* Edited* Kickin' Off Zira's World Tour

* Edited to include... (scroll down to the "***")

As promised, knittin' chicas, I have an exciting announcement with regard to Maryland Sheep and Wool. Because the lovely and talented IndigoMuse cannot make it to MS&W this year, she's sending me in her place. Yes, you heard it right, I'm going to make my debut at the festival. So what you say? I'll tell you why - there's a contest and prezzies involved! Here's how it will work:

* The people who are taking me are a closely guarded secret so you'll have to be on the lookout for me. I can tell you that I'll be at the Yarn Harlot's book signing. As I find out other details of where I'll be, I'll let you know.
* Spot me, Zira, at MS&W and take a picture of me. You can take a shot with me or with some of your favorite fiber or even a where's Waldo sort of shot. The more fun, the better.
* Post the picture on your blog and email IndigoMuse (indigomuseATverizonDOTnet) to let her know that you caught me at the festival.
* Links to the pictures will be posted on the IndigoMuse blog beginning the week of May 9th.
* Two or three weeks later (depending on how quickly the photos come in) we will begin a contest where everyone can vote on their favorite picture.
* The winning picture will be featured on a Stamps.com custom photo stamp!

Of course there will be other prezzies like more felted monkey finger puppets and who knows what else. I can't wait to take these picture and meet everyone. IM and I are hoping that this debute will lead to a world tour where I spend a couple of weeks here and there with some of you knit bloggers and keep a digital diary of my exploits. If some of you ladies (and guys too if you're out there) are interested, shoot us an email and we'll start a tour list. I'll probably post one more time before I head out to MS&W. Da un buen fin de semana mis amigas!

Zira

*** IM helped me add two new features to the blog's sidebar. One, is the addition of a guest map where you can add your pin to indicate where you live as we try to decide on how to plan my potential world tour (how to break up each leg, etc.). Please be sure to add your email and potential dates. Two, I've included a discussion forum where you can leave messages and have discussions with other bloggin' chicas about my tour or other topics. Hasta luego...

Z

Nekkid monkeys and such

Dear Knit Bloggin' Chicas,

I don't have to be nekkid anymore (that's how people say naked around here. Okay not everyone but quite a few do). Judging by the lack of ideas either a.) no one cares if I have clothes or not or b.)no one reads IndigoMuse's blog. No matter. I loved the ideas that were submitted. However, the one that got me the most excited and the winner of the contest was from none other than Jen over at JenLa. I'm thinking a lovely tube top in black to go with a smokin' hot pink mini skirt (I'm planning to steal some of that pink stuff that IM is spinning for Heaz - mwha haha haha) and since my feet look kinda like Ugg boots anyway, I'm just going to get IM to whip up some small, fluffy ankle warmers. I will be stylin'. I can't wait to model for you, that is if anyone even cares. Hello, is anybody there? Jen, IM asked me to tell you to email her your snail mail address so that she can send you the felted monkey finger puppet and other goodies. You chicas wait until you see how the puppet turned out. You will be wishing that you'd sent me some great clothing ideas after all.

Things have been quiet around here. IM has been out of town a lot for work and has a special event coming up (something with strawberries, I forget) that's taking up her time. She's still spinning that pink stuff but hasn't had much time to work on it. She's also trying to buy some Cotswold, Corriedale and Shetland fleece on Ebay but someone keeps outbidding her. Anyone have a good source for fleeces? She's dying to get her hands on some raw fleece (I don't know why) and isn't having much luck. Not much knitting either except on that Tempting that never seems to grow no matter how long she works on it. I think she will be knitting it forever at this rate.

I have un grande surprise for all of you tomorrow so be sure to stop by. Let's just say that it involves the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival and postage stamps.

Hasta Manana...

Zira

Deadline Extended and Pretty In Pink

Okay, I'm not feeling the clothing love so either you want me to be a nekked monkey forever or Blogger's comments are giving you trouble. I prefer to believe that its Blogger's fault since how could you not love me? So, I'm going to extend the clothing idea deadline to 5 pm Sunday, April 24th and accept emailed suggestions too (just send them to indigomuseatverizondotnet. It's not that I don't love the ideas that I've gotten so far but a monkey should have lots of options, right?

Since hostage taking really isn't my "thing", I will tease you with some pictures of handspun yarn that Indigomuse has been playing with this week.
This is a sample skein and swatch of some orange and pink merino silk...


She's also spinning some fushia merino/silk. This beautiful stuff is destined for the fabulous Ms. H (who finished her Rogue this week. Now if IM would jump on the finished Rogue bandwagon). This roving is sooo scrumptious that I HAD to play in it. Don't you wish you could do this?



IM says that its like "butta" to spin. Here's a close up of the plied sample she made.



It looks good enough to eat!

And since we've been talking about me this week, I thought I might show you a picture of the most recent object of my affection.



His name is Hugh Mongous. I've been smitten with him since we first met last weekend in Virginia Beach. Isn't he a hunk? ((((Sigh)))) Have a great weekend and please send me clothes ideas. The weather is going to be a bit nipply this weekend.

