SNOWY & JOSEPH - MY YEAR IS DONE!

SNOWY & JOSEPH: Born - December 30th & 31st. SWEEEEEEEEET!!!!!!! You know what this means folks? It means I am DONE!!! I have successfully built and donated 365 Sock Monkeys for the year 2011!!! Yay me!
Seriously, they are the last two of the year and also the last for my personal challenge of making one a day in 2011. Am I proud of myself? You bet! Did I think I could do it? You bet! Am I happy it's finished? Ummmm.... maybe but now what am I going to do with my time????
Have no fear. I always have something on the go or in my head ready to be created. I will continue with the monkeys but Iwill also be adding my Sock Owls, Sock Monsters & Critters, maybe even a Sock Puppet or two...

I would like to thank my biggest supporters: Bev, Duane, Alex, Bailey, Weston, Elliot, Brenda, Kate, and all those that continually read my blog and laughed along with me. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You believed in me and helped make it happen.

I wish to thank every single Sock Monkey/Monster I created this year. You taught me about commitment and quite possibly you'll get me committed....

Lastly, I wish to give a heartfelt thank you to all the people, children, family & friends I donated to this year. You are what made this project important to me. God bless you all in 2012.

Yours in Monkey business,
Jessica Latour

MAGUIRE & PORTER

MAGUIRE: Born - December 28th. Maguire is somewhat of a traditional Sock Monkey. Made from a pair of wool socks, the only thing missing is the red heel which would make him very authentic. It would also make him funny looking with a big red mouth - never liked the look of the red mouthed sock monkeys... Guess I'm a little biased?
PORTER: Born - December 29th. Porter rolled his truck the other day. For some reason he thought it would be cool to drive it down the set of stairs in my house. He made it to the first landing but from there, everything went wrong. Firstly, I'd like to know where he got that remote control truck, secondly, who put that idea in his head? I think it's time I questioned the kids...

JIGSAW & FANNING

JIGSAW: Born - December 26th. Jigsaw is a bit of a puzzle. You're never quite sure if she likes you or not. Sometimes you get the distinct impression that she's just messing with you and actually can't stand you while at other times she may give you a genuine smile and heartfelt comment. While we may never know if she likes you or not, it is wise to stay on her good side....but that's another story.
FANNING: Born - December 27th. Fanning got caught in a ceiling fan once and was stuck on the fast spinning cycle for over an hour. He has never quite recovered and walks a crooked line.... Hey - that reminds me of a nursery rhyme "there was a crooked man who walked a crooked mile, something, something, something and had a crooked smile." Sorry, just a little distracted...

EBENEEZER & SCROOGE

EBENEEZER & SCROOGE: Born - December 24th & 25th. Now most people would say that's inappropriately named as Christmas is all about Jesus and sharing and love - not about an old geezer who hated Christmas and was mean to everyone. Well my friends, it's not the "name" we focus on but the lesson Ebeneezer Scrooge was fortunate enough to learn before his life ended miserably. A lesson we'd all do well to learn from as our focus on this most Holy season has become more commercial rather than what it was all about - the birth of Jesus Christ. 
Honestly, it doesn't really matter if you're Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Gnostic, Jehovah, Atheist or any other denomination I have neglected to mention. The IDEA behind this season is one of love. One of remembering those less fortunate than us. One of remembering how fortunate we are to live in a country that's not at war. One of sharing. One of giving. One of believing in the kindness of mankind. One of forgiving and forgetting past wrongs (imagined or real) against you. One of hope - for a better day, for happiness and true peace among nations, religions, leaders and genuine love within our own communities, homes and families.
So let's take the time to remember Ebeneezer Scrooge and his lessons and be thankful for what we have today. Spread the love one smile at a time and begin a revolution of kindness!! God's blessings be with all of you through this Christmas season and let it carry you throughout 2012!
Love,
Jessica (and all her 365 Sock Monkeys)

RACER & PONGO

RACER & PONGO: Born - December 22nd & 23rd respectively. These two lovely sock monkeys are both socks with Disney characters on them. One from the movie "Cars" and one from "101 Dalmatians". If I had to choose which movie I enjoyed more, it would be "101 Dalmatians" hands down. You just can't beat the good clean entertainment from the 60's - no swearing, no underlying sexual jokes or innuendos - just someone wanting to bash in the heads of 101 puppies. Yup. Good clean fun....
ANYWAY, getting back to Racer and Pongo, they both prefer the movie "Cars". They thought "101 Dalmatians" was too violent - kinda like the old Bug Bunny shows - which in my opinion was good clean fun....

HOTCH & MOORE

HOTCH: Born - December 20th. Hotch has dreamy purple eyes and the moment you gaze into them, you're hooked. You will do just about anything to make him smile at you and believe me, he's not picky about what you do...Okay, that did NOT sound good. I meant that in the absolute "cleanest" way possible. For example, rub his feet, peel a banana for him, open doors, pay for dinner - c'mon people, this is a G-rated site!
MOORE: Born - December 21st. Hmmmmm....Moore.... Apparently, Moore is a little more demanding about what you can do for him once you gaze into his dreamy green eyes. And fussy? Yes. He has particular demands. One is to swing naked from the  - WHOA!! Sorry!! Wrong demand! Keep it G-rated Jess - Yikes!! Okay one is to have you sing "The Owl and the Pussy Cat" while he washes the toe jam out from between his toes. There. How clean is that? Okay, more twisted than clean but hey, just trying to keep the public happy.
Author's note: Seriously, you know I'm just messing with you right? None of the above is true, just made up...

RUTHIE, HANZ & LUCIEN

RUTHIE: Born - December 17th. Ruthie is very excited for the holidays this year as she is travelling all the way to Mexico for a family vacation. Of course no one has mentioned to her how she's travelling yet and it ain't first class! Ruthie will be shoved in a kids backpack among other toys, rotting snacks, crayons, change of undies and my personal favourite, sticky candy. She probably won't get a lot of fresh air time as she'll be passed up for the DS when the child opens it's bag to grab something. HOWEVER, let's not burst Ruthie's bubble. She's going to Mexico and probably doesn't care how she arrives there - even with sticky candy stuck to her tail....
HANZ: Born - December 18th. Hanz doesn't look like he's some kind of crazy muscle freak BUT, if you tick him off, he can pump up to about 250lbs and snap you in half if necessary. Let's not send Hanz with Ruthie....
LUCIEN: Born - December 19th. Lucien has had 4 wives and is now courting another who we think will be the 5th by New Years Day. It's not that he's a creep or anything like that, he just likes to spread his love around. All his break-ups have been amicable and he supports any offspring with regular payments of bananas. Really, Lucien is a lover, not a fighter and wants everyone to be happy and in love all the time. Great philosophy - too bad it doesn't work well in the human world....

