Having a go at Arm rods with posable hands

 Hi all, I found this cute tartan fleece material and knew I had to make two little Scottish puppets!

So  the past few days I have been playing with the idea of the posable hands and arm rods for these two puppets...... I found this great tutorial which I am following for the hands  http://www.projectpuppet.com/servlet/Page?template=arm-rods-tutorial

A little more time consuming but I'm hoping they will help add some more character to the puppets. This is my first attempt at making these so I guess it will be a little trial and error..... lucky there's such great tutorials out there to help! For the arm rods Im using the ones my Dad & uncle made for me......

 they were made to slip over the wrist and do a great job for that!  Dad recently gave me a whole stack more he'd and I have still more coming so to make some suit the posable hands Ive just pulled the bent end out and wired it onto the hand support. I think it will work well :D

One done three to go..... Ill keep you all posted, Happy puppeting

and a last thought

Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands

Isaiah 49:16 

Finishing the baby puppets / My Etsy store is now open

Hi all, finally finished my tutorials on how I make my baby puppets! they are soooo cute! and are now for sale in my Etsy store which has just opened so pop over and check out all the details there!



So here is my last video tutorial sit back and enjoy!  happy puppeting

and a last thought

But the wisdom from above is first pure, 

then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, 

full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

James 3:17

sewing on the head and gluing the foam for the Baby puppet

almost done!! today I show you how I glue up the head and body foam and sew the head onto the body and all that's left now it to put on the eyes nose and hair, dress them and they will be finished so stay tuned :) happy Puppeting!

and a last thought

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, 

the fruit of the womb a reward. 

Psalm 127:3 

Making a simple logo tag/label for your puppet

Hi all, zooming along now on the home straight with these baby puppets.... today I show you how I make a simple logo tag/label for your puppet. I used a mixture of rubber stamps some permanent ink  and a length of cotton tape called apron tape, choose a width to fit your needs. I stamped out a heap and stored them for when I need them.... same idea could be used for other sewn craft products. Its great to have your name connected to your creations and this is just one easy way to achieve that. So sit back and enjoy my video, don't forget to like share and all that jazz! Happy Puppeting

and a last thought

I am the good shepherd.

 I know my own and my own know me, 

John 10:14

Sewing the baby puppet body

Hi all, finally getting a chance to get back to the puppet making after having the whole family home for the mid semester holidays and some camping fun together! Today's post is all about sewing the body together for my baby puppets then on to making your own tags and finally putting in the head and body foam so sit back and enjoy the video!!  happy puppeting!

and a last thought

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, 

that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.

 By his wounds you have been healed. 

2 Peter 2:24

Sewing & gluing in the baby puppet mouth

Hi all its been hectic here our youngest daughter finished yr 12 so we've been going to end of year things at school etc and we now have our older two home from Uni for a week in there mid semester break which is so nice to have all of us together for a little while..... so Ive found a few spare minuets to show you how I sew & glue in the baby puppet mouth piece. I hope you will enjoy this video and find it helpful in your own puppet building! happy puppeting!

and a last thought

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, 

but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, 

that it may give grace to those who hear. 

Ephesians 4:29

Making a Baby puppet.... Ears and head

Hi all, Ive been a bit distracted the last few days but I'm back in my creative space today and posting up how I make the ears and head for the baby puppets. Keeping in mind this is for your inspiration only and hopefully you will gain some tips and tricks along the way, enjoy the video and stay tuned for the next step..... "sewing in the mouth" ..... don't forget to like, share and subscribe..... happy puppeting!

and a last thought

You keep him in perfect peace whose 

mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Isaiah 26:3

Baby hand and feet tutorials and pattern info

Hi all, here are my videos and patterns on how I make my baby arm, hand, leg & feet! They are a part of my modifications to a complete pattern that I cannot give out or sell for reasons explained in my last post. To receive my modified pattern parts you can make a donation of $2.00 to help keep VR Puppets running. This will come to you as a PDF download... please use PayPal. This can easily be adapted to your own body pattern.Watch the free instructional videos and have some pupperting fun! Don't forget to subscribe here and press like on my Face Book page so you won't miss a thing :)

