Sock Snowmen

I had the best day yesterday…

…of course I was meant to be cleaning but that had to be swept to one side as the two lovely girls I get together once a week to sew and gossip with could only meet on Monday!

I still haven't got Max to do a guest post on my blog, but we do still meet once a week to continue their education in quilt making! (We'll give them a little bit of lee-way as there is that gorgeous baby Ashwini that keeps taking our attention), and we do from time to time get side tracked with other projects… there were hearts at valentines, and Kaly started making bunting for the baby (before she was born, and she is yet to finish it, I might add!)… but yesterday was the day of Sock Snowmen!

This is Tinks, and watch this space as I will finish my boys very soon.

So it wasn't planned but Max had decided after seeing Buddy (the sock snowman I donated for the school raffle and stupidly didn't photograph – but he was exceptionally cute!) that she would be able to undertake this project… with a lot of encouragement from me saying 'It's easy, even the kids could do it'.

I have never laughed so much in all my life… who could have possible thought that you could go wrong with stuffing… the poor little snowman was huge and getting bigger by the moment and it was even funnier when Max attempted to put him in the sock that became his jumper… it was like trying to put a sock on a basketball!

…but with a little bit of stuffing removal she made good progress and only has a little finishing off to do!

…and because she managed to do so well, the spare pair of socks she bought incase it all went horrible wrong were donated to Kaly, who reluctantly and whilst constantly muttering to her daughter whom was off from school sick – 'I can't do that, do you really want one', also started on her first sock snowman!

I will photograph my lovely students snowman too as I am very proud of them – the girls, not the snowmen!

I had made my own modifications from the snowmen on thenshemade.blogspot.com/1011/01/sock-snowmen.html with regards to the process of how their bodies were sewn, and I also decided a little felt nose that looked like a carrot would be good… oh yeah, and pom poms on the hat!!! But hats of to thenshemade… it is just an absolutely fabulous idea.

Thanks for looking and please feel free to leave a comment – I don't bite!

Rachael

Monkeys for adoption

I know there were a few of you at the fair who expressed an interest in the sock monkeys… to see who is left please visit my facebook page or if you subscribe to following me by email you will receive a post when my next batch of monkeys is ready, alternative please email me if you have a specific request.

Rachael

Modern technology!

…so yesterday I was told by 'someone in the know' that I needed a facebook page! Oh happy day!

Oh now I hate modern technology (we'll just forget that I used to do web design way back when, as my brain turned to mush the moment I had Little'o – apparently Guy tells me it was way before that!). So any way I had tried to set up a page before but without much success, but today… hooray I managed to do it. I'm obviously on a role!

I'm not really sure what it will achieve because it looks a little on the light side but hey, you gotta try these things! …pop by and like it for me and I'll be your friend forever!!!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Monkey-and-squidge/252698701451773?sk=wall

…next question – how do I get people other than my '7' followers to to know it's there?!!

Thanks for looking

Rachael

…still buzzing!

So, for the past… who can remember how long, I have been trying to find 101 excuses as to why I wouldn't be able to sell at the school fair…

1 I don't think I'll sell any so it will be a waste of time
2 I could be humiliated
3 What do I put my products in if by chance I sell anything! (Which I wont so there's no point in going!) …I had no idea how expensive bags are to buy or how long you can spend looking on the internet for the 'right' bag!
4 …as a continuation from 3… bags are so expensive that's my profit I'm eating into!!!
…loved my clear bags though and have to admit I was slightly disappointed when people didn't need a bag!!!
5  …where was I? I'm sure there are more reasons! Oh yeah… I have to donate something to the raffle! (made those lovely sock snowmen Lynn pointed out to me, can't believe I didn't take a photo but his name was buddy!)
6 …urm! Give me a minute I'm sure I've got another excuse…
7 did I mention I could be humiliated!
…101 – I DON'T WANT TO DO IT!

…but at the same time I have been trying to make enough stock incase I DID decide to take a stand…

…come on, you know I obviously did.

I woke up at 6 this morning and told myself to go back to sleep… which of course I didn't due to the fact that I still had a mouth to sew on, a quilt to finish, 3 labels to print, 4 labels to attach, a quick trip to sell a monkey before the fair and a monkey who needed a quick spin in the washing machine and tumble dryer!

