Bumbles - The Collection

Bumbles

Finger Puppet

I wish Starbucks would start doing the finger puppets again!

Working... And Stuff...

Some puppets in progress currently in the studio....

I was thinking about this this morning, and felt the need to share.
It's goofy, but fun (at least to me)

I'm not a close minded person, and am always open to new things, but with that stated there are a few things I just have no interest in, or have tried and didn't dig it, so won't do it again. Most of it is Pop Culture related...
I made a list:

TEN THINGS I'M NOT GONNA BOTHER WITH
1. McRib. I'm not getting on that train, ever. Don't tell me how great it is then 5 minutes later complain about your health.
2. Harry Potter. I tried the first book, and I got bored. I tried one of the movies, it was OK, but I don't need to see the rest.
3. Reality Television. Why would I watch these "real" yet staged events, when I can just turn off the TV get off the couch and live in reality?
4. Twilight. I'm not even going to explain it.
5. Drugs. I don't have the time to waste.
6. Sequels. I love movies, and movies that are series also. Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Mad Max, X-Men, I've seen them all... BUT if I didn't like part one do I need to see part two? No. Or if I did like part one, then go see part two and it's a stinker, I'm not going to see part three (i.e. The Matrix) no matter how many people tell me part three was better.
7. Ipad and Iphone and Blackberry, etc... I have a cell, I have a computer, I have a Ipod. Do I really need to be that connected? Nope. I love being online, I love watching videos, and so on. But I also love human contact. Sometimes ya just gotta unplug, turn off the gadgets and hang out with real live human beings.
8. The Smurfs Movie. Or for that matter any movie that takes an old cartoon/comic strip, etc and does it in computer animation or live action, or worse: a combination. Chipmunks? Dear lord, why? Yogi Bear? No, ain't seeing it. Smurfs? No thank you. If a Ren and Stimpy one ever gets made I'll buy a gun.
9. Twitter. I love the net. I have a blog, so I love sharing. But Twitter? I'm not that full of myself...
10. Cable TV. Haven't had it since 2003. Why? 400 channels and you're still watching the same movies you own on DVD, but with commercials? Or re-runs of Friends? Or the previously mentioned reality shows? Nah... I'll save my 50.00 or whatever a month and stick to Netflix!

So, now with that done... Next posting will be puppets!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well, it's Thanksgiving... Which means The Holidays have started!
Here's some Muppets to get ya in the mood!

Monday Song - Change

Don't you ever wonder why, nothing ever seems to change
If it does it's for the worse, seems it's just a modern curse
Sometimes when I take a peek outside of my little cage,
Everyone looks so asleep, will they die before they wake

And, hey. . . Don't you know? We're just products of our time and Hey . . .
What d'ya say? Show me yours, I'll show you mine

Better dumb and happy than smart and without any friends
Better cute and better loud, better join up with the crowd
Keep up or be left behind, there's a dust storm in my mind
Seems I can't see straight these days, doesn't matter anyway
Hey . . . Don't you know? We're just products of our times and
Hey, what d'ya say? Show me yours, I'll show you mine

Hey, what d'ya say? Hey, what d'ya say? Please don't ever -
Oh God, here's that question now. The one that makes me go insane
I'd gladly tear my heart out if you never, never, never, never change

Do you want to change? Do you want to change right now?
Do you want to change . . . I like my stupid life, just the way it is
And I wouldn't even change it for a thousand flying pigs

And I like you just the way you are, I like your face just the way it is
And I wouldn't even change it for a herd of screaming kids
And I like you just the way you are, I like you though you may not like me back
I would dazzle you with brilliance, if I only had the knack

'Cause I like you just the way you are, I like this life just the way it is
And the castles all around me, have been melting now for years
And it kills my brain to think of all the time I wasted here
All the efforts, sweat, and broken hearts, the screaming and the tears

And I'm dreaming again . . . Floating in a pool of mud
Try to get back where I was and I don't really care

Got a little talking to, by the mirror in my room, and I don't really care . . .
Whispering voices from the dead, come from underneath my bed
And I don't really care . . .

