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‚ . . .‚  they’re not just for wool (and dinner) any more.

Now there’s even MORE of them to love!

(How cute is their logo? I’ve never seen a sheep more fixated on a task. Ooh, and you can play with the ones in their webite’s header. Click on ’em!)

OK, I created an official page where I’ll keep a list of rules as well as participants. Here it is, it’s over on the left sidbar, linked with the Dolores button. Feel free to redirect your links to it for the latest info.

I also created a Cafe Press store featuring the amazing artwork that Franklin created for the Players and the Squares! FYI, Cafe Press does cheap shipping for buttons and stickers.

For everyone who inquired about new web/sidebar buttons using the images Franklin created for Players and Squares, I don’t actually have those images sized for buttons. I’ll see if Franklin has any time to come up with any, but for now, you can just use the lovely Dolores in her non-Brazillian bikini waxed glory.

So far there are about 85 participants! Woooo! I listed everyone so far on the new page according to Square/Player/Saturday/Sunday status. If I’ve miscategorized you, or something changes, please let me know so I can change you in the list. There are going to be a bunch of different cards and I want to make sure I don’t give Sunday only Players a card with Saturday only Squares or vice versa. I’ll be updating the list in the evenings and I’ll try to do it daily.

I added a rule that you can only mark people off your list while you’re at the fairgrounds. That way, people going to pre-Rhinebeck meet-ups won’t have the leg up. I guess this Bingo game isn’t really a race like normal bingo, there aren’t any prizes for whoever fills up their cards first. You can compete amongst yourselves if you’d like, but since I might not be in the same place all day, so there’s no real way to turn your cards in.

Also, I’ve found a vendor who is kind enough to let me sign books at his booth! David of A Craftsman’s Touch Alpaca Co. and RedMaple Sportswear is going to give me a home away from home. Thanks to Mel of the blog Cabezalana for setting us up! I’m so excited, I can’t even stand it, I have an Official Sponsor! I feel like the Michael Jordan of the fiber world. I wonder if I can get some alpaca high-tops. I’ll be using some of his fiber to whip up some cool prizes.

And Carol of Go Knit In Your Hat and Black Bunny Fibers is going to dye up something special as a prize, too! If anyone else in interested in being a prize sponsor, let me know.

uuuuuhhhh . . . I think that’s it. Oh yeah, I still knit occassionally and have actually finished some stuff. Now I just need to remember how to work the dusty old camera and we should be back to business.

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Um, hey, so go check out Boston.com NOW!!!! I’m on the front page of the news section. Weird. Totally weird. I don’t know how long it will take for someone ther to realize that I’m not a serial killer or something, and therfore not entirely “newsworthy”, but I’ll ride the wave while it’s rolling. And if it’s no longer on the front page by the time you read this – I swear it was there. Here’s the article that is featured in today’s paper. It’s worth buying the papaer because it has color pictures from the book. Suh-weet fancy Moses!

If you came here‚ from Boston.com, welcome. I’m a total dork and filled with girlish glee to have you. hee hee!

**Check out the Official Rhinbeck Blogger Bingo page for all the updated info you’ll need. New particpants are added nightly!**

Looking for a way to meet some fellow bloggers? Want to put a face to the yarn stash you’ve been ogling online? Do you enjoy winning fabulous prizes while attending one of the best fiber festivals around? Well, then Rhinebeck Blogger Bingo is just the thing for you! And with a glamorous spokessheep like Dolores, I don’t see how you can resist. (A huge thanks to the Amazin’ Franklin of The Panopticon fame for lending his talents and his roommate to add pizzazz to the festivities.)

If you decide to play, here’s a sidebar button for you! (Please don’t hotlink the image, save it to your own server before you upload it.)

Here’s how it works:

There are three ways to join the fun; you can be a player, a square on the card, or both. Players are not required to have blogs, but you must have one to be a square on the card.

