Etsy's Handmade Blog
Handmade Portraits: Stacey Rebecca
Story by staceyrebecca, weirdwolf
Published on April 3, 2009 in This Handmade Life

MP4 | Youtube | Blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

(music by Two Dark Birds, animation by JuliaPott)

Puppeteer Stacey Gordon, aka Staceyrebecca, started making puppets with her church youth group as a kid. It wasn't until after college that Stacey saw an adult puppet slam performed by Preston Foerder at the Great Arizona Puppet Theater and she decided to pursue puppetry.

Adult puppet shows are meant to bring humor to topics that most would consider taboo. Stacey's quick wit and edgy sense of humor were a perfect match for this unusual performance medium. She makes her own moving mouth puppets, which can take anywhere from twenty to forty hours each. However, Stacey makes finger puppets for instant gratification, mostly anthropomorphizing food that she like to eat. Stacey says shes going to keep making handmade puppets until her hands won't allow her to anymore. Whether she's performing adult slams or doing improvisational pieces at local schools, she will continue to perform with her creations.

Watch our other Handmade Video Portraits and subscribe to our Youtube Channel!

Learn how-to make a shadow puppet!

Search for More Puppets | Children's Category | Toys Category

ps

Watch the hella old school Etsy Newscast wherein Staceyrebecca's "puppet correspondent" grills Etsy founder RevolvingDork.

Tags acting, Arizona, Children, finger puppets, funny, Geekery, Great Arizona Puppet Theater, Handmade Video Portraits, humor, Mature, moving mouth puppet, performance, Phoenix, Preston Foerder, puppetry, puppets, puppet shows, puppet theater, Stacey Gordon, Staceyrebecca, Stacey Rebecca, stage, Tara Young, theater, This Handmade Life, THIS HANDMADE LIFE, Toys, Two Dark Birds, video, weirdwolf, Whoopie Goldberg
All articles in This Handmade Life
Related Items
This article was reported by:
staceyrebecca
shop . profile . contact

Etsy Admin
weirdwolf
shop . profile . contact

75 comments     Login to add your own!

April 3, 2009 at 2:29 p.m. maiziedesigns

What an awesome blog entry. Thanks so much for sharing. Great shop too!

April 3, 2009 at 2:34 p.m. Mattamorphis

Those are amazing.

I love puppets. I mean you doesnt right.

-Matt

April 3, 2009 at 2:37 p.m. AlloverArt

How fun!! What fantastic work!

April 3, 2009 at 2:38 p.m. julieincharge

Excellent video! I loved getting a glimpse into staceyrebecca's process.

April 3, 2009 at 2:38 p.m. Vanessa

By the way, anyone is free to embed this video on their blogs (hint, hint). I just wanna see Staceyrebecca and these cute puppets all around the internets!

April 3, 2009 at 2:41 p.m. uncharted

I love the lady fish!

April 3, 2009 at 2:47 p.m. WoollyWonka

Thanks for letting us glimpse into the process!

April 3, 2009 at 2:47 p.m. Zooguu

Yaaaaaaay, Stacey!

April 3, 2009 at 2:49 p.m. FancifulForm

YAY STACEY!!! WOOO! ^.^

April 3, 2009 at 2:57 p.m. VintageEye

Charlie the Sandwich...I love him!
He looks good enough to eat!

April 3, 2009 at 2:58 p.m. shoofly

Awesome, yay Stacey!

ps...happy birthday! :)

April 3, 2009 at 2:59 p.m. raisinlike

Oh, how wonderful to see Stacy at her home ground, and meet a side of her work I have never seen.

You truly are remarkable, yay you!!!

April 3, 2009 at 2:59 p.m. mermaidclaire

That was awesome!!! Yay for Staceyrebecca! She was one of the first people to reach out to me when I joined Etsy a couple of years ago. As a fellow puppet person I totally understand and am inspired by her enthusiasm and love for the artform. Love those naughty piggies too!

April 3, 2009 at 3:04 p.m. katiearms

Awesome video, Tara! That opening sequence is so funny. Stacey is great!

April 3, 2009 at 3:06 p.m. alwaysadorable

Woo Hoo! Go Stacey! :)

April 3, 2009 at 3:15 p.m. laraandmedolls

WAY TO GOO Stacey!!! :o) What a nice Birth day gift :)

Happy Birtdayyy!!!!

