pinku

Triple Damn

Well the first damn is because I missed out on going to the 2004 Ondori Knit Festa in Shimokitazawa yesterday. My dear friend, Frangipani had free tickets and all - otherwise it cost 4000 yen. As you knitters will know Ondori is Japan's premier knit/craft magazine company. The fashion parade was at 11:30am and I just couldn't take a sickie and I have run out of paid holidays - new ones begin next Monday - what bad timing. Frangipani says about the show - there were some absolutely breathtaking designs and yarns - double damn!!

The second damn is because the food at Las Chicas in Omotesando last night was pretty terrible actually, not even average, and the service was even worse. Chris, Jen and I headed there for a mini SNB to stake out a new location for the Tokyo SNB when the Pink Cow is not available. At first I thought it might be a very nice location - convenient, outdoor seating, 'gaijin' friendly, but the staff were cold, unfriendly, and inefficient, and the food was truly disappointing.

The third damn is a good one! 'Daaaaamn, this shop is fabulous' kind of damn. Attention crafty girls in Tokyo or visiting Tokyo or planning to visit Tokyo - go to La Droguerie in Harajuku!! La Droguerie is a Paris-based store with a branch here in Tokyo (and one in Ikspiari Disney Sea in Chiba according to Jen). When you enter the store, you will be greeted by ribbon, beads, buttons and yarn in bright, beautiful colours. The yarn is hanging all over the dark wood walls and looked so tempting. They had a bunch of felt bag kits that were 100% cute albeit expensive, and a ton of jewellery that could make you cry it's so pretty!! I was tempted to by a beautiful butterfuly ornament for my hair, but I restrained myself. It's the kind of place you visit and see two young Japanese female store attendants (early 20s) standing behind the counter knitting complicated fair aisle patterns while standing. Very impressed. Didn't take any photos so you'll just have to visit the store yourself. There are also two branches in Kyoto if you find yourself there.

La Droguerie
4-26-18 Jingumae
Shibuya-ku
nearest stations: Omotesando/Harajuku

Random news

Secret Pink Earring Swap participants - I now have confirmation that everyone has sent their earrings, so you all should have received a pair by now. If you haven't, let me know. Also, everyone's name and mailing address has been sent to Fred Flare, so expect your earrings before not too long - SO exciting!!

Secret Pal 2 - hosted by the very game Heidi has ended up with 158 participants, and I thought 38 girls for the Pink Earring Swap was a lot!! I wasn't going to sign up, but couldn't resist in the end. Getting crafty, cool stuff in the mail just so much fun.

Carla from It's a Tape Thing - is finished. I just have to weave in some ends. It didn't turn out as pretty or as long as Clara's and unfortunately it is a little small for me, so Carla is going to a new home and will be living with my friend, Amanda. It is still really cute though, and definitely unique. Photos soon!!!

Shrinky Dinks - Have you every created Shrinky Dinks?? I'm not sure whether that's what we called them in Australia when I was a kid, but I have vivid memories of shrinking potato chip packets in the oven - can't be good for the environment, but it was so much fun. Might have to try that again soon and make some cool Japanese shrinky dink earrings, but the new fangled foil lined packets may end up wrecking my fun!! Inspired by this thread at Get Crafty!!

Nicole (AUS) to Petra (US)

My marine day long weekend

So my weekend started off well with a Tokyo pedicure. Don't mind my wrinkly toes in the pic - focus on the butterfly. That was handpainted on by my beautician - isn't she talented?! Japan has taken pedicures (in particular nail art) to a whole new level - trust me! The only thing that put a damper on the pedicure experience was the earthquake (5.5 on the richter scale) that hit just as I was about to get my little toe painted!!!

On Sunday, we spent the day at the Japanese beach at Zushi - it was very relaxing - there was a beach bar, beach sumo matches and crazy Japanese hip hop girls shaking their booty!!

me, amanda, and hiroko enjoying cold beer at the Oasis beach bar at zushi!!

that's right - beach sumo!!

last but not least - here's a photo of mary poppins enjoying the beach

I also received AWESOME swap packages from Becky and Mindy! YAY!!

this is from Becky in France - notice the fantastic Phildar magazines - Ete and Crochet!! Must practice my French!!

Umm, I would show you the nougat Becky sent me BUT it's all gone!

Look what Mindy sent me - cool stuff including City Knits, stitch markers (I've wanted some of these cool ones for ages), pink lipstick and nail polish - how did she know I needed makeup!! and some candy too!! Lucky me.

The Internet is an amazing place - in the last week I also met up with two people I met through Pinku - Nicole from Australia and Folly from San Francisco. Both were absolutely lovely and Folly was so sweet and brought me some pink ribbon yarn - now I just have to decide what to do with it.

More pink love!

Details of my fun weekend tomorrow!! For now enjoy some more pink earrings.

Kim to Fatima

Erin to Eileene

Compulsory Voting

While I'd rather be talking about super cute pink earrings (duh!), we must not forget about serious issues such as voting! Do you vote? In Australia, voting is compulsory and I think it's a good idea. Someone asked me the other day about this in more detail and I really wasn't sure of a lot of details, so today while avoiding real work I did some research.

