No Strings Attached

Posted By Kathleen David on December 4, 2019

Tomorrow is Caroline’s 17^th birthday. 

I find that hard and easy to believe all at the same time.

17 years ago today found me finishing up my last day at Del Rey before going on maternity leave. I can remember being very uncomfortable on the train ride home and glad that I wasn’t going to have to do that for a while. That evening I found out I was in labor and the next day I held my daughter in my arms.

Right now the cats all have their morning nap spots picked out. No conflict this go round which is nice. Inky is next to me and the other three are on the long couch with Mewlan on the back of the couch over the radiator.

After Caroline’s Birthday it is 20 days till Christmas then seven days to 2020. Boy time moves fast.

I need to figure out how to hang some swords on the walls. There are several ways to do it. And a way to display our other weapons as well. Sort of like a gun rack but for maces, battle axes, and the like.

And figure out our art work situation before we go down to Atlanta for Christmas.

The snow yesterday was pretty much perfect. It was sloppy in the morning but by afternoon the roads and sidewalks were clear and ice free. No shoveling just the sun to get rid of the snow. I can deal with that sort of snow. Not looking forward to what might be a tough winter based on the squirrels and the cats’ coats. 

Inky is sleeping with her eyes slightly open. It is kind of creepy to look at.

Off to the next task for the day.

I am grateful for my daughter.

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Posted By Kathleen David on December 3, 2019

But I finally got the first version of my website done.

https://www.nostringsattachedpuppets.com

is live with all the information to get a custom puppet.

Now I need to keep it active.

Here is the basic rules/FAQ from my website if you want or know someone who wants a puppet.

SO YOU WANT A PUPPET

What does a puppet cost?

Short version is that it depends on the puppet. The more time/complexity the more it will cost.

There is a basic $40 materials fee that is due before I start to make your very own puppet.

The minimum is $140 dollars (40 materials 100 for the puppet) for large hand puppet. That is face, hair, basic clothing and a stand for the puppet. The small hand puppets are 60 minimum. My signature puppet called Phluzzie is 70 minimum. The price goes up from there depending on what you want.

Shipping is not included in this price and will be calculated separately.

Rods are an additional $30.

What kind of puppets will you make?

My preferred types of puppet is hand and rod puppet or hand puppet. I can make shadow puppets or string puppets or body puppets. You can ask for a quote on those.

I will not recreate another puppeteer’s work. I will not make a Cookie Monster or an Elmo or a Kermit. I will not make Avenue Q puppets.

If you want a Doctor Who puppet or a comic book character or your favorite TV character, I will build those. 

I will build puppets of people but need reference to do it. 

I will build off of a design that you own.

How long will it take?

That’s a it depends on the complexity of the puppet and if I have the materials on hand. 

I have a total of 8 slots a month available but a puppet can take up more than one slot.

Each puppet is a one of a kind creation and are built to be used professionally.

Please feel free to email me with any other questions you might have.

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Now I need to make flyers to give out at conventions and a business card just waiting for the right discount offer to cross my computer.

I have two slots for December already filled so I have 6 left.

Please help me get the word out on this website and my puppets. I could really use the work.

Also if you find anything in the FAQ that is confusing or missing information you would like to see in it, please tell me. I need input.

I am grateful to you for helping me.

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Posted By Kathleen David on November 26, 2019

This past weekend found the family at two conventions and the local model UN or rather it found Peter at GalaxyCon Louisville (We highly recommend all the GalaxyCons to fans and professionals. They know what they are doing and have lines down to a fine art. They take care of their guests), Caroline at Model UN, and me at L.I. Who: An Unearthly Convention. 

For those of you who have been reading along know that I have gotten a number of puppets to various people involved in one of my favorite TV shows Doctor Who. 

This past weekend two more puppets made it to their new owners and it was the ten year anniversary of one actor getting his puppet.

Ten years ago I met Paul McGann at I-Con and gave him his 8^th Doctor puppet.

This past weekend my friend Eric H. helped me out to get this photo which was 10 years to the day of when I first met Mr. McGann.

So silly fun and some nice conversation afterwards.

One of my top Doctor Who companions of all times is Leela played masterfully by Louise Jameson. She was at LI Who this weekend and I got her a Leela puppet.

