EDMONTON -- Dave Rudge spends a sunny St. Albert morning working on his latest creation.

"This is going to be Elmo, the red furry guy."

Just feet away from his first project, sculpture of the beloved Peanuts character Snoopy, holding a hockey stick.

"He turned out pretty well and then it was Christmas time, so we started working on Charlie Brown and Charlie Brown's Christmas tree, and all the other characters."

The creations were so popular he decided to expand the collection by moving on to the characters from Sesame Street. Neighbours were only too happy to help out.

"I didn't have a garbage pail so somebody brought me a garbage pail for Oscar the Grouch, and they didn't have a lid and another lady came by and said 'I can get you a lid.'"

Rudge normally spends his winters as a snowbird, and while the pandemic has stopped him from traveling south, he’s found warmth from passers-by.

"The good feeling is getting to know all these people I mean I don't know their names but I’m best friends with every dog walker on the street!"

WIth files from CTV News Edmonton's Darcy Seaton.