Christmas is Coming

Christmas is coming and it is time to think about Christmas Shopping.  What better way to start than this weekend at the "Make It" a Handmade Revolution show at the Alberta Aviations Hangar on Kingsway.  It starts Thursday evening at 4:00 pm and runs until Sunday, Nov 28 att 5:00 pm.

Here is a coupon for $2.00 off admission:

I hope you get a chance to come by and see all the fabulous designers from across Western Canada.  The Funky Monkey will be there selling sock monkeys, Sockits, sock dinos, and more great stuff including banana and sock monkeys for your Christmas Tree.



Summer Tales Week 5

Well this is the first week of August already.  Where has the summer gone??? 

I started the week out by attending our annual Heritage Festival.  Sampling food from around the world.  My favorite though has to be Thailand... yummy pad thai, thai ice tea (which is delicious) and finishing with deep fried banana and mango ice cream.  Here is a photo of my daughter enjoying her pad thai.

Also, my husband and I celebrated our 21st wedding Anniversary this week.  I cannot believe how fast the time has gone by. 

And last but not least - I have been in a sewing frenzy all this week.  You have heard of a "barrel of monkeys" well have have a "bag of monkeys" - all patiently waiting for their eyes so they can see the world.

And while most people would see my work room as a totally insane mess, I call it "creative chaos".

So I am gearing up for another busy week of finishing off all my started projects in order to be ready to sell again next Saturday at the St. Albert Farmers Market.

On a final note, I am looking to increase the number of The Funky Monkey facebook friends.  So be sure to check out The Funky Monkey facebook page and add yourself.  If I reach 400 friends I will put your name in for a draw for one of my new sock creations (to be announced) .  

Summer Tales Weeks 3 & 4

I am a little behind on my blogging, but I was away last week blowing all my hard earned money in Las Vegas.  On the up side though, I didn't have to complain about the weather it was HOT, HOT, HOT, but oh so wonderful after the rainy, cool summer we had at home.  Well at least the weather has been better since we have come home.

I took one of my sock monkeys with me to Vegas.  Travellin Pete I called him - he is just a little guy you can carry in your purse.  Unfortunately Pete was not very lucky at the slot machines.

This week I have still been on vacation mode and just can't wrap my head around sewing monkeys and critters again, but by Wednesday I was well into the swing of things again. 

T-Rex's waiting teeth

I also had a Sock Monkey Block Party on Wednesday morning at 10:00 am.  9 eager participants attended including 1 mom and 2 boys who turned out to be pretty  good sewers.  We had a great time, sewing and stuffing the sock monkeys and when they were finished, all the kids attached their monkeys to the front of their bicycles and rode off to the playground. 

Thanks to the hostess for putting on the party and providing us with a lovely lunch.  I hope everyone had a great time.

Thats all for this week - I won't be at the St. Albert Farmers Market this week, but you can always contact me by email if you need something special.

Summer Tales - Week 2 (summer??? really???)

Well it is suppose to be the second week of summer, but while the rest of the country and US are in a heat wave, us in Alberta have cooler temperatures than normal, too much RAIN, and dare I say it ... even had SNOW in the mountains.  I do not think we have had more than 2 days in a row of sunshine this year which is very sad and why I will be seeking sunshine and heat elsewhere in a few days.  

The rainy view from my front window.

On the brightside, rainy days do spur creativity and gave me lots of time to catch up on my sewing for this Saturday's St. Albert Farmers Market.  My daughter and lovely market assistant Megan also got the creative bug and decide to take up her doodle drawing again.  So we purchased a Bamboo drawing tablet  and she has created some very cute drawings she is going to transform into charms.  I in the meantime have transformed her drawings into sock creatures.

This Norman the Narwal, the Unicorn of the Sea

I also added a T-Rex to my line of Sockasauras'.

RAWR!!

Thats about it for this week.  I hear Saturday is supposed to be a beautiful day and guess what??? NO RAIN.  I will be out selling at the St. Albert Farmers Market from 10 am - 3 pm.  So come out and check out all the great vendors.

