Cheeky monkey...

Hello lovelies!
This will be a super short post, i think i mentioned a few posts back that i'd decided to take my monkey making as well as general stuff making a lot more seriously...hence why its been a tad quiet here. Good news is, its not been so quiet on my other blog, that's where i advertise my wares so to speak so it gets updated often and has recently transitioned into a mixture of my normal life as well as tales of my mad craft endeavours so if you need your dose of Deb be sure to stop by:


www.sockmonkeyhq.blogspot.com

Hugs hugs hugs,
Deb

Handmade..

There's just something about making stuff..something about the love and passion that goes into the creation...it's tranformed into more than the naked eye can see and enriched with emotion and enthusiasm so that when it is passed on it continues to revive and inspire everyone in its path.

It is for this reason and more that i choose to create as well as encourage buying handmade.

We live in a consumer society that shells out for mass produced junk...we are no longer satisfied with the things we buy so we buy more in the hopes that contentment will settle in sooner or later. You know what happens when you buy something handmade and one of a kind? You will most probably spend more...this is a given seeing as there is no factory with little children who earn $1 a day making 10 million of the same things...but what you do gain is a personal touch...like when a child draws you a picture, or when a friend bakes you a cake. Crafters create for the love of it...it is that simple! What else could possibly drive us to make something that didn't make us all millionaires. What better reason to invent and create?
So i urge you...this Christmas and from now on...you can't pleade ignorance anymore...support the little guy who's doing it for the love of it! In the long run we will all end up with less junk but a hell of a lot more satisfaction knowing that all that we own we chose to have.

xoxo
Deb

Monkey Madness vs Deborah Disease

Some of you who know of the dreaded Deborah Disease...i have some bad news for you. Monkey Madness is a mutant strain that has NO cure, i repeat no cure...Shut your doors and seal your windows...once contracted the virus invades your every cell leaving you no chance to do anything but surrender...

Read more about it at www.sockmonkeyhq.blogspot.com

=P

Also had to post this 'cos it's awesome..



Come and get me boys....hahahaha

Boom!!

Hello lovelies!
Haven't had a chance to update here yet but if you wanna read about the awesome happenings at Kraftbomb go to my monkey blog at www.sockmonkeyhq.blogspot.com.

Catch up soon!
Love ya
Deb

My 50th Post!

Hahha, yeah so it might not seem like a milestone to anyone else but me, BUT alas (say in typical CHAV accent - does this face look bothered?!

So in conjuction with this auspicious occasion i have a whole ton of news...
Dori..Linny...i'm aiming to make this posts almost as good as the animated versions of my stories.=)

1. KRAFTBOMB Oct 2008
I got accepted to have a stall for my sock monkeys!!!
I'm so super stoked because it's only the 3rd Kraftbomb that's been held at the Grey Lynn Community Centre and it's the first one to be held in the big hall. Oh and of course, it's Labour weekend that weekend so there'll be heaps of people. In other words, it is the biggest and best yet so being a part of it could mean that Miss Deb and her sock monkey madness will have a really good chance of spreading to the masses!! I've been thinking about how i'm going to display them and designing little flyers for people to take away with them...i've got my website (www.sockmonkeyhq.blogspot.com) up and running which is also a PLUS so in the event that you don't hear from me here it's prolly because i'm trying to keep that website/blog updated.
Here's the Kraftbomb flyer, feel free to grab it and post it up all over the place...there will be so many other really cool designers/crafters there too so it'll be wicked, good times guaranteed!!



And of course...what post would be complete without some monkey madness..hehe here's my final draft of what i hope will be like a cool poster/calling card for me and my little ones.



2. New flat
I shifted flats almost two weeks ago. Joe helped me move and i found out that my entire life fitted into 1...yes ONE van load.
See? And yes, you are not halluscinating, that is indeed a grass covered van.



