Well, it should be no surprise that I didn't finish my April Fool's project for Dabbled's "April Fool" contest.

I was thinking of making these fellows into finger puppets.  I also envisioned a felt forest and farm house for them to jump around in.  Man, it would have been cool!

Anyway ... The big head on the left is John Wilkes Booth.  He assassinated President Lincoln.  He was a very famous actor at the time, and thought that killing Lincoln would make him a national hero.  His journals during his escape were totally delusional.  He had no idea that everyone would mourn Lincoln.

Andrew and I were watching a documentary about it on the History Channel months ago.  While discussing the getaway after the assassination, the narrator mentioned that he was helped by two friends, Absolom Bainbridge Ruggles and Mortimer Ruggles Bainbridge*.

Andrew and I immediately looked at each other.  What?!  Were they kidding?  I yelled, "Remember those names!" and jumped off the couch to grab a pen and paper.  Aren't those the greatest names ever!?

I stuck the paper in my inspiration box (that's a fancy name for a shoe box lid full of crumpled scraps of paper I've scribbled on) and there it sat for months.  Those guys immediately sprang to mind when Dabbled announced her contest ... because John Wiles Booth was such a fool.  And then I looked up the assassination date and learned it was in April.  Hey, perfect!  April's Fool!

The rest of the little heads I sketched were studies for Absolom and Mortimer because I didn't know what they looked like.  I did a google image search for Civil War to get an idea about hairstyles and beard styles for that time period.  Strangely, the one just under Booth looks exactly like Mark Eitzel, one of our favorite musicians.

* I can't find the link where I learned this, but they were either the sons of good friends or relatives that gave each of the boys the others' last name as their middle name.  Those names almost make me want to have twins so I can use them ... twin girls.  Abbie and Mortie.  So awesome!