The Bear Necessities

I'm the director of my school's Intermediate Theater Club.  This year, 34 of our 4th, 5th, and 6th graders are under my care (note: ONLY my care...it's pretty crazy during rehearsals), and we are putting on the play "The Jungle Book" by Rudyard Kipling.

Not only am I the director of these 34 lovely, young hooligans.  I'm also the costume and set designer.

For the past two weeks, I've been up to my ears in faux fur.

My basement floor looks like a bear has been rolling around on the carpet. 

My sewing machine has clogged itself twice from all of the fluff, and I've broken two needles in the process.  My fingers are sore from bending wires and using a VERY hot glue gun.

I've made red ants, a herd of elephants, a bear, a panther...

...an entire colony of monkeys, a snake, a toucan...

...a tiger, a jackal...

...and some beautiful turbans and saris for the villagers.  All that is left to do is make a pack of wolves, and the costumes are complete.  The kids help me build the set next weekend.

I'm going to need a good back scratching when all of this is over.