Wednesday, September 28, 2011
more kicks
Last night I finished my second pair of shoes. These are for Gail in Arkansas who gave me free choice in terms of the theme. I decided to go with a sunflower field with a few trees and a sunburst. These photos are less than ideal since my camera is still in my bus in CT, so for now, I only have my very old cell phone. Hopefully gail will take some pics once they arrive in AR!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Kicks~
My little brother DJ had a good idea for a birthday gift. He sent me a pair of Vans with a request that I paint them for his girlfriend (who turns another year older on Friday) The only instruction that I got was to include purple.
So after some deliberation, I set on painting them with a purple lotus and lily pad theme. I drew up a quick sketch and primed the shoes with a flexible primer. Then I drew out the design on the shoes and painted in acrylics cut with fabric medium. Once dry, I heat set them and cleared over them with several layers of flexible clear coat (like whats used on banners.)
The neat thing about these is that if she puts her feet together, the design goes from one shoe to the other!
Here is what resulted:
So after some deliberation, I set on painting them with a purple lotus and lily pad theme. I drew up a quick sketch and primed the shoes with a flexible primer. Then I drew out the design on the shoes and painted in acrylics cut with fabric medium. Once dry, I heat set them and cleared over them with several layers of flexible clear coat (like whats used on banners.)
The neat thing about these is that if she puts her feet together, the design goes from one shoe to the other!
Here is what resulted:
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
My big southern trip summary
I have driven through 10 states over the course of exactly one month. I have met more decent people than I have encountered in all the rest of my life put together. I used 172 gallons of gas and saw my odometer change from 45,137 to 48,198 (3,061 miles!). I painted on 4 buses, sold many many t-shirts and had to break out my cooking implements only twice. I also lined up 10 more buses to paint. I came home with honey from Salem, VA, a jar of habanero Peach jelly from Roan Mountain, TN and a jar of sunshine from North Charleston, SC. My bus is now outfitted with a correct late bay clock, super comfortable vanagon captains chairs, camper windows (w/ knobs, screens and inner rubber seals!), the desireable and uncommon late bay jump seat/ storage bin that sits between the front seats, a proper rear mattress for over the engine and the cabinet that fits neatly behind the rear seat. ...and some new stickers!
On the downside, I managed to crack my engine case and spent a lot of $$ on oil to get my bus back home... and now I must spend more $$$ on a new engine case and the time it will take to switch all my good engine components over. But that said, all in all a wonderfully memorable trip that I will be reliving over and over again due to all the business this adventure landed me.
...now onto the pictures!
Mark's Shop, Salem, VA
Mark took me to see the city, here he is looking over Roanoke and Salem, VA.
Here is my reason for visiting mark. I painted him a new sign for his shop!
The Nolichucky River... this is the river of Buses on the River (BOtheR)
Garry DeSpain is the real Santa (on vacation, mind you!)
A small tattoo for TNJed and Turtle's bus
Disco Breakfast Video!
After leaving Ric's house in TN see previous post), I had to drive over the Appalachian Mountains.
In coastal SC, they have these magnificent trees called Live Oaks. They are massive! This one is probably the oldest living organism east of the Mississippi and is estimated to be over 1500 years old! It is called the Angel Oak and can be found on John's Island.
Folly Beach, SC.
Here is Snoopy... as a pig! Piggly Wiggly, that is!
Snoopy's Wanderlust Bus (Paintedbus # 8)
Snoopy's neighbors were intrigued by my paintjob! Here are three of us, Me, Calvin (i believe) and Snoopy.
Jamie's pop-top canvas in Arden, NC... just south of Asheville!
Over the mountains and just about to enter TN... looking back towards Asheville (and the nice (albeit brief) lunch I had with Jill Tamilla.
Just into TN and the clouds were hanging around me in the mountains... BEAUTIFUL!
