Sunday, January 20

Trade secrets and a teeny tiny giveaway .....



Thanks for all your kind comments on the last post, I'm so pleased you enjoyed the latest photo story from a warped mind ..... it made two hours of leaping around the place posing and photographing and sweating for my art worth it.



Talking of which, some people have asked how I managed to make relatively floppy monkeys made of knit pose and point; to those people I say ...... a Magician never gives away his secrets.



Luckily though, I'm not a Magician, so I'm happy to spill .....





.... the tools of my trade ..... chopsticks, fondue forks and sellotape ......






I feel particularly bad about these very pointy things .......



...... sorry, Martin




So, here are some unedited photos, complete with tools .......












..... but simply by opening up "Paint" in my photo gallery and getting busy with the copy and paste tools, they were edited to something like this ......


A voila. Monkee magic. And the explanation as to why nothing productive ever gets done around here ......


Anyway, moving on to the teeny tiny giveaway ...... I got this idea from
Jodie at Ric Rac (who put up a brilliant photo story yesterday) and thought it was great ..... a 24 hour giveaway.


In Lesley's fab package I was lucky to receive a really REALLY bright ball of wool and I just didn't know what to do with it.


So I did this .......




If you'd like to win this monkee (HP37! ..... I think), leave a comment and I'll pick a winner early tomorrow morning.

Happy rainy, windy Sunday ..... anyone else fed up with this foul weather which makes for truly crubbishy photos? I think one of these may be called for ......

61 comments:

Rhian said...

Excellent a psychedelic monkee! He's so cute.

And loving the trade secrets btw......

Rhian xxx

Jodie said...

AHA !!!! It must take you ages to do all that editing.
You simply amaze me.

Anonymous said...

awesome !!

Patti said...

Wow. What a lot of work you go to. But we love you for it.

(pick me!)

Annette said...

Did somebody mention muffins??! Never mind that I've just had breakfast...
Great pics btw.. so that's how its done!I'd just love to get some photos taken at all.. trying to write a blog post without is pretty pointless!
And a happy soggy Sunday to you to!

trash said...

Do you send the appropriate hippie chemicals with 'Donovan' (obviously! What else would you call him?) or must we supply our own?

Anonymous said...

Me too! I'd love HP37 to come and live here. Hope I'm not too late...

Anonymous said...

I had a muffin this morning, with chocolat. Taste so good!!!
I also love to win a monkey;-) He is great. love this multicolour monkee!
all the best from a rainy Sunday morning in the Netherlands.
Martine

Mrs Moog said...

Feeling a bit sick after seeing the 'special affects' you use but thanks for the tips!! Having said that it cannot be any worse than the nasty barbed needle I had to use to make Martin!
You got busy with that barmy wool missus!! HP37 is lovely but I feel that as I sent you the wool I'd best not be included in the draw (sob). Is a pair of anti-glare goggles included with the monkee?

Good luck to whoever wins HP37 (sob)......

Lesleyxxxx

(sob)

Stephanie Pettengell said...

Oh that one is brilliant, now that is one monkey I could truely love,

Anonymous said...

mmmm muffins...
I am very impressed by your clever, sneaky photo ways!
Please enter me in the draw, HP37 would fit right in round here.
Happy Sunday x

Kitty said...

Oooh, I was wondering how you did all that monkey arm waving, but had imagined invisible thread to be the prop of choice. The fondue forks are a devilishly clever idea.

LOL at the comments about HP37 - he is a funky groovy monkee, that's for sure.

x

Anonymous said...

Wow ... it's like DVD extras!

the vicious chicken said...

Gosh. No wonder it takes you so long to do your photo stories if you go to that much trouble creating them! But as you say, it is necessary to suffer for one's art :o)

We think the really REALLY bright monkee's very cute and not at all hard on the eyes :o)
VCxx

PS. YES, YES, and YES to your comment about the foul weather. It's vile and I am fed right up to my eyebrows with it. Sorry for going all British on you and whinging about weather but you did ask :o)

Anonymous said...

Ooh a rainbow monkey made of knit, lovely. I have a monkey that he would be a perfect companion for here at the monkey sanctuary.

Here's hoping

ger76 said...

Oooo he's lush and would keep me company on my desk at my new job, it's rather boring so he would defo brighten up my day :)

Love your shop and can't wait till you have your fabby bags for sale!!

