Giraffe measuring tape

I have finally found an idea I will be sticking with.  A giraffe measuring tape.  The giraffe body will connect to a piece of the measuring tape and then the head will be at the top.  The scene will be a Saharan region and the giraffe may be reaching into the ruler trees for some food. 

I have had trouble finding how to make the eraser bigger and erase a larger area than just a small point. I also had trouble with being able to select and move the object after I had erased part of it.  I had to expand the object and then erase.  Would that have made it so I could not move it around the scene anymore?

I am not as far along as I would have hoped, but getting the hang of this illustrator thing is a little rough when the computer is a challenge already.