PRANCER, VIXEN & NOEL

PRANCER: Born - December 14th. Prancer is a "Tailoptimist" and has his own practice in the jungle under the shade of a banana tree. What is a "tailoptimist" you may ask? Someone who specializes in tails of course! Prancer is the top Sock Monkey in his field and can reconstruct a tail in less time than it takes you to count the seeds in a watermelon. If you ever have a problem with your tail, Prancer is your monkey!
VIXEN: Born - December 15th. So here are two definitions to the word vixen: a female fox OR a woman regarded as quarrelsome, shrewish or malicious. Now does that definition look like it would suit Vixen? Firstly, he's not a female anything, he's a guy Sock Monkey. Secondly, look how friendly and sweet he looks in his picture - there's not a "shrewish or malicious" bone in his body. Who the hell named him Vixen anyway? Oh yeah...that was me...
NOEL: Born - December 16th. Noel is born on the same day my mother happens to celebrate her birthday. That sucks for Noel as today has to be all about my mother NOT Noel the Sock Monkey. Actually, I felt kinda bad for Noel, he thought the cake in the kitchen was for him and "Happy Birthday Mum" written on it was just to throw him off and make him think he wasn't getting a cake. Wasn't fun having to tell him the cake really was for my mother and he really wasn't getting any. Didn't know Sock Monkey's could cry...
Author's note: Don't get all snooty with me people, he'll get his cake tomorrow....

DASHER, BLITZEN & DONNER

DASHER: Born - December 11th. Dasher is quite dashing - a fine specimen of a young Sock Monkey, all the ladies adore him. Why he's so dashing that (this is where you say "how dashing is he?") -  he's so dashing that when Sock Monkey girls walk by they... they...ummmmm....okay, I'm no good at these dumb jokes, YOU fill in the blank!
BLITZEN: Born - December 12th. Blitzen had a huge zit on the end of his nose and was therefore bypassed the night they chose Rudolph. Bastards...
DONNER: Born - December 13th. Donner was almost a gonner when he met Jen O'Conner but he didn't wanner (on my honour) so she dated an Afrikaner who has a medal of honor and tried to off Donner.  Say that five times really fast! 
Author's note: Freakin' reindeer - they're nuts!  AND, there is such a word as "Afrikaner", look it up.

PEPPERMINT PATTY, GINGY & CANDY CANE

PEPPERMINT PATTY: Born - December 8th. Peppermint Patty was named for the pattern on her socks, NOT for the Charlie Brown character we all love. Although I could have used another name like Peppermint Paul or Peppermint Pete or even Peppermint Penelope, it just didn't "flow" as well as Peppermint Patty - so I used it. Please don't report me to the Charles. M. Schultz Society - being sued just before Christmas is never fun...
GINGY: Born - December 9th. Gingy has gingerbread men all over his body - again he was named for the pattern on his socks NOT for the gingerbread character in Shrek that we all love to smithereens. I could have called him Gingy George or Gingy Brown or even plain ole' Ginger but my son Elliot insisted on the name Gingy. So, Dreamworks, sue Elliot, not me.
CANDY CANE: Born - December 10th. And yet again, another Sock Monkey named for the pattern on their socks. This time though, I can't think of any beloved cartoon character he's named after that I might get sued over. In any case, sue Elliot....
Author's note: I love my son Elliot. Please don't sue him, I promise I will punish him instead.... How about a whooping with an over stuffed Sock Monkey? Crap! Then the Sock Monkey's will come after me for abuse!  Okay, just sue Elliot...

LYDA, IRVING, ELLSWORTH & STEED

LYDA: Born - December 4th.  Lyda drives a scooter to and from town everyday. It doesn't matter that right now it's 32 below and snow is covering the ground. Lyda will throw on her Helly Hansen gear, a fur hat, double lined muk-luks and jump on the scooter for a quick ride to town. It actually keeps her quite warm but the scooter is another story. Not built for cold weather it inevitably breaks down and you can see Lyda walking her scooter home...everyday... 
IRVING: Born - December 5th. Irving recently graduated from high school and is now enrolled in a course to become a "Cereal Box Author". He will write all the little ads, nutritional boxes and puzzles you see on some of the cereals out there today. I am trying to convince him to write in small print stuff like "this brain numbing crap will also leave you impotent and riddled with cancer".  So far I haven't found that on any boxes....but I'm hopeful.
ELLSWORTH: Born - December 6th. Ellsworth. Strong name. BUT, what is he really worth? His weight in gold? Who names their Sock Monkey something like that and doesn't put a "worth" to him? Someone should set that person straight. Where does this person come up with the names? Who is this person? I must get to the bottom of this...
STEED: Born - December 7th. Steed doesn't live here anymore. He was bought by some Neanderthal and given to his children to tear apart at Christmas. Sad end to a Sock Monkey. Poor Steed...
Author's note: Okay, okay, I AM the person who names these monkeys - sometimes badly. The above batch I actually opened the phone book and snitched a bunch of last names. Pretty crafty hey?  Oh yeah, Steed wasn't really bought by a Neanderthal silly, they don't celebrate Christmas! HOWEVER, who knows what kids do with their toys, they can be a little rough. Poor Steed...

