The Nutcracker Puppet Theater

Ok. I am officially giddy over this post.

We've been up to a little something here in the studio...me and the elves  kids have been feverishly creating a little Nutcracker world, and we're all a bunch of giddy little sugar plums over it.

I've been wanting to make these for a while, and I just couldn't wait any longer. This weekend we were decorating gingerbread houses and watching the Maurice Sendak version of the Nutcracker with the Pacific Northwest Ballet. And the kids were glued. We've been acting it out ever since!

So we made this Puppet Theater set. I say "we" because it was really a joint effort. The kids would play, and I'd draw it out, and we'd imagine together what all the characters looked like.

Here's a little video of us putting these together. It's taken with my iphone (note to self...always hold the phone horizontal, not vertical when making movies!)

 

I'm getting a little obsessed with imovie. I used it for the first time last night making this...and um....I can see a lot more of these in my future. So super easy and fun!

So. This is what we've done. we've made the these PDF downloads (like the Peter and the Wolf Puppet Theater kit that has been so, so popular) and I'm including the story and music clips below so that you can act out the story right here! There are 13 characters...enough for literally hours of play.

*Disclaimers:

1) Not all characters were created. I had to stop somewhere!

2) These should be cut out by an adult. They do have tiny parts, and so give yourself some time to carefully cut

3) This is a DOWNLOAD only. Instructions are included in the download for printing, brads, etc.

 

You can purchase the PDF download here.

 

So...are you ready? Get out your dolls....and play along!

 

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THE NUTCRACKER SUITE

(Simply play the music below each image while you are dancing to the scene with your paper puppet dolls)
 

ACT I 

PARTY SCENE

The Overture

Clara’s family is having a Christmas party.  She and her little brother Fritz dance and decorate the tree.  Soon Clara’s mysterious Uncle Drosselmeyer arrives and gives her a special toy nutcracker.  Fritz pretending to be a soldier, breaks the Nutcrackers jaw and the doll is broken.  As Clara cries, kind Drosselmeyer ties his scarf around the Nutcracker and fixes him.

 

CLARA DANCES WITH HER NUTCRACKER

Clara and the Nutcracker

Clara Dances with her Nutcracker.  Relieved her new toy is fixed, Clara dances with the Nutcracker and pretends he is really a hansom prince.

 

THE MOUSE KING AND NUTCRACKER FIGHT

The Battle

Clara falls asleep and shrinks to the size of the toys.  The Mouse King appears and the Nutcracker comes alive to defend Clara.  The Nutcracker fights bravely, but after a long battle the Mouse King knocks the Nutcracker to the ground.  Clara throws her shoe at the Mouse King and distracts him long enough for the Nutcracker to kill him.          

 

CLARA AND THE PRINCE DANCE

Pas de Deux

The Nutcracker becomes a hansom prince and dances with Clara.

 

TRAVEL THROUGH THE SNOWY WOOD

Waltz of the Snowflakes

The Nutcracker Prince and Clara travel through a snowy forest on the way to his Kingdom.  Snow fairies and the Snow Queen dance all around them.

 

 

ACT II: LAND OF THE SWEETS

Clara and the Nutcracker Prince arrive in the Land of Sweets.  Sweets from around the world come to dance in turn for Clara, and thank her for defeating the Mouse King.

 

ARABIAN DANCE

Arabian Dance

 

 

CHINESE DANCE

Chinese Dance

 

 RUSSIAN DANCE

Russian Dance

WALTZ OF THE FLOWERS

Waltz of the Flowers

 

SUGAR PLUM FAIRY

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

 

FINAL WALTZ

Drosselmeyer joins Clara and the Prince as everyone dances together.  Clara and the Prince are crowned rulers of the Land of Sweets.  (In some early versions Clara stays in the Land of Sweets and the ballet ends.  In others the prince takes her home, or she wakes up in bed with the doll in her arms realizing it was all a dream.  Pick the ending you like best.  I’ve never seen two identical productions. )

 

THE END

 

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Wasn't that fun? I am feeling like I'm 7 again...all tingly and magical. Gosh, I love this music!

I had so much fun making this....I might even add more characters next year, but this, I think, is plenty! And look! They even can double as Christmas Ornaments when you are done. Or for practicing your ballet positions in your spare time!

 

 

YOU CAN PURCHASE THE PDF DOWNLOAD HERE.

 

Really. Paper Toys are so under rated. These kept my 5 year old boy busy all weekend. Gotta love paper dolls.