The names of participating bloggers will be randomly placed onto the bingo cards. Players will be sent a card electronically at least a week before the festival so you can scope your targets out beforehand. Maybe they’ll even offer hints about how to identify them. Just print it out, take it with you to Rhinebeck and let the games begin! It’s a guaranteed good time as you seek out the bloggers on your card.

Everyone participating will be entered to win something cool from an array of fabulous prizes, and we’ll also give out prizes for classic bingo patterns, like Straight/Diagonal, Postage Stamp, Picture Frame, or Black Out! You must turn your card in at a location To Be Determined to enter to win for a bingo pattern.

At some point in the not-too-distant future there will be a separate page for all Blogger Bingo updates and info. Keep an eye out for info about meet-ups as well as a growing list of participants so you can check out the competition. I’ll post any updates here as well.

The rules:

1. If you would like to participate, send an email to me at “yarnpants at yahoo dot com” (you can just use the link on the bottom right sidebar) with €œBlogger Bingo€ in the subject line. For best results, please enter by October 8th to give me time to add everyone to the cards and email them out. Be sure to include the following information in your email:

-Participation: (Player/Square/Both)

-Name

-Email Address

-Blog Name (if applicable)

-Blog Address (if applicable)

-What day(s) will you be attending the festival?

2. Participants whose names are on cards must prominently display the official €œI’m a Square€ logo identifying them as such. (the image is forthcoming. I have Franklin tied to the radiator until he finishes it.) We’ll be selling buttons, tote bags and other stuff in a Cafƒ© Press store, or you can print out the image and display it some other way. If someone is on your card but is not displaying their €œI’m a Square€ logo, take it as a sign that they may be feeling overwhelmed and need some bingo-free time. Our intent is not to impose on those not participating, so please be respectful.

Please extend your respect to those participating in the game, as well. If they’re in the middle of a transaction with a vendor, deeply involved in a conversation or appear to be engaged in aggressive negotiations over a fleece with a fellow festival attendant, please wait until they’re finished to approach them. This is especially important in the latter case. Situations like this could be eruptive, so it’s best to back away slowly, without making any sudden movements. You may actually want to hide behind something until it’s all over and the fleece is no longer flying.

3. Use whatever means you choose to mark off squares on the card. Bingo dobbers, sharpies, a size 2 dpn, whatever.

4. While it is a lot more fun to say a quick hello to someone before marking them off your card, it’s not required. If you recognize someone and feel uncomfortable approaching them for whatever reason, you can simply mark them off and move along. Just remember that everyone signed up to play, and as long as they’re wearing that button, they’re expecting you. Don’t be shy!

So, whaddaya say? Wanna play?

The Mock and Roll Tour 2006 is ON!

9/23 Hadley, MA – BARNES & NOBLE, 2pm (335 Russell St)

10/6 – Brooklyn, NY – BARNES & NOBLE, 7:30pm (267 Seventh Ave)

10/13 – Cambridge, MA – PORTER SQUARE BOOKS, 7pm (25 White St)

10/14 – West Hartford, CT – SIT-N-KNIT, 1pm (33 LaSalle Rd)

10/18 – Paramus, NJ – BARNES & NOBLE, 7:30pm (765 Rt 17 S)

10/28 (may change) – Concord, NH – THE ELEGANT EWE, 1pm (71 S. Main St)

There are a few other dates in the works, but these are the ones I have so far. The date for the Elegant Ewe may be changing, so I’ll keep you up to date. I’m also looking for a place to lay my butt in a chair at Rhinebeck for a few hours over the weekend, so if anyone has any good leads, by all means, let me know!

I’m going to be putting up a tour page soon, but I wanted to get these up so people can start making plans. As nervous as I am, I think the appearances will be fun. I’ve got the MOKS Traveling Trunk Show featuring real live kitschy artifacts. I’m also bringing along a Polaroid camera and a scrapbook so I can make sort of a yearbook of the folks who pop in to see me. I just know at least one of you is going to end up in a granny square vest. heh. Plus I thought it would be cool to have people leave their marks and people at future events can see some familiar names blog or otherwise.

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