I have to say getting up early was quite good but I was so ahead of myself that I did start to bounce of the walls a little… but my family were fantastic, they all get dressed when I asked (including Guy… and if you know Guy you'll know that's an achievement!!!) and we were all packed up and in the car ready to set up at 11.

So I'm sounding quite confident right! Wrong… I had a space in the main hall, FAB! Hhhmmm… I wanted to be tucked away in a corridor away from everyone – remember I really didn't want to go, (it turned out to be a great spot though), but once I was set up I was really quite pleased with how it looked but notice the crossed (slightly nervous) arms… oh yeah and that smile.

Pretending not to be nervous I took a cup of tea that I was offered… big, BIG mistake, I have no idea how I managed to keep the tea in the styrofoam cup!!! Shaking? Me? No! I'm not shaking!!! I have an affliction don't you know! I'm sure I'm allergic to styrofoam cups, bring me out in an uncontrollable shudder! So as my voice went up a few octave's "GUY, quick can you take this for me… QUICK TAKE THIS!' my husband… my rock… rescued me from near disaster! – I have to say I couldn't of done it today without his support over the past few weeks and of course today! So I'd like to say right now a huge thank you… with a promise that I will once again start ironing (and washing, and hoovering, and cooking tea, and shopping – actually it's surprising what you can still mange to make with very little food but I am fed up with being referred to as 'old mother hubbard'!).

A day of sewing!

I had a change of direction today and decided that with 16 sock monkeys finished and 4 just needing their ears and smiles sewn on, oh yeah and the two that need everything doing… that I now had the sock monkeys pretty much in the bag… and actually I mean that literally!

There's my new baby sock monkey in there too, you can see how small she is… very cute!

So then my change in direction ended up with me making one peg bag and nearly finishing another, yay!

I only took a photo of the finished one and it's not the best photo but I'm glad to be blogging about something other than sock monkeys!!! (even though it's only a quick blog).

…and yes, your right if you think it looks familiar. I have used this fabric for my peg bag before but there is a slight difference to the shape and the button… and my label!

A day of bags tomorrow me thinks, I have found some fabulous fabric in my stash so I have to admit I'm quite excited. Roll on tomorrow.

Thanks for looking and please feel free to leave a comment.

Rachael

My new logo

…just a quick post to point out that although this is my lovely new logo – designed by my fabulous husband – this is just a temporary banner. I shall when I have time design a better one but for continuities sake I thought I should put it up (this one is on my folksy and etsy shops)!

Right back to the sock monkeys!

Rachael

Eat, breathe, sleep…

…sock monkeys.

That's all I seem to be doing at the moment but I have to say I am still quite enjoying making them. I think it helps that the response to them has been so fantastic.

But my obsession with socks is is making my life as a blogger a little dull – how many more photos can I post of sock monkeys… bring on the quilts I say!

I'm afraid though this is another monkey post and I write this post with a little bit of sadness in my heart, for today I bid farewell to two of my favourite sock monkeys…

Jules is currently in between homes as she awaits the arrival of a new baby. We miss you Jules!

…and Loretta, oh Loretta, she is at this moment in transit to her new home. Tink and I were very sad to see Loretta go… it was quite a moment when I sealed up the package!

So tomorrow… hmmm what will that day hold for me? Think it's time I made some more boys!!!

Oh and I need to point out that my logo re-design was done by my very gorgeous and talented husband (he made me artwork it though) – the first time he ever looks at my blog and he takes umbrage to the fact that I hadn't credited him – I will forgive him because I love him like crazy. Anyway I still have to design the banner so it's not quite ready to appear on my blog heading. Soon, very soon.

Thanks for looking, you can always leave a comment if you stop by.

Oh, and have a look at my new updated photos on my sock monkey page – all are for sale but some are  yet to be listed.

Rachael

Christmas fair is looming

I have so missed blogging…

…it's been so long since I last sat down and had something to blog about. Thats not to say I haven't been busy because I have. No more quilting for me at the moment, oh no… I'm on a mission.

In a moment of madness I decided to take a stand at the school fair… selling, wait for it… ta dah!

…monkeys, monkeys and even more monkeys!

My fingers are sore but I finally have a little group of finished monkeys. Most of them girls at the minute, the boys are still waiting to be sewn.

I will have them up for sale in the next few days on my folksy or etsy site… once I've got better photographs of them. In the mean time have a look at my 'new' sock monkey page. I know, I know, I lead a sad life!!!

Oh and I have a new logo too… watch this space.

Thanks for looking.

Rachael