Storeyshop Sock Monkeys

Have had a serious email and message catching-up morning and, due to quite a few recent sock monkey enquiries I thought I'd write a quick update. It's that time of year again and, much as I hate to mention the word in September, I know you lovely, organised people are starting to think about Christmas (and the little ones are starting to draft the Christmas lists!). Rest assured, Storeyshop monkeys are still available (I know at least two of the little fellas have been mentioned on letters to Father Christmas already!).

Due to lots of personalised orders, I haven't been able to make many monkeys to add to the shop lately but I'll be making them to order, like these two who jetted off to Canada together a couple of months ago...



With all this in mind, I have taken some quick snaps of all the sock designs I have available for monkeys. Please excuse the slightly rubbish photos and get your imaginations in gear to visualise the following piles of socks in to super cute monkey friends!










Ooh, and I have more of the pale blue and white polka dot pattern socks (shown in the first photo of the monkeys made for a Canadian customer) available too! Feel free to contact me through my Etsy shop, Twitter, Facebook or by email (helen at Storeyshop.co.uk) if you'd like to order a Storeyshop sock monkey. Please allow up to 4 weeks for yours to be made and shipped although I'll try and get them finished and posted sooner. A felt initial or simple shape can be added to your monkey, if you would like, too!

pssst... There are also two monkeys (pictured below) in the Storeyshop sale so be quick and grab one before they go!

Whistle-Stop Weekend!

I'm back at Storeyshop HQ after a brilliant action-packed, long weekend down south. Hadn't been down for a few months so it was great to go back and see family and friends in London and Sussex. It made a nice change to be away from the computer for a few days too.

The weather was very kind to us... Sunday was lovely and sunny! It's miserable and dark today though and feels like proper winter. Maybe Sunday was the last 'no coat' and 'no socks' day of this year? Sniff.

Really busy catching up with orders this week and it's a short one as I have an exciting day planned on Friday which involves heading down to London again. I can't reveal what it's for yet but should be fun. Still haven't unpacked from the weekend and we came back, yet again, laden with stuff my parents had 'sorted out' for me to take to my own house! I better get tidying after I have taken todays orders to the Post Office.

No exciting photos from the weekend but here's a new custom monkey order, from last week, who I liked so much that I have bought more socks and made him available to buy from Storeyshop. And also some photos of when Seb met Monkey.

New Storeyshop Monkeys

I have finally got some new Storeyshop monkeys in progress and all in nice, new designs. I have been making lots to order lately and haven't had a chance to get some of my new ever-increasing sock collection turned into softies. Lots of people have been asking for certain colours recently and I have been promising more are on their way. Inventively named, Pink and Yellow Stripey Monkey is the first of the new batch...




Today has been another catching-up day again after another weekend camping in southern Scotland. It did rain but our luxury supertent was at least already up for us when we arrived so we could head straight to the pub for dinner. When the rain stopped on Saturday, we went for a walk on the Dumfries and Galloway coast. It was really nice apart from a few scary close encounters with cows. I just kept thinking 'Don't run. Don't run. And if you do run, run away from the cliffs!'










I'm home alone tonight as Dave is down south. Filming with the BBC don't you know?! His vehicles are being used for a stunt which will be on BBC1 soon. Watch this space for details!

Storeyshop Monkey In Print

Yay! Another Storeyshop monkey had made it into the press. This time in the 'Summer 2009 New Mom's Handbook' from 'Pregnancy Magazine' which is on sale now in the United States. Blue and Grey Monkey has snuck in the corner of this stripe-themed feature on ideas for first birthday presents. I love the zebra pillow too from designpublic.

Happy Birthday Dave's Parents!

It is Dave's parents' birthday today. They have their birthday on the same day which I always think is very romantic. Happy Birthday to them! We gave them tickets for Jools Holland when he tours in Newcastle in December.