:o) :o)

April 3, 2009 at 3:15 p.m. FrucciDesign

great video
Stacy you're fantastic!!

April 3, 2009 at 3:16 p.m. froggyfibers

Congratulations Stacey! (and Happy Birthday too!) Your the greatest puppeteer I know.

April 3, 2009 at 3:16 p.m. SugarPoppyJewelry

That was great! Thanks for sharing Stacey Rebecca!!!

April 3, 2009 at 3:19 p.m. PipingHotPapers

Wonderful video and story!!

April 3, 2009 at 3:23 p.m. IcingOnTheCupcake

These are so fun! Love the green monster!

April 3, 2009 at 3:27 p.m. pamelam

Fun, entertaining video- thanks Stacey!

April 3, 2009 at 3:32 p.m. Zadyball

stacey rocks! so fun!

April 3, 2009 at 3:39 p.m. sseloske

"....purdy mouth." HAHAHA! Love it.

April 3, 2009 at 3:44 p.m. lovelygifts

Sooo cute!!

April 3, 2009 at 3:48 p.m. weirdwolf

Stacey Happy Birthday! What a blast shooting this video. And wow, who knew an adult puppet slam would be so hilarious and raunchy?!

April 3, 2009 at 4:07 p.m. loremandipsum

love your work! thanks for sharing your story!

April 3, 2009 at 4:08 p.m. nightowlcraftworks

great job! you are such a fun person. you should get a bus and take that act coast to coast... i'm sure we'd all be there!

April 3, 2009 at 4:11 p.m. BlackStar

xoxo staceyrebecca!

April 3, 2009 at 4:12 p.m. bellasparty

Great video! Awesome puppets!

April 3, 2009 at 4:15 p.m. mullishmuse

staceyrebbeca and her finger puppets ROCK HARD CORE!!!

April 3, 2009 at 4:20 p.m. abitabite

Firstly... Where the heck is my cake and ice cream. I was PROMISED cake and ice cream. WTF StaceyRebecca!

2nd, you look exactly the same as when you were a kid! No wonder people ask if your in high school before they ask if they can see your boobs!

3rd, Still lovin' Mrs Wolf. Salsa hats are better though.

4th - HI MACK!

April 3, 2009 at 4:21 p.m. eddyizm

very cool !

April 3, 2009 at 4:24 p.m. hoganfe

VERY cute!

April 3, 2009 at 4:28 p.m. adam

awesomeawesomeawesome!

April 3, 2009 at 4:30 p.m. bugbitesplayfood

Brilliant! thanks for sharing your wacky puppets!

April 3, 2009 at 4:32 p.m. loopyboopy

loved it!! Puppets are cool

April 3, 2009 at 4:36 p.m. missbatch

So much fun! I just watched this twice. Stacey, your love for your craft really shows. When I wasn't laughing, I was very inspired.

April 3, 2009 at 5:11 p.m. staceyrebecca

YAY Thank you everyone! I feel so special today! Seriously how awesome that this came out on my birthday!!?? Best Birthday Gift. EVER. (And I've received some pretty rad stuff)

Tara--wow, you're amazing. You just are. I think someone should do a handmade portrait about YOU.

abitabite--suck it! Er...something like that. cake isn't until tonight. I'll send your hellos onto Mack (My Puppeteer Cohort if you're not in the know)

YAY!

*JAZZ HANDS!*

April 3, 2009 at 6:43 p.m. ScottieinaCanoe

SO MUCH FUN!! I am in Love with the puppets!!!

April 3, 2009 at 6:51 p.m. Waterrose

Oh Stacy...what a great video and it's so good to "see" you! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

April 3, 2009 at 7:12 p.m. kinderflufftoys

way to go!!!! its so cool to see this!
remember?!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIkqEF...

April 3, 2009 at 7:18 p.m. LittlePies

I am so happy to see such an amazing artist's process shared, but even happier to call this artist my friend. Happy Birthday Stacey!!!!

April 3, 2009 at 7:21 p.m. dragonhouseofyuen

a puppet 'slam' - I Must be behind the times...