I like my stupid life just the way it is
And the chaos that surrounds me like a flock of screaming pigs
And it hurts my brain to think of all the stupid things I've said
And if I could change the future I would change the past instead
And I'm dreaming again . . . and I'm dreaming again . . .

Baby - sometimes I worry about you
Sometimes you're so far away, tell me what to do
I say, Baby . . . sometimes I worry about you
Sometimes I just can't believe everything you do
I say, Baby . . . sometimes I worry about you
Every day I feel the same, don't you feel it too
I say, Baby . . . sometimes I worry about me
Seems I'm falling down a lot, in between the scenes
I say, Baby . . . sometimes I worry about me
Getting harder all the time, harder now to see
I say, Baby . . . sometimes I worry about me
Light another cigarette, have another dream

It's the same thing every day, nothing ever seems to change and I . . .

Do you really want to change?
Testaments and growing pains. Tranquilizers for the soul.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained - evolution's cruelest joke
Why is everyone upset? I once knew but I forget. Something happened,
Something strange, something it appears has changed

Hey . . . Don't you know? We're just products of our times
And hey, what d'ya say? Show me yours, I'll show you mine

Hey, what d'ya say? Hey, what d'ya say? Please don't ever -
Oh God, here's that question now, the one that makes me go insane
I'd gladly tear my heart out if you never, never, never, never change

Boingo

Monday Song - This I Love

And now I don't know why
She wouldn't say goodbye
But then it seems that I
Had seen it in her eyes

And it might not be wise
I'd still have to try
With all the love
I have inside
I can't deny

I just can't let it die
Cause her heart's just like mine
And she holds her pain inside

So if you ask me why
She wouldn't say goodbye
I know somewhere inside

There is a special light
Still shining bright
And even on the darkest night
She can't deny

So if she's somewhere near me
I hope to God she hears me
There's no one else
Could ever make me feel
I'm so alive
I hoped she'd never leave me
Please God you must believe me
I've searched the universe
And found myself
Within' her eyes

No matter how I try
They say it's all a lie
So what's the use of my confessions to a crime
Of passions that won't die
In my heart

So if she's somewhere near me
I hope to God she hears me
There's no one else
Could ever make me feel
I'm so alive

I hoped she'd never leave me
Please God you must believe me
I've searched the universe
And found myself
Within' her eyes

So if she's somewhere near me
I hope to God she hears me
There's no one else
Could ever make me feel
I'm so alive

I hoped she'd never leave me
Please God you must believe me
I've searched the universe
And found myself
Within' her eyes

So now I don't know why
She wouldn't say goodbye
It just might be that I
Had seen it in her eyes
And now it seems that I
Gave up my ghost of pride
I'll never say goodbye

Guns N' Roses

Not even remotely puppet related...

But still art related... And still part of my adventures in puppetryFITZY - THE MUSCLE

My homeboy Steve Rand is working on a graphic novel called "Frog Hollow" and he's making all the characters based on people he knows...
I'm flattered and honored to be part of it!
He'll be getting a "Creative Types" posting here soon too... But he just shot this to me and I love it!

I know the puppets have been lagging on Puppet A Day lately, but I'm working on a ton of new ones for a new series, and a few commission pieces... Keep coming back!
hey, it's my blog, I an do whatever I want on it! Hahaha!

Monday Song - Hammer And A Stone

I'm digging through the darkness
Cause I'm a long wall miner
Following the road down
Just so I can sit beside her
I'm a page torn from your novel
Beneath a magnet on your fridge
I'm a star stuck on your ceiling
So I can watch you while you're sleeping

Do you remember me
Do you remember me because
I wanted you so bad
Do you remember me
Do you remember me because
Everything we had

Was like a hammer to a stone
Wrapped like a fender around a tree
The curiosity in you
And all the emptiness in me

Digging through the vices
I don't know where the inside is
Well here's my dirty little secret
And I bet you, you can't keep it
I'm a page torn from your novel
A single flower in your lawn
If I'm not everything you wished for
How come you miss me when I'm gone?