OSCAR. ARBEAU & ODIN

OSCAR: Born - December 1st. Oscar lives in a garbage can on Sesame Street and is grumpy all the -- WAIT! Wrong Oscar! Oscar the Sock Monkey lives beside a garbage can in an old cardboard box on Poppy Street and is happy all the time. Yup, happy ole Oscar. Gets rather annoying though - especially when you just want to be alone and Oscar jumps out of his box and starts singing "If You're Happy and You Know It" while doing the Sock Monkey "Happy Dance"... not good when you're sporting a hangover either...just saying.
ARBEAU: Born - December 2nd. Arbeau has a special talent she would like to share on Ellen one day. She can stand on her head, drink a banana shake, recite the Ten Commandments, chew gum, while propping a stack of dishes on her tail all at the SAME TIME!! It's pretty cool to watch - especially when you spike the banana shake and feed her a few before she attempts her act. Now that's entertainment!
ODIN: Born - December 3rd. Odin is named after a Norse God who's role was complex. He was associated with war, battle, victory and death BUT also, wisdom, magic, poetry and prophecy. Talk about confusing the heck out of someone! Maybe that's why Odin the Sock Monkey has had 14 different careers in his short life so far. Maybe that's also why his favourite job so far is a beer taster - after a few, it takes the confusion away...
Author's note: I just realized that all three of these bios have something to do with drinking. I would like to make it clear that I don't encourage drinking among my Sock Monkeys - a drunk Sock Monkey is not fun to be around. I DO encourage having fun and hey, if I've had one too many coffee and Bailey's first thing in the morning when I'm writing a bio, well, lucky for you!!  

NOVEMBER COLLECTION 2011

THIS IS BRENDA - SHE ROCKS!!!

I THINK THEY WERE GETTING FRESH WITH HER.....

Well folks, there they are, my November Sock Monkeys and my most awesome model, Brenda - she's the monkey in the middle...just in case you were confused.

This month has been a bit crazy as I was doing double time and finished all my Sock Monkeys for December as well. December is such a busy month and I didn't want the stress of getting these finished and donated before Christmas was upon us. So, here I am at the end of November with my goal of "A Sock Monkey A Day" completed.

My latest donation was to the Ft. Smith Fireman's Annual Toy Run in November - 60 Sock Monkeys will find good homes this Christmas in Fort Smith. The last of my Sock Monkeys will go to the Secret Santa in Hay River and hopefully make some young child smile.

Special thanks to Heidi and Franco for making the Ft. Smith donation possible and also to my fantastic friend Brenda for agreeing to be my November model. It's never easy working with a bunch of monkeys...

TUNDRA: Born - November 29th. Tundra smokes weed and lots of it. Don't get your knickers in a knot, it's actually weed from the ditch that he rolls and lights up - no illegal substance at all. He can't afford cigarettes and refuses to do drugs so, he got creative. C'mon, you must remember back in 4th grade when you thought smoking a dried hollow reed from the bush was cool and just like a cigarette. No? Hmmmmm...maybe that was just me and my siblings....Well then, another thing to add to my list of dysfunctions....
DEMPSY: Born - November 30th. Dempsy is my psychiatrist. He thinks I had a dysfunctional upbringing. He also thinks the world is flat and the sun revolves around us. I think Dempsy isn't really a psychiatrist. Seriously, how many psychiatrists actually live in small rubber rooms? Maybe that should have been a clue....
Author's note: In no way am I incriminating my siblings as "weed" smokers...no sir, we are perfect children.... clearly no dysfunction here....

FORT SMITH DONATION 2011

CHILLIN' ON THE BACK OF THE FIRETRUCK

"MONKEYING" AROUND!

FIRETRUCK FUN!

This month my Sock Monkey's travelled to Fort Smith and were delivered to the local firehall for the Fireman's Annual Toy Run. I would like to thank my good friends Heidi and Franco for watching over them this past month and making sure they were delivered without any "mishaps". ALTHOUGH, I think Heidi had a little too much fun with these guys - check out her video "Case of the Missing Bananas" on her website: www.westernwillow.com - you're gonna love it!
So, thank you Heidi and Franco from the bottom of my heart for ensuring these 60 dudes and dudettes will find good homes this Christmas.

HUDSON, BAXTER & FI-FI

HUDSON: Born - November 26th. Hudson was found under a rock. The rock wasn't very large but, it was big enough that it hid him until I tripped over it and saw a tail sticking out. I dug away at it and there he was, smiling up at me and blinking at the sun. It took us a few washes to get all the dirt off and eventually he was so clean that he sparkled in the moonlight. Just goes to show you never know what's hiding under a rock...
BAXTER: Born - November 27th. Baxter has a headache. It seems to never go away. Not a big deal except when you want him to help you out with something. He'll keel over in pain, whine and moan then run for the nearest jar of Tylenol or Advil. After he downs a dozen he lays down and is out for a few days. We tend not to ask him to help out anymore - although, when he's out for a few days there's alot less moaning and whining going on....
FI-FI: Born - November 28th. Fi-Fi cleaned out my pantry the other day and found a multi layered cake pan that she has now claimed as her house. She has decorated it with bits of fabric, ribbon and dried banana peels. It actually looks kinda cool and it smells like banana - which isn't such a bad smell once you're used to it. She fashioned a doorbell out of an old cowbell and anytime you want to visit you have to smack it with a drumstick seven times. Effective? Yes. Annoying after the 4th smack? YES!!

LENNIE, COVEYA & GILLIS

LENNIE: Born - November 23rd. Lennie happens to rhyme with Kenny. I have a brother named Kenny who happens to have the middle names of Ernest Leonard. His nickname is "Kenny Ernie Lennie". I like the name Lennie. Lennie rhymes with so many funny things - like my brother Kenny. Nuff said.
COVEYA: Born - November 24th. I have been drinking red wine for about an hour now and have no idea where the name "Coveya" came from. HOWEVER, it's a cool name and if I ever own another cat, I will call it Strauss. Bet you all thought I was going to say Coveya. Ha, ha!
GILLIS: Born - November 25th. There is a mountain called "Gillis Mountain" - not sure where, I just heard a song by the Rankins called "Gillis Mountain" and assumed there was an actual mountain called that. Those Rankins could just be pulling our leg and only called it Gillis Mountain because it sounded cool in the song. I'm gonna write to them and get to the bottom of this. Gillis Mountain, my a**....
Author's note: I've come to the conclusion that it's not a good idea to Blog when you've been drinking the wine. I would recommend this nice wine I found - Wally's Hut - a Cabernet Shiraz. Quite nice.....and now back to the wine drinking...

