lazy animals.

“Everything starts as somebody’s daydream,” Larry Niven once wrote. And in the case of Ayelet from Israel, a mother and famed handmade shop owner, Larry wasn’t lying. “The work on my finger puppets consists of two of my favorite activities – knitting and needle felting – that allow me to do a lot of day dreaming, which is definitely my number one past time!” Ayelet writes…

Watching her 3-year-old son playing all sorts of imaginative games “starring” his own fingers, Ayelet knew she wanted to play a role in creating a platform for kids’ imaginations and ideas to run wild. Enter Lazy Animals, a thoughtfully curated shop featuring Ayelet’s handmade finger puppet animals, each charmingly unique and spirited. “I find myself stabbing my own fingertips with the felting needle time and again, but when each puppet gets its soul and comes alive, it makes the whole process worthwhile,” she writes.

Handmade with natural materials like 100% sheep’s wool and cotton yarn, the one-of-a-kind puppets arrive in a “home” for displaying – either a hanging mobile or a shadow box created from upcycled vintage wooden sewing boxes. “When the puppets are not ‘on duty,’ they can return to their homes and provide an original addition to a child’s room decor,” notes Ayelet.

Priced at around $26 and measuring roughly 3 inches tall, each creation is perfectly prepped to bring a smile to any kid boasting an active imagination. Even better? Ayelet loves taking custom orders – a perfect way to commemorate a favorite pet or even gift your little one a tiny version of themselves.

Shop Lazy Animals at Etsy or follow Ayelet’s blog for updates on her latest animal kingdom creations.

p.s. Interested in the needle felt craft? This needle felting tutorial gives a great introduction to the tedious (but seemingly therapeutic!) skill.
p.p.s. Famous people finger puppets!