Friday Eye Candy + Coupons!!!

Look! It's more newness! :)

First of all, inspired by our rabbits, especially the mischievous Ms. Diva, we have the bunny pin. I made one of these for Karen, and people keep asking about it! So here we have it. In da flesh copper.

And you know I cannot resist the siren call of the sterling silver yarn balls. I had to come up with another earring design so I wouldn't be wearing the same thing all the time. ;) And I love them! You can't have these, but I can make you your own pair!

They have a plain wire back and they look so elegant on! Here you can see the back:

btw, I am now shipping my earrings (the ones without the hooks) with clear plastic earring keeps.

And to celebrate the new offerings and Mother's Day, through May 11 I have coupons for Designs by Romi!! $5 off purchases of $15 and above (enter DBR05 at check-out), and 15% off purchases of $50 and above (enter DBR15 at check-out). If you are ordering earrings or pendants, put the coupon number in the comment section and I will refund the proper amount. I know this is weird, mixing the percentage and the fixed dollar amount, but I can't get anything else to work in the database and I am absolutely determined to have a little Mother's Day sale. So there you have it!

In other news, I was tagged by Margaridaa for a meme:

"The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer."

1) What was I doing 10 years ago?
Living in San Francisco and planning to have my first child

2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today (not in any particular order):
Update my website, make jewelry, take packages to the Post Office, homeschool my elder son, knit

3) Snacks I enjoy:
Chips and salsa, hummus and pita, sushi, chocolate, popcorn

4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
I can't say; I think I'd need to be one to decide. If anyone out there wants to give me a billion dollars, I'll let you know for sure. ;)

5) Places I have lived:
California: Corte Madera, Healdsburg, Terra Linda, Tiburon, San Francisco (currently Geyserville)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Rochester, New York

7) 6 peeps I wanna know more about:
Yarnhog
Dr. Steph
Gudrun
Joanne
Lorraine
Lisa

Have fun! :)

Mohair Madness

The other day, I had coffee with the woman who inspired my design for Ice Queen. I had never told her she was my muse. Perhaps because I was worried that she wouldn't like the pattern? She's not a knitter, and she is quite elegant. I have always wanted to knit her a gift, but I didn't know what. She is very very particular. I can only hope that she likes the pattern that was inspired by her, because I know she is much too gracious ever to tell me if she doesn't! After I forced her to accept offered her an Ice Queen, I put together two colorways for her to choose between, and both would look lovely on her. Because, after all, as I told her, she really needs one.

Colorway #1 is Candy Girl and pomegranate colored beads:

And colorway #2 is Black Currant with amethyst colored beads:

Both would look lovely with her black coat and her complexion.

And, of course, one for me, because the two I knit are in the local yarn store:

Caroline told me today that Ice Queen is in the most active new patterns list on the Ravelry patterns page. I was more than thrilled!

And I've been tagged by Yarnhog! I am to open a book I am currently reading to page 161 and copy the fifth sentence on the page.

In this particular book, there are not 5 sentences on page 161, so I started counting on 161 and continued on page 162. It reads: "Well, of course I do, Mr. Gringe."

The book is "Physik" by Angie Sage. It is my son's, and I would love to say that I only read the Septimus Heap books to be able to discuss them with him, but I will be honest. I love reading his wizard books. :)

Now for my 5 tag-ees: NH Knitting Mama, Lorraine, N. Maria, Turtlegirl, and Ruth.

Have fun!

Meme, meme, who's got a meme?

Update on earrings and pendants: As of this evening I have 5 sterling silver ball of yarn pendants and 10 pairs of earrings left! Get yours here!
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I saw a fun meme over on Fiber Dancer's blog. She listed ten things she has done that others probably haven't, along with the list that got her started. So here I go with my ten things (these were difficult!) and then I think I will officially tag 5 people. :)

1. Worked as part of the live sound crew for a televised democratic presidential debate.

2. Chatted over coffee with Sharon Stone about motherhood, and let her hold my baby (who is now 8) after warning her that he would probably throw up all over her camel coat (he didn't - probably because he was smitten).

3. Toured with Wynton Marsalis (who was soloist) as part of the Eastman Wind Ensemble.

4. Played in Carnegie-Hall, Davies Symphony Hall, and Boston Symphony Hall, among others.

5. Had patterns on the cover of Knitty two times.

6. Went dancing at the Tonga Room in my wedding dress (right after the reception).

7. Stayed in the Presidential Suite at the Ritz Carlton in San Francisco.

8. Did six illustrations that were etched onto bottles of fine wine for a Napa Valley Wine Auction lot.

9. Performed as assistant sound engineer on a jazz recording.

10. Piloted the USS Potomac around San Francisco Bay.

I tag Robin, Steph, Connie, Terri and Maud. Name ten things you have done that others probably have not, and then tag five people, leaving a comment on their blogs to read the instructions on yours. Have fun!

