pinku

Mr Postman!

The Secret Pink Earring Swap

So girls, are your earrings in the mail?? Mine are on their way to the post office today - just made the deadline. I know that some of you have already received your earrings - if you can, send us a photo and I'll post it in a gallery here on Pinku. A pink earring gallery - that sounds like such a great idea!! Don't worry if you miss the deadline by a few days - just be sure to get your earrings in the mail ASAP. There's only so many days a girl can wait by the mailbox for her new pink earrings!!

Weekend update

Umm, yeah. So I set myself goals and they still remain unfulfilled BUT I did get a little bit of knitting done on my Stripes in the Round top (minus the stripes) AND I did enjoy a wonderful Sunday with the Tokyo SNB gals. Thanks for hosting a great bbq, Rae - it was fabulous! Hopefully I'll get around to posting the three photos I took in the next couple of days.

Internet shopping rocks (esp. when you live in a foreign country)

There are a few companies of which I should be a shareholder. I love to shop online. I am not sure whether I would do it as much if I lived in Australia (where the dollar is weak and I already have access to a bunch of stuff) but I absolutely love it in Japan. I have ordered something from all of these sites.

My favourite sites lately are:

Awful Cufflinks - a new daily shopping journal run by the gals from Plain Mabel and Bigger Krissy. Everyday the girls introduce some cool/cute/useful item that they have found on the Internet. (found via Not Martha)

Jestel - buy birkenstocks direct from Germany - if you are patient, economy shipping (4-6 weeks) is FREE - can you believe it?? Check out their bargains sections - there are tons of really cool shoes - mine are on their way from Germany!! (found via Knitty blog - can't wait to see the new Knitty due out at the end of this week!!!)

Amazon Japan - a lifesaver for English-speaking Japan residents - they deliver books to my door for a price cheaper than any bookstore in Japan - I love you Amazon Japan.

Elann - the super Canadian online yarn store that have also just agreed to sponsor Team Knitty for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure.

Kangaroo - another online yarn store - this time in the UK. Rowan is expensive in Japan (like most countries) and Debbie Bliss is just not available, but by ordering online here and even paying shipping rates I can save money!! Very prompt service.

Zodee - online Aussie underwear/swimsuit store - I used to be a little addicted to Victoria's Secret, but lately that addiction has waned and I haven't actually ordered from them for over a year. I still like to browse their catalogues though. Zodee is great - it offers a lot of Aussie brand name underwear (Bonds, Kylie, Berlei, Elle MacPherson) and swimsuits (Speedo, Jets, Seafolly, etc) - I bought a new swimsuit from them and it's great - great for girls in Asian countries who don't have Asian figures!!

Ebay - how could I not include Ebay - I just won an auction for a dvd version of the BBC TV series, The Human Body. I have already seen it on TV in Australia (it was absolutely amazing), but was desperate to see it again. The BBC shop UK doesn't ship overseas (I hate that), the BBC shop in the US didn't stock it, and the ABC store in Australia charged a fortune for shipping, so I turned to ebay. Now I just pray that the dvds work!! If you haven't seen this series I highly recommend it to you - it takes you through each stage of life (one per episode) and explains all of the changes that happen to your body. Right from conception through to death - something everyone on this planet should watch!!!

Happy shopping!!

When in Japan.....

knit like the Japanese do.....continental style.

Since becoming slightly obsessed with knitting and crocheting last year, I have started hearing a clicking sound coming from my wrist and sometimes elbow (is this possible?) when I am knitting and also when I am not knitting and it is beginning to worry me. Of course I realize that there are probably some exercises that I can do, but a couple of days ago while knitting a few rounds of the Stripes Go Round top from IK, I decided to teach myself how to knit continental. I've finally got the hang of it, and I love the minimal hand movement required. I do find it harder to maintain constant tension, but I'm assuming that'll come with time. There is a great article about why you should learn both methods at Fuzzy Galore.

I am going to keep up continental style for a while until it really feels natural. I am glad though, that I have found a way to possibly ease the strain on my right wrist. I do NOT want RSI before I turn 30. I've been a bit slack about posting knitting photos of late, so I am going to try and catch up over the weekend.

My goals are:

* to finish Carla from 'It's a Tape Thing'
* and then to post some knitting photos on Pinku

Yes, they'll do as my goals for the weekend. Don't want to set the bar too high!!!! It is the weekend after all. To finish off, here's a fun photo for the weekend!!! Found it on some random Japanese website!!!