In PA, there was massive flooding. The water over took I-81 northbound, so I went on a scenic drive though the countryside. It was just before this that I noticed the massive crack in my engine case. I ended up repairing it with some JB weld and many quarts of oil. By the time it evened out, I was going through a quart every 100 miles. The back end of my bus was COVERED in oil spots... still is. :/
Back in MA, I figured the bus wasn't getting much worse, so Jessica and I took a trip to Provincetown, MA to witness our friends Katie and Courtney get married. I must have brought the nice weather with me since it has been gorgeous weather ever since I returned home. Here is Jessica sitting on Marconi Beach, mid cape. We were watching seals feast on some unwilling fish just off shore.
oh, and HUMPBACK WHALES!
And here is jessica being hanging out in my newly outfitted bus. This was a good way to spend our 2nd anniversary!
On the downside, I managed to crack my engine case and spent a lot of $$ on oil to get my bus back home... and now I must spend more $$$ on a new engine case and the time it will take to switch all my good engine components over. But that said, all in all a wonderfully memorable trip that I will be reliving over and over again due to all the business this adventure landed me.
...now onto the pictures!
Mark's Shop, Salem, VA
Mark took me to see the city, here he is looking over Roanoke and Salem, VA.
Here is my reason for visiting mark. I painted him a new sign for his shop!
The Nolichucky River... this is the river of Buses on the River (BOtheR)
Garry DeSpain is the real Santa (on vacation, mind you!)
A small tattoo for TNJed and Turtle's bus
Disco Breakfast Video!
After leaving Ric's house in TN see previous post), I had to drive over the Appalachian Mountains.
In coastal SC, they have these magnificent trees called Live Oaks. They are massive! This one is probably the oldest living organism east of the Mississippi and is estimated to be over 1500 years old! It is called the Angel Oak and can be found on John's Island.
Folly Beach, SC.
Here is Snoopy... as a pig! Piggly Wiggly, that is!
Snoopy's Wanderlust Bus (Paintedbus # 8)
Snoopy's neighbors were intrigued by my paintjob! Here are three of us, Me, Calvin (i believe) and Snoopy.
Jamie's pop-top canvas in Arden, NC... just south of Asheville!
Over the mountains and just about to enter TN... looking back towards Asheville (and the nice (albeit brief) lunch I had with Jill Tamilla.
Just into TN and the clouds were hanging around me in the mountains... BEAUTIFUL!
In PA, there was massive flooding. The water over took I-81 northbound, so I went on a scenic drive though the countryside. It was just before this that I noticed the massive crack in my engine case. I ended up repairing it with some JB weld and many quarts of oil. By the time it evened out, I was going through a quart every 100 miles. The back end of my bus was COVERED in oil spots... still is. :/
Back in MA, I figured the bus wasn't getting much worse, so Jessica and I took a trip to Provincetown, MA to witness our friends Katie and Courtney get married. I must have brought the nice weather with me since it has been gorgeous weather ever since I returned home. Here is Jessica sitting on Marconi Beach, mid cape. We were watching seals feast on some unwilling fish just off shore.
oh, and HUMPBACK WHALES!
And here is jessica being hanging out in my newly outfitted bus. This was a good way to spend our 2nd anniversary!
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Ric's Bus is finished!
Ric's bus is all done! Also, because of a delay in securing a special paint, there has been a change of plans. Tomorrow I will be heading down to North Charleston, SC instead of to Asheville, NC. I will stop by Asheville on my way back up to paint Jamie's pop top canvas though, so not to worry!
Anyway, on to the pics!
Anyway, on to the pics!
Friday, August 26, 2011
Quick update.
Since I am trying to finish this by tomorrow, I will be brief and let my pics do the talking.
Ric's bus design has changed a bit. Its a barn bus now :)
this will be on the nose... albeit with bigger wings.
ric has a sweet lift... this is the beginning of the week.
snoopy's design.
Apologies! I have been working hard, but not really updating this.
Ric's bus design has changed a bit. Its a barn bus now :)
this will be on the nose... albeit with bigger wings.
ric has a sweet lift... this is the beginning of the week.
snoopy's design.