Merry Christmas!

xo

sarah jane

 

 

 

 

 

Lucky.

A bit of news:  LUCKY magazine, the seasonal LUCKY KIDS insert to be exact, featured my blog in their best blog round up!

Wow. That was fun to see!

And what made me smile, is that the thumbnail image is my son's head. He has a cute head. But he's 5, and I don't know if I'll show him that his profile is shared with Jessica Simpson. Not just yet at least. Don't want him to get any ideas, you know?

No, really...I'm really so flattered that they'd choose my blog as "The Best Blogs" in their Winter issue! Wow. Really. Wow. Thanks so much Lucky!

As part of the feature, I'll be GUEST BLOGGING this week at LUCKY KIDS with a daily round up of handmade, creative, and great finds for the holidays. I used to blog more about my favorite things...but now thanks to twitter, pinterest, etc. I can post things like that there. So this was fun to put together! Come say hi!

And as promised, I can't finish a post with out a sketch from my current sketchbook.

I've been thinking about cold bunnies lately. You?

 

 

Mood Boards

I like to put mood boards together. Inspiration boards. Story Boards. Whatever you call it, it's really good for me to put my ideas in one place, and make little families.

My brain is always so full of information, it really helps to put bits and chunks in one place and see how they work together. Sometimes they are digital, sometimes they are on my wall in my studio...sometimes they are cut and paste, or printed out on paper. Pinterest is awesome for collecting ideas...you name form, and I have collected ideas there.

This one is for a top-secret mission and I can't say anything about it.

Just kidding. I'm working on new fabric again (!) and this is a peek at just the ideas behind it. Too early to show anything just yet...but it's rather fun to see how it all gets started. The conception of ideas usually starts with random bits of information in my head (information for me = sounds, colors, shapes, people, phrases, memories...) and plop them down on the table and then I start to see where and how they work together. I move the pieces around like it's a puzzle, and eventually pieces shift, get thrown out, come to the front...and I have something to work with. The conception stage takes the longest for me. Like a really good, slow simmer!

But I'm liking it so far! I think the octopus is blushing...and it makes me smile to wonder at what! Cute little guy!

 

And PS: The Cyber Monday sale is still going on here and here! Read more here. Happy Holidays!!! Yipee!

 

 

 

 

Naptime and new blogging.

Confession: I don't draw very much. Well, for how much I really should be pulling out pencil and paper as an illustrator, I just don't.

I can think of a few good reasons:

3 busy children. Laundry. Cooking. School Lunches. Sleep. Studio deadlines. Email. Homework. Driving. Errands. Phone calls. Church service. Dishes. Playing with kids. Cleaning.

Well, all that said, I really wish I had more time to just draw what I was thinking. Cause that's how I think. In pictures and words.

But at the same time, as an illustrator, I need to be working at it every day if I ever want to get where I want to be.

I've tried to think of a motivation for a long time...but I finally found a way give myself the motivation to sketch every day.

I really like blogging. It takes time. I'm fast at it now, but it still takes time. I'm not willing to give up blogging to make more time to create, so I've decided to do what my blog actually says: "Illustrate Childhood."

I hereby commit to having an illustration in every single blog post from here on out!

There. I said it.

Ha ha. Just watch...I won't blog as much now:)

No...this is just what I need.   I need be sketching every day, and I'm telling the universe so that I can't slack off. And if anything...this place will get a lot more interesting:)

I'll still have photos...but I'm always going to have some art.

Deal? Deal.

And speaking of the lack of time I have to illustrate, here's what my darling sweet 2 1/2 year old looks like when she is supposed to be napping: She comes out of her room, tip-toes oh so daintily down the hallway, and freezes in this very pose as soon as she sees me.   And then she stands there..arms out, tongue out, avoiding my glance...completely frozen in place until I pick her up.

You know when you want to laugh so hard, but you can't ... so you turn your face away and hold it? But the tears are coming and your stomach hurts?

That happens to me about 1:30 p.m. every afternoon in the family room. Just me and her.

Right now, she's winning. I mean, how can you get upset? It stinks to have cute kids.

'Tis the Season!

The holiday items are all up in the shop! (I know...I'm still in denial that it's not August any more!)

First, I have to tell you how excited I am about this new Nutcracker embroidery pattern! I have high hopes to get another Christmas design in the shop very soon...but while I'm working, you can get started on this new stitching design!

