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Preaparations

June 1, 2016 //
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It looks like the idea of a Super Dede Competition 2016 has found general approval. The preparations are running high and the competition will start on Monday the 4th of June.

Not everybody is excited though. Smuggy, who was mainly noticed for his heckling last time, tried to prevent it all from happening by running away with the curtain. But Chambermaid held on tight, she does not want to let go of her dream. This morning Snippedy, the clown put Smuggy in his place. He said it is okay for Smuggy to be opposed, as he doesn’t have any talent whatsoever. Snippedy on the other hand, has been working hard in the past years to improve his skills. You might remember that last time Snippedy didn’t make it into the final group of five contestants. He had absolutely no votes from the viewers. This won’t happen again, he is adamant. I had to bite my tongue. Don’t you think the comment was very imprudent, knowing that this guy’s talent is definitly heckling.

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Categories Absurd, Art, Comedy, Competition, Hand Puppets, Life, Promotion, Social Network

That’s, how it’s done!

May 26, 2016 //
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Mouse had taken on the promotion of The Super Dede Competition ebook, despite she has no clue about marketing. She did it basically because no-one else held their hand up (as usual), but somehow the book needs to be advertised. She was adamant it had to be an Instagram promotion, as the Dedes seem to be going well there. So she spent a day researching and then jumped onto the computer to create a regram ad with popular Chambermaid as the poster girl. Devil, who used to be the spokes person, poo-pooed her attempt and said  no-one would regram an ad for a book of the value of US$3.99. Most of the Dede followers on Instagram have a particular aesthetic on their site and such a regram ad would stick out like a sore thumb. Mouse was still thinking about an appropriate response, when Harvey, the rabbit came along and said the book should be free anyway. This was too much for Mouse and she had one of her break-downs, that unfortunately happen all too often as she works far too hard.  Devil could see:  Yes, Harvey had a point, but so had Mouse.  The book should be free to our followers, but we cannot do everything for free forever. At this point he volunteered to take over the ebook promotion. After all he used to be the MC for the “Super Dede Competition” and if the book sells it is in his best interest. His solution was to make the ebook free until Saturday, the 28th of May 2016.

So, head over to Smashwords.com and get your free copy. Enter the code VV39S before you check out. 

Of course if you want to support the Dedes feel free to buy the book. If you like the Dedes, tell everyone about it. And if you don’t like it,  keep your mouth shut. :)

“Really!” said Mouse, “isn’t that obvious? Do we have to say that? Oh, …I hate marketing!”

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Categories Absurd, Art, Book Launch, Books, Comedy, dada, Fun, Promotion, Self-publishing

The struggle continues

May 20, 2016 //
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Yes, the Dedes are back to normal. Unfortunately part of their normality is their struggle for survival. They don’t want to have anything for free, but for some of them it is very difficult. Look, for example, at Rob D Light. He has been looking for a job for ever and lives under a blanket of newspapers. His old one is ripped and he gratefully grabbed the discarded ransom note because it was glued on 120gsm paper. That will be a bit warmer than the thin newsprint in the approaching New Zealand winter.

SuperDedeCompetition_CoverMouse said Cool Cat should do some work to get noticed, but that is easier said than done. Mouse works relentlessly. She is a workaholic to be precise, but does she earn a decent income? No! She has put together the Artist’s Survival Cookbook which is available in print, and just two days ago, she put the latest publication The Super Dede Competition as an ebook on smashwords. The problem is the marketing. Not one Dede is an expert at that.

So, Mouse has taken charge of this now as well. She put the price on US$3.99, which for an ebook might appear a bit dear, but she argued it should be viewed as a donation to the Dedes. They don’t want to have anything for free, though it is obvious they can’t survive on thin air. “Look at it” she said defending her decision. “It is the price of a cup of coffee”. Then she went on to explain where the money is going. $1 from each book goes to Rob D Light and another $1 goes to L’Artiste so he can continue his carefree work. The rest that is not withheld by Smashwords for administration will go to repay debts the Dedes have accumulated in recent years. Originally she wanted to put it in the kitty for a rainy day, but no, it is better to get rid of debts first the others said.

