Two-Headed Monster

This is my new favorite Muppet balloon, specifically the dude on the left. I want to hang out with him and his unibrow.

Grover and Fat Blue

Grover the waiter: proud, noble, terrible at his job. He looks so cute in this little formal collar and bow tie, too.

As for Fat Blue, I feel for the guy. He's just trying to get some lunch. This balloon could also pass for Dr. Phil in a pinch.

Dr. Teeth

Back to basics: a classic Muppet bringing the Electric Mayhem.

Slimey the Worm

Oscar's buddy Slimey. Why is the cantaloupe in the picture? I have no answer for that. But! The photo shoot smelled much better than one with a garbage-dwelling worm should, so that's nice.

Ernie Mask (aka Giant Muppet Head)

My first giant balloon creature head; definitely not my last. These are going to be a lot of fun.

Kermit (Yes, Again.)

I've tried Kermit a few times and never quite got it right but this one...this is my favorite so far.

This calls for a Kermit flail! Yaaaaaaay!

Muppet Hats

I wanted to make some Muppet balloons that are simple, fun, and perfect for parties and restaurants. I'm pretty pleased with these and they look super-cute on. I think I might be in love with the Fozzie one.

Marvin E. Quasniki (Another Not-Technically-A-Muppet Entry)

Here's Marvin E. Quasniki: a fictional 2012 presidential candidate created by Henson Alternative (a Jim Henson Company brand aimed at a more mature audience) and produced for Chris Hardwick's The Nerdist YouTube channel.

Henson puppet + Chris Hardwick= very happy me.

Dinosaur Train

I know this isn't technically a Muppet but Dinosaur Train is a Jim Henson Company production, so I'm going with it.

I made this mask of Buddy the T-Rex because we're going to Paleopalooza this weekend at Philly's Academy of Natural Science. Buddy and Dr. Scott Sampson will be there and we are super excited.

I know it's been a while since I posted here and if you're still reading along, thank you! I'm still putting tons of balloons on my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/blackcatballooncompany) and sometimes out on Twitter (@blackcatballoon). Muppets and non-Muppets will still be posted here occasionally (more often now, I hope, since I got an app for Blogger.) My computer is slow and I don't fire it up all that often, hence the silence here.

Sweetums

I never go to movies on opening weekend, mostly because I'm curmudgeonly and entirely unwilling to wait in line for anything that I can just waltz into a week later.

Except for this. I swear to all that is green and felt-y, I will make it to The Muppets before this weekend is over. I will also get a baby sitter because I'd really like to see it without having to make four potty trips before the opening credits end.

Until then, here's Sweetums. He's not full-length (I'd planned on it but ran out of brown balloons.) I'll do him again later when I get some more supplies. I also think the head would make a fantastic balloon mask.

Scooter/ Muppets on SNL

As a kid, I liked Scooter a lot. A LOT. I remember really wanting a shiny green jacket like his and the fact that we both wore glasses? A sign that the unassuming show gopher and my kindergarten self were soulmates.

So now you know what kind of nerdy kid I was.

This week's SNL was excellent. I'm not one to go running for every Muppets talk show appearance and tv cameo but I would've watched for Jason Segel alone and the Muppet stuff turned out to be really great. I loved the opening song, Kermit's "REALLY?!?" with Seth Meyers and especially the closing where the Muppeteers appeared onstage with their characters. I saw some complaints about it but personally, I loved seeing the performers who usually fade into the background.

If you haven't watched it, at least go look up Jason Segel's adorable and highly amusing Andre the Giant impression.

Pumpkin Costume Cookie Monster

Another Halloween on Sesame Street balloon. These have been really fun to do.

Trick or cookie!

Vampire Elmo

I've missed the Muppet Project! My fall schedule's left me too busy to twist for fun lately but I really wanted to do some new Halloween stuff.

Here's the thing, though: while I love costumes and candy, I don't like scary things. I sometimes get spooked by my neighbors' seasonal blow-up lawn decorations. The only way to get me on a haunted hayride is to tranquilize me like a wild animal. Name a horror movie and I can guarantee that I've never seen (nor will I ever) see it. Simply put, I'm a Halloween wimp.