So anyway...my new place...MUAHAHA...
It's an old villa with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. I found it on Trademe and went to look at the place once by myself and then a second time with my sister. I absolutely fell in love with the people and the room!! As much as you'd TRY and insult me by calling me a hippie, i really do trust my instincts and from the moment my now flatmate Sean opened the door when i first visited i sincerely felt like i'd come home. My last place was great don't get me wrong but i outgrew the space...and plus change is always good...
These are the lovely people i live with...



My room's the biggest one in the house, complete with built-in wardrobe and drum roll please....my favourite thing...a WINDOW SEAT...i'll be making curtains and of course, cushions to go on the seat for lazy days sitting in the sun reading.
These photos aren't the best, i'm still in the process of unpacking and i'll be getting a table so i can finally set up my sewing machine properly!! Yeeyah! The walls will not be so bear for much longer too! More photos to come...




3. Scooter Riding
So some of you may have known that i got given an old Honda Eve Smile by a lovely friend who was going overseas. I christened her Sonja and we had many good time together. Unfortunately a few weeks ago she finally kicked the bucket. In memory of my lovely Sonja Eve, let us take a moment of silence. You were a good bike and i'll miss you.



On a happier note, i got so use to having my own wheels that i decided to spend some money this time and get a new scooter. Joe and i went out one weekend and test rode so many but as soon as i sat my behind down on this bad boy...i knew it was love. We've been inseparable since. Have you seen sex on wheels? Here...=)



For anyone out there who's thinking about getting a scooter, i say do it...don't rush into it, test ride as many different models and makes (even the same model but different bike if you're buying secondhand like me) because once you get on the bike that's right for you, you'll know...

So lovelies...good things come to those who wait my patient readers heheh...i hope you've enjoyed this post. The weather's getting better and better here in the big smoke also known as Auckland so lots more photos to come i promise!!

Have a terrific day and don't forget to post a comment!
xoxo
Deb

Closer...

I'm one of those people that thinks that music finds its own way to you at a particular moment in your life...this song found me and managed to encapsulate what i was feeling perfectly. Have a read...and if you get the chance jump on iTunes and have a listen.




Closer by Lovers Electric

you want more space
i want less distance
you want more words
I want less noise
you speak in rythmes
i dream in wishes
we've got nowhere left to hide

you see the sun
I see the burning
you see good things in everyone

The closer my heart is
the further my head is from you
The more that I need you
the less I can see what to do

you want my hand
I want the darkness
you want the warmth
I want the cold
you walk ahead
I walk in circles
we've got nowhere left to go

you see the sun
I see the burning
you see good things in everyone

The closer my heart is
the further my head is from you
The more that I need you
the less I can see what to do
-------------------------

I'd love to know what you think...i was struggling to figure out whether the emotional attachment, the need to talk things out, the sheer hate for that sense of distance in the pit of your soul when things aren't quite right between you and someone you truly care about (also known at times as paranoia) - do these things come naturally to a girl? Are they necessary? Is it something we have to learn to cope with when dealing with others or should they be the ones to accommodate us?

xoxox
Deb

Free Hugs!

Free hug anybody?

Yesterday that's exactly what we did...we held up posters offering free hugs to passer-bys in the centre of Auckland. My friend from Discovery camp, Grant has been doing 30 Fears in 30 Days since the 1st of this month and yesterday's one was to offer free hugs to strangers (you should check out all the other fun stuff he's been doing, dressing up in drag, getting his nipple pierced, chest waxed on TV!!) . When he told the rest of us Discovery camp crazies...we jumped on the bandwagon and it snowballed and went nationwide!! We were even on the 6 o'clock news last night! Yeeyah...celeb kudos...autograph anyone? Hehe just kidding...Enjoy the photos...and i hope you've hugged someone today!!












xox
Deb

An Update Attempt...