MAJOR TOM & SGT. PEPPER

MAJOR TOM & SGT. PEPPER: Born - November 21st & 22nd respectively. Well, if you happen to be an adult roughly the same age as me OR if you're just a music buff, you will get the reference to the names and songs and movie. Major Tom is a fictional character in David Bowie's songs "Space Oddity", "Ashes to Ashes" and "Hallo Spaceboy" beginning in 1969 through to the 1980's. Such amazing songs! There are references to Major Tom in a ton of other artists songs throughout those years but none as memorable as David Bowies.
As for Sgt. Pepper, c'mon people - a Beatles classic "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" released in 1967 and later made into a movie (1978) starring Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees. The guest list on this movie was unreal - Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Earth,Wind & Fire - the soundtrack alone is worth the $20 you'll pay at HMV. Better yet, buy the movie on DVD and spend a lazy Sunday watching this classic. You won't regret it.

CONNIE, CUPCAKE, OZZIE & MOE

CONNIE: Born - November 17th. Connie is a natural born stripey. None of this colour dye for her, she's as natural as they come. Her vibrant mixture of colours comes from both her mother and father as they were of "mixed" colour, and this is what happens when two colourful sock monkeys have babies. Connie is all about working with what you were given. We'll see what happens when the grey starts to come in....
CUPCAKE: Born - November 18th. Well of course Cupcake is named Cupcake because of all the cupcakes on her body. What else was I going to name her - Brick? Yeesh!
OZZIE: Born - November 19th. Ozzie has an odd addiction to white glue. You know the kind. When you were in grade 2 you used to rub it on the inside of your hands, let it dry and then freak the girls out by pealing it off and saying it was your skin. Oh yeah, you even tried eating it once or twice. NOT saying this is what Ozzie does but, he remembers the good old days of grade two....just him and a bottle of white glue....
MOE: Born - November 20th. Moe is looking forward to running the next Boston Marathon. He has been working out steady for the last few months and runs over 10 km a day. It gets rather annoying though as my house is his track at the moment and he is constantly running in and out of doors, upstairs and down and then through the halls, day and night. One of these days I'm going to accidentally stick my foot out as he goes by...

TOBIAS & JETHRO

TOBIAS & JETHRO: Born - November 15th & 16th respectively. These two sock monkeys are not brothers or twins, they are cousins. However, their parents are two sisters who married two brothers and this is why they are almost identical. They've grown up together, shared the same toys, worn the same clothes, watched the same programs and have had the same upbringing. They're probably more like twins than twins are. The only thing they don't share is their taste in vehicles. Tobias is a die hard Chevy fan and Jethro loves the Japanese imports - especially the Mitsubishi. While both products are AWESOME, they do get into the occasional disagreement over which vehicle they are currently driving will outlast the other. At this time, Tobias drives his Pearl Green '69 Chev pickup and Jethro drives his Quartz Brown 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander. Both are amazing vehicles and neither Tobias or Jethro will win the argument as to which is better. Any opinions anyone?
Author's note: I own a Pearl Green '69 Chev Pickup AND a brand new Quartz Brown Mitsubishi Outlander. I love them both and could never choose between them. Believe it or not, I named my Truck "Tobias" many years ago and when I drove home with the new Outlander last week, I named him "Jethro".

ZELDA, FABIO & MILFORD

ZELDA: Born - November 12th. Zelda once had a pet chicken who only had one foot and no wings. It lived for quite a long time and used to accompany her everywhere she went. Unfortunately, one day Zelda left the house and forgot to leave the door open so her chicken could follow.  This lead to him destroying the door and his beak as he tried to "peck" his way out. When Zelda returned, all that was left of her beloved chicken was enough to make a small dinner. No more chickens for Zelda.
FABIO: Born - November 13th. Fabio is from the Italian Sock Monkey family and likes to pretend he knows Italian language and culture. He uses a really tacky Italian accent whenever he's trying to pick up chicks and pretends he's some kind of Mafia dude when he's trying to impress the boys. Truthfully though, Fabio is just another Sock Monkey from a box of socks I found at Value Village. He really doesn't have an Italian bone in his body. Actually, he doesn't have any bones in his body, just stuffing. Poor Fabio.
MILFORD: Born - November 14th. Milford is a plumber. He absolutely LOVES to use the "snake" and unplug clogged drains. Just so you know though (if he happens to come to your house to unplug something) his "snake" is an actual snake - a boa constrictor to be exact. His boa constrictor is quite friendly and won't hurt you. He happens to LOVE going down dirty drains and dealing with all the goop plugged up in there - just squeezes the life right out of it... Milford and his "snake" - call me  if you need them.

KERSHAW & LARSON

KERSHAW: Born - November 10th. Kershaw likes to dive into ice cold water and then run like heck to the hot tub and warm himself up. In most countries this is know as the "Polar Jump" and there are actually clubs you can join to do this. Here in the north we call it an every day occurrence in the summer as the Great Slave Lake never warms up. Kershaw likes to call it "The Dumb Monkey Plunge". Okay...he doesn't call it that, all the other Sock Monkeys do. BUT, if it makes him happy, who are we to judge?
LARSON: Born - November 11th. Larson is born on Remembrance/Veterans Day. Though he wasn't listed in any official army, Larson has great respect for our soldiers who have fought for our freedom and for the right to live in a free country. I know it seems insignificant in the grand scheme of life, but if my Grandfather had not fought in WWII, perhaps I wouldn't be here today with the freedom to write this blog and create my Sock Monkeys. Thank you to all who gave their lives for this one small privilege.

BRIDGETTE & SHERMAN

BRIDGETTE & SHERMAN: Born - November 8th & 9th respectively. This wonderful young couple has recently started an Aloe Vera Plant farm in Texas. Now I don't know if you know this but there are TONS of different uses for this plant and they hope to capitalize on it. Did you know that if you break a piece, the fluid that leaks out is a healing liquid? Bridgette and Sherman are learning to harvest the Aloe Vera plant and make vitamins, balm, chapsticks, cream, shampoos, diaper rash cream, soaps etc. The list is endless. One day they will corner the market in this area and be wealthy little Sock Monkeys. Best of luck you two! Oh yeah - does this mean I get free samples or am I about to be the "guinea pig".... 

