C.A.R.R.O.T. Jetpack

Woomi and I were fighting over the extra-buttery popcorn when the doorbell rang.

On my doorstep, a familiar briefcase:

Inside, baby carrots:

Like most people who crochet, I double as an international spy.

And this top secret letter surely held a special assignment for Woo... Agent Woo.

The following is a transcript of this letter, for your eyes only:

ATTN: AGENT WOO

I'm OOW (Agent Double-O Double-U), and your mission is to test the energy-potential of beta-carotene for above-ground transportation.

Agent Woo, please follow these step-by-step instructions:

Step One: Extract the contents from the briefcase.

Step Two: Equip yourself with the Agency's latest prototype in renewable-energy stealth-wear: The C.A.R.R.O.T. Jetpack.

The Crocheted Aerodynamic Renewable Resource Offsite Transport Jetpack is powered by beta-carotene. A handful of carrots can provide up to one hour of air travel.

(Optional sources of beta-carotene include yams, spinach, turnip greens, winter squash, cantaloupe, and romaine lettuce.)

Step Three: Take a running leap from this launch site. Repeat until lift-off.

Step Four: Steering the C.A.R.R.O.T. Jetpack can be initially challenging. Try visualizing yourself flying above the clouds.

Step Five: In the unlikely chance the Jetpack malfunctions, follow the contingency plans in Step Six.

Step Six: Hand out baby carrots to passersby at this rendezvous point.

This act will signal to the Agency that the Jetpack requires additional testing. It is imperative that you wear the included head-mounted antennae.

Video - "Complimentary Carrots"

As a secondary signal, post an on-site photo of yourself to WooWork.com.

The Agency appreciates your loyal service, Agent Woo. You mission with the C.A.R.R.O.T. Jetpack will be challenging, but it is an assignment you deserve to complete.

Until then,

I'M OOW

A Travel Suitcase and an Elephant

Last year for Mother's Day, I crocheted a plane for my mom before she flew to China for a vacation.

This year, my mom is headed to Asia again, with an extra stay in Japan. What do you give a globe-trotting mom for Mother's Day?

This overstuffed travel suitcase is filled with good wishes for her overseas adventure this month!

Meanwhile, my girlfriend's mom—Catalina—loves elephants, so I made a long-nosed keychain for her Mother's Day present:

Here's a video of two awesome moms receiving their gifts:

I hope every day is a celebration of moms everywhere, including all the moms who have passed on but remain in our thoughts.

Thank you, Moms!

Bubble Trouble

The last time a mysterious briefcase arrived on my doorstep, I discovered a ray gun that accompanied me on an intergalactic rescue mission. So when a new briefcase appeared, I knew it was hero-time!

Packed in pink bubblegum, the weapon-of-choice was revealed:


BubbleGun!


A BubbleGun can shoot bubblegum bubbles that will immobilize all enemies. It is a hybrid ray gun—powered by electricity and air—that has the added advantage of energy-efficiency. The disadvantage is its high cost: 25 cents per dozen bubble shots. Exact change only.


This side shows the BubbleGun's air intake vents and power button:


Would I prefer that the gun was Race-Car Red or Midnight Black? Yes, but I've never surrendered to society's colour stereotypes. Pink or not, I was going to inflict some bubble trouble!

But my sister angrily snatched the gun away and insisted the briefcase was addressed to: "The Bubblegum Bounty-Hunter". She had been saving up quarters for weeks.

Before she left, I asked my bounty-hunter sister to demonstrate the BubbleGun on video:

She has since flown off to some heroic adventure in space, blasting bubbles at alien fugitives.

Whatever.

I wanted to stay home anyway.



POP!

Raygun: Primary 3000

When this mysterious briefcase appeared on my doorstep, I faced two choices: call the authorities or open the case.

Compelled by a strange sense of destiny, I chose to open it:


Raygun!

It was a Primary 3000 model, chock-full of technical features:


Plushy but deadly!

Here is an opposite view of the ray gun, its energy levels reduced after firing test shots at some helpless steel beams:


I used primary-coloured yarn to freeform-crochet this raygun, except for a tactile grip made from grey half-double crochet stitches. Its aiming fin is similar to the nose I made, minus the nostrils.

Since I was the one who built this raygun, I must have sent that mysterious briefcase to myself from the future; a future where I defend lunar ice colonies from fiery space invaders:


ZAP!