Easter Bunny

At first I embroidered a sort of pink nose and mouth on the felt, but changed it to the heart-shaped snout with whiskers after playing around with it. It was difficult to embroider the whiskers on the puppets after they were sewn. I should make sure I'm satisfied with a face design before sewing around the edges. But it's best to glue the eyes on after sewing as they can be a bit bumpy under the presser foot of the sewing machine. Don't forget pompom tails. Happy Easter!

In like a lion...

An old truism says that if March "comes in like a lion", it "goes out like a lamb": if March 1 is blustery, March 31 will be fine, and vice versa. Both March 1 and 31 were fine, if cold, in Nova Scotia, though March 2 and 29-30 provided wintry weather in various parts of the province. This year, the early daylight savings time change on March 11 meant we could bundle up for outdoor play (bikes, scooters, road hockey) after supper in the light. A great way to start spring.

I wanted to make a lamb to go with the lions on this theme, but I can't quite get the face and ears pattern in my mind. I usually look in books and at images on the Internet, but anyway, the lamb design eludes me for now. Maybe a reader can send in a design at some point. I really welcome posts about your own designs for puppets!

Blankets of Love

I read in Tuesday's Chronicle-Herald that volunteers around Nova Scotia make quilts and afghans, and send them to the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia where they are delivered to mental health patients in hospital. Over 250 blankets have been delivered so far. Kathy Higgins of the Mayflower Quilting Guild said, "We can't be with all of the patients to provide them with a hug... so this is our way of being able to do that." For more information call the Foundation at 902-464-6000. The Herald article was by Lois Legge. I have requested a photo for this post as I don't think I can legally reprint the one from the Herald.

Zucchini felt finger puppet

This zucchini puppet is pretty basic. I guess she could be called a little green person too, but I was thinking zucchini when I made her. If it was a person I might have added hair.

Any resemblance to a certain animated vegetable character involved in "Sunday morning values, Saturday morning fun!" is purely coincidental though quite flattering.

The photo was taken on my front lawn.

Thanks for the contribution!

I haven't even launched my blog yet and already the love is coming in! My friend (my new friend and my sister's old friend) Patti looked at my blog. And then she outed herself as a finger puppet lover too, and waxed lyrical over the common crow. To quote:

"I wanted to let you know that I have made a great finger puppet. The crow. He is made much like your pig. Two pieces of black felt sewn together. Add googly eyes, and a V shaped gold nose and glue some great black feathers to his back rising up like a great tail. I also stuck a tongue depressor up inside (instead of a finger) and added a magnet to the back so he could rest on your fridge when he wasn't in use. I think crows get a bad rap in this world, they are very smart and help with keeping the earth clean. What is so bad about that?"

Patti claims to be retired from finger puppet construction, so she sent me her leftover supplies - a whole bunch of sewn bodies (or heads - I guess it depends what the puppet turns out to be) awaiting features , and lots of eyes and pompoms. Woo hoo, we're in business. Can't wait to make a crow though I can't quite figure the feather bit out.

I can tell where this is heading - soon I'll need to hold a Glue 'n' Chew party. You've heard of Stitch 'n' (you know what); well a Glue 'n' Chew is when you gather pals of either sex, assemble crafts with a glue gun, and of course, have snacks. My son's school has one every year to create Christmas ornaments for their Sharing Tree. When a child brings in a book to go under the tree, they take an ornament home as a souvenir. The books are sent to a designated charity. In 2006 it was North Queens Elementary School in Caledonia, NS. It was destroyed by fire the previous summer.

Anyway, maybe we'll have the Glue 'n' Chew to celebrate the launch of the Puppets for Kids Blog. Hey Patti, do you feel like coming to town and making puppets with us?