Do you remember me
Do you remember me because
I wanted you so bad
Do you remember me
Do you remember me because
Everything we had

Was like a hammer to a stone
Wrapped like a fender around a tree
The curiosity in you
And all the emptiness in me
They say a diamond only whispers
To us when we are alone
It's just forever's little trick
To help a hammer find a stone
Help a hammer find a stone

Seven Mary Three

The Count von Count - The Collection

The Count

Winner of ugliest Muppet toy!

Bunny - The Collection

Bunny - the Collection

They look worried...!

Monday Song - Non-Dairy Creamer

They call it KFC, cause its not really chicken
Hot cheetos for breakfast make a young student sick
And did you ever think someone's tricking you?
And the guy in the pulpit is a bigot and alas
Some kid walks into my school and opens fire
Heard any good jokes lately?
Cause we sure do need 'em
My punk band's called operation Iraqi freedom

So what's it gonna be?
Are you real to me?
Or are you non-dairy creamer?

A new love is burning up for me
Cause one in four American girls has an STD
And you can buy yourself some implants
But you can't buy a soul that never launched
With your chest popped out
What are you so afraid about?
With your chest popped out
What are you so afraid about?
What are you so afraid of?

So what's it gonna be?
Are you real to me?
Or are you non-dairy creamer?

And two gay guys got married
That brought the family to its knees
How did they blow this to smithereens?
Just a couple of queens
How did they do it I'll tell you now
They brought marriage to an end
And I found myself some culprits
It's two young gay republicans
Young gay republicans!!!

What's it gonna be?
Are you real to me?
Or are you non-dairy creamer?
So what's it gonna be?
Are you real to me?
Or are you non-dairy creamer?

Mission accomplished

Third Eye Blind

Bunny - The Collection

Gabe gave me this one!!!

Real Vampires...

Happy Halloween!

Monday Song - Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner

Roland was a warrior from the Land of the Midnight Sun
With a Thompson gun for hire, fighting to be done
The deal was made in Denmark on a dark and stormy day
So he set out for Biafra to join the bloody fray

Through sixty-six and seven they fought the Congo war
With their fingers on their triggers, knee-deep in gore
For days and nights they battled the Bantu to their knees
They killed to earn their living and to help out the Congolese

Roland the Thompson gunner...

His comrades fought beside him - Van Owen and the rest
But of all the Thompson gunners, Roland was the best
So the CIA decided they wanted Roland dead
That son-of-a-bitch Van Owen blew off Roland's head

Roland the headless Thompson gunner
Norway's bravest son
Time, time, time
For another peaceful war
But time stands still for Roland
'Til he evens up the score
They can still see his headless body stalking through the night
In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson gun
In the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson gun

Roland searched the continent for the man who'd done him in
He found him in Mombassa in a barroom drinking gin
Roland aimed his Thompson gun - he didn't say a word
But he blew Van Owen's body from there to Johannesburg

Roland the headless Thompson gunner...
The eternal Thompson gunner
still wandering through the night
Now it's ten years later but he still keeps up the fight
In Ireland, in Lebanon, in Palestine and Berkeley
Patty Hearst heard the burst of Roland's Thompson gun and bought it

Warren Zevon

I'm still here!

Hey there...

More puppets and puppety madness on it's way...

Been working hard, can't wait to show off!!!

Monday Song - Life On Mars?

It's a god-awful small affair
To the girl with the mousy hair
But her mummy is yelling "No"
And her daddy has told her to go
But her friend is nowhere to be seen
Now she walks through her sunken dream
To the seat with the clearest view
And she's hooked to the silver screen
But the film is a saddening bore
'Cause she's lived it ten times or more
She could spit in the eyes of fools
As they ask her to focus on

Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man! Look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the Lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man! Wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?

