May 18, 2009

The Great Procrastinator's Freebie CONTEST

This month I am proud to say I’ve finally opened my Etsy store, from start-to-finish a feat that only took me two years to accomplish. I spent that time creating and forgetting elaborate passwords for my account and procrastinating what I perceived would be the tremendous hassle of making a shop banner. Well, mission accomplished! Whoot! (Now I just need to get some stuff in there to sell.)

What is this contest about? A few days ago I had an epiphany: Nobody I know makes unique, labor-intensive woolen, hand & needle felted finger puppets just for grown-ups! (How’s that for specific? Have I found my niche at last?) You can well imagine my enthusiasm only 2 years after creating an Etsy account and in time for my grand opening to be struck with a brilliant idea such as this one!

So, how can you win your own one-of-a-kind woolen grown-up, hand & Needle felted finger puppet?

To enter simply comment to this post by creating a name and personality for the finger puppet you’d like me to make for you. On the first day of Summer, June 21st, 2009 (what we here in Wisconsin call the last day of Winter) I will randomly choose a winner from all those who commented. No doubt the response to such an opportunity as this will be overwhelming! I will then proceed to create the woolen finger puppet of that winner’s dreams and swiftly mail it out.

But, that’s not all! There are TWO WAYS TO WIN! That’s right, I will also choose my favorite entry and make that person a finger puppet as well! Imagine the joy and satisfaction you might feel having your own personalized finger puppet delivered straight to your door. And, imagine the ensuing hours of puppetry fun that just might be yours to enjoy either by shear luck or due to your ingenious response below. The last day to enter is June 20, 2009 so act now!


To learn of the name and personality of the above character click on the picture. You'll be transported to her description.
Sincerely yours,

The Treadler
Fine Clothier to the Discerning Finger

16 comments:

Sarah Sullivan said...

Oh how very fun is this!! Don't feel bad about the banner - took me ages to figure that pain out!! They really could make that easier - the size is horrid!
I wanna join in here so - well I will have to do a witch - given my own artwork. Wendy O'Bannon will have to be a good witch of coarse, not necessarly in white as mine are generally not. Clearly she is Celtic, just look at that red hair and lovely green eyes. She would sit on that oft used pointer finger ready to zap away and negative energy heading her way - but in an ever so gentle way.
Heehee - that was fun - great idea hon - have a great time with this - I can't wait to see what you make. I'll pimp this on my blog!!
Blessings, Sarah

The Distracted Photographer said...

What a cute idea! I bet a million bucks that you will have tons of fun with this contest of yours. I will put a plug in for you in my blog as well!

I am a mom to 2 crazy kids, one of which doesn't like his picture being taken. So often I have to kinnear to get any pictures of him! I always have a camera in my hand, ready to aim at all times. Cookies and chocolate are always available to entice a smile. My name? Mamarazzi (of course)!

JuneMoonToon said...

Hi, Teresa, nice to meet you. I followed Sarah from her blog this morning.

I would love to see my fairy, Ever Spring, made real. I see Ever with lovely daffodil-yellow hair, wearing a tiny pastel frock. She makes people smile just to see her, and to hear the tiny poems she so loves to recite.

What fun! Thanks for the chance to enter.

Grangry said...

Those finger puppets - what a fantastic idea!

annita said...

I love your work. What about a harlequin.

Sara Strand said...

OK- I have a hard time deciding. I even thought about over night. Still can't decide- so it's up to you!

Choice A: Robert Pattinson. I love him, although I don't even know the man. But I'd like to have a mini Robert that I can tote around and pull out when Matt (my husband) gets all pissy then I can say, "What was that, Rob? Yes, I know you love me best." :) I love his crazy messed up hair, the brooding eyes and mouth. Yum O.

Choice B: My alter ego, Suzy the Floozy. OK, so I'm not Suzy nor a Floozy, but I'd like to pull her out when people come to my desk with attitude. They can deal with Suzy instead. Maybe she'd live on my desk. Of course, she'd have to be 1/4 boobs because I'm top heavy so I wouldn't want to be the only one. Maybe she should have crazy curly brown hair. Oh- let's put her in a hooker outfit and makeup for fun too. HAHA!!

Chicken Lips said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog. Your work is wonderful!

Tabitha the KnittingJourneyman said...

Your work is so inspiring.

Request a character? Shadow Everliving would be a truly wonderful and invigorating character to see fleshed out, in the wool.
She is the Kelpie Muse that gallops after me to keep me inspired.

Thank you for the opportunity to see the Muse that kicks my backside more than any other. :-)

Becka said...

The shop looks great! I loved the description of your finger puppet! I laughed out loud. Very Nice.

