Welcome to the Ransom Note.

Hi all, and thanks for stopping by. Welcome to the home of the Kidnapped Can Opener.

Have a question that you don't see listed here? Email the Head Kidnapper here and let them know.

FAQ:

Q: What exactly is the Kidnapped Can Opener?
A: A Certain Someone had a very nasty breakup with her now-ex-boyfriend, Mr. Man. At one point, during their prolonged split, he accused her of taking his can opener, and was a little more than upset about it. To try and make this light-hearted and to show him that not everything is so bloody serious, we've started The Can Opener on a worldwide kidnapping tour.

Q: Why? Why would you do this?
A: Why not? Certain Someone needed a little cheering up and needed some support from her friends, so one of her blog readers (and a damn fine human bean, if you ask me) suggested either The Kidnapped Can Opener, or to have everyone she knows purchase a can opener and mail it to Mr. Man with a tag tied to it that said "Get Over It". TKCO seemed to be the less confrontational way of telling this dude to "CHILL OUT."

Q: How exactly does this work?
A: The Kidnapped Can Opener is going on a world tour. That's all we've got right now. Planned stops currently include L.A., San Francisco, the Vancouver (Canada) area, Washington DC, and of course, the Greater Seattle area. The KCO will be mailed to each "kidnapper", who will take whatever liberties they would like with the Can Opener during their time of possession. A few ideas include taking photos with today's newspaper (to prove the can opener is still alive), taking photos of the can opener at various landmarks in the current kidnapper's city, maybe sending the can opener on its way with a souvenir or a tattoo....the possibilities are limitless.

Q. Ooh! Ooh! Can I play?
A: Abso-friggin-lutely. Email the Kidnapping Coordinator here to get yourself on the list. Please include the following information:

1. Your first and last name (or pseudonym, if you prefer. As long as the mail will get to you.)
2. Your mailing address
3. Any preference on when to have the Can Opener visit you (if you'll be on vacation during a certain time, or will be vacationing and want to take the Can Opener with you...)

We're still open to suggestions to streamline the process or make this more fun for everyone involved. Please email us at thecanopenerkidnapper AT gmail and tell us if you have ideas!

Thanks so much for stopping by - we hope you'll kidnap our Can Opener!

Um...

We hope Mr. Pink didn't do this.

And we still haven't heard from 5elemntknitr and Jennifer, our contest winners! Please email the head kidnapper at "theCanOpenerKidnapper" at Gmail.

Happy Hump Day everybody!

Layover in West Seattle

From Tivity...Mr Pink's current captor....

The can opener has arrived safe and sound! Photographic evidence attached...

The kidnappers are in mad packing mode...Cthulu has taken possession in the meantime! ;)

Mappit

Check out the map....a lot of local travel, but branching out shortly :)


View Larger Map

Captor Report from Long Beach, WA

From his 2nd captor - PinkPurlGrrl:

It had a lovely time at Marsh's Free Museum in Long Beach; and was present for my first ever speeding ticket on my(@^$&*$%) birthday.

Going to Burning Man?

Reposted from the Ravelry group: (from Tivity)

Ok kiddies I've got it all set up!

There will be a Kidnapped Can Opener meet 'n greet at Burning Man!

Come, check out The Kidnapped Can Opener on its world tour, meet other fun people who love the idea of the KCO, get your picture
taken with the KCO, bring a a souvenir to include in the package...etc.

Where: Freedomcommunity-Ouroboros

Address: Intertidal and 7:30
In the Freedom Community Dome

When: Wednesday, August 29, 5-6pm

Uh-oh.

I think this one might be trouble.

The Can Opener is currently with PinkPurlGrrl...waiting to hear how everything is going.

Adventures of Mr. Pink, Chapter 1

Brought to you by the very first kidnapper (other than the original, of course) Sachi! And check out her awesome online store as well! (This has been reprinted from her blog, with permission of course. We just kidnap can openers. We don't really break the law ;)


The saga of the Kidnapped Can Opener (KCO) begins here. The Head Kidnapper stuffed our hero into a dark box in which he was tossed around and otherwise molested as only the finest at the USPS can do. Upon arriving in his destination in the wilds of suburban Washington, his new captor took pity upon him and treated him well.

KCO was taken along with the new captor everywhere she had to go. She took him along to a wedding. It was a lovely affair set in a beautiful park-like estate owned by the parents of the bride. The ceremony was wonderful and KCO enjoyed himself greatly.

However, upon feeling comfortable, KCO decided that it would be OK if he partook of the open bar at the reception and spent some time behind the garage with the under-aged hoodlums, sucking off the kegs. Things got horribly rowdy and the police were called. KCO, of course, claimed that there was no problem and he was just having a good time. The Deputy Sheriffs weren't buying it.

KCO was confrontational and began ripping apart a flower centerpiece as the bride was reduced to tears. With their hands on their holsters, the Deputy Sheriffs hollered to the now out of control kitchen utensil and, just as he began chucking party favors at the law, KCO was thrown to the ground and cuffed.



