WIN A TSHIRT DESIGNED BY YOUR MONKEY...FRIDGE ART HUNT

STOP PRESS - FRIDGE ART HUNT NEWS

Grace's Reindeer...this will feature in our 2011 Christmas Range

Following some amazing feedback, positive advice and constructive criticism regarding our Fridge Art Hunt we are tweaking it a bit ;) 

its still open for Christmas designs but your Monkeys can be inspired and create whatever they would like to wear...to see as a tee...to see made into fabric for a tee design...ANYTHING GOES :)



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

Ask your Monkeys (age 2 -12) to draw something that they would love to have appliqued onto a tshirt or would love to see made into fabric :) get them to think about things they love maybe in a book, from around them or anything really :) 

Please Let them go wild, let the creativity shine through and their design will roar!...no rules, no colour within these lines, NO STIPULATION ON THEME...though Christmas is still welcomed !

William's entry for our last Fridge Art Hunt

Another stunning design from our last hunt...this would be beautiful fabric

One of the winning designs from last time

Michael Millers Fridge Art Fabric...finding this inspired me as it was nearly identical to a dress I had when 2 ;)

 I met some really cool monkeys of all ages yesterday at market and it was amazing to see and hear their ideas! what they would love to wear...and funnily enough a lot was not what is in the shops for their age or perhaps what we would choose to put them in ;) 

TO ENTER 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 Fridge Art Hunt gallery until the 27th August when we will choose 3 designs to appliqué.

The judges will be my eldest monkey 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 :) (this is the 4th winner!)

The 4 winners will receive a tshirt or singlet appliqued with their design or using fabric made from their design please state which they would prefer when entering...Oh and just a little tip fabric designs will work best with paint, pen or wax/pencil  crayon strokes ;) and I need the quality for fabric design photos to be more than  mobile phone quality ;) 

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

ALL ENTRIES WILL RECEIVE A 10% SMILE YOUR OVER THE MOON voucher to spend at Monkeys Over The Moon  between September 1st to December 5th 2011.

This was made into an applique tshirt

Fabric made from Drawing of Koala and Kangaroo and some kites 

SO SPREAD THE WORD :) we want that wonderful creativity that stems from the little handmade kids to flow and pump life into some designs! 

Aidan proudly wearing his Dragon Design

Markets, Marriage and Matriarchs

 7 years ago...I was in a similar state to that which I am now...very nervous about the unknown, feeling a bit (okay a lot unprepared) and realising some things just need to be tossed to one side because it will all be okay on the day even if not quite going totally to plan.

That was 2 sleeps before my Wedding...tonight its 2 sleeps before my first real market...I am very behind with sewing (monkeys!) terribly frightened about it all and to boot my labels haven't arrived...bit of a mix up with the supplier (though his solution has exceeded every expectation) ;) so we are going nude to market on Sunday ;) haha well the tshirts are :)

Today I made flip flops, a Pelican and a new totally original (well least I hope as it came to me whilst I was folding laundry ;) ) design (in fact 4 altho it looks like only 1 will come to market! ;)

I am panicking somewhat that I dont do 10 of each design in every size up to 6, that my stall isnt pristeen and that haha I am not going to get a haircut or new wardrobe before Sunday... I am also feeling for my oh so tolerant Husband (of nearly 7 years ;) ) and children and of course friends...who are patiently putting up with my stress, hermit and irrational behaviour and totally inexplicable addiction to fabric, applifix and stitching;)

 One of my dearest friends reiterated something I know that I dont do anything by half...everything I get passionate about...um has a tendency to take over ;)
A huge worry too has been my outstanding custom orders...but thankfully my wonderful customers have been very patient...(beyond any reasonable doubt) and I cant wait to get them completed for everyone this month.