So here we are: click on the image, buy the book, donate to the Dedes and tell all your friends about it. The Dedes will be eternally grateful.

xxx

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Categories Absurd, Art, Book Launch, Books, Comedy, dada, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Promotion, Relationships, Self-publishing

Issue of equality

May 18, 2016 //
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The Dedes are back to their old antics. The exhibition opening is over, mother’s day with all its warm and fuzzies is over. Remember in my last post I revealed I particularly like the cow, as she has my eyes, and Devil as he was the first puppet. Two of the lesser known Dedes, Magician and Eve L. took issue with the fact that I have favourites and decided to do something about it. Though they didn’t compare notes of what they are going to do and each of them approached the issue from a different angle.

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Eve L. requested some old newspapers and packaging tape and disappeared into the studio rustling about all day. The next day she appeared and announced that she had figured out I obviously liked puppets with horns, therefore she adorned herself with a homemade contraption so I would love her more. Mhm. Interesting! I have to say her sample data was a little too small. She obviously looked at one post only. If she had followed the blog more carefully she would realise that there are plenty of puppets without horns who feature strongly.

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Anyway Cool Cat looked at Eve L and said it is not a good idea to do things only to be loved and accepted. Right she looked pretty silly, didn’t she.

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When Magician had seen the newspaper he had the idea to write a ransom note to the artist (that would be me). His announcement to do this and the proof of taking action (the picture of him fetching the scissors) had the most views on the Dede Instagram site so far. I have to ponder what this is telling me.

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Anyway he demanded equal treatment of all puppets and delivered the note anonymously. Though it didn’t quite work as the hat was a give away.  I was a bit confused. You might know that one of my favourite signs is the saltire (x) as it is very ambiguous. I looked at the note and wondered, if Magician is not able to sign his name or if he sent three kisses with the note.

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Before I could make up my mind, Milky Bar Devil grabbed the note and ripped it up. Remember the last we saw of Milky Bar Devil was when he was ordered to read a big pile of philosophy books. And sure enough, the reading had an impact on him. He said: “Rubbish, you don’t need to treat everyone the same, you should treat everyone fairly, right?”

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In the meantime Cool Cat, who is – just like any other cat – far too proud to join the crowd, asked what one HAS to do to feature in any of the Dedes stories.  Mouse, who happened to walk past just said: “Do some work”

Yes, you see, everything is back to normal.

 

 

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Categories Absurd, Art, Comedy, dada, Fun, Life, Relationships

The Dede history

May 12, 2016 //
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I am often asked how the Dede puppets came about and I think now is an appropriate time to tell the story as it was Mother’s Day last Sunday.

Here is the short version of the story:

When I was little, my mother used to tell us kids about a devil hand puppet she once made but left behind when moving house. I never saw the puppet but she talked about it with such passion that in my mind it must have been the most beautiful hand puppet ever. Some decades later I tried to get rid of a rather large pile of newspaper and I was quite surprised when I suddenly had a very strong desire to make a devil hand puppet. My mother and I didn’t have a particularly good relationship and when I started making the puppets I realised I was about the same age my mother was when she told me about her puppet. Anyway, the devil turned out beautifully – even if I do say so myself – and I continued making more. Within a week I had a cast of fifteen and they were received very favourably by my friends. At this stage my mother was still alive and could see pictures of the first puppets and hear how well they were received. Sadly she passed away shortly after. I can but view the puppets as my mother’s legacy to me. There isn’t a day when I don’t think about her and develop a better understanding of her life and her motivations.

In the picture above Cash Cow, who has my eyes, holds a picture of my mother. Can you see the similarity?

Below is my very first Dede puppet, Devil. He will always have a special place in my heart, even though I am sure he has nothing in common with my mother’s devil.

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Categories Absurd, Art, Comedy, craft, dada, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships

Flurry of work

April 7, 2016 //
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The Dedes are in a strange state at the moment. We are currently preparing to move to the countryside and there is heaps to do on the house before this happens. The strange is, the Dedes came to life when we extended the house and created a big studio space. Now they seem to die, because we are about to leave. I am truly looking forward to new beginnings, though at the same time I still have trouble letting go of this perfect space we have created here. It has been my safe haven in recent years, when my outside world seemed to be collapsing around me. I don’t know when, if ever, I will be able to create something I am equally comfortable with. But before we move we have to get rid of a lot of junk. (This is exactly the reason why I created the Dedes in 2012 – I had to clear out the spare room and get rid of all the old newspapers). This time I have to get rid of a lot of building material :)

A friend of mine, who was one of my students years back, has created an amazing studio space in Mt Eden in Auckland and she has invited me to take part in a big opening exhibition at the end of the month. So L’Artiste is in a flurry to finish off half completed work. Sometimes he is totally lost in his studio. Can you find him in the picture below?

