Jeremiah was a bullfrog…

So the other day, as I stood freezing in my cold garage cutting wood for more purses, I wondered how I must really like what I’m doing to freeze out here like this. What is it that keeps me going back into that cold garage (hurry up, spring and summer!)? I know it’s all the things that go into creating the craft that keep the passion going. I’m sure all the other great artisans like the ones  on 1000 Markets feel the same drive to create. For my particular craft, I know it’s all about the music.

Ah, the memories that seeing certain albums jogs in my brain. If only I had pictures of my cousins and I, doing hula-hoop routines to The Monkees on my grandma’s back porch. We dragged my little portable, plastic turntable outside and plugged it into grandma’s outdoor outlet and stayed out there for hours. Loudly singing along to, “Mary, Mary” and “Last Train to Clarksville.” Then we’d hop on the swingset and sing at the top of our voices Three Dog Night’s “Joy to the World.” We just couldn’t get enough of spewing out “Jeremiah was a bullfrog, was a good friend of mine.”

Sometimes I am totally drawn to the artwork on a cover. I might not have ever heard the music, but love the cover, or the inside sleeve graphics and sometimes it’s just the center graphic on the vinyl. Oh, and that shiny, black vinyl! The ridges and valleys that form the songs — I love the way it looks and feels. Top it off with some nickel rivets – fabulous. But everything contrasts just perfectly with black, shiny vinyl, doesn’t it. Think about it.

So the hunt goes on. I search for more cool records to spotlight — they’ll get another way to be seen and admired. And, hopefully, for my customers, they can relive some great memories also.

I’ve been keeping pretty busy ’round here. A salon has invited me to display my purses and trays at their “Girls Night Out” event in Longmont this Friday. Since it’s a free spot, I’ve decided it’s worth it to get out there and see what happens. On that note, I finally got down to the “business” of art — okay, maybe it’s crafting and not arting so much — Anyway, I ordered my business cards and a grid wall to help me display the purses. The grid panel just arrived. I haven’t opened the box yet. But I’m hoping this will be a great way to show things off. Plus it will keep me organized in my “studio.” So, here’s the latest record album purse I’ve created.

I can’t find out anything about this album. Can’t find a release date – bummer. I’m guessing it was early 60’s — maybe even late 50’s.  I like to have that information for it’s new owner.  The weather here is outstanding lately. I think it will be in the upper-50’s today with clear skies. It feels like spring. Guess if I were really smart, I would take advantage of getting out in the garage and getting some wood cut.  On that note, I better get off this post and get some power tool  work done!

The Swingin’ Era

I’m really focused on trying to get this album. The center graphic is perfect. I came across it when I was checking out another album — an old polka album I found at the thrift store. The insert sleeve has listings with small thumbnail pics of their latest releases. This Tommy Dorsey album was listed and it has a fun cover. But when I found one of these albums listed online, it had a photo of the center vinyl graphic and now I have to have it. The company that has it for sale is in the U.K. and when I tried to purchase it, I got a notice from firefox saying a secure connection had failed and the certificate for that website had expired. I’m leary of purchasing anything from that site after getting a notice like that. So, I guess I’ll keep waiting for one to show up. There is one on ebay that maybe I’ll buy. But it remarks that the center graphic is in black–I really want that pink!

I moved my drill from the garage into our [unnfinished] basement this morning. It’s just too cold in the garage and I don’t think having a little heat while I drill compromises the effort I put into my projects.    A girl’s gotta have some creature comforts, even while using power tools. I had a lot of holes to drill. I’ve got a lot of purse sides ready to go and I’m going to start finishing them up this afternoon.

