March PFATT Marketplace: my dear friend Froggie!

spring has arrived! what a mild winter we had... not once did i have to shovel snow (knock on wood, march is not yet over!). out from under the covers and with a spring in his step... may i reintroduce a beloved friend of mine, Froggie! he has been my companion since 2010, a beloved silly little monkey who is seeking to further his horizons. these pics are from a photo session for a british teddy bear mag. Froggie is my special PFATT Marketplace offering for March, being green and all :) he has a wonderful feeling about him, you must hold him to appreciate his full charisma.

see Froggie's PFATT listing here. SOLD, thank you!
have a lovely day!

❄ peace + cheer ❄

❆ warmest bear + monkey hugs to you and loved ones! ❆
☃

sock monkey = cozy home

december greetings! today is the 10th, which is PFATT marketplace update. this magical month i am offering a delightful old pair of real vintage sock monkeys, Frida and Franklin! they are from my personal collection and have lived with me many years... so i can give them a good reference, lol! IMHO sock monkeys add a touch of cozy + whimsy anywhere you put them. some nice examples below (let's play "spot the monkey"!)

i like the metal baskets idea

from Real Simple mag.. monkeys as wall art. a good way to free up shelf space!

Mr. Peppermints, one of my creations, gracing the ribbon wall in Jennifer Murphy's colorful studio. so flattered! :)

have fun decorating your home with beloved sock monkeys!

*stay tuned for my holiday bear update on my web site next week* have a swell weekend!

holiday sale Nov 25-28th!

Peng Peng Bears Holiday SALE happening now on my web site! prices marked, enjoy FREE 1st class shipping in USA!

pizza meets sock monkeys

what do pizza and sock monkeys have in common? here we have my old friend/ former boss Mark Bello (right)- entrepreneur/ founder of renowned Pizza A Casa Pizza School, NYC with Jeff Panuk- owner of the company that makes the socks that sock monkeys are made out of (made in the USA-Florida). Jeff Panuk took a pizza making class at Pizza A Casa recently. i used to work for Mark at his landmark Wicker Park futon store here in chicago, pre-bear making days. he was an awesome boss (to put up with me, lol). Mark spent time living in italy so i can only imagine how buonissimo his pizzas are! if you live in the NY area, go take a class at Pizza a Casa. tell him peng peng sent ya. ciao! http://pizzaacasa.com

fall feelin' + etsy treasury

it's a brisk morning and that fall feeling is in the air! it's just right for getting out the cozy mohair and sewing up teddy bears. i've relisted more ePatterns and sock monkey pin sets today in my etsy shop. did you see my new mini business card? i love it- it looks like a stick of gum :) the cooler weather always recharges my creative batteries. once the distractions of summer have gone by i can finally *think*. this fall/ winter i am going to stop procrastinating and learn how to knit. my yarn bin overfloweth but all i've made with it is pom poms! i'd love to make some scarves and big knit hats (topped with a giant pom pom... that i can do), or little bear clothes. speaking of little clothes...

i stopped in my tracks when i saw this window display of tiny mens shirt samples in Rome. how cute are they?? so perfect. one thing's for sure, the Italians know how to dress well. i don't know how the women wear heels on cobblestone streets, but somehow they do!


enjoy the etsy treasury *very dear teddy bear*, which features our beloved blu bobo ePattern. have a lovely tuesday :) xoxo

sock monkey SALE! 2 Days only

special announcement!!

we're heading to the UK for Hugglets festival in just 2.5 weeks! I need to make room in my suitcases so I can't bring all the monkeys (and who knows... they may need passports, or quarantine). So lucky you!!~ we're having a crazy 25% OFF SALE for 2 days only on my web site! sale prices are marked in red.SALE ENDS FRIDAY AUGUST 19 @ 9PM CENTRAL at peng-peng.com

(an early christmas gift, birthday gift, i-deserve-to-treat-myself-gift, i-always-wanted-one-of-those-and-now's-the-time gift, etc, etc... :)

new sock monkeys today!

here's just a sampling of the new sock monkeys posted on my web site tonight! there are 11 monkeys total, including my first ever sock giraffe!

enjoy!

sock monkey countdown!

this is one of my favorites from my stash- vintage flower power medium-weight cotton fabric, in unusual black background! for a long time i didn't have the heart to cut it up, but there was a certain sock monkey it was just perfect for. luckily, i had just enough fabric to make the whole outfit. it was meant to be!

there will be some pretties and fancies for tomorrows big update at 7pm central!

these belong in the *extra slim* section of the monkey wardrobe. when i have the little collared shirts and pants on on the ironing board, it gives me a chuckle. we hope the monkeys bring you many chuckles tomorrow! they are very excited to meet you too!

for those just tuning in: *the sock monkey update* is happening on my web site tomorrow, july 10 at 7pm central.

sock monkey update july 10!

Excitement! The Sock Monkey update is happening July 10 at 7pm Central (5pm Pacific/ 6pm Mtn/ 8pm Eastern)!!

International friends, click here for time conversion.

