Year: 2013

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Going GaGa

crochet Lady Gaga dollFor those playing along at home you have probably thought “this isn’t what she normally does”! And you are 100% correct! I have made a mess of reproducing people previously. But this Lady is one turned out wa-ay better than I could’ve dreamt, drawn or hoped!

Crochet Gaga was a custom order for a friend’s daughter. Allie lurves Lady Gaga. Just quietly I have been delaying making her as I didn’t have 100% faith in my abilities. I think it’s the eyes that I struggle to get right. Monster eyes are a cinch! The devil is in the details. Getting human eyes correct is something that I will continue to work on and improve. Gaga wearing sunnies sure helped.

The lips are another “part” I have botched up before. I worked out a different technique this time around. I am super happy with how they look and will certainly be replicating them in future projects.

As for a pattern… well, I started writing as I went. There are ones for the arms, legs and about half the body. Once I got into the swing of it I stopped writing as I went. Oh well. Guess that makes her a one off piece.

A suggestion filtered through to me about making a Kylie. In a former life I was a super huge fan of Kylie Minogue. I still love her, but not as hard as I once did. Thinking about making her has made me feel all warm. Think I’ll be streaming Kylie tunes today. It’ll be a nice break from my rockabilly infatuation for the past few months…

A quick Google search for crochet Kylie Minogue dolls revealed only Kyles in crochet outfits. Not a amigurumi doll to be seen. Hmmmmm niche market? As a wise gal once sang “Better the devil you know”

Hope you love her Allie xxx

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Close Encounters WINNER!!

images of 2013 tree jumper

‘Tis Jumpers and Jazz in July season. The tree jumpers are installed and the winners have been announced. This week was simply INCREDIBLE for me. On Tuesday I was informed that my entry into the World of Wearableart (WOW) 2013 has made it in to the show. Friday night brought the announcement that my tree jumper entry was named the winner of the Excellence in Knitting/Crochet section for Jumpers and Jazz in July. I can only express my complete and utter shock on hearing my named called. The standard of work this year is absolutely incredible. There are some simply stunning entries. With both my phone and camera batteries both drained, I struggled to capture all the beauty. I did snap two of my faves. Follow the link to the Warwick Daily News tree jumper gallery to see more

These are 3 of my favourites….

Chickens-Day-OutA gorgeous ode to her little darlings in Chickens Day Out by Karina Devine

LichenSue Bauer’s lichen inspired beautifulness (image sourced from Warwick Daily News)

Misty-HillsAnd the sheer expertise and excellence in execution of craft by Helen Gross with her representation of her family’s property “Misty Hills”

Thank you Jumpers and Jazz for filling my heart and confidence with warmth. I am humbled and grateful for the recognition.

I have absolutely NO IDEA what to do for next year. The cogs are turning and I will start work on it in a couple of months…

 

 

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Zombie apocalypse hits Monster lab!

It’s true.

I have become completely obsessed with zombies, and Voodoo Dolls for that matter. I have a selection available to adopt within my in.cube8r space.

If you can’t get in to in.cube8r please let me make one especially for you. Click here for a Zombino and here a Voodoo Baby.

Each of these pretties are in my cube RIGHT NOW!!

3 zombinos and a voodoo king           Voodoo King      |  Silver Fox Zombino  |           Frankie            |  Rockfotze Zombino

Voodoo Baby

Voodoo Baby

I have also developed a reversible range. You get a Zombie on one side. Flip it inside out and you get a Voodoo skull, or a Braaain, or a human, or several other surprises!

Human to zombie Brains to Zombie

 

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Crochetification of Triple J continues…

I love Triple J. I am not the target demographic. I listen on despite.

2013 marks 10 year since my friend and mentor Hells showed me how to crochet (again). Neither of us knew what a Monster she was creating that fateful day. I will be eternally grateful that she did.

2013 also marks the 20th anniversary of the Hottest 100 on Triple J. I was working (conveniently) in a music store in 1993 (I can still remember buying the first cd for my boyfriend of the time because he loved “The Distance” by Cake. I wonder if he still has it?). If you have been listening along then you will know that they are replaying the top 20 of a random year over 20 days. The first year played was 2003. Nice bit of coincidence there. If you are a regular viewer of this site you may recall seeing the Tom and Alex zombies I gave to Tom when I saw him during Brisbane Comedy festival in March. It’s been in my mind to make something using Lindsay The Doctor McDougall and Zan Rowe as a muse. Those first 2 little zombies have set me on a path of obsession with making them!!

