As you might guess by the slightly edited logo on the School of Puppetry website, this month marks the 5th anniversary of the site. Well, no not quite, since this site is full of content from another one... but it's the 5th anniversary since I started writing puppetry articles and that's good enough for me : To celebrate, I made a little video tour of my studio which you can see below... but first a treat for you guys!

To begin with, for the month of May 2012 only, all of the patterns (here, here and here) and the ebook on teaching puppetry, are $5 USD only. In the case of the patterns, that's a fifth of the price, and the ebook is an 8th of the price! A huge savings, so if you don't have any of the patterns or the book, or you got one of the foam patterns and want the other one... now's your time to buy.

But that's not all! Yep, I've got something else for you. Each customer goes into a random drawing to win an iPod shuffle. There's only 2 rules to be in the running: you have to buy one of the patterns/book before 31st May (GMT +10); and you can't choose the colour of the iPod (it'll be green). I'll ship to any customer in any country, and there's only one iPod to be given away. I'll use a random generator and pick the winner from a list of customers (numbered in order of date of purchase). It doesn't matter if you bought one of the patterns last year or if you buy tomorrow: you'll go into the running! The winner will be contacted via email to organise shipping.

Don't forget, each and every purchase helps keep the majority of info on this site free to access and use. :grin:

Now with that taken care of, watch my little video:

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https://youtu.be/iAzstzgpZEw

Ooooo! I'll have to see about ordering the patterns at the very least! Have to wait till I start my new job in the next week or two though. Forget the iPod Shuffle, I want a cupcake!! Thanks for the great sale and the video tour! I'll have to click through to finish the tour later. So great to put a face and voice to the name. Plus it's always fun to see other artists work space. Thanks so much for all that you share with us here and elsewhere. You're awesome Naomi!

Well the sale will be on for a while. I'd hoped to post it earlier in the week but got sidetracked with that video. (And crappy cupcakes. I bought edible logos but they turned out shite. Will be seeking money back on that!)

The cupcakes are these:
http://www.donnahay.com.au/shop-online/food/chocolate-cupcakes
(They don't do non-Aussie orders)
Good, but needed some ganache in the middle, it was a bit dry otherwise.

As for the video, that too was annoying. I actually got some footage of the actual workspace, but my computer ate it. I couldn't be bothered trying to redo it. I do have another video of me making some shadow puppets, so I might post that next week. ... Also, I really hate being seen in pics and video so this one's a rare one! I think next time a bag over my head would help

... And you're welcome! Symbiotic fun: you guys (customers, readers, sounding board, etc) keep me doing puppetry and I help others to learn it.

Thanks Na! you look great in the video, you're very photogenic and look very comfortable in front of a camera. I agree...........all your hard work is greatly appreciated.

Photogenic and comfortable? You've got to be joking! I HATE doing it. (Needs must) If I wanted to be in the spotlight I would have become an actor

But thank you. Nice to know I'm appreciated

That was really awesome Na! Congratulations on five years of educating puppet enthusiasts! I am certainly grateful for the support you've given me and the wealth of resources you make so readily available through your site.

I also admire your bravery. That can't have been easy to do! Well done my friend. 

Thank you, thank you

Five years really wasn't on purpose. Like I said, it just started off as an archive for any puppet building I did. It really is all down to the readers because I wouldn't have posted so much info if other people didn't find it useful.

Lizzie said it all, nothing left...

Thanks Rikka!

Gern geschehen!