This is a PDF Download only, and it features Clara, the Nutcracker, the first melodic line of the Nutcracker Mini-Overture, and the handwritten title. Can you hear the music? "Dun--da da da dat dun-- da da da da da dunnnn- dunnn " Ahhh....I 'm getting excited for Christmas already!

And new this year, Holiday Greeting Cards!

In years past, I've always had postcards of my holiday images. Now there are folded holiday greeting cards! yay!

Gift tags: both Adhesive and hanging tags! I asked on facebook and twitter a while back, which you'd prefer, and you guys on twitter said hang tags, and all you on facebook said adhesive tags. What's going on with that? It was really funny. So I got both! Easy peasy lemon squeesy.

And...in addition...

even PDF printable tags for all you last minute people:)

Bookplates are here too! 

These signed bookplates will come directly from me, if you want a signed Christmas Goodnight Book. I am not able to sell my book in my shop, so this was the closest I could get! Wish I could write a message on all your books, but I designed this little stick on bookplate to look beautiful next to the title page for you:) I'm happy to write a little message too!

And...dun dun dun...

The CALENDAR!

This year's calendar is So bright and cheery. It's all my new prints including a few super new ones I'll be showing later!

And saving the best for last,  a new holiday print called, "For Unto You". In addition to the Santa Maria.

This print, if you've read A Christmas Goodnight, really goes a long just perfectly.The boy look a little different, but the lamb and baby Jesus are the same.

Have you ever thought about that scripture said so often at Christmas? When you think about it, those two emphasized words really speak the meaning of Christmas. It's ultimately about You and Him.

So Christmas is here, folks! There are more items to see over in the holiday section, so hop on over. I just can't get enough of the holidays myself. I love all of it.

Signing off w/ holiday hugs,

sarah j.

Santa Lucia

Hello!

Happy All Saints Day!

I'm not Catholic, so I never did have the chance to learn much about Santa Lucia, the saint that is celebrated at Christmas time throughout Scandinavian countries, and other parts of Europe.  But I have always, always loved the tradition and story behind Santa Lucia, or St. Lucy, and so I've made a print in the shop since I have always wanted to participate in this tradition.

Ok, Ok, I know it's not Christmas yet. But, being All Saints Day, I figured this was ok to share, right?

St. Lucia is the bringer of light. In one of the darkest countries in the world during December, St. Lucia is celebrated on Dec. 13, the darkest day of the year. It is ironically, the mark of the beginning of the 12 days of Christmas! I've always wanted to dress up as a little girl, with candles on my head and celebrate the Christmas Season just like they do in Scandinavia, and elsewhere throughout the world.

I just think it's so wonderfully bright and cheery and symbolic on so many levels. I think we might find a way to read about this tradition on the 13th of December this year. To me, it's always been such a warm, welcoming way to introduce the Christmas Season!

I'm going to be sharing a lot of Christmas things early this year. With my book being out, and lots of new Christmas items in the shop, and coming on the blog, I'm going to make my apologies now, that starting today, there is officially no guilt in me bringing on the Christmas Season!

Happy All Saints day, and hope you all had a wonderful Halloween. This is Ella's first real Halloween, and she finally got the point after about the 4th house. "Candy for Ella? More Candy?" is what we heard all night. I love the holidays. Don't you?

xo

sarah j

Little Girl Necklaces aren't just for little girls.

OK!

Well, so much for blogging about all the new stuff going on in the shop. I actually skipped away to Quilt Market, and had high hopes that it would be the kind of trip that would leave me with some free time in the evenings to chat with you all! Ha!

Quilt Market was fantastic. I didn't have a booth, I was just there to support Michael Miller, and all my other favorite people in the fabric world. More on that later!

But, before it got too late into the season, I just have to start sharing with you all the sweet little new Sarah Jane things going on.

First, let's talk jewlery!

I have collaborated with the wonderful Bel Kai Designs, and we've come up with 10 necklace designs that I just love.You can get them with or without the pearl, and they are really so sweet. I've been wanting to make these for a long while...and I'm so thrilled to have them!

I will be honest. I'm not a big jewelry person. If I wear it, it's definitely on purpose. Which is why I just love these. Initially, these are for the little girls in your life. My Addie loves these! But honestly, so do I. They aren't just for kids.  I wore the "Going Tandem" one yesterday, and no joke, got 7 compliments in one day. Maybe I do need to wear more jewelery!

I really hope you like these! I've been wanting to offer designs for little girls for a while, and these just turned out so darling.

In the shop here!

And Happy Halloween Everyone! Have a wonderful, safe, and creative night!

xoxo

sarah