Charlie P said...

WOW! A real funky monkey! I'm impressed you've managed to knit him so quickly and at the effort that goes into your photo stories. I'm lucky that pigeons are limited to about 5 poses :D
He would be a good travel companion to take to Germany- they love psychadelic woolly items and eat a lot of bananas over there. Fingers crossed...

Mumi said...

ooohhh...he's sooo cute...but does he come with sunglasses?

Unknown said...

Im in total awe of the mechanics of the talent that is, Monkee Productions.

Im also surprised that you havent been reported to 'Monkeyline' for using sharp implements and torture tools in the making of said production.

If they come and try and ask me questions about it all, you know, building a case before they come get you, I shall put them off for as long as I am able. Thats gotta be worth a monkey surely?

Locket Pocket said...

I also thought the posing was down to invisible wires so I am impressed to see the reality! But how did you make 007 whack HP27 so far in that earlier video? That was sheer brilliance! I just keep playing it over and over and snorting with laughter EVERY time!

How's the book coming on by the way? I'm not going to let you forget about it! WE WANT A MONKEE MAKER BOOK! NOW!

Lucy x

monda-loves said...

soggy miserable weather YES!
I had to park my car in a mudslide last night (also known as the once upon a time grass verge at the front of my house - YUK!)
My car is now truly filthy and the only thing that will make this remotely better is a multi-coloured monkee for me.
Feeling sorry for me yet? - well it was worth a try.

Monda
x

LoveAnna said...

I'm glad it's not just me that impales monkees (and other cuddly things) onto sharp and pointy sticks. I accidentally - of course- speared my monkee on my knitting needle yesterday. He was Not Pleased and neither were my Woolly Girls.

It's grey, dull, wet, dreich here too :( A bright and cheerful rainbow monkee would brighten us all up.

Anonymous said...

I just love the blog, makes me laugh out loud every time. I would just love a psychedelic monkey to brighten up my days : )

Totty Teabag said...

Thanks for the tute MM. Fondue forks are readily available here, both meat and bread varieties, as Mr Teabag is Swiss.

I don't want to make anyone in GB too jealous, but we have clear blue skies and 30Âșc in the sun...so why am I sat in a curtained room looking at a screen? 'Tis your fault Mrs...

Claire said...

Awww! just the thing to brighten up a dreary afternoon!

Anonymous said...

oh dear I hope I am not too late 4 achance to win the loverly monkee. I wpould like to if there is still time please Dottydesigns

Myra said...

Love reading your Monkee adventures. Your "trade secrets" were very interesting. Loving the rainbow monkee. I have been waiting for more to go into your shop but it sure would be nice to win one. :o)

Anonymous said...

Oooh I love HP37, so bright and lovely, and she would have such a nice home here, please can I look after her?

On another note, yes you should be sorry for the pointiness of your implements - I think you should put some corks on the end of them to protect little monkey arms - otherwise I'll send VC's monkey army after you!

Byeeeee.... I'll be back to check for the winner (please be me!)

NBM xx

Anonymous said...

Really fancy a muffin now, and i have'nt got any :(
Fascinating to hear about all the photo editing that you do.
Sharon -Bovey Tracey-South Devon.

Unknown said...

I have been enjoying your blog ever since I found it. I love the monkey shenanigans! Please enter me into the give-a-way.

whatsthatfluffinmyhead said...

oh my fondue forks indeed! i thought you'd have used fishing lines or some of those transparent threads instead! ( so u dont have to go through all that photo editing :X)

and i'm terribly sorry i still havent got the time to do a collection of cupcake's trek up mt. kinabalu, i've been too swamped with work! :(

i'll let u know once i'm done :P

and i do love hp37's psychedelico colours~ reminds me of static from the teeveeee :D

sheep#100 said...

Halfway around the world, we have had the same crummy for photography weather. But today is sunny! May you also have sun.

Darn good job with the photoshopping - I'd wondered.

PS - My little Neatnik asked me this morning if one of my knitting friends would ever send her an animal. She would love a knitted rainbow colored monkey!

Wanda said...

Oh I would love to have achance to win a this charming fellow. I hope I am not to late.

Blossom said...

Oooh he is lovely....great colours...reminds me of Tutti Fruities sweets(YUM)...he'd make a lovely partner in crime for Cedric! *wink* :)

Anonymous said...