He struggled against his bindings and spewed disgusting hate speech at the officers. "Drunk and disorderly? Ha! I'll have your badge, you lily-white mamma's boy!" The Deputy Sheriffs were unaffected as they carted his ass off to throw him in the paddy wagon.



Given that the wedding was at the very outskirts of Hicksville, KCO had a bit of an opportunity to sober slightly as the paddy wagon drove him back into town. He started to regret his words and actions as the sobering reality of his situation sunk in. He was taken to the Sheriff's office, booked and thrown into the county lockup.



When the hangover wore off, KCO decided that he needed to straighten out his act if he was to ever get out of jail. It seems that he was charged with assaulting a police officer and he found out that, to his great misfortune, the bride in the wedding he'd crashed was the God Daughter of the county's prosecuting attorney who, by the way, was at the wedding.

KCO began his effort to play the part of "reformed citizen" and spent 3 days behaving, not back-talking and attempting to be helpful to the prison staff. For his cooperation, he was rewarded by being recommended for the county's work release program. As long as he continued his good behavior and returned to the jail nightly, he would be permitted to leave the grounds to work during the day.



KCO took the opportunity he was handed and he is currently listed as "Escaped from work release" in the prison records. There are several warrants out for his arrest.

Where is he now? Only he knows....

(Don't forget that you can subscribe to the Kidnapped Can Opener blog to follow KCO's travels.)

ANNOUNCEMENTS!

Hi fellow kidnappers,

I apologize for the radio silence...I've been sick and Libby has been working her tail off in her new position at work.

OKAY! So, later this afternoon, there will be the very first installment of "Stories of Mr. Pink's Adventures", but PRIZES NOW!!

For picking "Mr. Pink", the winning KCO name, we have "jennifer"! Jennifer, please email us, as the link we have to your ravelry page isn't working :( (She gets her choice of a KCO teeshirt, or handspun or hand-dyed from Libby!)

And not one, but TWO runners up, picked from the names that DIDN'T win.... (trumpets and drums please....)

Pacalaga! (wins stitch markers from Sachi!)

And

5elementknitr! (wins a special yet-to-be-named prize from Rabbitch!)

Ladies, please email us here with your mailing addresses, and we'll get those prizes mailed out to you!

Thanks everyone for playing along, and we'll have another post for you this afternoon!!

Technical Difficulties

Hey y'all,

Sorry that we haven't posted since Friday - our bi-coastal effort to send the can opener out was delayed this weekend when a meetup was sadly missed and we've been trying to rearrange the schedule ever since :(

Adrienne, Renaissance Faire Diva, could you please email us to let us know if you would still like Mr. Pink to visit you? We can mail him to you ASAP.

Also! Prizes are forthcoming for "jennifer" (who needs to email us as well!) and 2 lucky random people who submitted names!

Also, Mr. Pink's first adventure is through with Sachi....pictures are definitely forthcoming!

And the winner is.....

Mr. Pink (how very Tarantino!)
17 votes (35%)

With runners up:

Miguel
15 (31%)

Jeeves
7 (14%)

Khan
5 (10%)

Liz R. Stillon
4 (8%)


We'll post prizes and winners and such on Monday, as the majority of us are off on holiday, but congrats to the name-picking winner, jennifer!

OKAY! To make things clear...

We put all the names into a hat.

Because we are blogpoll disabled, apparently, we were unable to post more than 5 names. The poll is on the upper right hand corner of the blog, vote away! Voting closes at 2:15PM (west Coast Time) on Friday, so hurry hurry hurry!

BUT! To soothe the savage beasts, we will be putting everyone whose name choice(s) did NOT make it into the poll into a hat and we'll give the lucky so-and-so a prize. Maybe some fiber? If you're not a knitter/crocheter/spinner, we'll find you something :)

SO! Run run run as fast as you can, and vote vote vote! We'll give a prize to the person who suggested the winning name, and maybe one to a couple of runners-up!

Having Issues with Blogger Polls

We have 20+ entries for the Can Opener Name contest.

The Blogger Poll Add-On Thing (tm) apparently lets you only add 5 "answers", but lets you add as many as you want. Only 5 will show up.

Sweet! So be patient, there's a poll coming soon. :)

Find us on Ravelry!

Want something else to join? :)

If you're on Ravelry, check out our "Fans of the Kidnapped Can Opener" group!!

CONTEST UPDATE!!!

Okay kids, a couple of things:

1. We have to move up the deadline for the names, so we can get a name by Friday. It's a long story, but we're doing something SUPER EXCITING on Saturday, and the KCO needs a proper name at that time. SO! Get your names into the comments on this post by TOMORROW (Wednesday, August 8th) by NOON PACIFIC STANDARD TIME!
2. We have some new prizes, but we still are hashing out details. If you have an Etsy store, or just like to fiddle and make things (hey knitters! Offer a custom-made hat! Those are easy!), please consider offering a prize. We will love you and link you and hug you forever and always.
3. The way this is going to work is that we are going to make a POLL and post the names and y'all can pick :) That way, it's fair, and everyone gets a chance, and we'll give away some prizes, and everyone will be happy. Yes? Yes.