It's on Amerika's tortured brow
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
Now the workers have struck for fame
'Cause Lennon's on sale again
See the mice in their million hordes
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
To my mother, my dog, and clowns
But the film is a saddening bore
'Cause I wrote it ten times or more
It's about to be writ again
As I ask you to focus on

Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man! Look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the Lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man! Wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?

David Bowie

Monday Song - Slow Cheetah

Waking up dead, inside of my head
Would never, never do, there is no med
No medicine to take
I’ve had a chance to be insane
Asylum from the falling rain
I’ve had a chance to break

It’s so bad, it’s got to be good
Mysterious girl misunderstood
Dressed like a wedding cake
Any other day and I might play
A funeral march for Bonnie Bray
Why try and run away?

Slow cheetah come before my forest,
Look like it's on today
Slow cheetah come, it's so euphoric,
No matter what they say

I know a girl, she worked in a store
She knew not what her life was for
She barely knew her name
They tried to tell her she would never be
As happy as a girl in a magazine
She bought it with her pay

Everyone has so much to say
They talk, talk, talk their lives away
Don’t even hesitate
Walking on down to the burial ground
It’s a very old dance with a merry old sound
Looks like its on today

Slow cheetah come before my forest,
Look like it's on today
Slow cheetah come, it's so euphoric,
No matter what they say

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Monday Song - Don't Let Us Get Sick

Don't let us get sick
Don't let us get old
Don't let us get stupid, all right?
Just make us be brave
And make us play nice
And let us be together tonight

The sky was on fire
When I walked to the mill
To take up the slack in the line
I thought of my friends
And the troubles they've had
To keep me from thinking of mine

Don't let us get sick
Don't let us get old
Don't let us get stupid, all right?
Just make us be brave
And make us play nice
And let us be together tonight

The moon has a face
And it smiles on the lake
And causes the ripples in Time
I'm lucky to be here
With someone I like
Who maketh my spirit to shine

Don't let us get sick
Don't let us get old
Don't let us get stupid, all right?
Just make us be brave
And make us play nice
And let us be together tonight

Warren Zevon

Patrick - The Collection

Sandy - The Collection

SpongeBob - the Collection

SpongeBob

Finger Puppet

3 AMish...

The best part about having a blog?
It's mine. I make the rules. I can post whatever I want on it, and do whatever I want with it...

Just woke up, I was asleep, on the couch, sketchbook Brie gave me next to me, Chinese Democracy in the CD player... And I woke up out of nowhere. And it hit me.
9/28/10 is 17 years since my brother died.
Some people will use an day like this to mope and throw themselves a pity party. But not me.
Each year it's a day to celebrate.
Celebrate the life I have and be happy to be surrounded by the ones I love. Surrounded by my girlfriend, my family, her family, my cats, the Elmwood crew, my new Paris crew, all my friends, and so on...
I thank all of you and love you... If your reading this that means in some way I know you. As a friend, professionally, and further. Thank you for letting me be a part of your life, I am glad you are part of mine.

I ask you to do the same today.
I ask you to celebrate life. Give a stranger a hug, or call your mom, do something to remind yourself that it's good to be alive.

It's what Micheal would do.

(The pic is stolen from a friends Facebook page... Thanks!)

Monday Song - Could've Gone Mad

I'm so glad that you decided to come
Go ahead make yourself comfortable darlin'
I've got a proposition for you
There's a room available inside of my heart
And I hope it will be taken by you

You can bring whatever you wanna bring baby
Each and EVERY ONE of your friends
And if you want a dog or a big bullfrog
Hell, I've got room for them

'CAUSE I'm so glad you FINALLY decided to come

Another day and I could've gone mad
Another day and it might've gotten bad
Another day and I might have betrayed
Every scruple I have

You cause in me an impossible craving
NO WAY THAT IT WILL be denied
If I decided to make you my religion
I think God would be kind

So I made a wish on a million of THE stars
Registered your name on a few
That way if you forget who you are
You can look up and see a picture of you

I'm so glad you FINALLY decided to come

Another day and I could've gone mad
Another day and it might've gotten bad
Another day and I might have betrayed
Every scruple I have I'm so glad you decided to come

Another day and I could've gone mad
Another day and it might've gotten bad
Another day and I might have betrayed
Every scruple I...

