Jack of all puppets...

About 20 years ago, I was sifting through the bargain bin of a local bookstore and found a book on making puppets. Something struck a chord as I leafed through the pages so I bought it. Out of the blue, I started making puppets.

I remember loving the process: sculpting the heads, torsos, hands. I spent a few months bumbling my way through their creation. The Count was the only one I finished. The Ogre and the Sullen Clown never made it to the end.

It dawned on me that although I enjoyed making them that I would never use them for anything. I'm not an entertainer -- more of a behind-the-scenes guy. And I didn't know any puppeteers so the endeavor seemed fruitless.

So, as suddenly as I started, I stopped. Everything went in a box and I'd pretty much forgotten about them until my parents brought them over from their house a few weeks ago.

Evil shortbread

Most of these shortbread cookies were made with love.

But some were made with evil.

Bliss?

Something I did recently for my second cousin to accompany an article she wrote on why Democrats should love Republicans.

Hatch

If I were an astronaut, this would be me.

Illustration Friday's theme-o-the-week: "Hatch".

(Patent idea: "Key in a Comet". Much like the spare key in a fake rock concept, but for astronauts. Genius.)

This one very nearly never came about. As I was inking the chin, the nib of my pen decided to belch out the entire load of ink. I either had to find a creative solution or start again. Being the lazy man that I am, he now has a beard.