Finishing up George,

the stuffed dog who wanted to be a real puppet . . .

When we left, George was an eating puppet, but not a talking puppet. Time to make George talk!

 Sew another bag, this one does not have to be wide like the stomach.

Long and skinny.

Sew all 4 sides - a tube with no opening

Something I did for the Library . . .

Turning a Stuffed Animal into a Specialty Puppet

First, let me tell you that I have been carrying my copy of Bark George (OPL Link) by Jules Feiffer in the car for months.

The reason?
     I've known for a long time that I wanted to figure a way to 'do' Bark George in a story or laptime.

The problem:
     How do I work out the mechanics of it? Is it going to be an Old Lady Who Swallowed the Fly style of telling? You've seen the varieties, small animals and a swallowing old lady; big cardboard lady with a hole cut out for her stomach that you drop the animals into; a dress you wear and you get to act as the old lady and your 'belly' grows.

As good as these sound, they just weren't feeling right for George. George has to be 'hiding' the animals from the beginning and the vet takes them out.

Well - I'm telling you all - head on over to your local Goodwill or second-hand store. Find a LARGE stuffed dog with a likely mouth. You'll know it when you see it. It might take a few months, but when it happens, you'll know it!

 Let me introduce you all to GEORGE!

 

Click on pictures to open up a larger, close up view

 He has the perfect deep mouth I needed, it's almost already a puppet, and he's fairly large. The only drawback, he's not the same breed as found in Feiffer's book. Beggars can't be choosers.

To help this page load faster, I have inserted a page break. If you want to see how I made George the stuffed animal into George the specialty puppet . . . read on . . .

Storytelling Festival - Favorite Quotes

I've been a little busy lately, it seems there is never enough time to do the little things like post.

Part of that busy-ness was going to Jonesborough Tennessee for the National Storytelling Festival at the beginning of October.

If you have never gone to a storytelling festival you are missing one life's treasures. Go to a good one if you can (Timpanogos or Nationals) or go to a smaller local one if you can't, no matter what, do go.

If you went, if you've seen these tellers live, you'll get a kick out of these. If you haven't seen them live, you really don't know what you are missing.

My favorite quotes from Jonesborough

...sorry, no quotes from Timpanogos - I was too busy working it to be able to sit and listen to anyone.


Donald Davis

If mom walks out, she's won. If you can't argue, you can't win.

A vacation? No-one that'd ever slid down my family tree had ever gone on one of those.


Carmen Agra Deedy

Hell's gonna be what you fear the most.

On decorum: All decorum went away with cell phones

Their family tree don't fork.

I've just turned 50, so I've left kindness and estrogen behind.

If the world goes down in flames it won't be 'cause of the stone throwers, it'll be because of the ones who do nothing.


Kevin Kling

Okie Doke


Bil Lepp

Everything in this bottle came from my garden.
Everything from my garden is in this jar.

Hot Chick: (the politically correct version) A woman of attractive descent.

Skeeter's first law of force and motion: Bodies being chased by the law tend to stay in motion.

Why light a fire with one match when you can build a fire out of matches.

Vegans so Vegan they won't say "Glad to meet you."

We were just married, but before we had kids; so we had more money than we don't have now.


Kim Weitkamp

If you an't bleedin' you ain't fishin'.

Norm, it's my aim to keep this bathroom clean. Your aim would help.

Misplaced kindness has its fruit. Even a stray seed will sprout roots and can grow.

Many a home has been burned down by burning good intentions.


Kathryn Windham

They's so sorry they ain't fit to tote guts to the buzzards.

On packing for a vacation: You're going to see, not be seen.


Disclaimer - you REALLY have to see these teller's live to appreciate their genius. These little snippets aren't near as side-splitting funny here as what you see when performed live.

Dance Recital

Coming up in just a few days Alexis will have her Dance Recital!

I'll be posting some photos very soon...
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Here they are!

Alexis had a storytelling part - she told a story intermixed with the dancing inbetween. She memorized SO much - it was amazing!

That little girl has a memory and seems to be quite the little performer on top of that.

Oh, she did inform me that there was no way she was going to "...use as much expression as you do mom" - yes the girl used the word 'expression'.

As you can see, I think she still did use a bit of expression ;)

















... the costumes were ADORABLE, I just wish I could have snapped some better photos.













Lexy is in the middle - this was for the song 'Ain't I Sweet' Lexy is in the middle - this was for the song 'Ain't I Sweet'
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Thai did a lot of work on the backdrop - it was incredible! So much detail - Look, there are even litte pom poms on the dress and toes!

Now I get to scrap it all!























Thai & Alexis