First I thought there were only three countries in the world with compulsory voting....umm, but it seems there are 32 - was a little off there. However, many countries do not enforce these laws at all and I bet that a lot of citizens from these countries don't even know that voting is compulsory. Another point to remember is that Australia's voter turnout rate (always over 90%) is based on registered voters. A little less than third of Australia's eligible voters (someone who's over 18) are NOT registered - you don't ever have to register if you don't want to, but most people do. My dad has pretty strong views on the political affairs of Australia (luckily we feel the same on pretty much all issues), but for many years he was not a registered voter - I was shocked to find this out. Luckily he is now on the electoral role, but as I haven't lived in Australia for a while they just took me off the role (No!!).

I beleive that anyone who lives in a democratic country SHOULD vote. It is your responsibility as a good democratic citizen. I know that a lot of things seem like the decisions are out of our little hands in these representative democracies of ours, BUT join hands with a bunch of other people and before you know it you got the power baby. I don't want to hear any whining about how it is your right NOT to vote. The basis of a good democracy is that all of its citizens take an interest in its political affairs AND...... VOTE!!! That's why I believe that education is THE most important aspect of our lives - it empowers us to make decisions.

This is an interesting read.

I don't wanna get all political on my little crafting blog, I just want you all to vote - this is a big election year in a lot of countries.

Enough of that, it is Friday after all and the beginning of a wonderful three-day weekend here in Japan. Gotta get some beer, pick up my knitting needles, put on my new pink earrings and get to the beach!!!

Marine Day rocks!!!

Are you a Secret Pink Earring Swap participant??

Well, then I have a BIG surprise for you!! You love surprises, right??!! Ok - so the deal is that Keith, one of the co-founders of the fabulous Fred Flare contacted me and said that he loved the idea of the Secret Pink Earring Swap soooo much that he wants to send another, that's right, another pair of earrings to every girl who participated in the swap (38 girls in total) - no strings attached. How absolutely bloody fantastic!! I don't usually swear (online), but this is soo exciting and a truly generous thought. Beware of visiting Fred, because their stuff is SOOO cute that you may just find yourself typing in those credit card numbers before you know it!!! Their summer sale is also on right now!! I'm in love with their My Little Pony tee - how cute!!

So, if you don't mind your mailing address to be sent to Fred Flare, drop me a line. I will not pass on your name and mailing address until I have heard from you. They have promised that your contact details will not be passed on or kept for marketing purposes! I will also send out a group email to everyone that participated in case they don't see this post.

To give you a little pink boost this week, I have a pink fix to share with you submitted by the fabulously talented Martine at Frangipani!!! Thanks dear!

Stripes Go Round

ummm, but without the stripes! As promised here at the photos of the finished top!! I love this top - it was kind of a boring knit - just lots and lots of knit stitches in the round. But I love the shape of the top and to prove how much I love it - this is the second day in a row that I have worn it to work. Promise to wash it tomorrow!!! I decided against the stripes coz I rarely wear stripes - however, stripes would have probably made this project more interesting to knit. I used sock yarn and it's soft and stretchy - just the way I like it!! This is the first top that I have knit in the round.

Pattern: Stripes in the Round by Lana Hames (Interweave Knits Summer 2004)
Yarn: Sock it to me Collection Espirit (Elann's version of Cascade Fixation) in ruby - about 4 and a half balls
Gauge: 26 sts/10cm
Needles: 2.75cm and 3.3 mm circulars

I actually changed to continental knitting half way through this project, so I am glad that it did not affect the guage!! I think that the material's stretchiness helped out here. I also used the directions for the 31 inch top as my guage was a little off, so this probably works out to about a 34 inch top. So anyway, here are the photos!!

the top

another view

the fake seams created with twisted stitches (sorry 'bout the blurry photo)

Great surfing day!!

Sometimes it seems like there is nothing interesting to look at on the Internet, but then every now and again there is just too much to look at/read/get excited about. Living in Japan means that Tuesday morning is the best surfing time - Monday is just about over in the States and everyone's websites are updated and a bunch of people are online (geeky but true).

Some cool stuff to check out RIGHT NOW!

* Catch Darin over at fecal face where he is the guest blogger for a week. His first entry appropriately contains fecal matter and details the fun to be had while living in Japan. Uh...yeah.

* Take a look at Clara's finished Carla at Reverie Knits - great work.....motivates me to seam my Carla pieces together!!

* Take a free online sock knitting class here.

AND I will have a finished object for you all tomorrow. I have been kinda missing knitting content on Pinku, but that is all going to change. I have been obsessed with finishing the Stripes Go Round top from Interweave Knits and would not start another project until it was completed. Stayed up until about 1:30 am last night finishing it off and my hands are grateful to be done with a project with so many little stitches. By the way, I love the top - it fits perfectly and I will have photos tomorrow!!

Here's some more earrings for the Secret Pink Earring Swap Gallery - check it out!!

From me to Erin

From KeriAnne to Deena

from Lucy to Jennifer

Pink earring love!!

You girls rock! Look at all the great earrings flying across the globe.

from me to Amy!!

from Petra to Brenda

from Preeti to Megan (these were handmade by Preeti - so talented!!)

And they just keep coming!!!

I'm so glad that everyone seemed to enjoy the Secret Pink Earring Swap!! I had a lot of fun trying to decide on earrings for my swap partners - if the limit had been $10 it would have made my decision all the more difficult.

It's amazing that something as simple as giving and receiving a pair of pink earrings can make someone so happy - the Internet is an amazing place!!! I'm kinda liking that Pinku is basically all about pink earrings this week - yaahoo!

with love from pamela to kinkers

with love from joselle to amanda

another shot