I bought a year planner this week and am going to yet again try and contain my inability to say no and my desire to please all...and try to stick to a 'doable' 3-5 customs a month and then have time to create as and when it pleases me...life balance as a FIFO wife (fly in fly out) and full time mother of 3 monkeys who are  5 and under is something I embrace with gusto (when I can) but haha truth is it is hard ;) and impossible to explain to those that havent done it ;) add to that no 'family' to help out and friends in similar situations...and yes sometimes haha I am climbing the walls ;)

I think my wonderful mother and sisters (I have 3 ;) ) are probably pleased right now they are 12000km away rather than in the same house as was the case 7 years ago ;) although I would love to have them here with me to celebrate our special day on Sunday and to see Monkeys Over The Moon at its first market :) They are intrinsical to everything I do now ;) oceans apart may reduce the sibling tiffs, but without family I wouldnt be here now :)

I would love to have my Father by my side on Sunday as he was 7 years ago...to guide me and to hold my hand...but I know if I close my eyes a little bit and dream a little dream he will be there even if he is really asleep in Somerset, England ;) I can hear him saying 'Yes Dear' as I ramble and can giggle as I hear him and my husband lay 5 quid bets on which of us 'women' will rise to the other first ;) He would love Made on The Left a ceramic designer by trade he also has taught and inspired children for 35 years, and still designs and draws and paints.  I remember as a child going to craft fairs and exhibitions with him and seeing him a very modest man, smile and have that twinkle in his eye as people admired what he had poured his heart into...

I saw many twinkles and smiles 7 years ago on Sunday as I walked down the aisle, as I took my vows and partied with all my friends and family, they could see my heart had been won and that I was pouring everything I had into this one special man...who despite my artistic flaws and at times unpredictable temperament loves me unconditionally...still...he deserves the orange box of fizz that he came home with on Tuesday for after the markets...as do you all :) and if there is any left over this Monkey wouldnt mind a sip or two...to say bottoms up and cheers...

The 10th of July the day of Made on The Left is even more poignant to me as it is also 4 years since my beloved Granny Dot passed away...the hardest thing about being so far from home...is...that sometimes you dont get to say goodbye...and you dont get to thank them for loving you and for being the Matriarch of an amazing extended family who helped so much to shape your world so wonderfully...

So as I either celebrate a good market day with that special fizz or commiserate a shocker ;) as I thank my husband for loving me, for holding my hand through thick and thin I will also be raising a glass to a grand lady who said what she wanted whether you liked it or not, never did things by halves,  and smiled with her eyes, had the softest skin in the world and was truly an inspiration :)


Grant me the serenity to accept the thing I cannot change, the courage to change the things I cannot accept and to hide the bodies of those people I had to kill today because they pissed me off :) 
I found this on my sisters wall as her favourite quote and attributed to my granny ;) which wouldn't surprise me...LOVE IT! :) 

Oie! It's a goose!

I love France, spent so many holidays there as a child and as an adult in Normandie, Bretagne, Paris, Les Alpes and Dordogne...
including our miel du lune (honeymoon) 5 days in Paris soaking up culture, wine, fondue and Bastille Day celebrations( a must do!)and then a drive down through beautiful countryside a stay in Bourges and a visit ot Orleans and then onto the Midi Pyrenees...stunning! with a trip down to the Tarn via the Gorge...and back up to the Dordogne, Rocamadour, french cottages and geese/ducks!
To Gemont...a little hamlet in Creuse nestled amongst forests/woods
 and gorgeous countryside where we met my parents at their Shepherds Cottage and
drank more wine and ate more cheese...visited beautiful towns, villages,and came face to face with Oie on numerous occasions ;)

So some of my Winter & Spring range reflect these beautiful memories, translating them into applique has been a joy, especially as I have been fortunate enough to have some pretty wondrous vintage fabrics here at Monkeys :) (I have to admit I made the Goose in a 5 just incase it is only me that loves it...so perhaps my daughter will get it ;))
PS Oie means Goose in French ;) so this is just for me a play on words ;) (it's okay my sense of humour is strange I know!)