So I’ve noticed that all three of the purses I’m working on are very vintage looking. I keep finding myself attracted to these older covers. Like the Tommy Dorsey album I would love to have. I’m currently working on a Perry Como -Relaxing with Perry Como; Torero – Music of the Bullfight, and finally, an Elvis album. (I notice I don’t tend to select albums that have one single, well known, popular icon on the cover. The Elvis purse is commissioned from my good friend here in town. Her husband’s secretary is a die-hard Elvis fan, and she thought it would be a great gift.) Anyway, these old covers and the illustrations on them make me giggle. So often they are a great snapshot of their time. Good or bad. Speaking of a bad snapshot, I found one the other day and couldn’t help but grab it up. It’s The Gospelaires, Tour the Country. Wait till you see that one.  I loved “Singing with the Four Roses Society.” That purse came out pretty darn cool and its new lucky owner is very happy with it. The women all dressed up in their finest (the blonde in her pink dress and pearls), the men in suits and what I think is really funny is how *only* the men have a highball in their hands. Here’s some pics:

Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce – Condiment Extraordinare

Have you tried Hot Chili Sauce? OMG. This stuff  rocks. It is spicy, though, so only tread in if you like things “heated.”  So step aside ketchup, my loyalties are now with Sriaracha  — I notice that I can barely spell it, and I *know* I don’t know how to pronounce it.  This condiment began lighting up our lives about two years ago. We went to Rhumbi Grill (they were just opening) and they had the  Sriaracha sauce on the condiment counter. The manager told me that I really needed to try it on, of all things, my salad. I took the leap and I was hooked. I introduced it to the rest of the family and my teenage daughter went nuts with it. (This kid ate hot salsa before she was two!) She has tried it, and would heartily recommend it, on the following items.

• Sandwiches (probably in addition only with mayonnaise – mustard could be a bad thing)
• Macaroni and cheese or any other alfredo-type pasta(the boxed stuff)
• Hamburgers (once again, probably with mayo only)
• Egg burritos
• Steak
• Hot dogs
• Salads (like the one at Rhumbi with grilled chicken, tortilla trip strips, etc)
• Crab wontons

I sometimes squirt it into a stir fry to give it more kick.

One of the competitors on Top Chef (maybe season three) made sriaracha ice cream. Hmmmmm. Don’t know about that one.

So get some of this stuff and see what you think.

More pics of record album trays

I keep wanting to call these boxes, but no lids, so does that = tray? I don’t know. Here’s another pic of the underside of the tray I did with the veronique record. Also some pics of the other two I finished up yesterday.  The Cars’ Candy-O and Pizacatto 5’s Happy End of You. Pizacatto’s was a double album with a great center graphic so I made a purse from one album, and the tray from the other.

Pizicatto 5 Tray

Here's the bottom or underside view of the box

Here’s The Cars’ Candy-O record album upcycled into a tray. Found out that the artist, Alberto Vargas, was 80 when he drew this sexy woman on top of a ferrari. Also that the model’s name was Candy which was a complete coincidence.  I left the leather tab off the corner where her face is. Although I joked that most guys so taken by the body probably don’t notice that she has a face.?

I made a lightbox yesterday from a post I found.  Here’s the link:

http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-make-a-inexpensive-light-tent

Great instructions. Anyway, I used it to take the photo of the Candy-O and Veronique trays.  Tomorrow, if the sun shines, I will try it again with a ZZ Top tray that I finished up this evening. I used natural light.

I’ve got some purses I need to get finished up and posted to my etsy site. One is the Rolling Stones, Some Girls album, which I have a feeling is going to turn out pretty cool.

What’s in a name?

I’m going for it. Here goes my first blog. On the etsy treasury today, there was a group of items all with the name of Chelsea in the description. The group was put together by a fellow etsian whose name is Chelsey. She asked for people to leave any funny stories about their own name. I told mine. My name is spelled with an “i” vs. an “e” (as in Brenda). Although I’ve always had to assure people that, yes, that’s the way it is spelled — it’s no typo. But in reality, it WAS a typo. A typo on my birth certificate. My mom had me in a catholic hospital. The nuns there insisted that it be spelled that way. My mom was afraid of the nuns, so here I am with Brinda vs. Brenda. My mom says my name was inspired from Brenda Lee.  Uhm – okay, if you say so!  So today I made some more tray boxes from record albums for my etsy shop. I’m really happy with the way they came out. Here’s a pic of one of them. I just finished the other one tonight, so no pictures yet.

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