Photo copyright John Peel all rights reserved

She loved it and told others that she loved it. I got to tell her how much that character meant to me when I was a teenager. She was great with all the fans.

And there is a rare picture of me giving her the puppet.

Photo copyright Eric Hamilton all rights reserved

Speaking of giving puppets, Peter delivered my 9^th Doctor puppet to Christopher Eccleston. This honestly was a puppet I never thought I would get to the actor but he recently started doing conventions and Peter happened to be at one where he was at. 

Photo copyright Jamie Hitchcock all rights reserved

He adored it and told Peter that his kids were going to love it a lot. He immediately put it on and started playing with it.

Photo copyright Jamie Hitchcock

The only reason I have these photos is my friend Jamie just happened to be in the area when this all went down. 

So that was this past weekend with puppets.

I have two pieces I want to get done in the next two weeks. One is going to take longer as I need to work out some of the how on it but it will give me some new direction to go.

I am grateful to everyone who helped me this weekend.

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Posted By Kathleen David on November 14, 2019

It is also Claude Monet’s birthday as well.

My father is a scientist. He taught me the scientific method at an early age. He encouraged our interest in the sciences. I build a telescope one summer at camp at the Fernbank Science Center that we took to the beach and looked at the stars and planets. He taught me how to find the constellations in the night sky. He helped me with my homework even after new math was instituted. He taught me that being smart was nothing to be ashamed of.

My father is a reader. He reads the newspaper every morning and the NYT on Sunday. He reads magazines from Scientific American to the New Yorker. He reads books both fiction and non-fiction. He has read the classics and Harry Potter. I loved sitting next to him as he read to me. I have fond memories of Wind in the Willows and the Lord of the Rings trilogy along with the hobbit and fairy tales from the various colored fairy tale books.

My father is an artist. He is a doodler. I have always envied his ability to just sketch something out first go. I still have the cloisonné pins he made me. My mother has a lovely collection of his work. I have watched him paint watercolors. His abilities as a photographer are amazing. His eye for subject and composition is just lovely. I always look forward to his photographs after my parents get back from one of their excursions. 

My father is one of my biggest cheerleaders and has been my entire life. He never shot down my ideas of what I wanted to be when I grew up but he did have me think through how I would get there logically. When I went into the theater, he did not discourage me. My parents made it possible for me to attend the Yale School of Drama. He has encouraged my writing and ability to tell a story. My puppets are as good as they are because I inherited my father’s ability to look at things and find a way to make something look or work for me to create what I want. He also taught me basic electronics so I was putting LEDs in puppets way before EL wire and the like. 

My father is my parent. I learned from him in both word and deed. He did his best to balance his career and his children. He stepped up to the plate and took on childcare while my mother worked on her PhD. He supports us and loves us and lets us know that. 

Happy Birthday Da. I love you more than I can tell you.

I am very grateful that my father is in my life.

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Posted By Kathleen David on November 13, 2019

It is also World Cardigan Day in honor of Fred Rogers who taught many of us how to be kind.

Before Sesame Street, which celebrated 50 years the other day, there was Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. We would tune in every afternoon to watch it. I remember watching it with my friend Christine when I was very young. 

He would welcome us into his house each afternoon with a song that I still sing in my head. He had a kind voice which was his real voice and not an affectation. He would talk to us and we would talk back to him. He would talk about things that were relevant to us and helped us with ways to deal with all kinds of problems from being scared to how to help a friend who was sad. He validated our feelings both good and bad.

My favorite part was the Neighborhood of Make-believe. I love the little morality plays that would unfold over the week. I would worry about Daniel Tiger. I would be very concerned about X the Owl and Henrietta Pussycat when they were fighting. I knew Lady Elaine was always scheming. I remember when Mr. Rogers started getting statues of the different places in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe and though they were so cool. And then there were the musical episodes which I think I loved the most.

Mr. Rogers led by example. He tackled some tough subjects in a way that would help children cope. He talked about divorce and going to the hospital. He showed that handicap individuals were just like everyone else with the same feelings and dreams. He had Margaret Hamilton on to show how an actor gets into a role and to separate the actor from the role.

And he taught us to be kind to one and other. It wouldn’t cost us anything and it could really help other people. 

Fred Rogers helped shape my moral compass to what it is today. He helped me understand the world around me. And he made me feel safe in this world.

I am grateful that Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood was part of my childhood.

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