In other news, Punkin has honored me with an award, and I am very touched! Thank you, Punkin!! :)

I am now to pass it on to 10 other bloggers, according to the instructions: "Give the award to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blogland. Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on. Beware you may get the award several times." And in no particular order:

1. The Rainey Sisters
2. A Friend to Knit With
3. yarn spinner
4. Yarnhog
5. Cozy's Place
6. The Shetland Trader
7. Zeneedle
8. Knitting along the River
9. Glassnut
10. Mimknits

And of course Punkin, but it would be weird to turn right around and give it back, don'tcha think? :) That list was even more difficult than the meme! I tried not to name the same people both places, but really? You all totally rock! I love the blogs I read! There were so many more I wanted to add.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Monday's Musing

Edited to add some breaking news on the yarnball earring front. I am now sold out and awaiting more materials to arrive! You can back order here. Thanks so much for your orders and your patience!
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First of all, thank you all so much for your kind words about Ice Queen! You all made me feel fabulous!!! As usual, I cannot reply to most of you because of the way Blogger handles email addresses, but please know that I so appreciate your comments!

The Yarnhog has inspired my musings today.

"The name of peace is sweet, and the thing itself is beneficial, but there is a great difference between peace and servitude. Peace is freedom in tranquillity, servitude is the worst of all evils, to be resisted not only by war, but even by death."
- Cicero (106 BC - 43 BC)

"Peace is not a relationship of nations. It is a condition of mind brought about by a serenity of soul. Peace is not merely the absence of war. It is also a state of mind. Lasting peace can come only to peaceful people."
- Jawaharlal Nehru (1889 - 1964)

"I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890 - 1969)

"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."
- Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 - 1968)

At this time of year the song Dona Nobis Pacem runs through my head constantly. What a lovely holiday gift that would be for all of us.
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In other news, I've been tagged by Dr. Steph and Terri, so here follows TMI!

First Dr. Steph:

THE RULES:
1. Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 random and/or weird things about yourself.
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Random and/or odd things about me:
1. I won't watch a movie if I know it has a sad ending. This is why I have never seen "Titanic."
2. I was trained as a classical musician, but I hardly ever listen to classical music.
3. I love puns, wordplay and limericks of all kinds, and I am a terrible punster.
4. I never thought I would have kids until I actually imagined not having them. I started to cry, and then I knew how important it really was to me.
5. I have perfect plumb, or whatever you would call it. I can tell if a wall or box or cabinet is straight by looking at it. Within fractions of an inch.
6. I am very very sentimental.
7. I constantly strive to center myself and find inner peace.

I tag Robin, Sarah, Ruth, Jen, Vanessa (maybe she'll start blogging again!), Annmarie, and Del. And with that, I think I have written quite enough! Terri's meme will have to wait 'til next post. :)

Have a great week everyone!

Bunny Love

#1 Son has not been sleeping for the last two nights at least. And that is because he knew that today, this very day and none other, we would be picking up a rabbit for his 4H project. We have been talking to The Rabbit Lady and her daughter for some time now. They raise Rhinelanders, which are apparently somewhat rare in the US. And when #1 Son saw them, he knew he had to have one. I tried my very very best to convince him to go with an Angora. Truly I did! I even lined up a place for him to sell the angora fluff! Alas. Maybe next time. :)

#1 Son named his rabbit Dart, which I thought was pretty clever! Here is #1 Son with The Rabbit Lady's Daughter and Dart:

Here is #1 Son with a profound look of satisfaction on his face, holding Dart:

It's Bunny Love!

Vivian tagged me again for the 7 things, so I will answer another 7 and then I won't be passing it on. Feel free to grab it if you like! :) First, in answer to some questions.

1. I used to play French horn and have a Bachelor of Music in Performance from Eastman School of Music.

2. Sydney was great! On my Australia trip (yes - to the east coast) I also visited Melbourne (most of the time was spent there), Canberra, Wangaretta and Mittagong. I think those are spelled correctly! It was a wonderful trip and I loved Australia.

Other random facts:

3. I am an ENTP on the Myers-Briggs personality test.

4. I have a Masters degree in Radio and Television (broadcast journalism).

5. My first real job in high school was at a fabric store.

6. I am an only child.

7. My favorite foods are sushi, Thai food and Vietnamese food. Oh...and chocolate. :)

So that's that!

Not much knitting, stealth or otherwise, has happened in the past few days since The Husband broke several toes. *sigh* Poor guy!

Hope y'all are having a great week! :)

MeMe

Tagged by LesleyD! The rules:

Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and need to read your blog. The facts:

1) The first time I was ever on a plane was a trip to Australia.

2) I love 80s music.

3) When I was pregnant with my first son, the smell of coffee nauseated me and I have never regained my love for it. I drink tea now.

4) I'm a California native, born in San Francisco, but I've never been to Alcatraz or Disneyland.