Apologies! I have been working hard, but not really updating this.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
1000 miles down, 1400 to go
I am currently in Roan Mountain, TN getting things in order to start my first bus mural of the trip! This wasn't my first stop but it is the first one where I have access to the internet... so I have some updating to do!
First thing, for those of you that might worry, the bus is running cool and excellent. No problems thus far except a squeaky wheel bearing and I had Reggie (Bud's Air-cooled parts... remember the t-shirt?) order me some new ones so I can install the when they get in.
My first stop was at Mark Dearing's Shop in Salem, VA. Both Mark and Sandra were happy to receive the sign I painted for them.
I was able to pick up a couple of new parts for me and my friend Tracy... a nose cone for her splitty and a nice louvered window for my bus. While I was there I randomly met a nice family that said they had been talking about me all week! They were on a long journey too... from Miami, FL to Nova Scotia and back in a late vanagon Westy w/ a Bostig engine conversion. Turns out they had been following Aswah's bus mural progress and had no idea who painted it... then surprise! There I was, camped out at mark's shop. After a bit of chatting, it looks like Jessica and I will be flying down to Miami, FL sometime over this winter. :) Mark Took me to see some sights:
My next stop was in Erwin, TN for the Buses on the River Campout (BOTR.) I met MANY Moonies that I have only ever met through the website (www.fullmoonbusclub.com) I sold a bunch of shirts, ate way too much awesome food, slept too little and figured out how to print out of my bus! Then of course... AWESOME LOCATION! Wow @ TN, and thanks to Boyd Smith for hosting such an enjoyable event. Here are some pics:
The River from Busses on the river:
A little paintedbus tattoo for Jed and Turtle's bus:
Now, as I said earlier, I am in Roan Mountain, TN and am getting my head into mural painting mode. So, pics regarding that later on this week.
Here is Ric's Driveway :)
Finally, my cell phone doesn't have service up here in the mountains, so don't try to call me. I will end up having 30 text messages and voice mails to go through. :)
First thing, for those of you that might worry, the bus is running cool and excellent. No problems thus far except a squeaky wheel bearing and I had Reggie (Bud's Air-cooled parts... remember the t-shirt?) order me some new ones so I can install the when they get in.
My first stop was at Mark Dearing's Shop in Salem, VA. Both Mark and Sandra were happy to receive the sign I painted for them.
I was able to pick up a couple of new parts for me and my friend Tracy... a nose cone for her splitty and a nice louvered window for my bus. While I was there I randomly met a nice family that said they had been talking about me all week! They were on a long journey too... from Miami, FL to Nova Scotia and back in a late vanagon Westy w/ a Bostig engine conversion. Turns out they had been following Aswah's bus mural progress and had no idea who painted it... then surprise! There I was, camped out at mark's shop. After a bit of chatting, it looks like Jessica and I will be flying down to Miami, FL sometime over this winter. :) Mark Took me to see some sights:
My next stop was in Erwin, TN for the Buses on the River Campout (BOTR.) I met MANY Moonies that I have only ever met through the website (www.fullmoonbusclub.com) I sold a bunch of shirts, ate way too much awesome food, slept too little and figured out how to print out of my bus! Then of course... AWESOME LOCATION! Wow @ TN, and thanks to Boyd Smith for hosting such an enjoyable event. Here are some pics:
The River from Busses on the river:
A little paintedbus tattoo for Jed and Turtle's bus:
Now, as I said earlier, I am in Roan Mountain, TN and am getting my head into mural painting mode. So, pics regarding that later on this week.
Here is Ric's Driveway :)
Finally, my cell phone doesn't have service up here in the mountains, so don't try to call me. I will end up having 30 text messages and voice mails to go through. :)
Friday, August 12, 2011
Mark's sign, painting portion done.
Tonight or tomorrow (after i get down to CT) I will be cutting it down to the final shape, then sealing it up. Other than that, this sign is ready go!
Better pictures forthcoming. I am waiting until business slows down a bit at the coffeehouse before I go hauling it out of the basement! (Thanks again to Chris And Brenda for allowing me to use the space.)
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