I have to admit this was their birthday card from last year. We bought them one this year. It's quite a novelty buying one these days! It's a lovely sunny day again today and I have just finished off a new style rainbow monkey and listed him in Storeyshop.








This afternoon is going to be spent making more templates for the laser cutting man. I am going to get some 'I love you more than...' cards laser cut as an alternative to my hand-cut ones (which will still be very much available). The laser cut cards can then be stocked in shops more easily and hopefully featured in another magazine or two. I must tidy the office too, there is cardboard everywhere!

My New Favourite Storeyshop Monkey

It's Friday! Not quite sure how that came around so fast again but I am looking forward to the weekend. I think we are going to go and investigate the Ouseburn Valley area of Newcastle where the Art Works Galleries are. They contacted me recently about stocking my cards so I'd like to see what it's like and I have heard it is well worth a visit. Other than that, I think it will be a weekend of sorting out the garden if it's nice weather and eBaying. I have had another wardrobe sort out so can hopefully make a few pennies (and some space for new finds!)

This is my new favourite monkey of all time that I mentioned in my last post. Check him out! So far I haven't been able to get any more of these socks either so it's looking like he's going to be very limited edition...











I won't mind at all if he stays around sitting on the shelf in the office but if you want to buy him you can find him in Storeyshop now.

Have a lovely weekend!

We Make Christmas lists

I am surrounded by lists! I am heading down south for We Make Christmas tomorrow and have to remember everything I will need for the fair as well as an eighties fancy dress outfit for my friend's birthday party and some local ales and a warm outfit for another friends birthday beer festival. I'm a list girl at the best of times and these ones are getting long!

I am still trying to stock up on Storeyshop goodies for the fair. I haven't been albe to make as much as I'd have liked but I have had a couple of very busy weeks with lots of Christmas sales and orders.

My arms are still aching from cutting 8 more personalised Christmas cards yesterday including some of the longest messages I have cut so far and these two...








Tonight is going to be spent making more monkeys and cutting some more cards as well as packing up todays sales ready for the post office in the morning. Then packing for the busiest weekend ever!

Ta ra

Storeyshop Christmas Cards

Today I have mostly been making personalised Christmas cards. I have been embracing cats, nicknames and shamrocks in today's selection which have all just gone in the post. It has helped me feel a bit festive actually, I might even start wrapping some presents! To order your own custom Christmas card with the message and design of your choice, please visit Storeyshop.














I was just browsing the Gift Guides on Etsy actually and noticed on of my cards in the Personalised Gifts section. Woo hoo! Right, must get back to making more monkeys as I am still trying to stock up for We Make Christmas but they keep selling! The latest one to jet off to Philadelphia is Blue Spotty..




Ta ra

We Make Featured Designer

Have a look at the We Make blog. Woo hoo, Storeyshop is featured designer at the moment! There are a few spelling mistakes but you can't have it all :)

Storeyshop Monkeys

I am busy making monkeys this week to stock up for We Make Christmas (see my previous post for details). They are selling well so I am having trouble stock piling but it is all good. I am enjoying making again after my busy month of magazine design and have lots of plans for new Storeyshop products too. I am away tomorrow but I think Storeyshop is being featured on the We Make blog so do have a look!

This is the latest monkey I have made for a lady on Facebook. There is a Storeyshop Facebook group you can join and also 'Your Sock Monkey Needs You' group. Everyone welcome!

New Handmade Monkeys

Still very busy with the current issue of the magazine but I thought I'd take a little break to upload some new Storeyshop monkeys. Here are the latest newies and there will be more new designs next week!














All available to buy now. I can also personalise monkeys with felt initials sewn on their fronts or sewn names. Contact me through my shop for more details..

Have a lovely weekend!

Ta ra

I Love You More Than..

The magazine is finished for another issue. Woo hoo! After three weeks of that and an entire weekend of bathroom decorating (it's nearly done even if it does look slightly more lilac than Steel Grey), I am back to full-time Storeyshop for a week before a week back on Company magazine in London where I used to be senior designer. I am looking forward to going back, seeing the girls and my other friends in and around London. Oh, and maybe a spot of shopping.