April 3, 2009 at 7:42 p.m. underroos

Stacey, this is so crazy great I can't stop watching it. You put the sizzle in fo' shizzle. Happy birthday, lady, and congratulations on being completely awesome.

April 3, 2009 at 7:44 p.m. sandali

Wow -- it looks like so much fun !! Extreme fun filled happy days ;)

April 3, 2009 at 7:50 p.m. BabbidgePatch

Fabulous!

April 3, 2009 at 7:59 p.m. ivaart

You are just too awesome StaceyRebecca!!!

April 3, 2009 at 10:33 p.m. dreamitloveit

What a great video Stacey! Keep up the great work, one day I will have to go see one of your Puppet slams....

April 3, 2009 at 10:42 p.m. elpycloset

yay, stacey! that's so cool. i love it...happy birthday, lady!

April 3, 2009 at 11:05 p.m. busterandboo

staceyrebecca (hi neighbor) makes the bestest puppets ever.
I haven't bought one yet, because I'm worried I might eat it.

April 4, 2009 at 1:36 a.m. ArtMind

YaY! I wonder how can one NOT love Stacey? :)
Thanks for sharing!

April 4, 2009 at 2:54 a.m. vivilian

so cool ... love it

April 4, 2009 at 6:08 a.m. Signs

Where do I know you from? hmmm Etsy chat yeah! This was fun to watch and funny! Congrats on the feature!

April 4, 2009 at 7:53 a.m. EpicBones

amazing! love the puppets!!

April 4, 2009 at 9:55 a.m. thelittlereddoor

staceyrebecca rules the school :)

April 4, 2009 at 11:22 a.m. Vanessa

Tara shoulda used "dueling banjos" as the soundtrack LOL

April 4, 2009 at 1:07 p.m. Lunatiger

that's so awesome...*sniff* I wish I had that kind of job...

April 4, 2009 at 1:47 p.m. ThreeFive18

that was a great video!!!! lovely stuff!!!! :) :)

April 4, 2009 at 8:53 p.m. CutieDynamite

Wow! Demofia's puppet sure is creepy....cool!

April 4, 2009 at 11:02 p.m. FAWNs

Great!
Love them!

April 4, 2009 at 11:55 p.m. he1ena

Wow that is really great, a-mazing work! Every show must be hilarious! I love how your craft cultivates other things in. Great talent.

April 4, 2009 at 11:56 p.m. robayre

I love this series so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing.

April 5, 2009 at 1:35 p.m. Nishale

I enjoied so much this video!
stacy you are lovely!
I love SHRONA-raisinlike too!!!!!

April 5, 2009 at 4:29 p.m. difart

Nice!!

April 6, 2009 at 2:28 a.m. staceyrebecca

(Nishale, I also love Sharona!)

April 6, 2009 at 8:59 a.m. pollywogpouch

Just wanted to add that in addition to fab puppet skills, staceyrebecca is also a thoughtful, giving, and extremely helpful Etsy mentor. She offered me some site feedback last year that majorly improved my shop and lead to more sales. I'm so glad that she's getting the mad props she deserves!

April 6, 2009 at noon StudioCherie

So personal and sweet, what a lovely video.

April 9, 2009 at 1:58 a.m. Blakenetizen

Hurray for out etsy chat room buddy Stacey Rebecca!

April 11, 2009 at 2:05 a.m. topsyturvydesign

OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!
This is such a FAB portrait!
PUPPETS ROCK & so do Stacy & Tara!

April 21, 2009 at 8:53 a.m. wendybirde

I love these Handmade Portraits! I much prefer watching a video of the actual person than just reading an article about them.
Her puppets are amazing!

April 24, 2009 at 4:05 a.m. picalina

Stacey you rock, I am really impressed with your talent and your little people, keep up the good work.

June 3, 2009 at 6:07 p.m. imyourpresent

awesome video! not that he upstages you or anything, but the kitty your holding when you where little is the cutest kitty i have ever seen in my LIFE

June 5, 2009 at 12:42 p.m. staceyrebecca

imyourpresent, my cat just had a kitten that looks *exactly* like that one. I'm trying to get my son to hold it in the same rocking chair! (he's about the same age I was then)

July 22, 2009 at 5:31 p.m. sleepyking

yay staceyrebecca :D awesome work.

Previous Page | Next Page