TOOKIE, CLIFFORD, SPRITE & ORION

TOOKIE: Born - November 4th. Tookie is a model for the only Sock Monkey Wrinkle Free Face product out there on the market today. This highly sought after product is called "Less Krinkley". You can only use it at night and it has to be applied with a spatula and scrubbed off with an SOS pad. Basically the product itself does nothing for you BUT, the SOS pad really scrapes those "krinkles" out. You can order it from www.lesskrinkly.com and it only costs $73.00 per 2oz. bottle. Enjoy!
CLIFFORD: Born - November 5th. Clifford is a little red sock monkey NOT to be confused with Clifford the big red dog. Clifford the little red sock monkey hates dogs.
SPRITE: Born - November 6th. Sprite is sleep deprived. Some of her symptoms from sleep deprivation include: dark circles under her eyes, less energy, not able to concentrate, increased cravings, sagging skin etc. It's all very unflattering and Sprite really needs to get some serious shut eye. She's tried everything from alcohol abuse to herbal drugs - nothing has worked yet. Tonight she has promised to try my suggestion and run in to a wall. I think it will put her out for awhile....
ORION: Born - November 7th. Orion has this really cool snakeskin jacket he likes to wear when he goes out partying. No one has figured out how he acquired it but some of us have heard rumors of snake pit fights. Seriously. I hear Orion jumped in a snake pit and took on three boa constrictors, one python and a pair of Black Mambas at once and won. I believe the actual story isn't quite as exciting though. A petting zoo and 4 Garter Snakes just doesn't cut it at the bar....
Authors note: There is no such cream called Less Krinkly - don't bother checking out the website, it will take you absolutely no where. Oh yeah, don't try the SOS pads either, they hurt.

BALFOUR, GALIANNA & EMMETT

BALFOUR: Born - November 1st. Balfour is starting to go bald on the tip of his tail. He's not particularly happy about this but, it's a genetic thing and he can't avoid it. Like his father and grandfathers before him, they were all hairless on their tails by the age 35. Not one to sit around and sulk, Balfour has researched hair loss and has decided rather than try all the gimmicks out there, he'll just go with what he's dealt. A bald tail.
GALIANNA: Born - November 2nd. Galianna is about to embark on a journey away from her home. She has decided to take her family on a cruise in Florida, leaving her best friend behind.... All is well though as her best buddy gets to take care of her dog while they're gone AND, she absolutely LOVES it!! Here's to Galianna and her travels. May they be safe and filled with fantastic moments.
EMMETT: Born - November 3rd. Emmett is a key member in a Jug band - he plays the washboard and harmonica. He actually managed to find an old washboard from an attic somewhere in Saskatchewan, reconditioned it and plays it quite well. He once auditioned for Canadian Idol but sadly did not make it through the first auditions. Seriously though, no one is really looking for a washboard player other than his Jug Band. Keep rockin' out Emmett!

OCTOBER COLLECTION 2011

TWO LOVELY LADIES - BROOKE & KARA SCHAEFER

MY BEAUTIFUL FRIEND BEV AND HER TWO WONDERFUL DAUGHTERS.

BEV, SOCK MONKEYS AND GOALIE GEAR!

Here I am at the end of October, 304 sock monkeys made, and a photo shoot with my very good friend Bev and her two lovely daughters, Brooke and Kara. Bev has been my biggest fan and supporter through this year and always has a great comment or two for my bio's. I absolutely loved her idea of getting in her goalie equipment and stuffing it full of sock monkeys for the picture. It turned out fantastic!
Thank you so much Bev, Brooke and Kara. You made my day (and the sock monkeys)by agreeing to pose and be a part of October's collection.
Ten months down, two more to go. Thank you to all who still read the blog and continue to donate socks.

THE EARL OF DRAKE-U-LA

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL, THE EARL OF DRAKE-U-LA.

THE EARL OF DRAKE-U-LA: Born - October 31st. Drake (as he's called in most Sock Monster circles), is a distant cousin to the one and only, Count Dracula. I think their father's uncles grandmothers were cousins...something like that. ANYWAY, unlike the Count Dracula, Drake took the less evil route and is NOT a blood sucker. Drake tends to suck on lollipops, particularly the bubble gum flavoured ones. When he gets to the center where the piece of gum usually is, he spits it out. Drake is not much of a gum chewer, just a lollipop sucker....

Halloween happens to be his favourite day of the year. It's the only time he can walk around looking the way he does without people freaking out. He also gets a ton of candy - mostly bubble gum lollipops. You see, years ago he started a rumor that if he didn't get his fix of bubble gum lollipops, he would steal their first born. Okay, he doesn't do that BUT, if they think it, he never runs short of lollipops. It's a win-win situation! Smart thinking Drake.

CEDRICK, PETRA & DIRK

CEDRICK: Born - October 28th. Cedrick has decided to start collecting his toenail clippings and make works of art out of them. While he hasn't figured out what kind of art, he is strongly leaning toward sculpting. Picture it. A sculpture made entirely of toe nails. AWESOME!! I wonder what he'll sculpt? Maybe a car or a person clipping his toe nails. Can't wait to check out his first exhibit.
PETRA: Born - October 29th. Petra likes to pet things. Mostly animals. She will spend hours at a petting zoo or pet store. One time, she was so occupied petting the guinea pigs that she didn't notice the pet store closing. Someone forgot to do the rounds and make sure everyone was out and Petra had to overnight with all the animals. Did you know that they can talk when humans aren't around?? At least that's what Petra said. She had an intense conversation with a goldfish about scurvy. I know...odd. Anyway, Petra is a petting fool!
DIRK: Born - October 30th. Dirk is a wonderful little poet who will soon have a book of poetry published. Here's a sample:
      There once was a sock monkey named Fred
      Who wore underwear upon his head
      His friends laughed so hard
      That they woke the jail guard
      And now they all live in a shed.
So, mostly it doesn't make sense BUT, it all rhymes. Here's another:
      Roses are stinky
      Violets smell too
      Sugar is fattening
      And so is pooh!
That one may not be published.  Keep at it Dirk!
     