Funky Monkey Summer Tales - Week 1

I have decided to try blogging once a week over my summer off.  So here goes ... my first week of summer and it has been a busy week.  With time off, comes summer maintenance meaning time to get that filling fixed that I have put off and get a new summer hair do!   I also finally had luck finding a groomer for my dog, he did get his hair cut but it did come at a cost the groomer and I got matching bites, plus I almost lost a finger.  And this is not good when you are trying to get your week of sewing caught up.. 

Speaking of sewing, I did manage to get all my weeks worth of sewing done and ready for the St. Albert Market this Saturday from 10-3 pm.  I also managed to get a special order done for a Bride and Groom Sock Monkey.  I have had such fun designing and dressing this lovely couple.  They are now bound for New Jersey.

And last but not least...World Cup Soccer action.  The Funky Monkey is all dressed and ready to cheer on his favorite team.  Hup Holland Hup!!!    He will be hanging out at the St. Albert Market tomorrow so stop by and say hi!

Sunday Summer Sock Monkey Party

There is nothing better than spending a beautiful Sunday afternoon with an awesome group of 12 year olds.  They were celebrating the end of their school year by having a sock monkey making party.  They were so much fun to teach how to make sock monkeys, they were entusiastic and definitely knew how to "accessorize".  I  would like to introduce you to their monkeys :

I am Pico

 I am Mr. Muggles

My name is Socks                                  

My name is Absolem

To Market, To Market

Well Saturday, June 19th is the official opening of the St. Albert Outdoor Farmers Market.  The market is open from 10am - 3pm.  There are over 250 vendors this year so there is lots to see and great stuff to buy.

My tent has moved this year to #160 and I will be there opening day.   I will then be back every Saturday from July 3-24 and again August 14-Sept 4.  I have lots of Sockits, Sock Monkeys, Sock Dinousaurs and Plush Owl and Monster pillows.  Looks like it is going to be a lovely, sunny day (we haven't had many of them) so be sure to come out and enjoy the day and say HI to the Funky Monkey!

It a Sock Monkey Birthday Party

Yesterday was my first Sock Monkey making Birthday Party with 6 lovely little ladies stuffing and sewing to make their very own sock monkey dolls.  The weather was lovely and we spent the afternoon in the backyard making sock monkeys.  And after 2 hours of some very hard work we had some wonderful one of a kind sock monkeys.  Including the birthday girl's bright orange monkey complete with button earrings.  Thanks to the adults at the party who assisted with threading needles and making knots and finishing off some of the monkeys and a special shout out to the dad who was left to sew on the earrings. 

If you would like to book your own sock monkey making birthday party please email me at trenwen@shaw.ca.  $20.00 per person, maximum of 6 children - at least 8 years of age.

It's May - Time To MAKE IT!!

Yes it is MAY already!!  Where did the time go??  Only 2 months and school is out for the summer.
May starts off the official craft season here in Edmonton. 

My first craft show this year will be Make It!  on May 29 & 30th at the Hangar on Kingway.  Admission is $5.00 at the door but be sure to get your $2.00 off coupon .  It's where all the cool people shop.  Everything is unique and handmade.

I will also be out at the St. Albert Market this summer.  This is one of the largest outdoor markets in Alberta and there is no better place to be on a sunny Saturday afternoon.   I will be there June 19, July 3, 10, 17, 24, August 14, 21, 28 and September 4.

I have been busy sewing all winter to get ready for the shows, so I hope you will get a chance to come by and buy. 

Sockits needing faces                                                       

Sock Monkeys needing eyes

Dinos and goofy pillow ready to go!

Owl pillow waiting for someone to hug them.

YEAH CANADA!!!

It is a proud day in our Canadian History.  Our Olympic team has won more GOLD medals than any other country in the Winter Olympics.  It is great to see our country scream out loud in a sea of red from coast to coast.

While watching the closing ceremonies - I have been working on some new fleece and felt plush characters. I think I may call them Socchi's in honour of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia.  Hope you enjoy them.  Look for their debut hopefully at the Spring Make It Show.  May 20 & 30th at the Hangar on Kingsway.