My annual Oscar Contest is now open! I have added an additional category this year (“Best Cinematography”) to hopefully help avoid ties. If you pick the most correct answers, you’ll win the big prize: a pair of custom-made, one-of-a-kind Black Swan and White Swan ballerina sock monkeys! One is beautiful, pure, and repressed; the other is totes sexy-crazy. They might just be my best sock creations yet. (However, I disclaim all responsibility if you use them to act out the movie and then it drives you insane.) Read on for more photos, or go here to enter.SPOILER ALERT!
Once upon a time, there was a young ballerina named Nina. She was beautiful and pure and kinda repressed, and her greatest dream was to dance the lead in Swan Lake. She lived with her demanding mother in a tiny womb-like apartment and didn’t have any friends. She was a little weird.
Through a series of events that may or may not have involved a pilfered lipstick and a stolen kiss, Nina got her wish and got picked to play the Swan Queen. As rehearsal wore on though, Nina started to get paranoid. She began to fixate on the new dancer Lily. Was someone following her? Who was that lurking in the shadows and behind mirrors?
Nina was perfect as the White Swan, but she couldn’t embody the sexuality and ecstasy of the Black Swan. She tried everything, but mostly her creepy Mom kept thwarting her. It really started to get to her. She spent a lot of time looking in mirrors. She got a weird rash on her shoulder.
On a night of reckless abandon, Nina goes to a club with Lily, drops Ecstasy, and makes out with a random dude. Then in the taxi, Lily makes a move…
They spend the night together – OR DO THEY? – and it pretty much facilitates Nina’s full psychotic break. She freaks out on her Mom and has some more avian hallucinations. On opening night, she wrestles with Lily in the dressing room and dramatically stabs her. Nina’s Black Swan persona finally emerges.
Exhilarated, Nina dances the third act as the Swan Queen passionately and sensually. As she dances, her arms sprout feathers and become full black wings. She loses herself and transforms into the Black Swan, earning a standing ovation. The whole audience wonders what the hell just happened.
But what becomes of the White Swan? Pretty much just what we all expected. OR DOES IT?
THE END
Actually, I’ve got some more photos so you can see the details of the prizes. First, the White Swan. She features a white dress with feather detail, white tutu, pink ballet shoes, and white feathered headpieces. She has a mysterious rash on her left shoulder.
 
 
Next, the Black Swan. She features a black dress with feather detail, black tutu, pink ballet shoes, and a black crown (of pipe cleaners). She has red button eyes and hand-painted makeup on her face and hands. She also features velcro down the back of each arm so you can attach a pair of black feathered wings.
 
 
What are you waiting for? Go enter the contest!
Massive thanks go to Kunaal and Josh for all their help, especially with the fantastic photos. And as always, thanks to the Snook for inspiration and assistance.
22 responses
Those monkeys are absolutely adorable. You did such a great job.
I think I may have to enter the competition.
lol I think this is your most brilliant sock monkey duo ever… even outshines my previous favourite (the brokeback boys with cute boots) 🙂
Amazing!! And I love that you included the rash on the white swan. I hope I win!
You’ve outdone yourself! May the 9th year I enter be the year I win!
The RASH! I’m dying.
I have to WIN those monkeys!!
shelley 🙂
WOW
but brokeback mountain was still my favorite
I’m not a sock monkey aficionada, but even I think these are wonderful.
Omfg this is hilarious, right down to the Velcro detail for wings! Normally I’m a bit blase about oscars but this makes me want to enter.
Only you could turn the swans into sock monkeys and have them turn out so awesome, well done!
you. are. insane. (brokeback was my fave, too!)
You are a sock monkey genius. Unfortunately I have NO CLUE about who should win anything at the Oscars…
Echoing Rachel, you are a sock monkey genius. These are brilliant!
(I do kinda wish you’d done The Queen when that came out. I’d love to see a Helen Mirren/QEII sock monkey.)
LOLOLOLOL I love the prizes!
These are awesome! what an amazing job!
I love the sock monkeys even more this year than usual!
You are nuts. Totes nuts. But I love to see what you come up with every year. BBM is still my fave, but these come very very close.
I made Mary-Helen say “totes”! MY LIFE IS COMPLETE. 🙂
Pffffft! (That’s a raspberry. Would you like some cream with that?)
LOVE the monkey!
Wow, those are creepy. I gotta have ’em.
Always a pleasure, web goddess! THANK YOU!
Good luck everyone!