ADELE & VANCE

ADELE: Born - October 26th. Adele just happens to be born on the most wonderful day of the year, my birthday! She is smart, kind, creative, funny, musical, sport minded, sometimes shy, maybe a little quick to anger, usually smiling, often busy, rarely bored, loves coffee, loves life and if you happen to be her friend, she is loyal to the end. Adele is a very cool Sock Monkey and there should be more people - I mean Sock Monkeys like her in the world.
VANCE: Born - October 27th. Vance missed out on being born on the most important day of the year by one day. Poor Vance. He is grumpy, not very kind, can't laugh, really doesn't have much of a mind for anything, always bored, whiny, hates coffee and all things purple. However, Vance just needs a little love and understanding and he'll come around. I've seen his soft side and when it's there, he's rather sweet. Come on Vance, let the love shine through!

ROSA GOLDING, LONZO & GISELLE

ROSA GOLDING: Born - October 23rd. Rosa Golding can't seem to dig her way out of her depression. She has tried many times to rise above the waves but, seems to get pulled under more often than she'd like. Why is Rosa Golding depressed? She is depressed because she lives her life in the shadow of others, never really making a name for herself (although "Rosa Golding" is a very cool name).  Okay. This is depressing just writing a depressing bio. Roas Golding is NOT depressed and lives a very happy and authentic life. Yeesh!
LONZO: Born - October 24th. Lonzo works as a parts man in a local dealership. He's kind of moody and whines a lot. No one likes to play with him. They don't let him near the photo copier and they definitely don't leave scissors near his desk. On weekends though, he is a pole dancer at the Monkey Tail Bar and makes a ton of money.  Everyone loves "Lonzo the Lover" when he's out working the pole....
GISELLE: Born - October 25th. Giselle just had hip surgery for the 7th time. It started when she rode her bike off a small cliff at age 4. Now, at 22, she just looks the wrong way at a set of stairs and her hip gives out. Mind you, if I had birthed 31 monkeys, my hips would probably have given out as well.  At this point, we are looking for a hip donor. If you know of anyone who doesn't need a hip anymore, let me know and we'll be over with the surgeon.

MILO, TILLIE & BASIL

MILO, TILLIE & BASIL: Born - October 20th, 21st & 22nd respectively. So, there I am in a kids clothing store in Edmonton and this 3-pack of socks just jumps out at me. Not kidding! It seriously "jumped" off the rack, and landed in front of me on the floor. I picked up the pack and these three lovely socks were inside. How could I resist them? I had them named before I paid for the package...
Milo, Tillie and Basil knew they were meant to be created into sock monkeys, NOT worn by some young child who would wear holes into their heels and lose them in the dryer. They also knew exactly who to throw themselves at in the store. Weird. Anyway, here they are in all their glory - ready to be donated to a child who will love them soooooo much that they will still end up with holes in their heels - just hopefully not lost in the dryer... Ironic hey?

POOKIE, BRENDA & MOO

POOKIE: Born - October 17th. Pookie is a sweet little companion to all Sock Monkeys and plays well with other critters. He likes to hang out at the watering hole and play tag with anyone (or thing) that will play with him. Most of the time he can get a good crowd together and have an excellent game of tag however, on the occasion no one's around, it get's rather boring for him. Have you ever tried playing tag with yourself? Well, Pookie has and it's not much fun...
BRENDA: Born - October 18th. Where do I start with Brenda? So many stories, so little time. I guess the most important thing you need to know is that she is a top notch friend and can make you laugh so hard you almost pee your pants. Mostly you're laughing AT her, but, that's because she does the goofiest things - not intentionally either... I love Brenda and her ability to laugh at herself, her kindness and generosity. You totally ROCK!!
MOO: Born - October 19th. Why is Moo named Moo? I'll tell you why. For the longest time, all Moo could say was "Moo". He'd say two moos for yes and one for no. Depending on the articulation and tones of his "Moo", you knew exactly what he meant and how he was feeling. The Scientists of the Sock Monkey kingdom actually studied him and developed a language that has helped them to communicate with cows! How amazing is that?? Cows don't like being tipped. Thought you might like to know. Anyway, Moo can now talk and speaks four different languages - cat, dog, pig and cow of course.

BINKY & SETTA

BINKY: Born - October 15th. Binky is a small business owner and sells bottles of dust bunnies to scientific research labs all across Canada. She sneaks into our homes and quietly collects the unsuspecting dust bunnies. Don't look now, but that's probably her under your couch collecting her specimen. What? YOU don't have dust bunnies? That's like saying you don't have a functioning brain. Wait...am I talking to a guy? Hmmmmmm... bad comparison. Anyway, Binky makes a ton of money selling these dust bunnies and since they're just dust, they don't seem to mind.
SETTA: Born - October 16th. Setta rhymes with Jetta which is a fancy car. Setta is NOT a car. Setta is a Sock Monkey. Glad we cleared this up.

Author's note: Hey, I was TOTALLY kidding about the whole "guy" thing and "non-functioning brain" thing. Really.

SIR EVERMORE GREYSOCK

SIR EVERMORE GREYSOCK: Born - October 14th. He wasn't always Sir Evermore Greysock. His real name is Jerry. The story is a little twisted BUT, if you stay with me to the end of it, you'll understand the new name.
Jerry had a problem. Every time he tried to turn left, he would go right. This wasn't too difficult to work around and eventually Jerry would figure out creative ways to get from point A to point B. One day, Jerry was daydreaming and ended up in a bar - the Monkey Tail Bar to be precise. He decided to have a Banana and licorice shooter to waste some time while he figured out how he was going to get to point B. You know how it goes. One shooter turns into two, turns into three and before you know it, you've fallen into a vat of grey dye. Okay, maybe not everyone has experienced that but, this is how Jerry became grey. He was solid red before. He managed to keep some of his body parts out of the dye but as you can clearly see, he's not a great swimmer. Jerry was so embarrassed and was the laughing stock of the Sock Monkey kingdom for a very long time. Whenever he went out, people shouted "hey Greysock!' or "hey not red" or "look at the ever grey monkey" or "hey dumb ass"...ooops...sorry...not sure where that came from....
ANYWAY, his name became "Sir Evermore Greysock" and now no one (including Jerry) remembers his real name. True story.
Author's note: Sir Evermore Greysock still struggles with the whole right/left thing HOWEVER, he doesn't day dream anymore.