So, who wants to knit the ski mask??? or balaclava (in Australian!!!)

STOP!!!

The news is sometimes so depressing. It's like a really bad episode of Bold and the Beautiful (which I enjoy watching by the way).

Stop with the beheadings already. I don't want to read about them in the newspapers anymore.

Why is Australia becoming MORE conservative (like you know where)?? Blackmail is wrong. It makes me sad.

Tokyo SNB BBQ!!

Woohoo! It's bbq time for the Tokyo SNB gals - we've been a little unlucky lately with availability at the Pink Cow, so we've taken the matter into our own hands and Rae is kindly hosting a knitting barbie (that's bbq in Australian NOT the doll)!!!

Here are the details:

Who: Tokyo SnB'er's and significant others (kids are welcome)
When: Sunday, June 27th at noon
Where:Rae's place in Hiroo (please email for directions)

Please bring something to grill (meat/veggies) or other dish for yourself with a little extra to share

Please bring your own yarn, needles and beer

Rice and soft drinks provided

Closest Stations: Shibuya, Ebisu and Hiroo

Email Rae and she will provide directions and address (let her know which station you will use)

Little Bo-Peep

Secret PINK earring Swap

ok. The deadline to sign up for the secret PINK earring swap has passed, and everyone has been sent an email with the full name and address of their swap partner. If you haven't received your email, then there's a problem - email me immediately!! This is the person you need to send a pair of earrings to. You will receive a pair of earrings from a different person.

As a lot of swap participants don't have a blog, if possible send me a photo of you and your earrings once you receive them or just the earrings if you're shy :) and I'll post them here in a pinku gallery so we can all see who got what!!!

FYI, the draw was completely random (Darin pulled little bits of paper out of my travel knitting bag), except there were an odd number of participants so I am sending earrings to two people.

Pink Fix

Today's pink fix was submitted by Tyler our friend and neighbour!! Thanks!! Check out more of his Tokyo photos on his website!! And, yes, girls really do dress like this here in Tokyo!!!

4 hours left for you to...

sign up for the Secret Pink Earring Swap. Email me your name and mailing address. 34 cool girlies so far! For the girls that have signed up, expect an email within the next couple of days with further details and the name and mailing address of your secret pal and then you know what - it's time to get shopping.

Wow, have been doing VERY little knitting lately - just don't seem to have any time. Too busy enjoying this summer weather taking walks at night, AND drinking with friends.

Edible Grasshoppers

I want to share a photo with you - it's of GRASSHOPPERS! Edible ones. We went out last night with a bunch of friends and had a few beers at our local, Mississippi, and then moved onto another local establishment (don't know what it's called) but it was old school with an irori (sort of like a fireplace in the middle of the table) in the middle of the table. Anyway, the guy suggested that we try INAGO - I thought it was some type of fish, but it wasn't......it was grasshoppers. I just couldn't bring myself to eat them - you can judge for yourself - would have you put those in your mouth???? Darin said they were pretty good.

Yummy Vietnamese food in Kichijoji

Also if you are looking for good Vietnamese food in Tokyo, I recommend Hue-Do in Kichijoji - it is run by Vietnamese people and the food is delicious. You can check out their full menu on-line - we had #30, 42, and 50!!! YUM, YUM! And if you take a print out of their homepage to the restaurant, then you will get a 10% discount on all food (applies til the end of August). They also offer a 1000 yen lunch buffet during the week.

grasshoppies (I think that sounds cuter)

2 days left for you to...

sign up for some pink summer fun - the Secret Pink Earring Swap!!! Email your name and mailing address to me. Ooh, found some
pink earrings that come under budget - they're cute!!

Have finally gotten around to editing and adding the rest of my Oklahoma/San Francisco photos. Have also added a few photos to the Random Tokyo album - check them out!

supersize me in SF

A model of Edo (old Tokyo) at the Tokyo-Edo Museum in Ryogoku (there was a pretty big earthquake while we were there - everyone stopped in their tracks - literally)

3 days left for you to....

sign up for the Secret Pink Earring Swap!! So far there are 30 pink loving girls taking part - it's going to be great fun. I can't wait to get shopping. To be part of the fun, email me here before the end of Friday (Japan Time)! Further details and updates on Friday.

In other news, Darin has updated his site with a great drawing, and best of all the Ryan page - Ryan was our Rhinoceros beetle that Darin had raised from the time he was a grub until he became a man beetle. To read more, go here. And don't forget to watch Ryan's release video (filmed by me) - try to watch it with sound - it's classic.