Baby puppet Arm, hand, leg & foot pattern $2.00

and a last thought

My steps have held fast to Your paths.
 My feet have not slipped.
Psalms 17:5

Baby puppet tutorials and a bit of info

Hi all, Just letting you know I have a set of tutorials coming up on how I make my baby puppets! woooHooo :)  Now the info I need to share with you is this, I can not sell you my basic pattern... this was given to us in good faith to start a puppet ministry about ten years ago. I have since contacted this person and they know what I'm doing with my blog etc and encouraged me to sell my finished puppets. The baby puppets I show you in this video I made about ten years ago and I have since done some nice modifications to them. So whatever I show you in the way of modifications or new ideas is for inspiration only to then use with your own pattern. I do have puppet sales and would take orders. Orders within Australia would cost $17 postage and for overseas buyers I would take the puppet to the post-office and get a true postage price for you. The colour of the skin may vary, for these babies I can get the basic off white, tan and chocolate colours or most other bright colours if that's what you would prefer. These make perfect baby shower gifts and even take them to an old people home for a bit of fun! for a fun story time and whatever you can think up. They come with or without a dummy or pacifier and a baby singlet. Please don't forget to pop over to my Face Book page and press like because I often put photos up there that I don't add to my blog. So stay tuned for my Baby tutorials and happy puppeting :)

and a last thought

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body

 and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 

 Psalm 139:13

Puppet sales

Hi all, I have three finished puppets for sale ..... here's my blurb ;)

I make for your enjoyment  quality performance Muppet style puppets hand made from all new materials.   fleece, foam, felt, thin board, hot & contact glue, thread, plastic eyes, faux fur, cotton material & poly fill.

these puppets measure 45cm long from head to lower body and 25cm across the shoulders.

For your ease I have added  an inner sleeve to all my puppets allowing your hand to slip in and out  without feeling  that annoying inner foam body.  My own label is sewn inside each one.  Please remember this is a performance puppet and NOT a toy !

I recommend you store your puppet in a pillow case straight after a performance to keep it dust free.

Avoid touching the face to keep it free of dirty marks  (tip) you could scotch guard your puppet for easy cleaning. (material skin only!)
These three puppets come undressed. when you dress your puppet please choose a size 1-2 children's clothing.
These puppets can be used in many ways... outreach, in school drama classes, as a communication aid tackling some tricky issues, School teachers class room aid, in hospitals, nursing homes, storytelling for Librarians, or just for the grandparents to entertain their grand kids or big kids alike. Drop me a line and let me know some of your ideas on how you would use a puppet!

please leave your feedback, press like on my face book page and spread the word!  "VR Puppet Builds"

For more info,  videos and so you don't miss a thing go to my blog and YouTube channel ... press subscribe !   http://vrpuppetbuilds.blogspot.com.au/

For sales and If you would like a special order or a particular look please Inbox me or contact me at    valita_reynolds@yahoo.com

these are the three for sale....

They are $70 each and $17.00 P&H within Australia. Email me to make payment by PayPal. If you are somewhere else in the world and would love one please send me an email and I can take the puppet to the post office and get a true estimate on what it would cost to post your way !! thanks

and a last thought

 Rejoice in hope, 

be patient in tribulation, 

be constant in prayer. 

Romans 12:12

Making puppet hair with odd shaped fur scraps

HI all, as promised here is my post on making puppet hair with odd shaped fur scraps. I bought these from a lady off Esty.... you can do a search.... there are quite a few different sellers to choose from. So what I wanted to show was how to glue those odd shapes to make great looking hair. This is just one of many ways depending on the size and shape of your scrap pieces.

Basically I just took a piece of fur from the bag of scraps ..... it was an odd sized triangle which works great as you can turn this into a cone shape and get some height into the hair without the fur being long. The longer black and yellow hair in the pic above were also triangle shaped but just glued on as is. Find the grain of the fur so it naturally runs from front to back as hair would. Hot glue the chosen front and side edges then glue remaining edges together to form a cone like shape. With your front section chosen glue to your puppets head. Ive added a picture tutorial and video below which you may also find helpful. Happy Puppeting!

here is a pic of my latest shipment of fur scraps!How fun do they look! I'm so excited because we just don't get anything like this here in Australia.

and a last thought

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly,

 since love covers a multitude of sins. 

