Recycled Mongrels

Just look what a lovely customer gave me! She's fashioned this little beast out of an old pair of pure wool Mongrel socks. The customer's name is Kate, and along with this little Mongrel, she made a couple more which flew with her to Paris, and were given as part of a wedding present. I just love my little guy, not only because he's cute, but he's proof that with a bit of imagination any thing is possible. 

Mongrel history

Last night I came across and article written about one of my ancestor's. Being Tasmanian born and bred, to discover I was from convict stock was not a surprise, and to my delight, I found my ancestor was a very interesting and resourceful fellow. Below I've copied one mention of him I found on the net.

One successful Van Diemen’s Land escapee was a convict named Cripps. Cripps was employed as a dog-handler for a while before being taken back to Port Arthur to join a timber-cutting gang. His other job was to prepare the dog food and, being an entrepreneur, he stole flour from the recipe (they didn’t have Pal) to sell on the black market. He was caught and, facing the lash, took off. He made his way to Eaglehawk Neck dog pound and, because the dogs knew him, he was welcome. He stole two of the dogs (who were also more than happy to have some freedom) and took them into the bush.

Cripps built a large, comfortable, bark hut and lived contentedly for 18 months or so, hunting game with the dogs, and occasionally nipping back to Port Arthur to abscond with some flour, sugar, soap, salt and cabbages. He was discovered by chance when an officer (coincidentally the one who had previously owned the two dogs) stumbled on his hut. Apart from Cripps, he also found more than 1800 kangaroo and wallaby skins, neatly tied in bundles.

Cripps was packed off to Port Arthur again, for an extended stay and 100 lashes, but lived out his final years as a free man.
http://www.warrenfahey.com/dogs-1.htm

Isn't it funny that more than 170 years later one of his ancestor's makes their living making Mongrel Socks. A leaning toward entrepreneurial pursuits may well be a family trait, one I'm happy to have.

Mongrel tree's

We've have just ordered another 50 endemic tree's to plant on our rural property. We've been planting out our 9 acre's of nude hill with natives for the last few years-hoping in someway to offset the carbon footprint our business-Mongrel sock making creates. We've lost count of how many we've put in but numbers in the hundreds. The tree's are planted as seedling's, most not much more than six inches tall, now many of them are up to 3 metre's. We started planting out the property round the boundries, that done, we're moving in. Needing to keep the new planting watered, we've elected not to water the house garden-so have lost a few ornamental's but really haven't lost nearly as much as we thought we would. It is truely delightful to see the native fauna, furry, feathered and scaley, making themselves at home and thriving. Since we eradicated the latest feral cat invasion, the variety of bird life has exploded. We have a small water trough near the house, just off the verandah, which is a busy spot in the morning's and early evening's. A lovely place to start and finish our Mongrel Sock making day's. It's where we do most of our business planning, phone calls and meetings-it a hard life, eh? Kind of nice to be doing the right thing for the environment, and reaping the benefit's.

It's a mystery. Not!

I received this comment along with an order today

I bought a pair of these about 4 years ago at the markets,
and loved them. about 18months ago I lost them...not in
that mysterious odd sock in the laundry way, in the
suspicious has anyone seen my awesome socks kind of way.
Just now they have turned up,in my daughters backpack that
is about to head off to Europe once again.  Apparently
the socks no longer belong to me.
Who am i to argue...just send me a fresh pair!! 

Kids!
Buy them something you think they'll love, need or must have-they will take one look at it(whatever it may be), and tell you they wouldn't be caught dead using/wearing it. But....should a parent, heavens forbid, spend money on something only for themselves. They will be accosted with the blackmailing cries of "where's mine"and "that's not fair" or the worse"it looks better on me and I need it more". If that doesn't have the desired effect of parting their parent from self indulgent purchase. We can all be assured the said item will absolutely, definately disappear before too long.
So, my advice to all Mongrel Socks wearers, especially parents who value their socks......
Hide them well!

Mongrels on the move!

I've just received this photo along with a number of others taken by Mongrel wearer's while holidaying around a wintery Tasmania. This one's taken at Freycinet National Park on Tasmania's East Coast. Not far from the pristine beach of Wine Glass Bay. Don't be deceived by the clear blue skyed, sunny day. Typically of Tassie in winter, the day was clear but only 10 degC max temperature on the day. She was fine, preventing brain freeze with her pure wool "Mongrel Tasmanis" Head Warmer, and kitted out with her pure wool Mongrel Socks and Leg Warmers, she kept the cold at bay, and was able to enjoy the glorious day.