sharing

Sharing is something I learnt to do from a very young age, eldest of 4, one of about 20 close cousins it was a must do...I also talked and read drew and wrote at a very young age too...oh and pretty early on...it was discovered I had a photographic memory and pretty decent IQ...
I still love to share ;) I talk the hind leg off a donkey given 1/2 a chance (alone 80% of time means this is crazy for friends when they see me ;) ) I read and read and read (though more electronically now than paper) and I draw,write or type 24/7...What is slowly fading is my photographic memory...tho it still gets us out of key lost drama's and I have Perth mapped better than my hubby who has lived here all his life, I never forget a face or a name and I quite often try to forget but cant...the only thing that prevents this is wine and even then it usually pops back into my mind ;) My IQ well apparently it never drops, but I think your ability to use it and your verbal and other reasonings do fade with underuse...for me it is often a plague...and as my father used to tell me...you still dont have common sense Georgie! ;) and he was right...

Common sense tells me I need to learn to share carefully, to mind who and what I talk about, to think more before I speak  and write and to not let my photographic memory or my IQ burden my daily thoughts...and to realise that haha not everyone is interested in the ins and outs of foreign policy of the major world war II nations just because it is still fresh in my mind 20 years on...

But what does make sense to me is loving what you do, being whoever you can be...ie you and caring and sharing enough to give a bit of that...so...here is my first Sharing blog...

I love applique...I never thought I would ever sew...I hated it at school and was not really too fond of a sewing machine...I am not now...but what I do remember loving was cross stitch (my Granny did this), beautiful fabrics and colours (my other Granny used liberty and other designs to make dresses) and being able to translate what I saw and had in my mind into art...(thanks Mum & Dad!)...since being on FB I have been lucky enough to have other designers help me with supplier tips, sewing advice, even the best way to thread a needle advice (dont laugh) and so here is a little applique tip for anyone starting out...

Applique essential :

Go to craft cubby and get yourself some Applifix, some gold applique needles (especially if doing layered work) and an Applique Mat (protects applique from dirty iron) I would suggest a large roll of applifix as the sheets seem to run out quite quickly though good for if you are just trying out :)

 It also took me a few trials to get it to work perfectly...I think it depends on the iron, the pressure you apply, fabrics using etc...but you will work it out :)

 Vliesofix is also great from Spotlight especially for the finer fabrics ie Lawn Cotton, synthetics and silk ;)

and most importantly have fun!

PS if none of this works for you...keep trying other brands...most appliquers I speak to all have different methods/product favourites and what works for some doesnt for others ;)

Please note whereas I have photographic memory my Short Term Memory is shot...from lack of sleep, 3 babies and probably the early onset of Alzheimers :)

The Handmade Diva is on Leave (tongue firmly in cheek! ;) )

Well we are on some 'leave'...when I say that I am still 24/7 monkey wrangling at the madhouse, still popping into my page to say hello if someone says hello to us and of course updating my albums, blog and store...but I am taking a back seat from all the rest that being a business on FB entails just for a while ;)

I love custom orders they make up alot of my work but so that I dont over extend myself, drop quality or standards and not exceed your expectations I am having a bit of a rest from taking them this month ;)

So...the plan is to get some customs completed (very patient customers!) and to finish the pre orders from our first market night, prepare for Made on The Left  and for our Christmas and Summer ranges...

In fact...my sewjo has never been at higher peak...the thing is faced with adversity and roadblocks I always rise to the challenge...and with my creativity this is usually quite exciting for me...and I hope will be for you too...