1 Peter 4:8

Making black edging on spoon eyes for your puppet

HI all, its been a little while since my last post and I have finally finished my three blue puppets which have been on my rack blind and hairless for some time..... I know.... a little depressing hey! well they now have sight and are a tad warmer on top.... so I wanted to share with you how I made the black borders around my spoon eyes, always wanted to try this .... here is my version, it's really easy so lets get started!
To start you will need some finished spoon eyes, click here and see my previous post on how to make these. Cut two pieces of felt larger than the eyes. Using the safety eye backing make an indent into the felt to mark the spot and cut a small hole for the backing to go through. Use cold quick drying glue on the inside of the eye and place the felt over the eye back pushing it all down into the cup of the eye. Let it dry then with some sharp material scissors cut a 1/8" border all the way around. Keep in mind when you choose the width of the eye border the material on your puppet may puff around the black border to make it look a little thinner. Some of the above plastic spoon eyes were trimmed before I did my black edging just to give them all a different look. Here is my link on how to attach safety eyes. 
And that's all there is to it! I loved how they turned out! so much more definition and expression with a touch of cartoon!  stay tuned for my next post on how to use fur scraps as hair! don't forget to subscribe, check out my video & give them a try...... enjoy :)

and a last thought

The eye is the lamp of the body, if your eyes are good

your whole body will be full of light. 

Matthew 6:22 

 

Storage rack idea for your puppets

 Hi all, My 10 indigenous puppets arrived safely at their destination and I'm told they will be given out to different schools in Victoria as a way of communicating and opening up young people to talk about the issues they face today. What a great way to use a puppet! its been great to be a part of this project.
 Well in today's post I wanted to share with you my puppet storage solution. I searched everywhere on the net for something that would suit my needs and if your familiar with my crafting area you'll know how small it is!!! The only available area I had left was on the back of the door! which got me searching out "over the door" storage racks which led me to this Whitmor over the door shoe rack. It was pricey to buy here in Australia but I did see them over half the price cheaper in the USA but they wouldn't post them to my area. So I took the plunge and bought one and I'm pretty happy with how it has worked for me. I did have to do some minimal changes to this rack to support the puppets heads using pool noodles and some cable ties but that was pretty cheap and easy to do myself. It fits 12 regular size puppets on the whole rack, 2 on each row but if your puppet bodies are smaller you could adjust that to fit a few more..... So after using this for the past few months now the only down side was.... the pool noodles do bend a little with the weight of the puppet but that was easy to fix just flip the noodle around. and I did find when I finished all the hair and dressing the puppets the rack weight wise was definitely maxed out! so after posting away the 10 indigenous puppets I now have another four on the storage rack waiting for me to put their features on and dress them. Overall I'm pretty happy with this storage solution!

here is a pic of it loaded with puppets and I also added some large bags for dust covers...........

If you have any questions just email me and I'm happy to answer any questions you may have. I hope this may give you some needed inspiration or help in some way, now check out my video.... Happy puppeting!

 and a last thought

Store your treasures in heaven, 

where moths and rust cannot destroy,

 and thieves do not break in and steal.

Matthew 6:20

Making a fur wig cap for a puppet

Hi all, I was so happy with the way my long plush fake fur came out as puppet hair and had to share with you how I did it........ probably not a new idea but I hate wasting this stuff as it can be very expensive!
When using long pile fur make sure it is running in the direction up and over the head, this way you can slick the hair back or fluff it up!
I cut out a square around the size on the puppets head I want to cover, you could do this with some old fabric first to make a pattern. Then with some sharp fabric scissors make small snips (making sure to only cut the base fabric and not the fur) cutting off each corner and a V shape at the back edge. I don't like the look of raw edges on fur hair it just looks half done and cheap.....so crank up your hot glue gun and glue a small hem all the way around and closing up your V cut, this way you will end up with a nice concave shape that will fit well over a round headed puppet. Again just adjust the sizes of everything to fit your own needs.I then hot glued mine to the head but you could also sew it on. LOL I know what my husband will say .... can I have one of those!  :) 
Here are some details for you to save ........ and check my video (yes I was in my PJs but hey its cold here atm ;) don't forget to press like, subscribe or just say hi  :) happy puppeting!

and a last thought

He will cover you with his feathers. 

He will shelter you with his wings. 

