Street Faire and New (OLD) Bags

Hi everyone, I'm officially vending in my first crafty street faire at the University of Oregon next week. Very exciting. Yey, Eugene Etsy Team!!! We are going to vend as a group, and be surrounded by import booths and food, so I imagine we'll be doing some educating about the benefits of handmade. Now my little policital mind is going, "Tick Tick Tick...." but imported items are handmade, just by someone else, who lives far away and isn't getting paid American wages. I'll need to do some thinking over this. Who wants to weigh in on this topic? Please feel free to share your 2Cents.

How about some photos?
These are my new market bags made of 100% recycled tshirts. They have one outside and one inside pocket. They will be offered at my Etsy store after the faire.

Gocco and Give-Away!

WE WANT YOU!.... to get in on this fun Give-Away. I'm treating some lucky winner to a free Coffee Cozy Club Membership. That means four free coffee cozies sent to your door. (See Coffee Cozy Club on my etsy for details). In celebration of my 200th sale on Etsy, anyone buying an item before my 210th sale gets in the drawing AND anyone who posts about the give-away on their blog and comments here, gets in the drawing. I'll be pulling one lucky name in the next few days, so get signed up!

What's going on in the studio over the weekend? I have learned to use my print gocco on fabric for a special project. Here I am burning a screen. Pow! The lights go off, instantly turning this clip art and font into a usable silk screen! Of course it took me days of research to make sure I was using the right combination of products, and a day to prepare the clip art, making that part not so "instant", but the rest of the process is so fast and fun.

This is how I use loose screen. I make a frame from duct tape making it all water-safe so it's very easy to wash right in the sink. I squeegie over the screen to make a print. (Screen on right, finished print on left). I'd love to hear from other artists who are doing something similar.

"It's good to be king" patches and tests of black on red and white ink on red. I was very impressed at how good the white came out. Bring on the t-shirts for printing!!!

I wasn't planning on having "It's good to be king" tshirts in my etsy shop, but if anyone needs one of these patches or on a T, let me know.

Happy Monday All!

The Grrlz Hen House

For those asking to see the Grrlz Hen House, this post is for you. If you haven't met the Grrlz yet, you may link over.

This is the view of the moon roof, so The Grrls get lots of light even with all our Oregon weather. The house has a roost for sleeping, a red warming lamp for sub freezing temps, and a thick bed of straw. They lay their eggs in a shared nest.

They have a small collection of hen art on the sides of their house. You know how hard it is to find images of hens without roosters? We can't have a rooster within city limits, but we can keep up to four hens. Amazingly, many adult friends ask how the Grrlz produce eggs without a rooster. Or suggest hens don't lay as well without a rooster. Excuse me?!! Grrlz do NOT need a man around to get their job done! A rooster does nothing but make noise and hump hens. The Grrlz lead a perfectly peaceful, productive, and appropriately adventurous life without a rooster underfoot. (FYI, rooster fertilize eggs, but we don't need to eat fertilized eggs. I think the kids would go on egg strike if there was any possibility of hatching into PEEPS. Thanks to Tonia for the term.)

View of the chicken run, feeders and into the roost- no hens in sight because as soon as one opens the big door, they rush into the yard for bug chasing time! I designed this structure so it could be moved to a different location of the yard. The blue tarp can be used to batten down the hatches when it's stormy, or 1/2 uncover the run for lots of sun. We let the Grrlz out for awhile in the afternoons. They love their yard time, indeedy doo.

What are these?? Yes, hen napkins. As much as I adore the Grrlz, I don't want my house taken over by hen iconography. No. REally. However, shopping at the fabric store, I could not resist buying this fabric. It depicted our two hens so perfectly! We needed new spring napkins. It's cute how much the kids love something new and handmade like this.

Mascotts and Muses

There have been some questionable questions, imaginative inquiries, and mischievous mumblings about my mascots and muses. Therefore, I'll introduce a few to you (if only I could settle on a letter of the day......).

This is Toli, a one year old Chocolate Lab. He's Inspector 86 around here, and does a through job of sniffing up trouble.

Favorite song: "Toli, toli, you're a chocolate guacamole!"
Fav food: found-under-table food.
Fav art: shaped dog biscuits
Fav toy: it's a toss up between Squeeky-bouncie, and DogBedUnderTable
Alias: Sirius Brown, Chocolate Poo (only when he's bad), and Tollhouse, Toblerone

Quote of the day: "No, I have nothing in my mouth. There's nothing to see here, so if I hold perfectly still, I'm sure you'll move along (and let me chew this up in peace)."

