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Exaggeration

August 26, 2015 //
0

bully fairy and mouse

Mouse used to be Devil‘s confidant. But since he started his new job he doesn’t have much time for her. She didn’t mind too much as she was so engaged with Artists’s survival cookbook. She didn’t even notice they were drifting apart. All of a sudden she realised that it was difficult to have a decent conversation with him. And since he wasn’t forthcoming with any info Mouse turned to Fairy Godmother, who has been chatting a lot with Devil lately.

“Do you know what’s up with Devil?” Mouse asked her bluntly. Fairy Godmother rolled her eyes, “I think he is loosing it” she said, and held both her hands up as if she wanted to say don’t go there. “He tells me stories” she continued. “They can’t possibly have happened. It sounds like his colleague is Machiavelli and our friend Devil is a wallflower. He surely must be exaggerating.” Mouse looked at her in surprise. That didn’t sound anything like the Devil she knew. “You know, Devil is actually very caring. Some people only think ill of him because he doesn’t blindly side with them. He always calls a spade a spade.”

“I’m telling you he’s loosing it!” repeated Fairy Godmother.

“Just give me an example” begged Mouse.

“It seems there is one colleague, Top Dog, who has it in for him” said Fairy Godmother. “But I can’t tell you any details. He has told me so much that it’s all become a bit blurred.”

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Categories Art, bullying, Hand Puppets, Life, Social Network

Bullying?

August 25, 2015 //
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bully devil

Mouse was shocked when she heard Devil had been bullied in his new job. The two of them had done so much together and worked really well as a team, like when they ran the Super Dede competition at Christmas two years ago. Then Devil lost his daytime job and in the aftermath he became a little withdrawn.  Mouse wanted to help, but Devil begged her to leave him alone. As a good friend she respected his request and put it down to his grief, but kept an eye on him. Normally, Dedes get over set-backs in no time at all and sure enough, it didn’t take long before Devil found a new job. Everyone was excited and confident that once he found his feet in the new job, he will be back to his old self – It never happened!

Yesterday Mouse finally went to Devil and asked, “I hear you have a hard time at work. Philosopher says you get bullied”

Devil, who is very confident and assertive, looked at her for a while. “I am not sure whether you can call it that” he finally said. “Bullying is such a blanket excuse. A lot of people throw it in the ring simply because they don’t get their own way. And that is the end of any discussion, isn’t it.”

“But you have certainly lost your humour” Mouse remarked.

“Ah well, I have to get to the bottom of it somehow” sighed Devil “and that means a lot of hard, honest soul searching”

 

 

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Categories Absurd, Art, bullying, Hand Puppets, Life, Social Network

Her agenda

August 9, 2015 //
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ebrace series.indd

It is common knowledge that Harvey, the rabbit, is not the smartest cookie in the jar and is a womaniser to boot. No need to ask him twice to tango with Foxy Lady. He is well aware he punched above his weight there. Foxy Lady is one of my favourite Dedes. She is a gorgeous thing and I always thought we have a lot in common (not the looks though ;). However, when I reflected on this picture again, I got the feeling she had an agenda of her own and I don’t know what will happen to poor Harvey when he ends up in the fox’s den. She is definitely the stronger of the two and is leading the dance.

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

One second look

August 4, 2015 //
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ebrace series.indd

That is another one of the series. Little Lou the puppy was constantly harassing Skeleton Edeltraut and back then I was really happy, when I finally got them together in front of the camera. Everybody can understand that Lou wants to be close to Edeltraut, afterall she is just a heap of bones, and I isn’t it brilliant that she seems to have overcome her fear of the playful puppy. Once again after revisiting the images, I have the feeling that poor Edeltraut is suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. Her blank eyes make me suspicious. Doesn’t Lou parades her like a trophy? Edeltraut doesn’t seem at ease at all.

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

It didn’t work

June 28, 2015 //
3

ah well

3 days to go on the crowd funding campaign for the Artist’s survival cookbook and it is clear it didn’t work. Well,  to be honest, it would have been a miracle if it had worked, as I am not well connected. Though it was worth a try. It was an interesting experience. What surprised me the most, was how many times I had to explain what crowd funding actually is, even to young people. On a postive note, 7502 hits on the little film is a great result! It is definitely good to have in the marketing mix, though the question is how much effect it will have on the book. I had a look where the most viewers came from and first of course is New Zealand with 3300 views, but the second is Vietnam with 605 views. Even more bamboozling, there are more viewers in Nepal than in Brazil, where I know the Dedes have some really good friends. Beats me :)

Ah well, the Dedes will battle on…

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Categories Absurd, Art, Books, Comedy, film, Fun, Hand Puppets, Promotion, Self-publishing

Update

June 10, 2015 //
4

Alien2

Alien seems to be happy, but he is a happy chappy anyway, not a softy like Devil and Mouse. Anyway, he came into the kitchen today to give us the latest update on the campaign for the Artist’s Survival Cookbook. We have 4 people who pre-ordered the book so far and a whooping 870 people who watched the film.

“What’s there to celebrate?” asked Devil. “If only every eighth person would pre-order the book, we would have met our target by now. Nah, I don’t believe in this modern marketing stuff.”

“That is why you are no longer the spokesperson for the Dedes” replied Alien. “Let me have a go at it!”

“I only know I can’t do it anymore” said Mouse, and got herself a new handkerchief.

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Categories Absurd, Art, Books, Comedy, film, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Promotion, Self-publishing

Break down

June 8, 2015 //
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mouse sniffling

Mouse and L’Artiste have been working hard over the last two weeks to get the crowdfunding campaign together. They made one film, which was far too long and they also realised it looked like they are promoting a cooking show. No, they really wanted to entice people to support their art and their cookbook – the book they’ve spent every free minute on and laboured over for the last six months. They decided to reshoot. They really wanted to get it right. Anyway, they finally got the campaign up. Last weekend Mouse was busy sending out emails telling every man and his dog that the campaign is finally up and running, and then…. nothing!