If I were to have a puppet, I would like Abigail Artsy-Phartsy. She's got wild hair in a messy ponytail, cats-eye glasses, a t-shirt with an "artsy" logo, and all mismatched and haphazard. She starts every conversation by apologizing for being late/not getting something finished/spacing out on a deadline and talks about being an "artist's time". She's pretty much the antithesis of me, so I think she and I could have fun together.

Anonymous said...

Now that I am back ON my chair, having fallen off from wonder and laughter, I compose myself.

I would dearly love to see my alter-ego in wool. Madame ChouChou is a teacher from France. She is a little, em, squishy, as she is not a young thing, but is comfortable in her middle years. Of course she carries a stereotypical bagueatte, so we are sure she is French, but she also carries a bunch of carrots as incentives for her little charges to learn their lessons. She sports glasses only a French woman would dare to wear.

Merci beaucoup! I need to have her because I am such a stick wielder, I forget about the carrots. ChouChou means teacher's pet.

Jo James said...

If I had my dream puppet, it would be AbraHAND Lincoln.
I guess ole Honest Abe isn't altogether fictitious, but he'd make a delightful finger companion, ever remindful to be an upright citizen. ☺

Lisa Lectura Creations said...

Hi Teresa! Congrats on opening the Etsy shop! I still haven't had a chance to kick-off my store yet. I love your giveaway idea! Very clever and fun! If I were to choose a puppet...I would imagine her to be a brunette angel with a little darkside to her and appropiately named Hope.

Thanks for your sweet comment on the BWBA blog!

Creative Blessings,
Lisa :)

paperbatty said...

You're always so much fun, Teresa. I have a Lamb Chop finger puppet. When I was coordinating a college student intern program, I used Lamb Chop to coach the slower students. "Don't forget to wear fresher smelling clothes tomorrow," or "Please don't call me at home anymore," etc. Let's all laugh and try not to feel too awkward.

If I could (and I never win anything, so I'm not banking on it) have one of your fantastical super artistical puppets, I would want little Pixie Marie Seaman, a red and tan chihuahua who lets me live with her. When I first got the real Pixie Marie from the rescue home, she was like a stuffed animal. She didn't run, play, approach people for affection, or eat if anyone else in the house was awake. She took up residence in my night stand and cowered there as much as I would let her. Now, after three years, she's become a real dog: an eight-pound hellion with ears as big as Yoda's and the attitude of Bette Midler. I would use the Pixie Marie Seaman hand-felted one of a kind Treadler puppet to boss myself around.

Congratulations on the Etsy store. It's nice. Things seem to take me three times longer than I hope these days, too.

gnomegarden said...

Oh I love the puppet! Hi girl! If I were to dream so huge-- it would be a FINGER OF THE UNIVERSE parenting puppet. When on my finger-- which would be most of the time no one would be able to question my parental judgments or requests. It would be the omnipotent and all powerful FINGER OF THE UNIVERSE acting. It would rain forth positive rewards for those who honored it, and maybe have a very small electrode in the tip for those who did not. :) I think it would look like the Goddess who runs this joint.

Otherwise-- I am having this crazy obsession with 'a midsummer night's dream' right now-- and I am thinking that maybe you need to make me finger puppets of the magical cast so that I can enjoy a little production right here at home. THAT would be some crazy fun felting!

Great work on the shop!!
xo Dawn

Tumbleweed Trails said...

My name is Lily Mae and here‘s what I have to say: I journey through my every day bestowing happiness on those who are sad, befriending those who are alone, and giving to those who are in need. I like to grant the wishes of those who wish and dance on the stars with those who dance. If I could do but one thing only it would be to bring about a smile on everyone’s face as all of their troubles, no matter how great or small, are cast away, vanishing with the wink of an eye. My name is…Lily Mae, can I help you in any way?

Fractured Fairy Tails said...

OMG! What a huge idea! It hurts my head with all the possibilities! You definitely have an untapped
market. You could go through the fairly tales - take quite a while, scary twisted tales for fall (my favorite)
and well, Christmas yee ha!

I personally would like to see a portable crusty curmudgeon. A pinched faced, blotchy complexed... turned
down mouth...maybe a simple hat...bad hair...... after all: “How would you feel having a finger shoved up
your bum and forced to talk! Not such a pleasant thought now is it. You think your life sucks. Well, let me
tell you - welcome to my world cupcake. You have work to do, well you should feel what its like to be
perched and twisted on some fools finger. You have cramps? Really? Lets talk bottom pain!
Procrastinate?...Procrastinate? What is your problem, PUT ME DOWN and get to work!”

How’s that for an idea. Someone to remind you life could always be worse...so enjoy what you have. And
if you feel the need to be a curmudgeon - make the puppet do it for you - blame him!