http://www.fao.com/whatnots/index.jsp;jsessionid=pXhnTmJbJ6mQ6yF6GCW9RLhKJKGJLcp4YHhzGnlvfdCfWsqcb2T9!808355204

I love this... and I hate this... I love it because if I was little this would be amazing. But now, I hate it because creating a custom puppet with a $130 price point makes it difficult to wrap my brain around. I would be making about 4 bucks an hour.  Yes, I understand these are really mass produced, BUT STILL.

Ahhh.. Love. Hate!

It's perfect for a kid who loves the Muppets and all of the assorted Henson worlds but for anyone who builds custom characters it's a very expensive parts bin!!

This is more of a novelty but there are puppet makers who make them at this price. There is a market for it.

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I know Melissa & Doug had a "build your own monster" kit that was considerably cheaper, I think it was 30 bucks. Problem was I couldn't fit my hands inside the sleeve. I bought a couple when they came out and ended up giving them away to friends who had kids.

There were cheaper versions of these that were available at toys r us, which were on clearance a few weeks ago for about $50. The seams on them were terrible.

The fao versions have been around since 2009 or so, and they aren't bad. They are very clearly toys made for smaller hands. (I bought one back before I started making my own)

There are people who are going to buy these to use for youtube and such, and while there's nothing wrong with that, you really only have those three (I thin) basic head shapes and a very limited range of colors and eye/hair choices. You can clearly tell which one is a whatnot.

I can tell you I've had clients who have tried to go this route with some success, but then when they get a custom, they realize the difference. (Hey, I'm not puppeteering with just my fingertips!) I try to look at it as a "gateway" to custom puppets.

haha. Just realized I wrote "FOA schwarz" for the title. F-A-O.

The purple body is new! So is the rainbow and Afro wigs...also firefighter, police and chef costumes.
The cost is $99 right now.

When I first decided to build puppets I told myself I wasn't allowed to buy any(that and I couldn't afford the ones I wanted) and that if I really wanted something specific I should go home and build myself one like it. That said...

...I want one. I personally don't have much desire to build in the "Muppet" style so it would be a cool thing to have. But in the end I have even less desire to spend that much on something that "would be cool" and chances are it would just end up a display piece and that's a pricey book end to collect dust. Maybe if I win the lottery...