I would love one of your varigated monkees!!!

Anonymous said...

Love your blog, your photo stories are hilarious, I've got my 18 and 22 year old son and daughter reading them now! The multi coloured monkee is brilliant! Jackie Mx

Sussex Yorkie said...

I've often wondered what fondue forks were good for apart from directing boiling hot oil down your arm!

Anonymous said...

Hoping against hope here. Plus, I really should be working on another brilliant (ha!) article for my new job - but instead I'm now mesmerized by the psychedelic monkee. Which, in turn, means I can blame you for my writer's block. That and the weather (I second everything you said about that!!!!)

Viv
(constantly finding ways to camouflage her "massive neck")

Munkeh said...

OOooOOO tutti-fruitti monkey - wonderful! Please enter me in the drawing!

Hmmm, what did I do with our fondue forks. I have the packing tape in hand, now where did all those monkeys go?

Jane said...

That is a neat way of posing Monkeys made of knit. Here at Fella's fold we'd love a groovy monkey to come and live with us. (fingers crossed)

Anonymous said...

Wow! Loveing rainbow monkee! x

Sal said...

how ingeniously creative with fondue forks! Love the rainbow monkee!

Di said...

I always wondered how you did it and now we know!! Certainly sweating for your art but we are all so glad that you do because you make all of us readers out there smile so frequently!!

Anonymous said...

Yes!!! EXCELLENT monkee psychedilia notwithstanding.... We LOVE your monkee stories, and I would TOTally LOVE to have a monkee of my own (I have bought hairy yarn to make one...and I PROMISE that I WILL make it a priority to create a monkee if I win!!!! Fran xxx (and a crawly bum lick just in case that will work!!!) franmachardy@hotmail.com

Crafty Librarian said...

I just suggested the chopstick and sellotape idea to my bunny, Sven (knitted of course, I'm not that cruel). He is now hiding in the teapot.

Leanne said...

oh yes please a brightly coloured monkee can come live with us any time.
I was shocked and horrified when I saw those fondue forks and so was Mel then I told him I was off to buy some - that took the smile off his face.

Rosie said...

there's nuffin like a muffin (except maybe a psychedelic monkey)

mc said...

ooo. aaah. those forks, Yikes! Love the new rainbow monkee though.
c*

Polgara said...

Pick me pick me!

Anonymous said...

Monkee Maker, Monkee Maker help me please
I've made a Monkee but oh what a mess
his arms don't match and his ears the wrong colour
he needs a friend or even a brother.

Someone to make him feel needed and special
before I give he up for a raffle (yes I know it doesn't rhyme but I'm not good with poems!) hee hee

If I can't have HP37 then can you tell me how to scale down the pattern to try and knit a brother for my monster? Ta Traceyr

Anonymous said...

I love your stories! Yes, please enter me in the drawing :O) Thanks so much!
Robyn

paper-and-string said...

how many comments???? you surely are taking over the world with monkeys prodded with fondue forks!! please enter me in your draw xxx

Deborah said...

awww......a monkey in a rainbow suit...I love him!!!!!

dottycookie said...

Love the tricks of the trade!

My sister made a cardi for my first baby out of the same wool as HP37 - it was my favourite thing to dress her in (and the second one when she came along). I always say they're a pair of monkeys - now I know why!

lauren bergold said...

ok, now see--to me that's even MORE impressive proof of your efficiency and commitment: b/c it's a WHOLE EXTRA STEP!!! YIKES! you are truly amazin'...it's a pity i have to turn someone of your outstanding caliber in to the RSPCA for MONKEE ABUSE...will you be able to restock the monkeeshoppe from prison, do you think?? :)

joy michelle said...

Love the monkey, makes me want to eat an entire bag of saltwater taffy. Actually, I think I will if you'll excuse me...

Tina at Take Heart said...

I would love to have HP37!

Thanks :)

Tina

JulieB said...

As always enjoying your posts...and one day hoping for a monkey of my own =)

Melissa J. Lee said...

My respect for the MM knows no bounds - I can't believe you actually use Photoshop to get all of those fab special effect shots!

Please enter me in your teeny giveaway, as one can never have too many monkees in one's life...

Laura said...

Laura said...
He's like a totally cool monkey!

joanne wardle said...

can't believe I missed psychedelic monkee giveaway, that will serve me right for having a life!!

and so that's how you do it!! I seee!!