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Categories Absurd, Art, Comedy, dada, Life

Easter break

March 28, 2016 //
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Happy Easter everyone. I love Easter: four days of peace and quiet, the weather is still warm, the homely sound of the lawn mowers in the neighbourhood. It is not unlike the Northern Hemisphere, unfortunately we are now heading into the colder period.

Anyway, I have to give you a run-down what happened in the Dede world since my last post. So Evan G List said to Milky Bar Devil he should read up on morals, values and beliefs to understand what a devil is. Punch Drunk (picture above) thought it was hilarious that Evan G List wanted to teach a devil morals. But Milky Bar Devil is an eager and conscientious student and he grabbed all the books he could find on the bookshelf. We are pretty sure we won’t see him for a while, we all know how difficult it is to read a philosophical text :)

Here a little gallery of what else happened

 

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Categories Absurd, Art, Comedy, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, recipes

What is a devil?

March 18, 2016 //
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Devil pushed Bad Conscience to free Mr Vague from his grip. We all know it is not particularly nice when Bad Conscience latches on to you, but now that he was on the receiving end of unpleasant treatment, he made a big scene. He fell to the ground and whinged incessantly, calling Devil a bully. Devil immediately checked whether he sustained an injury and once he found out that this was not the case said, “You really deserved that!”

Devil is also responsible for educating the little devils – there are quite a few among the Dedes, not all of them show their horns openly. As a good educator,  he likes to make his teaching relevant and posed the question; “What actually makes you a devil?” Milky Bar Devil, who is the starpupil, immediately raised his hand to give the answer, but Devil wanted to hear from the audience. Sadly no-one came forward with an answer, so Milky Bar Devil got his chance in the end. But instead of answering, the inquisitive little mind asked if being a devil wouldn’t be a matter of perception.

Now Evan G List, who is a stickler for rules, entered the scene. Very patronisingly he patted the little scholar on his back and said while there is something in the question, the pupil should look into morals, values and beliefs. Milky Bar Devil got a little annoyed and reminded him that he is only in Lesson 1 of his training. He can’t possibly know the ins and outs of such a tricky and contentious subject already.

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Categories Absurd, Art, bullying, Comedy, dada, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships

Gossip

March 14, 2016 //
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When Mr Vague realised how hard the Dedes had tried to warn the little Walrus about Top Dog he became very worried. While he is at pains to not draw any attention to himself, he is well aware he has done some pretty dumb things at times. He thought the Dedes might now gossip about him behind his back. Bad Conscience is always on the lookout for a tormented soul to latch onto so immediately jumped at the opportunity to grab Mr Vague. Once Bad Conscience has you in his vice like grip he likes to move in with you. While he doesn’t need much space and doesn’t say much, he has a big problem with reflux and regurgitates a lot. The room fills quickly with an air of sour grapes. A truly unpleasant smell. Devil spotted what was going on and came to Mr Vague’s rescue.

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Categories Absurd, Art, Comedy, dada, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships, Social Network

Top Dog’s return

March 11, 2016 //
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He considers himself a sly fox

Easter is not far away and if you follow the Dedes you might recall that around this time last year I tried to sacrifice my Dede puppet Top Dog for the benefit of the others. (https://dedepuppets.com/2015/03/27/top-dog-has-to-go/).

With his narcissistic personality  he was unsettling the Dede community big time. In the end I put him in the garden to expose him to the elements and hoped for a quick decline. Unfortunately, he was stronger than me and he resisted his demise. After a week or so I felt sorry for him and let him back inside. Subsequently, I wanted to send him to a dog training centre. It was all agreed, but the handlers never came to pick him up. It seems I can’t get rid of him and he is still with us, and annoying as ever. The other Dedes try to ignore his antics. To find out what his problem is read the post https://dedepuppets.com/2014/12/07/top-dog/ and https://dedepuppets.com/2014/12/14/top-dog-deciphered/

For a year he tried to recoup his rightful position at the top of the pack. After all, he is convinced he’s the best. This time though he is going after the lil’Dedes. Maybe he expects less resistance. But what do I know? For a week or two now he has been wooing the cute little walrus, crooked teeth and all. With his watchful eye he spotted the money she keeps under her mattress and would love to get his hands on it for a new “business venture”. The Dedes have tried to warn the little Walrus but they might have to admit defeat. Isn’t it futile to warn someone who is infatuated?

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Categories Absurd, Art, Comedy, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life
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