So yes...i did promise...i'm sorry...instead of apologising for the rest of the first paragraph i'm going to try super duper hard to update you okay? And i AM truly sorry...
Oh and i suspect this will be quite a disjointed but severely honest post...just 'cos there's loads to tell and they are somewhat irrelevant to each other...hahah

So okay...the last time i posted i said i got into Discovery camp...it was the most amazing experience of my life. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. It's quite a difficult experience to explain but if you get the chance to do it i say feel the fear and do it anyway. Step outside your comfort zone...Heaps of photos on my Facebook so have a squiz there okay? I'd do anything to go back to that moment in time...i was surrounded by so much support..for the first time ever in my life i felt accepted for just being me.

One of my mate's going overseas and gave me his old scooter so i've gotten my learner's license now and have been riding around. Freedom is awesome...i am loving it! Must admit its a tad scary cos other vehicles aren't the most considerate. I promise i've been careful though ok?! x I'll even take you for a ride if you come visit...hehehe She's quite a little cutie..Very old school...very vintage...she's even a kickstart...i christened her Sonja Eve Smile cos she's a Honda Eve Smile. Heheh..49cc..my baby..

Next, i am doing another Craftwerk in less than a month so let the monkey madness begin. I will keep you informed as i slowly lose my mind again =) I have a whole bunch of new ideas though and i'm already freakin out so wish me luck okay? And jez...i'm so sorry i haven't gotten round to finishing your order. It will happen...maybe even in time for V-day next year eh? =P

I am nursing a broken heart...
I don't want to admit it but isn't that like the first step to getting better? I don't think love has to be complicated but it has never been simple for me...so maybe it is and i can either avoid it forever or plunge into its chaos willingly.
I sometimes wish that my instincts weren't always right. I took a chance...i wanted so badly to 'simply' take a chance instead of trying to predict the future. I thought i could revel in a moment instead of being sensible.
I didn't want to listen to what everyone was saying...i wanted to come to the decision on my own.
I know we weren't meant to be together...as soon as i pull the plug i felt all the stress release me from it's suffocating bounds...but of course, one is never immune from the horrible missing or sense of emptiness..
Can i go back to being 16...when crying so hard for 2 days pretty much fixes everything?

I promise i'm okay...so please don't worry...i just felt like letting it out though...figured if i let it spill out here it might empty out my soul a little...

If i learnt only one thing at camp it would be that i can handle anything thrown at me...in this case..i am just missing the little things...and its temporary...i'll be fine...

xxxDeb

Commit....

I hereby promise that i will update my blog in the next 2 days...

Why hello there...

Yes..it has been a while..have you missed me? Heheh..i've missed writing that's for sure. It seems my life makes more sense when i look at it in words. I guess trying to put emotions and experiences in words puts a spin on things too.

So here i am...this is me..


What's new you ask?

I've been accepted as a Team Leader for a youth camp called Discovery 43!! I'm off to Rathkeale College in Masterton starting next Thursday and i'll be back in Aucks on the 7th of May. I'm going down to Palmy a few days earlier and staying a few days after camp too just to chill out. Looking forward to catching up with the awesome Gareth and Toby's mum - the wonderful Jo and her lovely partner Tom. Am hoping to surprise Jo...she always goes to this particular cafe after work and i used to always meet up with her there...thought it would be nice if i rocked in when she was there as though i still lived down the street...heheh...we'll see how it goes. Am really hoping to bring some Tezas down for the Palmy crowd but i've got so much to bring with me for camp so am not sure if i can spare the weight. I did a preliminary 'pack' last weekend and it was insane..my bag was exploding eventhough i hadn't even gotten half way thru my list. More packing planned for the weekend but first...drum roll please...i'm sitting for my Driver's Theory Test tomorrow morning! Yes...finally...i know..Will be cramming all night tonight...Wish me Luck!!
Then hopefully spend some time with my sister before i go away. I have a couple things to get pre-camp..few more pairs of socks, an ipod wall charger...i have to remember to cancel my facial appointment that's next weekend too.

