I've always loved the story of the Three Little Pigs. I have two very specific memories of that beloved classic. You might think these are stories from when I was a very small child, but in fact, I was 'older' in both of them.
In the first one, I am 12 years old, a 6th grader, and it's Thanksgiving in Nebraska. My aunt and uncle have come from Texas to spend the holiday with us. It's my 'duty' to entertain Brent, their three year old son. He's a good little boy, and he loves to be read to. Quickly he latches on to The Three Little Pigs. I would not be exaggerating when I say I must have read that book at LEAST 50 times in three days. We even had two versions of it....one where the pigs get eaten, and one where they run away. He liked the one where they got eaten the best, and I couldn't fool him into reading the other one---just for variety.
Fast forward to my 15th birthday party. One of my good friends celebrates her birthday just 4 days after mine, so we throw a joint slumber party at my house. (What were my parents thinking?) Sixteen teenaged girls, up all night, giggling! My sister is visiting with her 3 year old son, Jeremy, an adorable little boy who loves to entertain. At three, he could recite the story by heart, his favorite part being the 'I'll huff and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house down." At which point he would blow the house down, and my friends would squeal with laughter!
So, when I set out to create this set of pigs and the accompanying Big Bad Wolf, it is with some fond memories in my heart.
These pigs have been running around, squealing, in my head for a very long time. I finally took some time this spring to let them out!
The First Little Pig, as we all know, was not willing to work very hard. He just wanted to dance and play. He made his house of straw, because it was the easiest way to do it. Since this pig was all about frivolity, I decided to dress him in white shorts and an orange shirt with a frilly collar. These are NOT work clothes!
The Second Little Pig was willing to work only slightly harder, to build his house from twigs. So his clothes are a little big more rugged....cargo shorts and a striped t-shirt.
We all know, The Third Little Pig was smart and a hard worker, willing to spend lots of extra time building a house the Big Bad Wolf could not blow down. Laying brick is very hard work, and you need to be dressed accordingly. He wears overalls, work boots, and has a bandana tied around his neck to wipe away the sweat.
Of course the collection would not be complete without the Big Bad Wolf. I love the way this guy turned out! He has lots of sharp teeth and long claws. He needed a 'prop', and I consulted my friend Marian, to see if it seemed tacky to add a jar of BBQ sauce. She has the same quirky sense of humor I have, so she thought it was a great idea. Turns out, everyone I've shown this to agrees! YAY!! What's pork without BBQ sauce, right? (Does this put you in the mood for barbequed ribs??)
I'm really happy with this collection of beloved story book characters. I'm glad I took the time to make these. If nothing else, they will be a good conversation starter at my upcoming shows!
Speaking of which, fall shows begin in less than two months!! I'm beginning to feel the panic, and it's seriously "crunch time" in the studio. I have lots of wonderful new characters to show you! Right now, I'm working on Christmas ornaments!
I hope you have a great day!
Lisa
