Eileen Hull

Three dimensional art... with heart

The Sock Monkey Goes Greek

I am excited to join the other members of the Designer Craft Connection on this Sock Monkey challenge!

Sponsored by When Creativity Knocks, FoxRiver, manufacturers of the Original Rockford Red Heel Socks, Rit Dye and Judikins, the challenge is to make a project using the supplies we were sent which included a pair of the famous red heeled socks from FoxRiver, Ana Arujo’s instructional DVD on how to make a sock monkey and a cute little sock monkey rubber stamp from Judikins.

The first sock monkey I ever got was a gift for our first child. It became a toy that was passed down from child to child. I lost track of it somewhere along the way in our 13 army moves. I happened to mention to my youngest daughter that I was working on a sock monkey blog hop challenge and I wondered where ours went. She said, “Oh I have it!”, ran upstairs and came down with this:

Hah! Well, how convenient! After watching Ana’s great DVD on how to assemble the monkey, I was sure I could do it, but then I started thinking… This was no ordinary sock monkey- this girl had gone to college and was even an Alpha Phi Omega fraternity brother! Perhaps I could fashion some accessories for our newfound family heirloom. 

Well, you can’t go to college without some luggage. I decided to use one of my Sizzix dies to make this monkey a custom suitcase. I carefully cut up the sock to cover the pieces of the die cut, making sure to keep the stitches all going in the same direction. It looks kind of like tweed! After assembling the suitcase, I glued on a red monogram to match the monkey’s beautiful smile. FrayCheck was added around all of the raw edges to prevent fraying. I plan on making some thank you notes using the fun Judikins stamp and store them inside the suitcase.

Now, being a college graduate and all, I figured our monkey might need a cover for her laptop. So I cut one from my Business Card die. Before I cut it out, I trimmed a piece from the other sock I had left and adhered it on top of the matboard using spray adhesive, making sure to cut with the right side to the die so that it would score properly.

Although I’m sure I could spend many hours making a mini-laptop, I am pressed for time and ask that you imagine that there is an adorable little monkey sized laptop tucked inside this case.

Her attire seemed slightly scandalous to me (kids these days!) so I made her a quick red felt skirt which I cut from my Vase die and a matching red felt flower headband from the Flower, Layers #9 die.

I had a blast working on this. And glad that our sock monkey has a great new look!

For more sock monkey fun, visit the When Creativity Knocks website for details on a contest and giveaway. To enter, go to member login and Create An Account. The entry code is Sock Monkey. Enter now until December 19 and you could win the whole Sock Monkey Kit worth over $40.00 which includes: the Videobook “Sock Monkeys Go BanAnas”, One Sewn Sock Monkey Ready to be Stuffed, One Pair of the Original Rockford Red Heeled Socks, Button Eyes, Needle, Floss and Stuffing!

Please make sure to see all of the other fun sock monkey projects by clicking on the blue DCC button on the sidebar. It will take you to all of the participating designers’ blogs. Thanks for stopping by!

Go Longwood Lancers!

Comments

  3. Betsy says

    This is so cute! My boys had a sock monkey that my aunt made for my oldest son when he went in to have hernia surgery when he was two years old. Mr. Monkey came out of surgery with a bandage in the same place that my son had his!!! Mr. Monkey is still upstairs in the closet ~ he’s about 27 years old now!

  7. Susan says

    My Grandmother Jeanette made us sock monkeys and I remember them as a precious part of my early years. Such a creative way to transform a sock. Your version makes a wonderfully, memorable gift for those going off to college–a little comfort from home to remind them of where they’ve been so they can see where they’re going! XOXO