MARY & MAURY

MARY & MAURY: Born - October 12th & 13th. Yup, another set of twins, only this time they are male/female twins. Mary and Maury were raised on a small ranch in the southern regions of Australia. They both love to surf and chase crocodiles at midnight. This can come in handy when crocodiles escape Zoos and try and eat anyone within chomping reach. That's right. These two Down-under crocodile wranglers love to play with crocs. Once they've captured them, they teach them a nicer way to use their chompers - like cracking open walnuts or ripping apart chip bags or grinning for toothpaste commercials. It's all very civilized and most rehabilitated crocodiles become fine young contributing reptiles in the animal world. Come on - it could happen. Doesn't anyone read Richard Scarry books anymore???

TYRONE, FAMILIA & ALEJANDRO

TYRONE: Born - October 9th. Tyrone is a boxer. Not just an ordinary boxer, but one who also boxes with his tail. Sometimes this can be difficult as the shorts they give him don't have holes for his tail however, he has since worked that kink out. He wears his boxer shorts backwards so his tail can hang out as needed...Anyway, he is World Champion 3 times over in the ISMBL (International Sock Monkey Boxing League) and will be going for his fourth title next month. We're all rooting for Tyrone (otherwise he'll kick our asses..).
FAMILIA: Born - October 10th. What kind of a name is Familia you may ask? It is Spanish for "Family" and as today is Thanksgiving Day in Canada, I wanted to honor that with a Sock Monkey named for what I am most thankful for. Not just my relations, but all my friends whom I have considered family over the years and who sometimes stick by me more than my related family does... AND of course, my Sock Monkey family!! You have kept me sane and saved my life more times than I can count. I love my FAMILIA!!!
ALEJANDRO: Born - October 11th. So, in case you didn't know, Alejandro happens to be my husbands name as well. It is also our 14th wedding anniversary today - well, we've been together 17 years but legally 14 - but I digress. This man is the love of my life... okay, I'm pushing it a bit here... Actually, he truly is my soul mate and it has taken us 17 years, 3 kids, some ups and downs, thrown in with a few "in-law" issues, sibling squabbles, numerous cats & dogs not to mention broken vehicles, falling apart house, tripping over sock monkey parts and all the other joys that come with marriage (I'm sure you all know them),  for us to be as happy and content as we are. So, in honor of my incredible husband, I give you Alejandro, the Sock Monkey.

SCOOTER, ETCH, NUGGET, HOCUS & TONGO

SCOOTER, ETCH, NUGGET, HOCUS & TONGO: Born - October 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th & 8th respectively. So, did you ever wonder why bananas are yellow? Was it just a "luck of the draw" thing when God handed out colours? Does it have anything to do with the pigmentation in the fruit itself that colours the peel? Could it be something in the ground that takes hold in the roots of the banana tree and causes it to be yellow? How about the sun just wanting a yellow partner on earth? Well, if you've wondered about this - as I have - wonder no longer! These five little sock monkeys have studied this question for years and have finally found the reason behind bananas being yellow. You see, yellow is the colour of "crazy". That's right, crazy. Walk into any institution and all the walls are painted different shades of yellow. It apparently soothes the crazy mind and helps calm any kind of living crazy "thing". Now why do you think monkeys love bananas so much? Cause they're all freakin' CRAZY!! Try living in a house full of them for awhile...you'll start loving the colour yellow... Oooooh! Is that a banana? Gotta go....I'm a little hungry...

ELLEN, TED & DAVE

ELLEN: Born - October 1st. Ellen got caught in an ant hill and now has ants permanently stuck to her body. Actually, according to Ellen, while she was in the ant hill, she had tea with their Queen. They dined on other insects and bread crumbs the worker ants had scavenged. The Queen took a liking to Ellen (as most people do) and released her unharmed. They drew a mural of ants on her body so she'd always remember her time in the ant hill and how close to death she was. Good thing Ellen's a comedian or she'd be ant food right now.
TED: Born - October 2nd. So, all I could think of was a surfer dude I once knew named "Ted" when I bought these socks. The design on them is palm trees and surf boards, therefore, they've always been named Ted in my mind. I only met Ted once at a conference I was at. He was one of the speakers and told a story about his previous life as a surfer. I like to think that Ted the Sock Monkey is STILL a surfer and rides the Great Slave Lake waves on a windy day. When he's done, he pins himself up on driftwood to dry out in the wind. Pretty cool if you ask me.
DAVE: Born - October 3rd. Dave is a Libra and true to his sign. He's a slight perfectionist, charitable and has an uncanny attention to detail. He loves intellectual conversations and credit cards (could be his...or yours...). Don't ever pressure him into decisions or rush him out the door...Dave does not respond well to confusion. On the bright side though, he's all about seeking balance and fairness in any situation, a natural negotiator. We love our fair-minded Dave.

SEPTEMBER COLLECTION 2011



SEPTEMBER COLLECTION WITH THEIR MODEL, DUANE.



"EVERYONE LOOK AT ME"...AND THEY DID!

Wow! Here I am at the end of September already - 273 sock monkeys into the year, and that's not including all the extras I make. This month I have two people to thank. One of course is the above model, Duane Mackie. He has been one of my biggest supporters in the sock department and even though I had to beg him to be the model for this month, he was a good sport about it and the monkeys loved him! So, a big THANK YOU to Duane (all the sock monkeys are cheering - I can hear them through their box...).

Secondly, I really want to say thank you to Aubrey Reintjes who I am shipping another 40 monkeys off to this week. She lives in BC and works with the Cowichan people, helping to run their "Boys Road" club. These sock monkeys will find good homes and hopefully make some young kids smile! Thank you Aubrey - you made my month.

And last but not least, THANKS to those who read my blog faithfully (Beverly) and continue to encourage me with this project. Keep reading!

