boots.

I am so ready for this week to be done! Work has been busy. While the book scanning project was great fun, it disrupted my regularly scheduled relaxation – I haven’t knit since Sunday night. (Good timing on the Guilt-Free Fiber Dispensation, Trek – thanks.)

I’m behind in my blog reading. I’ve only read one book, and it was one of those “so horrible I have to keep reading to see if it can redeem itself” kind of books. The answer? Not even close. The book? Dancing with Werewolves: Delilah Street, Paranormal Investigator by Carole Nelson Douglas. I really can’t remember the last time I read a book that bad. If there was an editor involved in the project (doubtful), he or she should never be allowed to work again. Gee, Chris, what did you really think of the book?! 😉

I’m enjoying my ASL class and even learning a bit, but it sure leaves my brain tired. (Stop giggling at me, Fraro!)

“I hope your class is also covering the more important KSL,* Mom, because the big kitty and I are getting plenty tired of having to communicate with you via these photo captions!” -Mayhem

Is it the weekend yet?! All hail the Goddess of Girlie Drinks! Worship amongst yourselves as you see fit…

*Kitty Sign Language