Last but not least, enjoy the new Pinku summer banner (courtesy of db). It's officially summer here in Tokyo and it's time to celebrate - am going to the beach this weekend - woohoo! Summer in Japan is super fun (except for the really hot, muggy days when you are stuck in the concrete jungle of downtown tokyo) - fireworks, summer beer (pictured below), yukata, festivals galore - a great vibe all around.

Here's the summer beer! Cheers!

sick

I have been sick. I am still trying to shake off a cold that hit me after I came back from the US. It started out as a really, really sore throat (that still lingers) and has now blossomed into a runny nose cold. Nothing helped my sore throat. I tried lozenges, gargling with salty water and the stuff the doctor gave me, antibiotics, anti-inflammation tablets, ibuprofen for the pain, etc BUT nothing helped. The only thing that gave me some relief was inhaling steam infused with a little eucalyptus oil from my bathroom sink. I can't even drink beer......how depressing.

However, it is a perfect summer day here in Tokyo and I have decided to drive that cold from my body with vitamin C and exercise. Wish me luck.

On a much happier note, the Secret Pink Earring Swap is getting very exciting. We now have a total of 27 ladies taking part from five different countries - woohoo!! Remember if you are interested, you can still sign up by sending me your name and mailing address by Friday June 18. Details of the secret earring swap can be found here.

On a knitting note, I was feeling so low on the weekend that I couldn't bring myself to pick up my needles. Currently I am working on Stripes Go Round from the latest Interweave Knits, except I am knitting it in one colour using Elann's equivalent of Cascade Fixation. Now I just want to let you know that I do love my Denise interchangeable knitting needle set BUT using the size 5s in the round just doesn't work for me. The connecting cord is just as thick as the needle so the knitting needs to be forced around the tube (which sucks) - at one point I was forcing it just too much and the needle broke from the connecting cable!!! Disaster. My life is a wondrous joy now as I purchased some delicious clover 3.6mm bamboo circulars and they couldn't be more wonderful to knit with. I also wanted to add a little skull and cross bones intarsia pattern in the bottom of this top, but what I have read about doing intarsia in the round sounds very scary. So far I have let the idea go.

Moral of the story: Use Denise for projects that require larger needles - size 7 and up are fine.

I realized just before I left for the US that both the front and back piece of Carla are too short - the lacy pattern makes it very difficult to measure. So I need to rip both the front and back piece and knit a few rows more before the raglan shaping, and I have a few rows left of the 2nd sleeve. Maybe I can finish her by the end of this weekend.

Although I couldn't pick up my needles, I didn't seem to have any trouble ordering more yarn on the Internet (Elann) - didn't seem to hurt too much to lean over and get that credit card out of my purse - can't stop feeding this addiction :) The yarn is for the free flirty skirty pattern (beware - this is a link to a PDF file) featured on the Interweave Knits site. Mine's gonna be pink...of course.

Here are some more pretty pink earrings from Hawaii to get you excited!!!

Secret PINK Earring Swap - part two!!

Oh my goodness this is going to be so much fun. Earrings are going to be flying across the globe - so far we have swap girls from four countries!! I will try and match you up with someone in a distant land - exotic foreign earrings are the best!

OK. So most people seem to be for a Secret Pink Earring Swap, so let's make it pink. Remember, the earrings don't have to be pink all over, they could have pink dots or be a combination of colours - they just have to have some pink somewhere. As Julie mentioned, I am assuming that you all have pierced ears - let me know if you don't and I will let your swap partner know - there should be no discrimination against clip-on earrings!!!

So far, we have 14 funky girlies ready to play along:

* Nicole
* KeriAnne (Thanks to KeriAnne for sending in today's pink fix - some pretty pink roses at at her friend's house!!!)
* Preeti
* Zulay
* Megan
* Lucy
* Joselle
* Brenda
* Linda
* Mariko
* Jodi
* drh
* kat
* Julie

Now, the closing date to sign up will be next Friday - 18 June 2004. If you have signed up, email me your full name, mailing address, and whether you need clip-on earrings by June 18. Your address will not be published on the web (of course) and will only be given to your swap partner. You will probably not receive earrings from the person you sent yours too. After the 18th, we will all have until the end of June to buy and send off the earrings!!! WOOHOO! Perfect summer fun!

These beauties are from Fred Flare and are selling for $8 - a little above our swap budget, BUT remember you can always make your earrings too!