Shoe Train

Our Christmas Fridge Art Hunt is going really well with quite a few entries...though of course I would love to see more ;) truly your children's designs are inspirational to me and others and I have so much fun TRANSLATING them into keepsakes for you :)

Chloe Rose a real monkey in her own design translated into Applique in our first Fridge Art Hunt

The Hand Peacock by Monkeys Over The Moon

 My work is inspired by so many different things in fact too many things sometimes...but its always lovely to hear and see what you think will work...I was stunned and honoured when a gorgeous fellow designer approached me in March after seeing my 2 peacock sketches made from my hands (a project we did at a playgroup :) ) and that she thought it would look really funky using her fabrics...and you know what she was right and it does :) Though my daughter is helping me with orders for the littler monkeys ;)


I am so excited about my Christmas drawings...I have shared them with some other handmade designers and friends and I cannot wait to show them to you all :) Inspired by my daughters drawings, European Christmas's, the aromas and traditions I grew up with and of course some really gorgeous fabrics :)

Pretty In Pink Custom Neck and Lace

Monkeys Over The Moon and Designer Mumma have some gorgeous collaborations coming up including our  original 'Neck and Lace Flutterbye Sleeves' and some floral and nautical designs inspired by style and European trends as well as beautiful imagery :)

A nautical vintage bird read to be caged ;) 

The 'Funk Your Monkey' designs are going really well...with Funkydory . The birdcage and Redback our bestsellers so far but I cannot wait to share our little house and Cherry Tree Designs with you very very soon! a sneak peek...

In progress - Cherry Tree designed by Funky Dory blossom in progress will be appliqued by me

Word spoken in anger and some more constructive criticism I have received has made me really think about where I want to take Monkeys Over The Moon...world domination ;) of course! haha but seriously...I want nothing more than the art and creativity in my pieces to be loved and enjoyed the time and quality of the fabric/workmanship to be appreciated and the value of each piece is measured for me by the comments I receive and the smiles on the faces of the children and adults who wear them.

So I wont be slashing prices to make these designs the less than or the same price as the high street factory printed/designed tshirts but I will be adding value to each piece by hand stitching, using unique fabrics and embellishments, using my inspirations and creativity to produce my own original designs. I will have a loyalty scheme for repeat customers and for those who have a lifetime spend higher than $150 and I will pass on anything I can with regards to ideas, tutorials and inspiration as I can.

Its a Cracking Egg! Available Soon at www.madeit.com.au/monkeysoverthemoon $25

Fabric Illustration Block handstitched onto a plain navy tee $20

I will continue to do our Simply Monkey range especially for summer...the simpler less detailed designs (hearts, whales, sillouhettes for instance)or the designs on  less expensive tshirts/singlets where I can pass simply the love and design across to you at an honest and fair value.

NOW...most exciting news...the Handmade Hunt at Shop Contemoporary Handmade is now on! We are contributing to the Little Mr Pack a must do and see fun fun fun activity with some beautiful handcrafted designs!

If whilst I am not FB'ing daily or selling my products directly on Facebook you have any queries or questions please dont hesitate to contact me Georgie at monkeysoverthemoon@gmail.com

Monkeys Do Christmas 2011

Just a wee update on our Fridge Art Hunt :)

We have already had some gorgeous designs sent in...and looking forward to seeing more of what your little monkeys see as being funky for a Christmas Tee or as Christmas Fabric <3
All entries need to be with me at monkeysoverthemoon@gmail.com by 9am on 25th July...when we will then open a design gallery for people to see and like the work of the creative monkeys! <3
More details and all the nuts and bolts here :)
http://monkeysoverthemoon.blogspot.com/2011/05/monkeys-do-christmas-2011-christmas.html

<3 I cant wait to have the opportunity to interpret their designs into Tees or Fabric for our Christmas Range...we have gingerbread houses, men and lots more to share :) all original drawings and designs <3 a little bit of magic by Monkeys Over The Moon for your monkeys this Christmas :)

Australian Grown

Australian Grown

My son Holden was born on the 14th February 2008 at 14.02.08 at 14.02 in Western Australia so he has always been pretty special :)
He is my little Aussie...and his best thing at the mo is Redback on the Toilet Seat ...so he asked me to make him a tshirt with this design on it...
These are now available on Short Sleeve Black Australian Grown 100% Cotton Shirts sizes 2,4,6,8,10,12 at
SHOP MONKEYS OVER THE MOON