His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

Psalm 91:4

 

Mungo

HI all,  Mungo is my recent build.... he was given to our neighbor who is a single mum with two small children who also gave him this great name :)
His eyes were made using the spoons in one of my last posts I love how they turned out! His hair was just a 3x3" piece of fur scrap (never throw out your scraps!) ..... watch for my next video on how I put on a fur wig cap as hair for your puppet! His tongue was some fun foam and I only put glue on the back section so the front would jiggle a little and make him look fun! He's so cute and I'm sure he will make two little girls laugh..... happy puppeting!

and a last thought

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, 

and your lips with shouting.

Job 8:21

Making yarn hair for puppets

Hi all, my next few posts will be about making hair for your puppets. previously you have seen my indigenous puppets well this yarn hair idea is what I used for the five girls. The idea was NOT my own I searched the net on doll hair making and used a mix of ideas to make it suit my needs... the original inspiration came from here at craft sheep.
The circumference around the head for my puppets was about 17" around, just above the ears and eyes that I wanted to cover. The card template I wrapped the yarn on measured 10 x 6" and one regular ball of wool made almost 2 wigs, my video below will show you all the details. They were basically made the same way as craft sheep made hers but on a bigger scale and an extra section. So I made a front fringe or bangs, a longer back under section and a thicker main overall wig with a center part. This way you get a full thick coverage and you see much less of the head skin.

This next pic shows how I pinned each section onto the head ready for sewing.... don't forget to remove the pins as you go .... I did ......

This is the wig finished! you can sew down small sections with matching fine thread just to keep the hair in place as sometimes during performances things can get a little crazy.... believe me I know! and you could also cut the fringe short as I did with some of the girls.

Well I hope you have found this helpful, enjoy the video (which I had a few problems with) and Happy puppeting!

and a last thought

And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. 

So don't be afraid; you are more valuable

 to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

Luke 12:7

 

Finally got my first big order finished and shipped!

Hi all, Yipeeeee! I finally got my first big puppet order finished and shipped! 10 indigenous puppets going to another state of Australia. Below are a mix of pics in the make stage. Happy to see them go to their new homes :)

 and a last thought

give thanks in all circumstances, 

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

 1 Thessalonians 5:18

still on the topic of eyes....... spoons?

 Hi all, I spent a nice visit with my parents last week and its always good to take something along to keep my creative Dad busy.... so I packed in a pack of plastic spoons and some 21mm safety eyes and we got creative!. Ive seen this done on the internet and a few different sites so its not a new idea or my idea but I thought I would show you what we did with them.

I found that the type of spoon was important. Some disposable spoons are very brittle and crack or break easily the more thick/flexible type works fine most of the time.... you still get the odd one that wont cut right or may crack but I can work with that ;) Cut the handle off first then trim each edge and finish it off with a light sand around the cut edges..... I use the rough side of a disposable nail file, they are a handy size to keep in my stash of supplies. Mark the eye placement and drill a hole in the spoon the same size as your safety eye back. At this point you can choose to add some glue to hold your safety eye in place. To attached them into your puppet use the same method as you would a normal safety eye and backing. I showed this in my last video tutorial called safety eyes and eye lashes. So once they were all done we had to try them on for size and I had three lucky volunteers :) ......... my Mum and Dad had some fun with them!

I love how they turned out.... now i can dig out all my eyes that I though were too small and create a good size fun looking set of eyes! thanks Dad :)

I hope you've enjoyed this and give them a try yourself you'll love how they turn out! happy puppeting!

and a last thought

God's eyes are on the ways of men;

He sees their every step.

Job 34:21

Safety eyes and eyelashes

Hi all, today's post is how I put on Safety eyes and eyelashes. I found some cording or piping in black which makes great eyeliner that sits neat without having to cut your own black strip to define the eyelid. Spellbinder circle dies usually used in paper craft come in very handy here I used a 1 and 1/2" circle die for these eyelids. I have also used them to cut noses, (see my video).
Cheap false eyelashes are perfect for this project which you can purchase bulk on eBay etc.
To make the eyelids I basically cut one circle in half , place a small amount of cold craft glue on the flat edge of the lid and lay this along the edge of the cord piping for a quick second, then lift off while the glue is still wet on the piping and lay your eyelash down. Then lay the lid back over the glue mark sandwiching the eyelash between. When gluing the finished lids over your eye you can use a fine tip hot glue gun to glue down just the tips of each end of the eyelids but please note when using any type of glue near fleece, fur or fabric it can be very hard to remove it! I find if you do get a little bit on the fleece or fur don't touch it, let it dry and then with some sharp pointed scissors give the fleece a hair cut to remove the glue. This has worked for me many times. And that's it!
I also bought some great doll eyelashes from Clara in her Etsy store, $2.00 for 6 I though was a good buy. She also has loads of eyes!

