beetlegrass

I Live in a Small Town

"I Live in a Small Town" is a 17-scene exhibit I created for Providence Children's Museum, which featured 36 of my handcrafted finger puppets and hundreds of miniatures I've made or collected over the years. The exhibit was on display for four months and was well received by little kids and by big kids who are sometimes disguised as adults.

Below are some of the inhabitants who resided in the display boxes which measured 12 5/8" L x 6 3/4" H x 5 1/8"W -- now THAT'S a small town!

Designing thematically when it comes to puppets, I believe, makes for endless and richer storytelling possibilities as the characters interact with one another. Some of the themes I work with include: Little Paris, the Rodeo and Nursery Rhymes. 

It was in the crafting of these puppets that their stories unfolded, which indicated to me where these guys would like to live -- what sorts of backdrops and props needed to be made -- in order to make their small world REAL.

Working on a miniature scale is both challenging and hugely rewarding to me as an artist. So, whether I'm working with fiber and fabrics, or with clay, wood, or wire, I am striving for a high level of detail, for impeccable craftsmanship, and for believability. The goal is ALWAYS to pull the viewer into the "story", and to delight.

 

These characters' stories and images are the property of and are ©Megan E. Jeffery. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 

Miniature Sweets

Have made some sweet items that I wanted to share with you!

The sundaes are made from polymer clay and pushpins -- I got the idea from this website.

 Cotton candy is made from rolled bits of paper and is topped with felted wool roving.

Candied apples are made from polymer clay and wooden dowels, with the "candied" part made from liquid clay that's had pastel dust added for the coloring. The "nuts" on the other apples are brown and tan clays that have been chopped up. 

Licorice sticks are made from polymer clay -- gel medium applied after baking for extra shininess.

Candy dots were made by applying dots of acrylic paint (via a toothpick) to strips of leftover sticker paper (you know, what's left after removing the sticker). I am pretty certain that I got the idea for making these dots from this YouTube channel that has a ton of great tutorials.

Fun, too, is just doing a Google image search on candies and candy shops to get ideas and figure out ways to make things with the stuff you have.

Illustration Friday: SEPARATED

My finger puppets Ping & Pong were once again called into active duty to illuminate this week's word, as were the miniature glue bottles I'd made a while back. That's the great thing about having a ton of props -- you can just dig 'em up and use 'em at a moment's notice!

Other SEPARATEDs HERE.

The names, concept & design of this puppet and their stories are the property of Megan E. Jeffery. This image is © Megan E. Jeffery. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

This Week on Big & Little: Bowling Pins

This should really be called "This Week on Little and LittleR", as these groupings of bowling pins are BOTH minis. LIttle littles were a gift from my dear, kind, sweet, lovable cousin Amber, and I'm finally getting around to photo'ing them -- thanks again, ADV!

This image is © Megan E. Jeffery. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Flea Market Finds: Mini Mailbox

So excited about this mini mailbox that has a flap that lifts and a door that opens (with keys), and a shelf inside! I've been looking for a mailbox for so long, and this is better than I could have hoped for! Still on the Wish List: a British mailbox and a French mailbox, oh an' also like a (U.S.) homeowner's mailbox. "Dear Santa..."

Thy Rod & Thy Staff, They Comfort Me

Some more silliness for you today. (Were you running low?)

Another of Life's lessons, as illustrated by donuts, can be found here. ENJOY. 

The name, concept & design of this puppet and his stories are the property of Megan E. Jeffery.This image is © Megan E. Jeffery. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Flea Market Finds: 2 Mini Horse Trailers

Today at the flea market: 2 horse trailers for $1.

The smaller one reads, "Rodeo Team", which is great because I have rodeo clown puppets, and the larger one reads, "Silver Saddle Horse Ranch", which is great because it just is. 

The names, concepts & designs of these puppets and their stories are the property of Megan E. Jeffery.This image is © Megan E. Jeffery. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Turn in Your Piece for Peace!

Not only is Babycakes Jr. a world-class baker, he's ALSO a civic-minded community leader. It's his commitment to his fellow citizens that led him to implement a gun turn-in program, with a drop-off point RIGHT IN HIS BAKERY... and what's more incentivizing than FREE PASTRY? Since Sal feels he's TURNING OVER a new leaf, he's putting the squeeze on Babycakes for some free apple TURNOVERs, too. Oh, Sal, you'll never REALLY change, will you?

(Cannoli are made from polymer clay. Just for this joke. YUP.)

The names, concepts & designs of these puppets and their stories are the property of Megan E. Jeffery.This image is © Megan E. Jeffery. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Market Value

It's been a while since I've both A. been to the flea market and B. purchased anything, but that dry spell ended TODAY.

Miniature dessert cart, 50¢.
Luigi has borrowed another puppet's fishnet stockings, but I won't tell if you don't.

Miniature enamelware washtub, 50¢.

The names, concepts & designs of these puppets and their stories are the property of Megan E. Jeffery.This image is © Megan E. Jeffery. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Stitch Wars Strikes Back: Greedo Finger Puppet

Greedo stands at 6" at the highest point. He's been made by a combination of wet felting, needle felting, sewing, beading, and of course: gluing. 

 

The *real* Greedo's vest is orange, but that was too vulgar to my eye, so instead went with a lavender cashmere wool (so lovely to touch), that was embellished with stitching in a variegated embroidery floss. Now he's ready to go out for the evening -- hence fashion belt (velvet) with chain instead of a gun holster. I like to pretend that Han shot first, outside of the cantina, when Greedo was just out for a night of fun and TOTALLY unarmed. Heehee.

Each of Greedo's hair spikes consists of 3 pieces of embroidery floss, braided together, then coated with glue and gel medium to stiffen. Opted for no pants for this version of Greedo because there was just NO WAY I was covering up the extreme yumminess of what that variegated aqua/purple roving does in his body. At first I was "afraid" of the shiny light blue material of his shirt, as I'd never worked with it before, but overcame that because this guy really benefits from the shine and silkiness that contrasts with the rough texture of his woolly body.

Since Greedo is the son of another bounty hunter, Beedo, I thought it'd be funny (my version of funny) to use quite a few beads on him, to show his parentage. So eyes and face bumps are beads. Technique known as "couching" using variegated yarn and metallic floss surrounds his eyes.

Other puppets in this series: Admiral Ackbar Ewoks Yoda

The design of this puppet and its images are © Megan E. Jeffery. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.