Monkeys Do Christmas 2011 - A Christmas Fridge Art Hunt!

Okay
 so after the wonderful creations sent in from Monkeys all over Australia and the World in the Great Fridge Art Hunt...I got thinking...well actually my friend and I got thinking...about how cool would it be to have some fridge art printed to have as exclusive fabric to Monkeys Over The Moon
...and then it dawned that wouldn't it also be cool to have a funky Christmas Tshirt Design by a monkey feature in our 2011 collection...and even more funky some fabric designed by a Monkey for Christmas that we could use as a limited edition...

SO HERE IT IS!
MONKEYS DO CHRISTMAS :)


WHAT YOU NEED TO DO (MUMMY, DADDY, GRANDPA, AUNTIE)...

Ask your Monkeys (age 2 -12) to draw some funky Christmas designs that they would love to have appliqued onto a tshirt or would love to see made into fabric :)
Please Let them go wild, let the creativity shine through...no rules, no colour within these lines, no stipulation on theme...well other than Christmas ;) I want it to be what they want to wear to Christmas Day to Granny's or would think would be cool to wear to the beach for celebrations ;)

Send all entries into monkeysoverthemoon@gmail.com by July 25th at 9am WST Australia with the monkeys name, age and brief description
 ...the designs will then be up in a special Monkeys Do Christmas gallery until the 27th August when we will choose 1 designs to applique and 2 designs to turn into fabric.

The judges will be myself  and the monkeys and  2 mystery judges from the Handmade Community ;)   In addition a people's choice will be chosen by likes tallied on each photo as to which your favourite is :)

The 4 winners will receive a tshirt or singlet appliqued with their design or using their fabric (please state which you would prefer when entering)...and their designs will feature as limited editions for Christmas 2011 for Monkeys Over The Moon.

The winners will be announced in this Blog on August 27th about 5pm WST.

All entries will receive a special code to receive 10% off any Monkeys Over The Moon Christmas Design in stock between September 1st and December 1st 2011.

This was made into an applique tshirt

Fabric made from Drawing of Koala and Kangaroo and some kites 

Haha Fridge Art 

So start spreading the news! we want that wonderful ideation that stems from the little handmade kids to flow and pump life into Christmas! Oh and just a little tip fabric designs will work best with pen or dark crayon strokes ;)

A smile a day!

Things that make me smile...

My monkeys...honestly...even after a horrendous witching hour!

Sunshine on my Face

A hug from Mr Monkey

Mojitos and Moules Mariniere (not together mind ;) )

Sunflowers and Daisies

and today coming home to a beautiful review/testimonial of one of our designs! <3

So as hearing how what I have handmade with love has made a Monkey over the Moon and their Mummy too makes me smile I thought I would share a few of the things people have shared recently!

"" 

I was the lucky 'winner' of a custom spot for a MOTM 'Neck and Lace' shirt ... and a winner I certainly was! As a mum of two little boys, I don't often get 'WOW'd' by things for little girls but I must say that this piece is just amazing! I don't think the pictures that are posted on the MOTM Fb page do it justice ... there are *lay...ers* of lace, that make the 'FlutterBye' sleeve stand up, it is unique, fantastically made and definately (and what I'm the biggerst fan of!) OOAK ... I am gushing ... but this is just a masterpiece. I have requested that my neice takes *very good care* of this top and I would like it back after she has outgrown it to pass down to another little girl. Georgie, Molly absolutely LOVED her FlutterBye Shirt, she put it on straight away and it looked stunning. Have requested she takes a photo and will post when I get it. Thanks so much Monkeys Over the Moon :) x AV

"" 

Ok...I could go on forever about how beautiful my unicorn t-shirt is...how perfect the sewing is...and how delightful Georgie is to deal with. It's all true but what I'm about to tell you just proves how amazing Georgie's work is....

(I'm hoping my husband doesn't see this or I'm in big trouble!!!)