TTFN...

Zira Monotito

Zira takes a hostage

Hola Bloggin' chicas,

It's me Zira. I'm looking to set the record straight. I'd rather that you not have seen the picture of me with the beer in the last post. I thought what happened in Vegas, stayed in Vegas. I'm not really a lush. Really. Can't a girl just have a little fun? Besides I was on vacation.

You know, I'm just a simple little monkey. I loved my beautiful Noro sweater. It kept me warm this winter and I did look so smokin' caliente. Now, I've been reduced to this...



All I was trying to do was catch some sun on the beach in Santa Barbara and that crazy Indigomuse took naked photos of me. Even monkeys have their dignity. But I have fixed her and fixed her good. In addition to taking over her blog, I am holding her beloved Nikon hostage. She has lots of great photos on here that I'd bet she'd love to show you. Like pictures from her California vacation. Pictures of some recent FOs like her mohair Kyoto. Pictures from the local Spin and Knit In. But you will not be seeing these pictures until justice has been served. In return for the camera, I demand some knitted spring clothing. If you chicas wanna see some pictures, you need to post some pattern ideas in the comments. And no frumpy, dumpy clothes either. I'm a fashion monkey who needs her fix. You don't have to design the pattern, just give us some ideas for yarns and styles and I'll force Indigomuse to do the rest. The winner gets their own felted monkey finger puppet and other various and sundry goodies. The winning idea will be posted on Monday, April 25th. You have until midnight Thursday, April 21st to give it your best shot. Or the camera gets it. Comprende?

And now for my next trick, I will pull a rabbit out of this hat

Or so I thought. I have a confession to make, I haven't knit a stitch since Sunday. Either pms has its icy grip on me, I'm still bummed about missing my friends or I'm just a sack o'poo who needs to get professional help but I haven't felt like playing with my knitting since we got back into town. So last night I finally decided that I need to snap out of it. I scraped myself off the couch, went to my knitting bag, reached in and came out with...nothing. "Where the hell's Tempting?" I yelled at the bag which of course didn't answer me. I reached in again and it still hadn't come back yet. I began to panic. Where could she be? I checked everywhere in the house; upstairs, downstairs, the kid's rooms. I sat sulking on the couch, retracing my steps, struggling to rememember where my little project had disappeared to. After about 30 minutes, it dawned on me - I'd left it in the front seat of DH's car. Well, guess where his car is? At the airport. And guess when he gets back? Late Saturday. Damn. Double Damn. For a moment, I had a vision of some knitting fiend, peering into the window of his car, spying my project laying on the seat. "Hmmm," she might say. "A perfectly abandoned Tempting. Maybe they won't miss it." And I'll bet that he didn't lock the door either so she can just snatch it and run. All of those hours of boring K2P2 ribbing for nothing. I hope that Tempting is okay, all by herself. Triple Damn.

So, being without another cast on project, I decided to make it a perfect chick nite. I popped "Hero" into the DVD player, turned off all the lights and settled down fresh strawberries and cup of Chai tea made with sweetened condensed milk - YUM! What a great movie! The story, the colors, the composition, the action. I may watch it again tonight just because I can :)

I get to spin with some lovely local ladies tonight. I promise to take lots of photos and post them. In the meantime, here are a few vacation photos to tide you over. For Margene and Sandy, top down pictures from the plane over over New Mexico:


Pictures of all of the kids together near Paris in Las Vegas (nevermind Thing 1's less than enthusiastic expression. He had fun. Its just not "cool" to smile in pictures. Whatever...)



And a picture of Adri trying to pull Zira off of the "Giraffe sized" beer tap that we drank (actually the three of them drank it because I don't like beer) at the Monte Carlo Pub and Brewery. As you can see, it was huge and hard for three people and a monkey to finish. Good thing no one had to drive anywhere.



Back to the grindstone. Bleh!

Afterglow

I'm finally slogging through all of the emails, snail mail and voice mails. The suitcases are back in storage, the mountain of laundry that we generated in one week is down to one load and the pantry and fridge are restocked. We're no longer on West Coast time and the warm weather has us fooled into believing that we're still in sunny California. However, the euphoria of the vacation itself wore off today, leaving me so happy, I'm sad. Ironic, huh?

I promise to upload vacation photos and FO pictures later this week and share some of the fun that was had in LA, Santa Barbara and Las Vegas but in the meantime, I'm very content catching up on your blogs, your FOs and the many trials and tribulations that life seems to throw at all of us. I'm glowing with the peace of knowing that I have such wonderful friends in my life, in my little family's life. True friendship is a gift - it is patient, kind, understanding, non-judgmental, forgiving and most of all, loving. If we're lucky to have just one true friend in this lifetime, we should consider ourselves blessed. While I'm sad that my dear friends live over 3,000 miles away, our hearts are so intertwined and connected that no distance can break the bonds of love that we share. It is my sincere wish that each of you get to experience such a friendship at least once in your life (if you haven't already). I'm glad that I have.