Sock Monkeys Way Out West

Hey – I did my first YouTube video tonight! It’s a little “rustic”, but I’m tickled to have been able to figure out how to do it. I’m sure there will be more to come. Here it is…

Furoshiki!

I just discovered Furoshiki and I love it!  I plan to carry a square cloth with me at all times so when I go shopping I will have my own bag.  Plastic bags?  No Thanks.  I’m going to use this method for wrapping lots of Christmas presents, too!

Missionary Monkey writes Home

This must be the week for hearing from monkeys that have moved on from Sock Monkey Ranch. This week I received an email from Max (see earlier post) and from Precious, our little Missionary Monkey.

Precious is currently on the mission field in Malawi, Africa. She’s been gone about 3 weeks and already she’s visited orphanages, village churches, hundreds of miles of gorgeous tea, coffee, tobacco, and banana plantations. She loves the little thatched roofed African villages and says the people are so friendly, they make you feel like an honored guest.

She also took a speedboat upriver to Lilonde National Park and said they passed right thru big herds of hippos in the water and crocs everywhere.

She will also see Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland, Durbin, So. Africa and finally
Johannesburg before she flies home the first week of December. She’s looking forward to seeing Victoria Falls and spend a couple days in Kruger Game Park.

We’re praying for a safe return from the mission field for both Precious and her human escorts.

We love hearing from our monkeys, so if you are one, or you have adopted one…please…write home! (and send pics if you can)

I knew it was gonna happen!

I got an email from Max yesterday.  Max left Sock Monkey Ranch about a year ago for his new home in Maryland.  I was just a bit worried about Max, because he tends make the wrong kind of friends everywhere he goes.  I was right to be worried!

Here’s a pic he sent me of his new “friends”. (That’s Max in the middle with the ipod)

As you can see, they seem like a no-account bunch of hooligans. Sure enough, the next picture I received was this one…with a request for bail money!

Miss Millie’s Fashion Makeover

Miss Millie went shopping over at Etsy.com this week and came home sportin’ this classy new cowgirl outfit. I wish you’d been here when Dusty got his first look at her in her new get-up. His jaw dropped clear down to his kneecaps!

Miss Millie said she found her outfit in Stitchgir52’s shop. Pop on over there and take a look at her wonderful fashions and don’t forget to tell her that Miss Millie sent ya.

I just gave birth to a Doctor!

This little guy is a special order for a baby whose mom and dad are both ER doctors.  I was so tickled with the way he turned out that I just had to show him off.

His name is Dr. Munkee!

Princess Nimble Thimble

Ok, I’m officially in love with itty-bitty bendy dolls.  Not just any dolls, however…I’ve discovered Princess Nimble Thimble’s darling creations and adore them! 

I just received this little darling in the mail. She is only 2 1/2 inches tall! (About the size of a tube of lip balm!)

It’s so out of character for me to like dolls that my family is wondering what’s happening to me.  First sock monkeys and sewing…now dolls.  What’s next?  Will I suddenly begin to enjoy cooking? Cleaning house?  Wearing makeup?  Jewelry?  YIKES!

Grandma’s Apron

Just received this in an email and had to share it…

I don’t think  kids today even know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma’s apron was to  protect the dress underneath,because she didn’t have many and it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used  less material, but along with that, it served as a  potholder for removing hot pans from the oven, shooed flies away from sleeping babies and fanning it provided a bit of breeze on a hot summer day.

It  was wonderful for drying children’s tears, runny noses and on occasion was  even used for cleaning out dirty  ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was  used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes  half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather  was cold, grandma wrapped it around her  arms or around the shoulders of the nearest child.

Those big old aprons wiped many a  perspiring brow bent over the hot wood  stove, dried work worn hands and more than a few tears.

Chips and kindling wood were brought  into the kitchen in that apron. Crumbs were brushed from the dining table onto that apron.

From the garden,  it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the  peas had been shelled, it carried out the  hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to  bring in apples, pears and nuts  that had fallen from the  trees.

When unexpected company drove up the  road, it was surprising how much furniture that  old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When  dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch,  waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to  come in from the fields for dinner.

It will be a  long time before someone invents something that will  replace that ‘ old-time apron’ that served so  many purposes.

Send this to those who will remember Grandma’s  aprons and to those who can’t even imagine today’s women wearing one!

Grandma used to set her apple pies on the cabinet to cool after she baked them.

Her granddaughters set theirs on the cabinet to thaw before they bake them. 

Scientists would go crazy now trying to figure out exactly how many  and what kind of germs were on that apron.

I don’t  think I ever caught anything serious from an  apron

Izzy was chosen for an Etsy Treasury

Our very own Izzy was chosen to be in an Etsy Treasure created by Kelly.  Here’s what the treasury looks like:

Pop over and check out the treasure for yourself…http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5405980

If you would like to own Izzy for your very own, she’s up for adoption in my Etsy Shop…Adopt Izzy.

Great Murphy Smith Sock Monkey Wall Art

Just found some really cute sock monkey wall art by Murphy Smith Designs

One of three sock monkey designs.

They have two other sock monkey designs that are just as cute and another line of monkey art that’s really cute, too.  Pop on over and have a look: Funky Monkey Designs.