...have to keep ahold of myself
Is that really you or is it someone else
I swear, it looks just like him
I wonder can he see what a state I'm in
Like a broken bridge
GOT TO swing on him
JUST LIKE a jungle gym

Another day and I could've gone mad
Another day and it might've gotten bad
Another day and I might have betrayed
Every scruple I have

Another day and I could've gone mad
Another day and it might've gotten bad
Another day and I might have betrayed
Every scruple I have

I'M SO GLAD, SO GLAD, SO GLAD

DON'T YOU SEE THAT YOU'RE DRIVIN' ME CRAZY?
DON'T GO LEAVIN' ME NOW...UH
DON'T YOU SEE THAT YOU'RE DRIVIN' ME CRAZY?
DON'T GO LEAVIN' ME NOW

Poe

Josh and Todd Want Your Music!

This is me in Books And Music in Plainville, CT... One of the locations of the film

"Josh and Todd: The Story of A Man and His Puppet"

Want your music in an Elmwood Movie?

Check out the link below...
http://joshandtodd.blogspot.com/2010/09/call-for-music.html

And if you're looking for something to do this weekend stop in to Paris In Plantsville and see some puppets, art, and me! I'll be there Saturday!

Elephant - The Collection

Do you know the Elephant Dance?

Monday Song - Wasted Years

From the coast of gold, across the seven seas,
I'm traveling on, far and wide,
But now it seems, I'm just a stranger to myself,
And all the things I sometimes do, it isn't me but someone else.

I close my eyes, and think of home,
Another city goes by, in the night,
Ain't it funny how it is, you never miss it til it's gone away,
And my heart is lying there and will be til my dying day.

So understand
Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years,
Face up...make your stand,
And realize you're living in the golden years.

Too much time on my hands, I got you on my mind,
Can't ease this pain, so easily,
When you can't find the words to say, it's hard to make it through another day,
And it makes me wanna cry, and throw my hands up to the sky.

So understand
Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years,
Face up...make your stand,
And realize you're living in the golden years.

Iron Maiden

Sesame Street: A Celebration

A short review of the book "Sesame Street: A Celebration - 40 Years of Life On The Street" by Louise Gikow

Published in 2009 to help celebrate and promote Sesame Street's 40 years of broadcasting this book is the one for the fans, and families as opposed to Michael Davis' book from 2009 "Street Gang".

Full of color and life this is a sight, and a lot of fun to read. It covers all the classic ground, how the show started, who were the people behind (and under it), what the intended audience was to be and so on, with ease and fun.

Some of the best parts of the book were covering the puppeteers themselves, and explaining the changes to cast over the years. Also a great, but too brief, section is on the merchandising of the show.

I would recommend this one to the Sesame Street fan who is looking for a lot of great photos and fun facts about the past 40 years, but if you want a more adult approach check out "Street Gang". The book is worth the price of admission just to look at it (I got a free ticket, it was a gift from Brie! Thanks!) All of the photos are amazing, and many of them I had never seen before, and I have a lot of books on the subject!

Cover Photo Snagged From Muppet Wiki

Brown Bear - The Collection

White Bear - The Collection

Monday Song - Everlong

Hello,
I've waited here for you
Everlong

Tonight,
I throw myself into
And out of the red out of her head she sang

Come down and waste away with me
Down with me
Slow how you wanted it to be
I'm over my head, out of her head she sang

And I wonder
When I sing along with you
If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
The only thing I'll ever ask of you
You've got to promise not to stop when I say when
She sang

Breathe out
So I can breathe you in
Hold you in

And now
I know you've always been
Out of your head, out of my head I sang

And I wonder
When I sing along with you
If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
The only thing I'll ever ask of you
You've got to promise not to stop when I say when
She sang

And I wonder
If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
The only thing I'll ever ask of you
You've got to promise not to stop when I say when

Foo Fighters