Window Project #1

Last Monday I finally completed Window Project #1.

It has been several years since my mom got new windows for her house. I had her keep all of the old windows because I thought that there would be a point in the future where I would be able to use them.

I gave a few to Monica. I gave a few Rebecca. The rest have mostly sat around and collected dust.

The previous Monday (to last Monday) I came to a point of stasis with the Friend Wall. There is still room for more pictures and there are still a few people that aren’t represented on the Friend Wall, but I feel that the wall has adequate coverage for now. I can stop for now and move on to putting holes in the other (naked) walls in my house.

The windows will be a big part of what goes on my remaining walls. I finally got one of the window projects done.

I don’t really have a name for the completed window project, but for now it will be called Window Project #1.

Window Project #1 started with this picture of Jill’s hand.


Window Project #1
The rough image.

After cleaning this image up, tweaking it and converting it to black and white, I came up with the final image.


No. 14
The final image.

I measured a window and ordered a print.

I don’t really trust my own ability to cut straight lines, so I discussed the project with Teresa. She agreed to cut the picture down to size and actually came up with the idea to mount the picture to foam board.

Initially I was going to glue it to the back of the window. I was going to do that even though I had no clue whether or not that would ruin the picture or stain the picture or even hold the picture to the glass.

The foam board was definitely the wise way to go.

Before bowling (actually the greatest bowling night of my life) Teresa came over and cut the foam board and picture. I mounted the picture to the foam board, placed it in the window and put it on the wall.


Window Project #1
Window Project #1

After looking at it, I think I might need another picture to go with it. Another body part.

I’ve thought about an eye…


Johnathan Senior Picture

But I think that might be a little bit uncomfortable for some people to look at. Plus, I think I am going to work on an eye project in the future that might be a little bit more ambitious than one photo.

I think the answer is rather obvious. The complimentary picture should be of a foot.

It seems I’m in need of a foot model. Monica has graciously offered up her foot in exchange for me paying for a pedicure for her. I think I can find somebody that will work cheaper than that. I am, just a poor, starving artist after all.

If you hear of anybody wanting to offer up their foot for art, let me know.

But there are also a couple of other window projects on the horizon. I have a set of garage door windows I got from my Aunt Linda that I’ve always thought about using as a frame for flower pictures, but instead I am going to use it to hold family pictures and sit it in the corner of some yet to be determined room.

I am also going down to Salon 908 to measure some wall space on Saturday morning. I am planning on hanging a window up there before their Grand Opening. I don’t have much turnaround on that project though.

I hope my designated cutter is available.

Tenderloining It! 2009

On Sunday Scott, Melissa, Austin and I loaded up into their truck and headed for Prairie City to visit Goldie’s Ice Cream Shoppe. The winner of the Iowa Pork Producers Best Tenderloin in the State of Iowa for 2009.

This could very well be blog 5 of the 5 groups I’m in with matching shirts, but it isn’t. We have yet to make our shirts, but we do have a motto to put on those shirts when they get made:

“Tenderloins Don’t Eat Themselves!”

Truer words will never have been put to cotton.

I have actually been to Goldie’s once before in my life. On the famous 2006 The Road Trip, we stopped there after visiting the Neal Smith Prairie Reserve. It was not open, but Jesse posed for a picture in front of it.


Eastern Iowa Road Trip - 2006

But since that day, the business has come under new management. A few pictures from the trip:


Tenderloining at Goldie's Ice Cream Shoppe
“Beautiful” Prairie City
Tenderloining at Goldie's Ice Cream Shoppe
The new fancier Goldie’s sign.

Tenderloining at Goldie's Ice Cream Shoppe
Goldie’s

Tenderloining at Goldie's Ice Cream Shoppe
The state’s reigning tenderloin champ!

Tenderloining at Goldie's Ice Cream Shoppe
Scott displaying the state’s reigning tenderloin champ.

Tenderloining at Goldie's Ice Cream Shoppe
Scott’s last bite of the champ!

Tenderloining at Goldie's Ice Cream Shoppe
Scott and Austin basking in tenderloin glory.

Tenderloining at Goldie's Ice Cream Shoppe
Austin surveying the menu.

Tenderloining at Goldie's Ice Cream Shoppe
Even though Melissa begged to come on the trip with us, she embarrassed us by ordering a Chef Salad.

Tenderloining at Goldie's Ice Cream Shoppe
Scott and I with the proprietor of Goldie’s and the creator of the state’s reigning tenderloin champ.


We certainly took down lots of data and we did come to some conclusions, but I can not release that information until we finally crown our State Tenderloin Champ. If you contact me directly, I will release to you some of our findings, but you will have to sign a NDA.

Samhain

I was dreadfully unprepared for this year’s Halloween. Including not buying pumpkins and candy until Saturday morning, not running firmware updates on my Blu-Ray player until Saturday night and not doing any decorating at all. Truth is that the lack of decorating was a conscious decision that I plan on repeating for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Although I have a feeling that a Christmas tree is going to show up in my house when I am not home.

Although if I do ending up holding a Friendsmas-Thanksmas-Christgiving celebration between Thanksgiving and Christmas, it is possible that a small amount of decorating might transpire. But that is a pretty big if at this point in time. Mostly because I still need to convince myself that I won’t blow up the house while frying a turkey.

Despite the lack of preparation, Halloween went just fine.

I ended up with 46 trick-or-treaters. I think I would have been able to breach 60, but Jay turned off the light for about 15 minutes, causing a loss of who knows how many trick-or-treaters.

Despite getting a couple of garbage pumpkins, Jay still made two spectacular jack-o-lanterns.

A few pictures from the night…


Halloween - 2009
Jay cleaning out a pumpkin.

Halloween - 2009
The Davis Family. Holden was awesome in the respect that after every picture, he would come over and want to see it. Good thing I wasn’t using film.

Halloween - 2009
Austin was not a fan of the hood part of his sweet giraffe costume.

Halloween - 2009
Holden was a big fan of my front stoop. If he makes it to my birthday barbecue next year, I anticipate I will find him sitting in that exact spot on multiple occasions.

Halloween - 2009
Austin was happier without the hood.

Halloween - 2009
A Howard paying homage to a CBS television show?!?!? Shocker! Saydie is not wearing a wig. Taylan as Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Halloween - 2009
Jay working on a pumpkin for my mom.

Halloween - 2009
Jay’s 2009 Masterpiece!

I think I will have to schedule my social calendar lightly next October, so I can get into the spirit of things and maybe even visit a pumpkin patch. I didn’t get a chance to do that this year.