Mini Marionette With Stage in Altoids Tin

I thought it would be cute to make a mini marionette with a little stage that would fit in an Altoids tin and could also be kept in there. So in the video I was being silly and my boyfriend thought it would be funny to post a video of that. Pay no attention to the video!!

Supplies:
Wire
Beads, Clay, paper mache ( I used a variety of beads but you can used whatever you want!)
Glue
Popsicle Sticks
Round Nose Pliers Pliers
Pliers (without grooves)
Scissors
Wire Cutters or Snippers


Optional light:
LED Light
9 Volt Battery
Battery Terminals
Solder
Soldering Iron

Step 1: Make the Legs

To make the legs you need roughly 1" piece of wire.

1. Bend Wire around to make stop. You can use pliers to do this if need be.
2. Add Beads (a seed bead and 3mm bead)
3  Bend Wire
4. Add Beads (a 3mm & 4mm bead
5. Bend wire towards front of leg
5. Make a loop and Cut extra wire off
6. Repeat for other Leg

Step 2: Make the Hips

The hips will hold up the body and the legs. You will need a 1-1/2" piece of wire

1. Make a Loop
2. Add Beads ( I did a seed bead, 4mm, seed bead)
3.Make Loop Opposite of 1st loop
4. Add Beads ( I did a seed bead, 4mm, seed bead)
5. Make Loop

Step 3: Make the Body

To make the body you want to start off with a piece of wire about 3" long.

1. Curl the wire
2. Add Beads (I used a seed bead, 3mm, seed bead, 4mm)
3 Make Loop
4. Add Hips (the hips piece will help hold the body up so that extra wire is not needed)
5. Add Beads ( I used a 6mm & 4mm)
6. Loop Wire
7. Add Beads (I used 4mm)
8. Bend wire to stop bead

Step 4: Make the "Strings" & "Crossbar"

I decided for the strings and crossbar to do them a little different than normal because its such a small marionette

"Strings" -You'll need (3) 2" piece wire
1.  Make Loop and center
2. Make Loop on opposite side and center
3, Repeat on 2 other pieces of wire

"Crossbar" -(1) 2"piece wire
1. Make loop
2. Make loop on opposite side
3. Bend in center
4. Make Loop in center
5. Bend Back side loops at center loop to make the side loops behind center loop
6  Bend forward side loops

Put together
1. Open "string" loop to place on "crossbar" and close
2. Repeat for other two "Strings"
3. Attach to mini marionette by opening "string" loops. Attach side "strings" to hips and then attach the center string to head loop

Step 5: Make the Stage

To build the stage you want to use popsicle sticks.  You will need at least (11) 3" popsicle sticks that you can make by cutting up regular popsicle sticks with scissors. You will also need (8) 2" popsicle sticks  Take (2) 3" Popsicle sticks and lay out. Then glue on top of those on each side a 2" popsicle stick to make a rectangle.  Then add another layer by adding 3" popsicle sticks.  You want to do this until you get your stage high enough. I ended up with 7 layers  not including floor (I added another layer after finishing the floor of the stage).  Then top the floor of the stage by gluing 3" popsicles across.

Step 6: Make the Screen

To make the screen, you want to take (2) 3" pieces of Popsicle and then (2) of the 2" popsicles and glue in a square pattern.  Then to make the screen flush, add 2 pieces of 1-1/4" inch popsicle stick.

Step 7: Make the Backdrop

You want to cut a piece of paper the size of 2"x 2-1/4".  Then cut a hole in the piece of paper for the light if you are going to use one. To measure for the hole, you want to place the paper on the back of the screen and go from there.  Also, this will tell you where you can draw your picture because only part of the paper will show. I used markers to make my volcano and grass. You can also make it interchangeable by making different scenes.  I wanted to do a statue of liberty but didn't have time.

Step 8: The Light

For the light in the Volcano, you need a 9Volt Battery, battery lead and a LED Light. Don't forget a resistor like I did.  This will stop the battery from shorting out and heating up!  My boyfriend Soldered the LED light to the wires for me :) Then attached the battery to the wires.

Step 9: Put Together and Play!

The screen will fit behind the stage slightly in the Altoids tin. The Battery can sit in the lid of the Altoids Tin. Now you can try out your mini marionette on a stage! Then when you are done you can place the marionette under the stage and the screen on top and be on your way. If you do have a light, you can put that under the stage too.  The only thing that won't fit is the battery but you'll probably need that for another project! :)