This morning I found Mouse sitting in a corner of the art cupboard, crying her little heart out. “Nobody wants the book” she said between sobs. “Absolutely nobody! It’s not that they have to give us money for nothing, they’ll get a full-colour book with over 100 pages for it!”

“Give it time” said L’Artiste with a brave face, though I thought I saw the glint of a tear in his eye as well.

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Categories Absurd, Art, Books, Comedy, Fun, Life, Promotion, recipes, Self-publishing

Campaign

June 5, 2015 //
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pledge me

Hurrah, I have done it. The crowdfunding campaign for the Artist’s survival cookbook is finally up and running. If you pledge, you basically pre-order the book but you also can pledge for a Lil’Dede, or the real thing, a Dede! They are not often for sale. Have a look, have a heart, and pledge. :) And if you know someone who might be interested in the book, share! Get the word out! The Dedes and I are grateful for all your support.

 

 

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Categories Absurd, Art, Book Launch, Books, Comedy, craft, film, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Promotion, recipes, Self-publishing

Finally, Hamburger buns

May 10, 2015 //
0

hamburger bun

How could we have missed this. All those flour and water recipes and no hamburger buns. We have pizza and pasta and some more obscure things, but no hamburger buns. Mouse and Devil’s Advocate are currently editing the book, while L’Artiste does the layout. It is strange how you often only see inconsistencies once everything is formatted. Anyway, last night they realised they have no hamburger buns. Milky Bar Devil laughed as this is what he wanted to contribute. “Why didn’t you say so?” Mouse asked a bit annoyed. “Ah well, I thought that everything has to be crunchy, the buns, the pizza base, the grissini… I thought you aren’t interested in a soft bun.” He gave Mouse a big elfish smile and it was immediately clear why he prefers the soft buns. He has a big gap in his teeth.

“No, you got the wrong impression there” said Mouse. “We always point out that tastes are different. Some people like a soft pizza base, others a crunchy one. It’s simply that I like it crunchy, but for the completeness of the book we definitely need hamburger buns. So would you please give me your recipe!”

Milky Bar Devil handed over his piece of paper and Mouse was surprised how quick they could be made. Despite it being a yeast dough, they only need to rise once. She shook her head in disbelieve. “Does this really work?” she asked. “Yes,” Milky Bar Devil said and grabbed the recipe back. “Give me half an hour and I’ll quickly throw them together for you.”

Ingredients

3 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons of dry yeast, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 cup of lukewarm water. 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil, 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Baking paper or silicon mat for the tray.

Method

Put flour in a bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in water and add the yeast and sugar and sprinkle a little of the flour over the water (the sugar and flour will help the yeast to become active). Let stand for 10 minutes until the yeast is foamy.

Preheat the oven to 2200C

In a separate bowl whisk together egg, salt and oil with a fork. Then add the yeast and flour. Work everything into a soft dough and knead for about 5 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. To start with the dough is very sticky and will want to stick to the work surface and your hands. Do not add more flour, just knead until it is an elastic, non-sticky dough. Divide into 8 balls and place on tray lined with a silicon mat or baking paper. Flatten the balls lightly to form a disc.

Cover with a clean tea towel and let rest for at least 10 minutes or until the oven is heated to the right temperature.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack.

 

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Categories Absurd, Art, Books, Comedy, Hand Puppets, Life, recipes, Self-publishing

A well-intended idea

May 6, 2015 //
4

 

Well, well, Devil is angry with me again. He’s the one who always reminds me I should look after the Dedes. After all, he was the spokesperson for the Dedes for a long time and knows how important it is to keep in people’s minds. Mind you, in the end he got sacked because he did a poor job. To be honest, he is not very well connected and all he did was jog me along, rather than opening up new avenues. Sadly, this is exactly the one trait Devil and I have in common… we are not very public.

Now, Devil didn’t need to remind me of my obligations to the Dedes. Believe you me, I have constantly been thinking about them. I just didn’t have time to write my blog or continue on the Artist’s survival cookbook. Real life devils have their demands on me as well – Real life still wins, every time!

Devil got particularly angry when I took some time last week to make a non-Dede related stop-motion film with Son. Son is a Vietnamese student who is currently staying with us. He wanted to bake a birthday cake for his ex-girlfriend who is living in Australia. The story was complicated enough to grab my attention. So, on a rainy Sunday we went to the supermarket, got all the ingredients and spent the afternoon having fun making the cake. He uploaded the finished work to youtube and promised me the link to put up on my blog. By the way the cake tasted delicious. But, I’m still waiting for the link.  I reminded Son at least four times about the link. Finally it occurred to me that maybe he didn’t get the desired reaction and deleted it off youtube. So I stripped all the lovely messages for the girlfriend out and here is my version of it.

Why am I showing this film of unreciprocated love? My involvement in the film wasn’t entirely selfless. At the moment I am pondering how I can promote the Artist’s survival cookbook. One of my ideas is to put a “Pledge me” campaign together. Pledge me is a New Zealand crowd-funding platform and I think a book is perfectly suited to crowd funding. In fact it’s not much more than pre-selling the book, is it? To create a campaign I have to make a new movie. I wanted to explore what baking looks like in stop-motion. I quite liked the result of the cake, now I only have to add the Dedes somehow. The little buggers don’t want to get their mittens dirty.

The central problem remains: I am not well-connected and if the campaign flops, will I do more damage to the Dedes than good? What do you think?

 

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Categories Absurd, Art, Book Launch, Books, Comedy, film, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Promotion, Relationships, Social Network, Stop Motion
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