Short story: I sat down on Tuesday morning and listened along with the hottest 20 of 2003 and made a zombified Zan. Wednesday morning (1995) saw the frakenfication of The Doctor. This is them…

Zombie Zan and Franken LindsayIn a fit of boldness I posted on the Triple J Mornings wall in Facebook. There is no describing the thrill I experienced to see a notification that Zan had replied. Needless to say I’ll be packaging them up and sending them down to Sydney today. I won’t even start on my reaction when The Doctor liked and commented on the image in Instagram.

I wonder who I should attempt next???

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Oh WoW!!

If you weren’t aware, I have been working full time on an entry in to the fantastic World of Wearable Art spectacular. Crocheting a fairly small Monster is a time consuming thing. Crocheting a Monster big enough to fit someone inside is an altogether different time consuming thing. The deadline for entry is Tuesday 2nd of April. That is today. I am happy to announce that I have fired of the 2nd phase of my entry. And that is to upload images of the piece from all angles so that it can be assessed and then judged as eligible to be entered. I should hear back before 7th April. If it’s a “yes” then, “Gary” will be heading over to Nelson, New Zealand. This doesn’t guarantee entry in to the show, but it’s a big load of exciting. I hope I am going to be rushing in and looking for tickets to the show, accommodation and cheap flights to Wellington!! I really don’t need an excuse to go to Wellington because I really love it there. I will however gleefully accept this as a darn good one.

Let me introduce to you to my entry >>> Gary

9 image gallery of WoW entry images

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Art show adoptions

The Monsters off to new homes after the art show

I guess you can call 5 adoptions a success. I was a little concerned that with all the amazingly talented pieces at the Toowoomba Grammar School art show a bunch of little Monsters would fade in to the background. It was lovely to hear a story similar to what happened at Jumpers and Jazz last year. It has been brought to my attention on 3 occasions that a child has spent their entire pocket money on a Monster. Makes my heart smile. I believe there will also be a doctor’s surgery with a Monster in it. Let me know if you ever spot one.

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Tom & Alex : Zombified!!!

To say that I love Triple J would be a little bit of an understatement. I cried the day Robbie Buck left the morning show. Happily I fell easily in love with the new hosts Tom Ballard and Alex Dyson. I know I’m not the right demographic, but it really doesn’t matter. They have been my morning companions almost every morning.

When I spotted Tom was to be appearing at the Brisbane Comedy Festival I snapped up a couple of tickets. We were on holidays the week leading up to the gig. My working holiday project (an entry for the World of Wearable art) kept me pretty busy. On our last day I had a flash of an idea. I want to make something for Tom! I didn’t have any supplies with me. So, I set about designing and planned to whip it up when we got home. One zombie became two zombies. After a marathon 10 hours or so I could not be any happier with the final product.

The gig was great! Very, very funny. My plan was to launch the zombies at Tom afterwards at the merch stand. I really need to learn how to relax and appear cool. I fear that I come across more as a crazed, freaky stalker type, not the cool, hip thang I would prefer to think that I am. Nerves kicked in and Mr Monster and I bombarded poor Tom. Zombie dolls thrusted towards and nervous jibber spat out. We wandered off; my heart racing and blood starting to return to my brain. IDIOT! We should have asked for a photo!! Ah well. Here’s an image of how they looked AND if you’re not familiar with Tom & Alex that’s them just above…

Tom & Alex from Triple J breakfastZombified Tom & Alex amigurumi dolls

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I am NOT a Monster !

For the record… I am not just a Monster maker. Monsters have simply become my obsession. Seems I am also pretty handy at making amigurumi puppies. Over the weekend I made a gift for my friends at Bodywise Osteopathy. They have a pug named Winnie and he is sometimes in the office. It started out to be a Monster Pug Pot, but, he was too cute to give fangs and horns (I am told though that he does indeed have them).

Here is how he turned out. Please say Hi to Pug-in-a-Pot

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Another puppy related non-Monster happened last year when I was asked to reproduce a much loved and dearly missed Chihuahua. Fabia nearly didn’t get him as I fell a little bit in love and wanted to keep him.

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Making puppies is not my focus. I remain 100% Monsterising. However, I might be swayed if you are interested in a custom made critter. You can check out my Custom Monster page and contact me there