When I showed my husband (big tough mean maori!!) the MOTM unicorn t-shirt I bought for our daughter he had a big, genuine smile on his face. That's right...a unicorn made my husband smile!

Thanks again Georgie! You really are very special! JT

"" Thanks so much Georgie! You spent time with me working out exactly what I wanted for my little niece and the shirt you created is GORGEOUS! I love it. She loves it - her mum loves it too! Top work - keep it up and share your stuff with everyone! SD

"" Me Again :) - Our Custom made Fire Truck Shirts arrived this week & they are PERFECT!!! I can see how much work you have put into them Georgie & we LOVE them...The Boys have a Birthday Party to go to tomorrow & the shirts would be great for them to wear...but I don't want the shirts to get dirty hahaha. Thank You so so Much. Sally & Hunter & Nash xox

 Just a few little words or a picture really can make all the difference to a day ;) and make this Monkey Over The Moon!  ( so...if you have a MOTM design and I havent sent the heavies round to bash a review or take a photo of your monkey in said design...please feel free to share...) 


I LOVE to read them and to show my monkeys the pictures :) 


Right off to channel this HAPPINESS into more designs to make someones MONKEYS OVER THE MOON 

Distraction #3,892

Transferred from Facebook now Blogger is all better ;)

 Distraction #3,892

by Monkeys Over The Moon on Friday, May 13, 2011 at 10:11pm

I need to SHARE...so I went to BLOG...but...blogger is currently unavailable...so apologies 

*I am a well brought up english lady I say sorry 300 times a day ;) * to those that dont do blogs, dont follow them, dont read them and who are already probably thinking um...Hide...Delete or even just please ssssssh!

I love reading...but these days I cant very often if at all...my favourite day would be curled up on a rug under a tree with the dappled sunshine hitting my face with my nose well entrenched in a historical novel or racy Jilly Cooper ;) or infact whatever I was into that day...no interruptions, no deadlines, no must do's, nothing...but me and my imagination and perhaps a big box of Maltesers ;)

So now instead of reading I clean (okay I dont), I taxi, I feed, I dress, and do a million other things that perhaps dont quite fit into my image of that perfect day ;) but they keep the mind occupied or certainly the  hands...but sometimes I need to feed my soul...sewing does that...well at least when I am creating and not distracted by FB and um other newly found wonders on the www...one of which and yes I am a latecomer,one of the crowd, who has jumped upon the bandwagon once mainstream...I am infact a follower...

I love to read Blogs...and every now and again now I have my own I ramble aimlessly to the crowd (or haha small gathering) who follow my very own blog too...Blogs are an amazing insight into the world, that perhaps add to perspective and certainly enable me and I am sure others to breathe in experiences, situations, places, creations through the eyes of someone else...they also can be reassuring, warm, exciting, racy!,scary,sad, breathtaking,emotional...you get the picture or at least you can imagine...they can for me fill the gap practically that has been left when I dont get to sit under that tree ;) plus the monkeys cant lose my page, or rip/cut it or infact flush it down the toilet!

I also love to share...so just incase you are interested...and you are in fact still here and havent walked off to do something less boring instead ;) here is in what seems to be the number of the day six of the best... of my all time favourite blog reads...