I normally don't take this long to write a post but i think i'm a little too mellow today. I had an allergic reaction to something last night...i was about to go off to bed and my forearms were real itchy and i noticed my cheeks were real red too. I was too tired to bother so just went to sleep but it was still there this morning. I've had 2 antihistemines already and i think it may just be subsiding. Am feeling like napping..i always think my body heals itself faster if i rest. I still don't know what triggered it...definitely something i ate or drank...i tried this magnesium supplement recommended by my chiropractor which was prolly the most obviously out of the ordinary thing i consumed...next in line was prolly one too many feijoas....or it could've even been the seriously strong Long Island Iced Tea i had at our staff outing last night. I just want it to go away so i can function well at camp...i know i won't have time to worry about myself too much so please keep ya fingers crossed that this is just a one off reaction. It's kinda funny in a way 'cos my cheeks are real red and puffy so i just look like a russian dolly hahaha... See?



Oh yeah...and my hair's long enough to tie now..like barely..hehehe just two tiny pigtails..i'm not planning on growing it out anytime soon but figured i'll get it cut when i get back from camp. Heheh...here ya go..i'm sure you don't really care about the life and times of deb's hair but...heheh too bad...


Oh and in case your curious...Everything's well in sock monkey land...their numbers are decreasing so it's high priority on my to do list to make more. I've been buying nice socks everytime i come across 'em so it shouldn't take me too long. I've also hatched a plan to make baby ones...heheh..all top secret for now so sssshhh...hehehe you know i'll post photos when they're done so don't you worry!

Well i better go..

Take care my lovelies!

Will hopefully have heaps of stuff to tell ya when i get back...

xxxxxx
Deb

Borrowed Time?

Hey everybody!!

I'm so super sorry that i have left this cliff hanger since the carnival!! I've been crazy busy with work and trying to juggle my sock monkey obsession and socializing too so it's been insane!

I thought i'd just drop you all a quick line here though to say i know i've been slacking off...bad deb...hehehe and that i'm glad you're still interested despite my silence =)I will try and post a proper update real soon...

Jez...you're monkeys have been sewn...now waiting to be stuffed! =P We can sort out the details when the monkeys are ready, sound good? Thanks for being so patient with me hun...

My girls...i lallalalala love you both.....been missing you two hard recently...not that i don't normally but more than usual...

KC, my dear cuzzie...thanks for celebrating my mum's birthday...hehhe...wish i could've been there! Real happy that you like my monkeys...its a massive compliment coming from you!!

Christine! Thanks for dropping by hehehe...will definitely be setting up an online store so i can spread my monkey obsession world wide. Feel free to place an order though..i do custom ones all the time and pricing/freight can always be negotiated. ;P

Kim!! I still have the skully one...i thought i'd traded it with one of the girls at the carnival who was selling gummi bear pendants!! I know..i couldn't resist but she must have chosen a different monkey. Let me know if you do want to order one...i'm not the fastest monkey stitcher unfortunately but i try my best and promise that the monkeys will be kickass! =) I can even make one to look like Mark if you like hahahahaha....

So beautiful people, i leave you for now with a late Happy St Patrick's Day wish and hope you're having a fabulous day!

Craftwerk 2008

I had an amazing time at the show...I'm sure in this case, photos will be better than me raving on about it =).

Enjoy!

I decided to stencil my own monkey silhouette on the brown paper bags that the monkeys would be packed in if someone bought 'em. Heheh..



Trial run...making sure all 24 monkeys would fit into my plastic box.



Monkey photoshoot on the morning of the sale....



One more for the album...



Here I am in the dress i decided to wear on the day..



Me and my stall!



Me and my stall mate Kristin who i met on the day!



Will tell you more soon my lovelies!

xxxxx
Deb

It's all go...

12 hours before the exhibition...

I'm excited...but pretty tired too...going to have an awesome sleep tonight!! So lucky that Craftwerk starts in the afternoon...and that my sister's giving me a ride there...

Sock monkey total...24. =)



Yep...every single one of 'em...

Yawn...better catch some Zzzz's while i can...

Goodnight y'all...

Sock it to me!

Hello babies!!

I've finally got a spare minute to post so i'm gonna jump straight in okay?!

So...