Quote of yesterday: "If you don't give me that rawhide chewie right now, I'm gonna start my OWN blog......"

This is Milly. She's been with me for about 6 years now, but only recently employed in the shipping department. Her job is to make sure each order goes out with a card. She also acts as creative consultant on all custom orders.

Favorite song: all 30's tunes, anything to do with the beach
Fav food: dollhouse tea
Fav art: sand castle sculpture, designer doll clothes
Fav toy: Tiny Teddy, and her art quilt sleeping bag
Alias: Beach Babe
Quote of the day: "Life is gorgeous, especially if one simply puts a little effort into their apparel, like wearing a Japanese fabric dress to work."

(I've made everyone in my house their own doll- each get new clothes on Winter Solstice. Please nobody tell her she's "just a doll". ok? )

Teapot Sweaters-Happy Earth Day!

I'm celebrating Earth Day with an upcycled product line. I invented Teapot Sweaters. Made from all upcycled goods. I thrift wool sweaters and felt them until they become thick enough to stand up on their own. I then add decoration of bits and pieces from my grandmother's jewelry stash, and other fabric or felted wool. The teapot sweaters are large to fit any tea pot, or over a bowl of muffins or biscuits. I love dual purpose art items, and upcycling! Sweet. This one sold yesterday, but I have three more to that will be for sale in my Etsy store.

I know I've said this before, but I really enjoy working with the wool. It's soft, warm, sweet smelling, and fun to stitch into. Oh and the teapot sweaters come with two matching wool coasters.

If you are new here, please sign up for my 200th Etsy sale give-away on the previous post.



Earth day with big corporation???? Chevy is partnering with The Nature Conservancy to plant real trees as part of the campaign. Grab this growing tree widget to help spread awareness.When you click the "grab this" button, just click on the myspace icon for the embed code. It will still work.

200th Etsy Sale Celebrations Give-Away!!!

To celebrate my upcoming 200th Etsy sale, I will be giving away a Bliss Coffee Cozy Secret Club membership! The winner will receive FOUR customized coffee/tea cozies sent right to their door over the next three months! It's so much fun.

I'm at 190 sales now, and when I hit 210, I'll pull a random name, so quick, get in on the contest!

Why is it called Secret Club? Just like my regular club membership, the winner gets to fill out my fun personality questionnaire (about their fav colors, coffee drink, etc,) and I will choose coffee cuffs based on your answers. Then the surprises will start arriving at your door. The first cuff comes right away (who likes to wait??), then one each month for three months. This will include one wrist and cuff style. It may include personalized art or original one of a kind cuffs. Who knows what designs, and surprises your answers will inspire!

How do you get in on the drawing? Be one of the next 20 sales at my etsy shop (that gets your name put in the hat once). OR post this give-away notice, on your blog and let me know you've done this by commenting on this post (that gets your name put in the hat once). Drawing will be on the day my sales go to 210. That's only 20 from now and will go quickly.

I love Etsy, love my Secret Club, and look forward to the drawing! Happy Sipping Everyone! Aly at Bliss MOnkey Studio


Cozy quality assurance worker: Inspector #86 on the job.

It takes a team to get these products out the door and into your hot and suffering, coffee holding hands, ya know!

Breakfast in Bed

And speaking of breakfast, I have to tell you this story. My day of birth was a Friday this year. That evening my five year old, Mudslide Sydney, came to me thoughtfully, "Mommy if I were you, I'd have breakfast in bed tomorrow morning. I will fix you a snack plate (his ideal meal) and Long-Legs (brother aged 8) will cook you scrambled eggs and make the coffee." I'm thrilled with this idea. I give Long Legs a coffee brewing review, and he informed me that he's not ready to make eggs by his unsupervised, eight year old self. But coffee sure.

The next morning, I try out sleeping in. I hear them talking and rattling around in the kitchen. Half hour later, there's a big shout. Apparently the puppy stood up against the counter and managed to EAT half of Mommy's special breakfast. Older son is ticked off. Younger son, very industrious, just remakes the sandwich.


Breakfast is served! Complete with card. It's artistically arranged into a smiley face with parsley eyes, and carrot teeth. Photo of breakfast in bed caused the cat to leap awkwardly away, and watery coffee to be spilled all over the bed, sogging my sandwich, which I then eat, calmly and very gratefully.

"Tastes better with coffee, doesn't it, Mommy?" Yes, of course!

I tell you honestly, it was everything breakfast in bed should be- complete with mishaps and rhythmic gymnastic ribbon dancing entertainment.