• http://emilyburnette.blogspot.com/      Recipe for The Cute...just gorgeous, wonderfulideas, pleasing and very very easy on the eyes oh and yes most definately inspirational...
• http://missgeorgieg.com.au/   The fairly new writings from the wonderful Tina who is an inspiration to many other Australian Handmade Community Members and the beautiful face behind Georgie Girl...I love her little Tinaisms, her thoughts and her wonderful outlook on so many things that face me whether as a mother, a woman or as a handmade designer...
• http://smudgetikka.wordpress.com/ I am addicted to the shopping pages!
• www.buildalittlebiz.com    practical and helpful insight into the minefield that is FB marketing and building your own little business ;) 
• http://isaidyesdear.blogspot.com/    Angela's posts are just fantastic and useful and so so right and just oh I cant describe...but I get them and it seems when she writes she gets me too...and that works! 
• http://emandfemme.blogspot.com/  If you havent met Ilja yet or dont know her gorgeous designer label Em & Femme...read her blog first...and then I defy you not to want to buy anything and everything you can from this infectious, warm, witty and loving Mother of 2 oh and I forgot she is pretty damn amazing at designing clothes too
• http://enochandplonk.wordpress.com/ Nicola's designs are pure art...totally and utterly the most wearable art appliquedesigns that I have ever seen...quirky, fun and extremely well made...they are just her through and through...so if you want to see just what Enoch and Plonkness is head on over ;) We are loving her new steps into dress design too! 
  
  

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do...and if you do I think I may from time to time share some others (it was hard...really very hard to choose 6 hence there are 7 ;) )...and if you dont well just remember you dont have to like, you can always hide and you certainly dont have to follow ;) 

I found this photo on the www and it made me giggle ;) 

...just a quickie :)

Colour is one of my things :) something that makes me shiver, smile, dance, cry and feel blooming wonderful...today I was hit by the most amazing display of colour at Rockingham Foreshore, WA.

My dear friend at Funkydory had the show stopper for me :) and she won an award too! with her 'Bloom' a cluster of the most amazing jellies made from upcycled items including milk bottles!

others that really struck me and the monkeys were the primary coloured Free Range Chickens

and this bright blue and turquoise fish...

an hour or so later I was inspired by this flash of colour...

and then by the contrast here...I love silhouettes and have been playing with a few ideas but this just really struck me :)

and as promised here is a peek of a very colourful chap...Chloe Rose's Applique Lion designed by her (aged 4) and appliqued by me in vintage floral fabrics...

Hope you all have a colourful week! <3 Georgie

Passing it back to the monkeys :)

I have just finished my 1st fridge art applique...and am very happy with it :) 
Its been a total delight to design something that a monkey has drawn, something they 'want' to wear and will make them over the moon!
 Its why I started doing this ultimately what inspires me the most making something that will make monkeys over the moon <3 ask them what they would like to wear, or to draw for you a design and voila! no more 
battles, no more parents living through their kids...true art in motion!


 And when Mummy sees the joy in a monkeys face :) it surely makes Mummy happy too! 


So next time you go to order something you think is great or you want to pop your little cute monkey in...
take a walk on the wild side or at least with the monkeys...
ask them, get them to tell you what they like, and what they want to wear...
and okay it may not be 'fashionable' or it may clash a bit...but hey if it encourages their free spirit and creativity cant we cop that :)

I appreciate that Mummy's like rockets (boys do too!) and that Mummy's like Babushka's (I do thats for sure ;) ) but to be honest I would rather have more Matilda Rose designs or Grace's reindeer or Chloe's Lion or Aidan's Dragon in my gallery to show than 20 designs that are chosen to suit what we think they should be wearing :) 
So...expect more of these...and I know they wont float all your boats...and I know they arent geometrical and the fabrics in an adults eyes may not be exactly spot on BUT they are made with love and created by monkeys...and you know what they make me totally and utterly over the moon! :)

PS picture will be on FB www.facebook.com/monkeysoverthemoon soon...I just want to show a special little monkey her design first ;)

Watch this space for Chloe Rose's Beautiful Lion applique <3 translated by me...but totally designed by her! 

and now for something less boring instead...

Tomorrow Daddy returns...his son and hare lay grinning in bed tonight when I said one more sleep till Daddy flies in...he looked at me with those eyes  and simply said

"Good. He can fix the TV Mummy." 

Turned over and was asleep

Priceless!