Since the last post...the plushy epidemic has worsen heheh!! For those of you who don't know what plushies are...basically they're soft toys but way way cooler. Here are some examples of seriously awesome plushies.
Those are only a handful of plushies...other types include really old school crafts like toys your grandma would make for ya but with a seriously cool contemporary twist. A good example of this is the sock monkey. Yes, i can see that puzzled look on your face...it is in fact literal...a monkey plushie made out of a pair of socks. (Thus far, that is all the information you need to continue reading this post hehehe)

Right, now that you have all the vital basic knowledge i will begin the story.

About a month ago, when my mum was still visiting, i came across a pattern for a sock monkey in this really cool book called Bizzare Bazaar. Yeah, it's hard to explain what possessed me to pick that book up but i'm odd like that..haha

Anyhoo...i really wanted to make a sock monkey 'cos i thought they were adorable so i enlisted the help of super seamstress mummy hehe. I wanted him to be pretty kickass so i took a while finding the perfect pair of socks. After years of searching hehehe maybe just hours, i embellish a little, it is my story after all heheh...i found the perfect pair on Trademe. This girl was selling all sorts of really cool gothic/emo gear and one of which was this gorgeous pair of red, white and black knee high socks that had a picture of a syringe down the sides. I know this is difficult to imagine so here you go...this is my baby...my first and most treasured piece...Nightshift Nurse Sock Monkey:

Hahah...yes, seriously...i made him...

So anyway, once i'd done it, i thought the girl i bought the socks from would like to see what i'd done with them so i sent her a photo. I didn't realize that she actually has an online boutique selling all sorts of gothic/emo stuff and she asked if i'd be interested in selling my plushies there!! I know...i couldn't stop jumping up and down when i got that e-mail. Had to even bug my friend Gareth in the middle of his working day to tell him hahaha!

That's not the end of the story though...hahah...yeah...BUT WAIT...there's more..

Her response to my first sock monkey sort of made me think...if i did really start my label, how would i go about it etc. Meanwhile, my sister told me about this craft show called Craftwerk that is held annually in Auckland. I was just super keen to go and have a look at first 'cos i'm a massive fan of indie stuff but a week or so after finding out about it, my sister suggested i join. Now, you can't just join up...you actually have to apply...you send them photos of your work and wait to be selected. Well guess what...I GOT ACCEPTED!! I just got the news like half an hour ago!! I'm so stoked. So now you understand why this post is sort of scattered and rambly...it's exactly how i'm feeling hahah...

So i've started sewing monkey parts like crazy...

And spent a whole day turning all 30 inside out...


Hahahah...
I've made 5 monkeys so far and have the rest of the week to do 25 more. I ran out of stuffing today so i'm just waiting for more ..that's the only reason why i'm typing right now and not sewing like a crazy person hehe.

I got some labels made too...my own label...scream!!!...it's what i've always wanted...my actual brand is called 'SOCK IT TO ME!' and below that is an email address in case people want to get a hold of me - sockmonkeyhq@gmail.com. I promise to post photos of 'em when they arrive.I've also gotten some cute brown paper bags which i'm gonna stencil 'top secret monkey business' on so it'll look super cool when people buy from me hehehe...

Anyway...I'll leave you with a few more photos of my lovelies..hehe






Let me know what you think about 'em and thanks for stopping by!!

xoxoxxo
Deb

It's insane i tell ya...

Sunday Outing with Kristy

Last Sunday, my lovely flatmate Kristy invited me to hang with her for the day in Takapuna beach / Devonport. We climbed up to the top of North Head and drove up to the top of Mt. Vic. It was a super windy day as you will see but it was the most amazing 360 degree view of Auckland!!

Enjoy, my lovelies!

It was the perfect day for kite-surfing...which i'm so keen on trying...

Kristy and i...



Action shot of me on rough terrain...LOL Almost at the top of North Head!

Woah...it wasn't windy at all...hahaha

Auckland Sky Tower...


And one last shot of the pretty ladies just in case you hadn't noticed them hahahah...


xoxoxox!!
Deb