*My Sock Monkey updates only happen a few times a year, so please note: rather than my usual noon time listing, I am doing a SUNDAY EVENING listing to try to accommodate everyone :) i've already got the sock monkey jitters!

your sneak peeks for today ☺

uncle sam vs nelson

every sock monkey lover is familiar with the legendary nelson-rockford red heel socks. however, from time to time "alternative" socks were also used: argyle, solid colored, striped, or white-heeled. even nelson made a white heeled sock (i used their mini socks to make my mini monkeys)

well, a few years ago i stumbled upon a RARE supply of vintage "uncle sam sox" (i estimate circa 1950's). unused and still with the tags! i have not seen the likes of them since, nor anything ever written about them. so i will talk a little bit about these lovely socks here.

as you can see they are similar brown knit as the classic nelson socks, but white heeled. what yesteryear folks would do is applique felt lips or embroider a red smile (as i did here for my rockford mini monkey):

uncle sam sox are *fine hosiery*, rather than the industrious work sock like nelson. that means a thinner, finer weave yet very soft. it was a lot more challenging to stuff with rags (avoiding a crumpled, pointy looking surface) but i solved that with a secret technique :)

bonus is the cool blue printing on one toe, and the size printed on the heel!

uncle sam sox and nelson socks are:

• made here in the USA.
• made of all cotton with a some nylon in heel + toe.
  
• make a darn fine monkey!
  

as i mentioned earlier, my uncle sam sox supply is quite limited so there will be only two uncle sam sock monkeys in my upcoming update!

two for tuesday

two sneak peeks today! the monkeys are lining up nicely, awaiting ears and faces. check back again for more daily sneak peeks throughout the week :) now back to sewing...

she's got legs

hi! we've been home a week now from our trip out east visiting family. i did my yearly thrifting with my mom which i always eagerly look forward to. PA still has the best thrifts, the ones we went to even had dressing rooms! our garden has doubled in size while away, so i'm busy tending to the plants and, many new pieces in the studio!

legs, arms and tails are stuffed. today's goal is to stuff all the monkey bodies and this little bear...

an *american stick bear* in red/ silver/ blue tie dye mohair! right now she looks like a ball of fur but i'm excited to see how she will look--- to be completed by 4th of July ;o)

socks and shibori

my neighbors must be thinking "that's a lot of socks!"

the wildflowers in our yard are blooming like crazy. a cornucopia of colors which have inspired the hues in my latest tie dyed monkey socks:

while i had the dye pot going, i couldn't resist throwing in some girl/ guy tees:

these are shibori japanese dying techniques. by no means am i a pro, but i'm getting the hang of it. it's a fun DIY project. the hardest part is waiting for the dye bath and seeing how it turned out!

another blistering 100 degree day in chicago, so i'm staying put in the studio with a tall glass of iced half-decaf coffee. i am working on a few new bears before diving head on into monkey madness. and stay tuned for PFATT offering in 2 days. stay cool and in the shade where you are!

monday. monkeys. mahem.

happy memorial day! can you guess what fun things i have in store for you?

yes, sock monkeys are coming! i pulled out 12+ pair o' vintage red heel socks from my stash today. first i will be washing/ dying/ ageing the socks to prepare them for their magical transformation into crazy monkeys! then the sewing, stuffing, personality-making, and custom outfits that gives them their uniqueness. it's been a long time between sock monkey updates, and i'm very excited (as i hope you are too) to begin the new group. i will post progress pics here so keep checking back :)





in etsy news, our blu bobo ePattern has landed in 2 more treasuries! i think he takes the prize for being my most featured ePattern. and i'm so flattered since it is one of my most classic "peng peng style" bears. give this pattern a try if you haven't already! my ePatterns are available exclusively through yours truly in my etsy shop.

for meat-free monday (8 days a week here :) we grilled up veggie skewers, tofurkey beer brats w/ all the fixins, fresh organic carrot/parsley/celery juice, and oven baked french fries (i make em spicy served with a decadent dollop of vegenaise and katsup). delish and nutrish!

have fun and stay cool!

slow journey

you may recall i mentioned earlier this month i had sent a group of new bears to abracadabra teddies UK shop. well, they still have not arrived. sadly, they missed their target arrival to be included in the big birthday party november 20th :( i just hope at this point they are safe and warm, and it's just a simple matter of being delayed at customs or something. will keep you posted if i hear anything.
this is norman, a classic "antiqued" sock monkey. he's the last monkey needing a home over at the wonderful Collins Gifts. he's hoping to join your holiday festivities (just keep him away from the egg nog, if you want any left for yourself). need i mention how talented monkeys are at the art of xmas tree decorating? hand him some tinsel and let him do his thang. *reminder, there will be no more monkeys until 2011*!

we are enjoying thanksgiving leftovers tonight... again! and down to that last slice of apple pie. enjoy the rest of black friday weekend!

secret sale of sorts

getting in the spirit of holiday madness, black friday approaching and all that~ i am having a secret sale on my sock monkeys over at my web site!! no lines, no waiting, or parking spot dueling ;) to snatch one up just send me an email: peng@peng-peng.com.

toodles!

The big October Update is Today!

"willow weep for me"... (i love that old jazz tune)

come see all the new sweet treats! spooky (but ever so friendly) tie dyed sock monkeys, new smaller sized mohair bears and fun mini bear necklaces. available for immediate snatching on my web site. enjoy!

spookies soon...very soon!

these tie dyed socks turned out awesome... a hint of things to come! i've got 5 new monkeys to be dressed, a handful of new bears and mini bear necklaces too. aiming to have them ready for adoption next week! will send out an email announcement for date/time of the update. have a silly saturday :)

happy birthday virgos!

hey there. sorry i've been posting so sporadically lately. just been busy doin' rather than writin'. this past week was my mom's and rob's birthdays...2 days apart! i made vegan carrot cake for rob from a moosewood recipe, substituting vegan butter for cow butter. carrot cake spices are just perfect for this time of year. though these tie dyed cupcakes would be pretty awesome too! via glutenfreebaking.com.

in other news: just finished up special orders, sent orders to shops, and knee deep working on new fall creations! the plan is to have a bear/spooky monkey update by end of this month. can i do it?? best be getting back to sewing! have a fabulous weekend :)