Tomorrow without fail... he will choose to wear (creature of habit ;) ) this tee or his Wallaby Rugby shirt...

to be just like Daddy <3

This design is available throughout winter via our MadeIt store as a custom order...

www.madeit.com.au/monkeysoverthemoon

Totally Dapper! Totally Funky and we hope Original too ;) 

for the pants shown head to www.facebook.com/funkykingston

or for another great match check out the Brady pants at www.brusselsprouts.com.au

  

the 7 p's...

What fun I could have with 7 p's :)

popular, practical, perfect, pretty, phenonemal, priceless and precious

and thats just about me...let alone my tees! <3

This last week has been full of P's too...some I cannot mention but most have been POSITIVE...especially the Playdates and Pow Wows my monkeys and I had with some of the most gorgeous WAHM's in Perth this week...firstly with Designer Mumma,  and later in week Little Red Child, Wee Jennie Wren and 76 Tilly Lane. Each one of these Pleasant ladies are all as Passionate as I am about what we all do and their monkeys are just as Playful as mine ;) Much Progress a bit of Procrastination (um that would be me!) and lots of Poetic Chat was had ;) 

Anyway I digress...please be Patient...there is a Point here somewhere!

My background or most recent background prior to baby making and Monkeys Over The Moon was in marketing and a bit of sales ;) for a large regional newspaper, then for a fantastic fine food company that was a standard in the marketplace...inbetween I sent myself back to 'school' and took a Chartered Marketing qualification...which leads me to the rather 'duller' 7 P's :)  In all of these places this was one of the formula's that was always there tucked away and sometimes more obviously stated...marketing strategy developed and then this was applied to the activities of each business and was kind of like I spose an evaluative tool ;) Without boring you too much, yes I see you nodding off here...it pays to revisit the 7 p's to make sure you're on track and achieving the maximum results in the marketplace...or so I was taught ;) 

These being...Product, Pricing, Promotion, Place, Packaging,Positioning and People...

Now if you are one of the above WAHM's or follow me regularly I am NOT a typical evaluative business type...if there is such a thing...but then neither were any of the most succesful entrepreneurs I met...many gave off a very lax, scatty, almost mad appearance yet all managed their businesses successfully and went from strength to strength and although these P's wouldnt have been on any website, or marketing literature...they were certainly always in mind. I am definitely a crazy go by the seat of my pants kind of girl ;) 

POINT this week on a number of occasions in different ways the pricing of my products has been commented upon...not criticised...just remarked upon...so tonight I have Pondered and Perused and Plotted and Planned and basically have returned to the same Position...

which is if anything I should charge more! ;) 

No I am not greedy, or out for a quick buck...No I am not deluded as to who or what my customer base/market is...No I do not sell stock as quickly as I would love to but I honestly believe that is to do with needing to address perhaps one of the other P's...I do offer a Pleasant, Polite and Presentable service to my customers and although I have to ask them to be Patient...often...that is more to do with the fact I am actually a mummy too and time management and preparation have never been my um...strong points.

I also am quite adept at financial marketing aspects (when Pushed) and as suspected infact I probably make most designs with little to no margin, even perhaps at times at a loss...and the business would most probably fail an acid test...

BUT that is not why I do Monkeys Over The Moon...

I am not out to be the next fashion hot thing or even a profitable business really (tho that would make my husband smile more!)...I make because I love, because I am inspired and because it makes me happy...please read all prior Blog Posts :)  

So...I am staying put here with my pricing and my positioning in the market ;) it reflects I hope the time I put into each piece, the fabrics I use, the embellishments I source and a bit of the love and care that is sewn in...I know not every liker will buy...but I also know that most of my most trade has become repeat,and although some may think my designs are to 'Pricey', many see them for what they are...which is an alternative to machine stitched applique or screen print, a keepsake even a piece of art that although will probably get mucky, even stained by the monkeys will most definitely be loved and will last and maybe even make more than one monkey over the moon! 

Example of detail

My latest tee - a gift - inspired by some gorgeous stickers from Kimmi Jnr

THE END! falling off my little soap box now ;)