SASHA, POLLY & BLUE

SASHA: Born - September 28th. Sasha eats green pea soup for every meal. You'd think with that much green pea soup in her, she'd be green. Well, she's clearly not green. Not only does she eat green pea soup all the time but,she doesn't eat any normal sock monkey food such as; bananas, banana daiquiris, lice, fruits, vegetables etc....ever. How does she stay healthy AND eat the same thing day in and day out and never get sick of it?? Sasha is a weird little sock monkey....
POLLY: Born - September 29th. Polly doesn't like me very much. I really haven't any idea why. I sing to her every day "Polly Wolly doodle all day" , and ask her if "Polly wants a cracker".  I also tell her facts like; the name Polly has not made the "top 1000 names" list since 1977 OR, Polly is a variant of Mary/Molly so there is no origin to the name Polly. I'm just stating the facts folks, why doesn't she like me? I don't get it.
BLUE: Born - September 30th. Blue has amazing blue eyes, that's why he's called Blue. If you look at him, he's kind of a boring colored sock monkey - you know, just khaki and beige stripes, nothing exciting...just fortunate to have those blue eyes. Blue also only sees things in different shades of blue.From the branches on the trees to the banana he shoves in his mouth at dinner, everything is blue! How cool is that?

SCOUT, RANGER & CUBZ

SCOUT, RANGER & CUBZ: Born - September 25th, 26th & 27th. Well, much as I try to have all my Sock Monkeys have separate bio's, sometimes that can't be avoided - especially when you have similar socks or a theme that you want to use. In this case, not only did these socks come in a three pack, but as their names may indicate, they also have a theme going on. Therefore, a joint bio.
Scout, Ranger and Cubz are all avid boy club members. They started out as participants and have now become the organizers and leaders of the Sock Monkey Boys Clubs in the small town of "Bald Knob" Arkansas (yes, it exists). They meet every day and enjoy hours of fun - sometimes chaotic fun - teaching young Sock Monkeys necessary life skills such as; camping, fishing, boating, banana bunch fetching, chandelier swinging, cooking, cleaning, picking lice, sewing, how to tell a good joke and scratching in inappropriate places.
Once you've managed to pass all the little tests for the above skills, you get patches you can sew on your really cool underwear - which in these clubs are worn as hats. You can also move up in the ranks and become a junior or senior officer within each club. Lots of opportunities and fun for the whole troops! Too bad there's nothing like that available here. I'm sure we could all benefit from learning how to pick lice....

ZIG & ZAG

ZIG & ZAG: Born - September 23rd & 24th. These two Sock Monkeys are identical right down to the stuffing.Given to me by my good friend and co-worker/boss lady, I decided they should have a story line relatively close to the Brenda & Jessica story line that follows us when we travel for work. So, without further delay, here is their story.
Zig is taller (in her mind) while Zag is smaller. Zag can be a little "short" tempered and Zig loses her breath from the higher altitude. While Zag loves to drive, Zig attempts to throw gum out the car window and inevitably rolls the window up on her thumb...
Once in awhile Zag joins in the somewhat "absentmindedness" (for lack of a better word) and will be wondering why the Ipod is not working in the vehicles stereo, at which point, after many cuss words and freakin' hours of frustration, they both look down and realize they had the wrong plug in... 
Zig and Zag tend to arrive late in town and head to the local theatre where they eat their nutritious supper of hot dogs, popcorn and slurpies. Maybe they'll catch a movie or perhaps they'll just load up on extreme buttered popcorn and stay in for the night. Their day is all about shopping and make no mistake, these two can shop. Up at the crack of dawn (that lines just funny no matter how many times I say it) and done when the last store closes at 10pm. Sounds fun but it's exhausting.
After the many hours of shopping or attending workshops or running conferences, these two Sock Monkeys find their way home - be it by ground or air - and collapse exhausted in their homes ready for a good nights sleep.
Author's note: Due to the subject matter of some of the crap that happens to Brenda and I on the road, I could only let you in on a small part of it. HOWEVER, once I have all our "adventures" logged, you can expect a book - it will have stick figures and maybe some pop-ups BUT, rest assured it will be....ummmm...entertaining.

EMMA, DORIE, BLOSSOM & FAITH

EMMA, DORIE, BLOSSOM & FAITH: Born - September 19th, 20th, 21st & 22nd respectively. This quartet of sisters just happen to be the backup singers to a Sock Monkey Band called "Orange Peel in the Ditch". Their ability to sing in perfect unison or four part harmony is uncanny and they are known all over the world. The sisters didn't always sing, they each had individual jobs at one point. Emma was a door sales monkey, Dorie raised goldfish for Pet stores, Blossom was a chandelier light bulb changer and Faith actually worked as a guard at the local sanatorium. One day, they were visiting each other and a cool song came on the radio. They started singing along and before they knew it, had a groove all their own going on and decided to give singing a chance. I'm really glad they did and so is the band - especially the lead singer Stripes Magee who appreciates the distraction the lovely girls bring to the audience. No more lost kilts for Stripes Magee....
Author's note: You can read about Stripes Magee if you go back o March 3rd of this year. You'll understand why Stripes appreciates the distraction...

CHARLOTTE & SANDERSON

CHARLOTTE & SANDERSON: Born - September 17th & 18th respectively. So Charlotte and Sanderson are not a couple and not related. They just happen to be two very good friends who connected over their passion for their jobs. Both these amazing Sock Monkeys are "Gumbusters".
There you are, on a lovely night out with your better half, sitting at a fancy restaurant and your knee accidentally bumps the underside of your table. You pull your knee away but wait....there's something stuck to it. GUM!! Or, you and your date are in the very last row at the theatre, holding hands, getting ready to share popcorn and enjoy a movie, when you shift in your chair and realize....there's something stuck to your butt. GUM!! Or, you're on public transit and you bend down to pick up the book you have just dropped and your hair touches the back of the chair in front of you and BAM! Fricken GUM!! We've all been there and it isn't pleasant.
Here's where Charlotte and Sanderson come in. They are the ones who go around and remove gum from all these hidden places - hence, Gumbusters. The world is alot less "gummier" with these two around. Thank you Charlotte and Sanderson for working diligently at your job. We humans appreciate it!
Author's note: We humans would appreciate it a ton more if stupid humans would NOT put there GUM in places it doesn't belong. Just saying...