5) As part of the Eastman Wind Ensemble, I went on tour with Wynton Marsalis when I was an undergrad in college.

6) I love Star Trek.

7) I learned to drive stick shift in San Francisco.

I tag Steph, Joanne, Vanessa, Jean, Nathania, Lorraine & Marina.

A Little Weirdness

Okay. So I was tagged by both Ann and Vanessa, but I'm only doing 6 weird things, not 12! ;)

“THE RULES: Each player of this game starts with the ‘6 weird things about you.’ People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave a comment that says ‘you are tagged’ in their comments and tell them to read your blog.”

1. I absolutely hate mayonnaise. I can't even stand the sight of it. But I'll eat almost any other food.
2. I love Star Trek in all its incarnations. I even used to play Star Trek as a child.
3. I always sleep with my feet out of the covers.
4. I find a movie that I like and I watch it over and over, even quoting the dialogue in conversation (like A&E's Pride and Prejudice).
5. I love 80s music.
6. I won't watch the classic movie "Gone with the Wind" because I loved the book so much that I just want to remember the characters the way I imagined them.

Oh, and I'm tagging Lisa, Sheila, Arleta, Nathania, Scout and Del. :)

Da Winnaaaaa!

Thank you all so much for the great entries! I got some much needed laughs. :)

It was difficult to decide, so in the end, I had to break the tie and put in a vote for the one I felt most captured Remy's (aka Dr. Destructo's) personality.

*drumroll*...


"I wonder if Mom knows what a cool swirly design the yarn makes when you flush it?"

---

So congratulations Denise! Please email me with color choice and your address - my email address is in my profile - and I'll get your Venezia kit together and out the door to you!

In other news, I've been tagged by Ann and Vanessa, but I'm only going to come up with 6 weird things about myself, not 12! More tomorrow. I'm taking a little time off tonight. :)

For Scout

This meme is for Scout. :)

1. How and when did you learn how to knit/crochet? Who taught you? I learned to crochet first, at about 5 years old. My grandmother taught me. Then I wanted to learn to knit so badly that I convinced my mother to teach me how to cast on and knit and purl. I was about 8. She really preferred crochet, but she acquiesced. ;)
2. How has this craft impacted your life? (besides financially!) I have found an amazing community of knitters online, and met a few locally (without the help of the internet). I feel incredibly fortunate to have met them and call them my friends! And I started my shawl pin business as a result of learning to knit lace. The knitting world has definitely changed my life for the better. :)
3. Pick at least one person to talk about who you have met through the knit-world and why you are thankful to have met them. Feel free to get all mushy. I met my most bestest friend sister on one of the knitting lists. I never would have known this person otherwise! Honestly, I think we truly were sisters in a previous life; she's that most elusive of people that you meet and instantly feel that you could tell her anything in the world. And she has an incredibly generous, kind and good heart. I just think the world of her.
4. Comment and let me know when you post this in your blog so I can read them all. You got it! :)

Moi

1. FIRST NAME? Rosemary
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? My paternal grandmother's name was Rose Mary, but my mother always said I wasn't named after her - hmmmmmmmmm...
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Yesterday when my son gave me a beautiful red Japanese maple leaf for an anniversary present
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? I've never really thought about it - I guess so
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Maple turkey
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yes
7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? This is as close as I get to one
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Maybe - I'd have to decide while looking down :)
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Heart to Heart
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Yes, but most of my shoes are slip-ons
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Yes
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Chocolate fudge almond
14. SHOE SIZE? 7-7 1/2
5. RED OR PINK? Wine-y red and watermelon pink
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? When I get cranky with people I love
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My friend Sue
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? No
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Blue jeans, a blue and green tie-dyed shirt and green shoes
20. LAST THING YOU ATE? Oatmeal
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? A mocking bird singing outside the window
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Bright green
23. FAVORITE SMELL? The California hills in the evening: bay trees and dry grass - there's nothing like it
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My friend Kay
25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Their eyes, and whether they look directly into mine
26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON you stole THIS from? Very much.
27. FAVORITE DRINK? Root beer
28. FAVORITE SPORT? Cycling
29. EYE COLOR? Greenish brown
30. HAT SIZE? Medium
31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No
32. FAVORITE FOOD? My husband's seafood paella
33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings all the way!
35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Autumn is my absolute favorite!
36. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs
37. FAVORITE DESSERT? Chocolate mousse creme broulet
38. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? I didn't send this out
39. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Ditto
40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Pride and Prejudice (for the 100th time)
41. WHAT’S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? No mouse pad, 'cause my mouse is cool and doesn't need one ;)
42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Survivor
43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? My kids laughing
44. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles
45. THE FURTHEST YOU’VE BEEN FROM HOME? Australia
46. WHAT’S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? Looking at things from different perspectives
47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? San Francisco
48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I copied from Vanessa