To that end, I set out to make the cutest, un-spookiest Halloween Muppet possible.

Elmo vants to suck your juice box.

Cookie Monster

It's been a busy summer & I haven't made a new Muppet balloon in a little while but I had to share this:

A while back I referenced Tom Waits/Rowlf mashup videos on YouTube. They're pretty good but someone has really nailed it with a less-expected combo: Cookie Monster/Tom Waits. LOVE.

One small problem: I'm likely to find myself muttering this song under my breath when I make Cookie Monster balloons. And I make a LOT of Cookie Monster balloons.

More Muppets coming soon!

The Count

One Count, one monocle, one bat and one candelabra. Ah ah ah!

A little bit of detail on The Count's accessories:

I love balloon candelabras beyond all reason.

Making this balloon has forced me to go watch The Count's "unnecessary censorship" YouTube video again. This being a family-friendly blog, I won't link to it here (though, as the name implies, there's technically nothing explicit in it.) If you haven't seen it, go look it up.* It's delightful.

*Unless you're a kid. Then don't.

Down at Fraggle Rock

Banana tree shirts never go out of style.

Here we go, Fraggle-lovers. Let's dance our cares away! Worries for another day.

I started the Fraggle thing off with Wembley for two reasons:

1.) I've always liked his banana tree shirt.

2.) He's been on my mind ever since James Hance depicted him as my beloved Wash in his Muppets/Firefly mashup, Firefrog.

I hadn't seen Fraggle Rock since I was kid, so my memories are a little fuzzy. When I watched an episode the other day, I realized that while I know the basics (subterranean radish-loving mammals, Gorgs, Doozers) I'd forgotten much of it--like how damp and mossy Fraggle Rock is. I imagine it smells like cheese in there and it skeeves me out a little bit.

I am, however, hatching a plan to make a Trash Heap Halloween costume.

Bert and Ernie

 A while back, I made an Ernie and said that when I finally did Bert, he'd get his own blog entry as well. So I tried that: 

Bernice is a very rare breed of pigeon. You've probably never heard of it.

Is there already a Hipster Bert meme out there? There has to be (and if there's not, somebody go forth, make it and maybe link back to here.) The ugly shirt, the argyles, the obsession with things no else one cares about--give that guy a scarf and some glasses and he's good to go.

(Bert's pigeon Bernice here is modelled after my Mo Willems pigeon balloon. Fitting, since before writing some of the funniest kids' books in the world, Willems was an Emmy-winning Sesame Street writer.)

Bert looked pretty good by himself but it just felt wrong to have him without his best friend and constant source of consternation. I had to re-make Ernie.

Much better now:

For extra fun, here's an early failed version of my Bert balloon. He's more balloony Bond villain than likable-but-boring paperclip enthusiast:

No, Mr. Snuffleupagus. I expect you to die.

P.S. Blogger's been kind of buggy lately and not letting me respond to comments. I apologize for any unanswered questions/comments and hope to have it figured out soon!

Abby Cadabby

Another trip to Sesame Street:

Abby's wings:

Kermit: This Time, It's Easier Being Green

Remember how I said I didn't like my first try at the Miss Piggy balloon? I liked my first Kermit even less.

Here's the next incarnation. I'm digging this one a whole lot more.

Despite appearances, this picture was not taken in a Sears Portait Studio.

Miss Piggy, Part Deux

I worked on this while watching the Glee season finale and I think Miss Piggy will now forever remind me just a little bit of Rachel Berry.

I did a Miss Piggy balloon way back in the beginning of this project and was never really happy with it. Tonight, I was suddenly struck with ideas for refining the design and I finally understood that Miss Piggy has to have her evening gown, gloves and, yes, a tasteful amount of pig cleavage.

I'm pretty happy with this one and also kind of looking forward to seeing how many people stumble upon my blog by googling "pig cleavage."