Now an update on Sneaky..... He has been keeping a close eye on the pulled apart Baja just to make sure all the parts go back in the right place ;) Good job Sneaky!

 Well I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial and pop in often to see what Sneaky is up to! don't forget to check my Facebook page for all the latest supply buys and day to day stuff!  sit back now and watch the video! Happy puppeting.

and a last thought

He that handles a matter wisely shall find good:

 and whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he

Proverbs 16:20

A quick post on some of my older puppet builds

Hi all, Its a cold wet rainy day out so I thought Id send you a link to the puppets I made back in 2005! happy puppeting!

and a last thought

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure,

 pressed down, shaken together, running over, 

will be put into your lap. For with the measure 

you use it will be measured back to you.” 

Luke 6:38

Making & sewing on different nose shapes for your puppet

Hi all, I have an order for 10 indigenous puppets and they are coming along nicely.... Ive been sewing on noses adding eyes and I'm now working on the hair..... but today's post is all about noses! 

For a puppet that is intended to look human I like to shape the noses to give them some more character. I like to have a play with different shapes and pop the patterns away for another build. Below will be some free nose patterns and video tutorials on how I make these. 

 If you are in Australia now is the time to pick up some great specials on puppet building supplies ..... for the skins I use Husky plain polar fleece and at the moment its down to only $3.59 a meter. Over these cooler months this seems to come on and off discount price. Also look out for different fibers for their hair. I also found this great little cotton/bobbin rack to sit on the table while sewing and they stay put instead of rolling off my work bench!

 

Any way I hope this has inspired you. Be sure not to miss my up coming posts by becoming a follower and subscribing .... I have tutorials coming on eyes, hair and a puppet storage rack!

 

 and a last thought

Think about how you can be merciful

 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

 Luke 6:36

   Different Nose Shape Patterns for Puppet Building VR Puppet Builds

Welcome to my new Blog

Hi and welcome to my new blog.... VR Puppet Builds ! I'm pretty excited to get all this going its been an idea of mine for some time now. The last few days have been setting up internet info, making new accounts etc ...... not so much of the fun stuff.
 I first started making puppets back in 2004 and was inspired by a guy called Wayne in our church conference and to this day he still has a passion for christian puppet ministry. He says its a way of spreading Christianity and is a powerful tool! I totally agree because the years that my husband and I ran "Our Hands for Him" Christian puppet ministry we seen God move in many ways and if you are considering starting one I would say step forward in faith! We did and were amazed by how God guided.... from getting supplies to opening the hearts of the community. Although now we don't run the group I still see how a puppet can reach someone in a way sometimes we can't.
 Over the years I have ran workshops with school and church groups on how to build a puppet where they all end up making there own....crazy busy sessions they are! people have asked me to make puppets for them.... from schools, church groups and individual presents for people. I have to say a huge thank you to my husband for believing in all my big ideas, sometimes he must think I'm pretty crazy but he never says so just gets in and helps. Our kids also gave us 100% support and were often the backbone of things happening. Dave has his own walk around stage and worked his first puppet in it called "Cheeky" which was our sons puppet at the time.....by the way he is great at working a puppet, he has two different voices that he has mastered and some years ago now asked me to make him his own puppet. His name is sneaky! He took him shopping to buy him a new shirt and all.... ok ...I waited out side ;) LOL....... these days sneaky is not in the spotlight so much but keeps an eye on the workings of Dave's hobbies. Check out the pics  :)

So my purpose for this blog,YouTube channel, Face Book page,(don't forget to press like) Pinterest etc is to share with you what I have learnt over the years of puppet organizing, supplies, building and some performing, although I like the creative side of things best.... I also have an Etsy store under way which will soon have puppets for sale.
I thank God for the gifts He has given me and still to this day don't understand how I can sew a puppet and not much else! LOL sadly true.......
So stay tuned I have a video coming up of how to sew a human shaped nose onto your puppet and a few free nose patterns. Be sure not to miss a thing by subscribing and or becoming a follower! Until then happy puppeting!
Valita x

and a last thought 

Don't sit around waiting for God to do something

that he has already given you the power to do!