Hope you are all having a GREAT day!

Holy Kidnapping Ring, Batman!!

Um...after a long luxurious day off yesterday (unplanned...the Head Kidnapper's car wouldn't start), we check our emails and see 42 of you wanting to play along!

Be patient, my "felonious" friends, you will all get your turn.

Emails are forthcoming, in between kissing up to the angry boss and dodging raindrops. :)

Happy Tuesday!

The Very First KCO Contest!

Thanks to Sam in London for the idea...

We're throwing our very first Kidnapped Can Opener contest!

ETA: We have a couple of prizes! Email the Head Kidnapper if you are crafty or just want to offer a prize, and have something you would like to donate!

So! Ready? Here's the details:

1. We are looking for a name for the can opener. It is a regular old can opener, silver with black rubberized handles, and a bottle opener in the end of it. It actually is a pretty fancy schmancy can opener. We can see why Mr. X-Man liked it so much! :)
2. Please leave your suggestions for the name in the comments of this post by Sunday, August 12th at MIDNIGHT PST.
3. In case of duplicates, we'll put all the people who picked the winning name into a hat and draw one.
4. Any questions? As always, email Head Kidnapper here.
5. ETA: Sachi has generously donated a set of her stitch markers! (For those non-knitters, you could make them into earrings? Or you could give them to a very grateful knitter!) Also, the Head Kidnapper has offered an item from the Cafe Press store!

Let's name this Can Opener!

Happy Friday everyone! Unless something uber-exciting comes up over the weekend, you'll have radio silence from us until Monday.

And, so it begins. :)

The Can Opener has left the building.

Yesterday, the ransom note was mailed to the original owner (who called that Certain Someone on the telephone, laughing hysterically) and our "victim" began its epic "kidnapping" journey to wherever the winds may take it. (Or wherever the Head Kidnapper has it scheduled to go. She is ORGANIZED, y'all.)

From a post office in Mill Creek, WA to Sachi in Port Orchard, it flies flies away. Or drives in a mail truck.

It is not too late to join our giant kidnapping ring! (Wait until some random policeman Googles that. That would be bad.) Send an email to our Uber Organized Head Kidnapper and join in the fun!

Photos will be forthcoming. The HK, she is organized, but also has misplaced her memory card reader :D

Go. Laugh. It's OK. :)

We've made a Cafe Press store. Hopefully, eventually we'll figure out this computer thing and make cooler shirts.

Maybe ones with pictures from different locations :)

Anyhoo...we've just got "Ransom Note" items right now...stay tuned for more!

ETA: The zip-front hoodie fits small. Order one or two sizes larger than you normally would.

Also, all profits are going to offset postage costs for those who can't afford it, replenishing the KCO's supplies it travels with (the disposable camera, the stamps, etc) and all leftover profits are going to a Seattle-area domestic violence shelter.

Come out and play...

We know there are people out there who want to play along! Please email us here if you would like to "kidnap" the Can Opener...we would love to have you join us!

We will not be passing on your address information to anyone except the person mailing to you. If you are concerned with privacy issues or anything of that nature, please feel free to contact us with your questions and concerns.

As far as the Google Calendar is concerned, we're using only psuedonyms (or blog names) and do not put any distinguishing information (exact places, addresses, etc).

The Google Map includes the city, but not your exact address.

We're also thinking of building a gallery of "KCO Supporters"...taking pictures of your own non-kidnapped can openers showing their support. Maybe wearing ribbons? Let us know if you have any ideas :)

Happy Thursday!

One suggestion...

In case you have no domestic Can Openers of your own, they come in handy when opening up cans of Whoop Ass.

Just a thought. Happy Wednesday, everyone! Keep those emails coming!

(Again, thanks to Carry and her mad photoshopping skills for this pic!)

The Ransom Note

Thanks to Carry :) We'll be snail-mailing this to him today.

The Launch of the Kidnapped Can Opener's Journeys!

Good morning kidnappers!

We've been busy little bees sorting your emails and scheduling the KCO's journeys across this fine globe of ours. We even have our first international participant! So far, the KCO is (tentatively) scheduled to do the following:

• visit a wedding
• go to jail
• ride a Vespa
• visit Japan
• fly a kite at the International Kite Festival in Long Beach
• attend the Burning Man art festival
• move across a state
• visit a courthouse

The KCO leaves its current holding cell (aka Certain Someone's storage unit) and heads on its way to Sachi for its first "kidnapping" journey today!

Add The Kidnapped Can Opener blog to your Bloglines and follow along as the KCO embarks on a set of adventures.

It's not revenge. It's fun times with kitchen utensils! :)