Needle Felted Finger Puppets

In my opinion, one of the greatest movies that Disney has ever released was about a a character that was ridiculed and called mean names just because he was different. His one true friend was small and tiny but had the heart big enough for both of them to help the shy, different character to achieve his full potential.

The movie is Dumbo and was in fact to this day one of Disney's shortest animated features but is regarded as a true classic. It amazes me that a animated movie made in 1941 can still teach us something. To me the message was that if you believe in yourself, you can overcome your differences or handicaps and achieve any goal you set before yourself.

Our Godson, Kaiden,  loves Dumbo. He loves to be read to but of course seeing that he is only 14 months old it is a chore to keep his attention for any length if time. His mom has discovered that if she uses a puppet while reading the story he will sit and listen. So came the idea for his Christmas present. Hand puppets that will go along with his favorite book. I decided to do the two characters that made the biggest impression on me, Dumbo (of course) and his tiny friend, Timothy Q mouse.

If you are familair with the story then you know that Timothy is a circus mouse, which means he wears the traditional ringmaster outfit.

Dumbo has on his circus outfit as well. Beautiful yellow and red ruffled collar and tiny lil cap.

I think that Amber and Kaiden will have some memorable times reading Dumbo from now on.

Of course, my lil tester, Chaz, had to try them out. He let Timothy teach Dumbo how to fly and off they went all over the house. Hummm, wonder if I will be able to get them in the box and wrapped before Christmas day when we exchange gifts with the children?

In making these finger puppets, another idea pop up as well. I am wanting to write short stories for children  and I think making finger puppets to illustrate the story would be awesome. I'll have to work on that in 2010.

As always, thank you for stopping by and taking a look at what I've been up to. I hope that maybe you will sit down and watch Dumbo over the holidays...remember the child in you or share it for the first time with someone else. Remember...being different can be a good thing!!!!!!!!!

Merry Christmas and the happiest of holidays to you all....Hugs, Regi