For now, though, I am making a custom monkey for a customer and more cards in the 'I Love You More Than...' series. Here are the current favourites. They are all available to order in the shop!



















Right, I better get monkey sewing!

Ta ra

New Monkeys

I've been busy making monkeys between design jobs. Much as I like designing, it makes such a nice change to make things again and get away from the computer. The weather has even been nice enough to take Storeyshop production into the garden some days! Here are few of the new monkey designs..

They are all available to buy online now! They will also be for sale at the Chainbridge Honey Farm's 'Charity Vintage and Classic Rally' in Berwick Upon Tweed on Sunday 31st August 2008 (contact me through my shop if you would like more details)

Ta ra

Something Lovely!

Blue Spotty monkey is now available to buy on Something Lovely. It's a fab online shop with lots of beautiful things! Let's hope he gets lots of admirers and does Storeyshop and Something Lovely proud. Storeyshop monkeys are still jetting off around the world. Two went off to Las Vegas this morning and two emigrated to Canada last week!

I am still stupidly busy with the new magazine, logo designing and Storeyshop but it's fun and definitely keeping me occupied. Beca and I have just signed up do do another We Make craft fair in London at Christmas time so I'll be packing a case full of Storeyshop goodies again and trundling down to London. Will keep you posted..

Oh yeah, click here and here for a couple of photos of Storeyshop's stall at We Make London in June!

Ta ra

Back In Town

Well I am back up north after my week working at Company and the We Make London craft fair. A very busy week sleeping at friends' houses -thank you again Lovelies! I finally made it to the cinema to see SATC with Caz and loved it. It was great to catch up with the Company girls again too and squeeze in some well-deserved lunches and shopping.

We Make London was a great fair with fab stalls but a bit quiet on the customer front as it was very 'off the beaten track'. Dave put posters on every lampost in Holborn and Covent Garden but it was just that bit out of the way I think. Nevermind, the people that did find it came and bought Storeyshop goodies including a special request to buy the sock monkey hanging from the balcony! Lots of business cards were taken too so it was still well worth doing.

On the shopping front (I knew I wouldn't be able to resist!) I bought some gorgeous little hair clips from creamrose at the fair, which I have been wearing everyday since! Have a look at her shop for lovely accessories. I got home to a card order from madebycara who had a gorgeous stall opposite us with cute bunting and little 'crayon rolls' -check out her shop too!

Here are a few snaps of the Storeyshop wares on display at We Make..







Now I am busy photographing the latest Storeyshop creations to put online. Keep an eye out for new monkeys and little bags very soon! I also have a few card orders to make and get posted off this afternoon. Various freelance design enquiries are on the cards too which is good. The magazine that I thought had changed their mind about redesigning their lifestyle publication are back in touch and wanting me to start work soon which would be a great project. I'm not holding my breath though. We'll see! A man called wanting me to design a few brand identities for him too. It is looking like a busy few months ahead.

Ta ra

I'm Back!

My, how times flies when you're freelancing! It has been a while but I am back. I have been doing freelance design at various design companies in London and Newcastle over the last month, all of which has been very hectic and busy. Much as I like the fast pace (and getting out there working with other human beings again!) I am happy to be back at the kitchen table concentrating on Storeyshop once more.

I have been keeping up to date with sales and orders, both of which have been fairly regular I'm pleased to say! Now I need to restock and made lots of new products. The Craft Fair in London is rapidly approaching so lots of monkeys, bags, cards and other Storeyshop goodies need stock-piling!

The best way to get sales must definitely be to plan a craft fair. Try and make lots of products for itand they all sell straight away! Not that I am complaining at all. Like they say on that Shreddies advert, "We'll knit/sew/scalpel more!"

Here are some of my creations so far this week: