Countrified Strat part 2

 

Got it all sanded and decided to go for a Shabby Chic look like those fancy furniture folks do. Most likely this one will go in my wife’s sunroom that has most of my bird paintings.

This painting was inspired by looking out at our backyard while drinking morning coffee watching the birds and squirrels eating the birdseed my wife put out.

A gray squirrel, a red cardinal and a painted bunting.

We see these a lot here each week.

Got some color blocked in and decided it was time for a lunch break. My dog never lets me forget when it’s lunchtime. Got him fed and heated up some leftovers.

My wife made our favorite last night. Ground Beef Stroganoff with mushroom sauce. Sticks to yer ribs good eatin. We always have a lot leftover and the ground beef here is so good! Super farm fresh. This time she used extra lean and it still had tons o flavor.

Blocked in some more color after lunch. Picked though my new parts to get a mock up look at how it will go together later on.

Got the squirrel highlights happening a bit and got more confidence to finish the rest.

Finished the painting and this is the mock up of how it will be when done. Time to get coffee and get ready for the next part…varnish coats. Looked at the new tuners and the head holes need enlarged it seems. Watched a few YouTube videos on how to get that done. 

Drill both sides in reverse to get the holes started and so not to affect the finish. Then drill out yer holes. I may need a bigger bit before I begin that.

Need few new tool parts it looks like so until they get here stay tuned for more very soon.

Thanks for reading… catch y’all on the flippidy flop! -Scoocher

 

Countrified Strat Project

 

Decided to get this Squier Strat done up right this weekend. Spent a day deciding on parts and upgrades for my no-to-low budget I have for this head scratcher. Looked up some you tubes videos and took notes. Let’s do this! Your gonna want to put yer favorite country station on the radio. I got my compression socks on for leg comfort.

Before you start anything make a list of what you need.

I ordered black parts. New tuning keys, bridge, pickup covers, scratch plate and back plate (in Pearl marble gold)

Ordered goo gone, a new power sander and paper for it, got out some tape and markers, screw driver, pliers, whatever else…

I might need new strings but I think I have a spare pack someplace yet so I’m looking for that…

You want a catch ‘em’ up cup or something to keep all them screws and springs in. Don’t let any get away from you.

 

Get your strings and and head tuners off first. Take off the back plate.

You will need some goo gone to get off all the sticker goo if you got that… I do…

 

Took this to remember what screws go to the bridge, but I ordered a black one with new black screws so probably won’t matter. Better safe than sorry.

Once you get yer catch ‘em cup filled. Bag and tag it and seal it up so you don’t lose anything.

Take off the scratch plate with all the pick ups and things still attached. Leave them on until your are ready for your new plate to load up. 

Lucky for me my wife made us a good eatn’ chicken stuffing crock pot dinner last night and I took a minute to heat up some leftovers for lunch. Gave my hands a rest. Refilled my coffee cup. Gave my dog a pet on his head and took some deep breaths.

This is where the jack wires will need to be re soldered to after you cut them. I cut mine close to the connection spot as not to lose wire length later on. There is a ground wire that goes to the back spring tree you need to cut too before it all comes loose.

Take many pictures. This is the road map in case you don’t understand electrical like me. You might need to solder all the connections better later too. Most important! After you cut a wire tag it with a note where it goes back to later.

Read for the next step… getting the sticker goo and dirt off then get ready to sand it down. 

That’s in the next blog. Stay tuned… it’s on the way as soon as my ordered things get here.

Thanks for reading! Keep it Mella Fellas… Scoocher

 

The best things…

Looking into my wife’s eyes have to be the best thing to me so far in life. Holding her hand. I have enjoyed fun food like velveeta shells and cheese, Reese’s peanut butter cups, brown sugar pop tarts, spiced gum drops, my wife’s ravioli bake and her ground beef stroganoff, double doubles, lots of really good coffee too. 

Had a few good apples. Had fun collecting guitars, records, art books, and toys that fill my studio and our home. Grateful to have had art supplies to keep me dreaming and grateful to be able to make art. It has been good therapy for me.

I’m grateful for every person who ever noticed how much love I put in my art. That love is my gift to the world. I often miss the beauty of nature but I have been fortunate to be with people who point out the little things I miss like birds chirping and deer wandering free. The gift of a clean drink of water when I’m thirsty. 

The gift of the dogs in my life. The companionship. 

I am grateful for all the loyalty and love I have received in my life. Thank you god for each day you have given me. 

June 3rd, 2022 Rest In Peace Ken Kelly

 

Rest In Peace Ken Kelly. Absolutely one of the main reasons I became an artist was to make album covers like his famous Love Gun and Destroyer covers he painted for the rock band Kiss. It was the drummer Peter Criss who read Eerie and Creepy magazines that featured Ken’s art while Gene mostly read Marvel Comics. Originally for Destroyer they wanted Frazzetta but could not afford him so they went with Ken. Those paintings are icons and legendary in the fantasy art and album cover world. Very sad to hear this news. Love to his family. Thank You Ken for inspiring me to make the best art I can possibly make. His idea was to make art you would want to look at over and over. A true legend.

New stickers with popkustomshoppestore.com orders and more!

 

New stickers are here. I have been wanting to make you tubes vinyl community videos but have not got there yet. It may take me a long time to get there. I really want to make videos that I would enjoy myself. I’m honestly kind of shy and really not into my looks or sound of my voice at all. I’m not doing the self loathing thing anymore though, so in time I will build up my self esteem enough to film myself. In the mean time I have this blog going for quite a long time now and it goes back a few years. Plenty here to read. Not sure I can keep up with new records and content for videos. I do love some of the posts from the vinyl community on you tubes but I really want to make my site different and less about consumption and the most valuable records I have or rarest ones. Too much of that already. One dude told some fish stories with his records found at goodwill. That’s really what I’m looking for.

That’s always been how I collect. I don’t always know what I’m looking for until I see it at a fair price someplace. Most of it I know I can live without really…but I did trim down much of my clutter when we moved and as I unpack what remains I want to talk about why I kept what I did.

I’m journaling when I can to build ideas on new art projects. The new reality is very inspiring for me and I’m planning out the next adventures to get published. My wife has been trying out new recipes on me lately and wow am I digging that!

I have been making more paintings for my uncle Bill. As soon as I get them done he sends the next assignment. All done through the mail. It’s good to communicate this way. It means more. That’s what I want for my art now is human value and to be genuine. My uncle truly lets me just do what I want. Sometimes I keep it real loose. It lets me try different things out. This month I went more watercolor style with the acrylics. Thinned out the paint and layered it on top of inked lines. It worked out great. Last month was really loose with paint makers but I love how it turned out and it made me laugh a bit especially his concept for it. I’m beginning to laugh at my art again, which is important to my process and my inspiration to keep at it. 

I’m really loving painting for others at the moment and I know soon I will get back to painting for myself or our house decor again soon as I have much more wall space to fill in time. To keep going I give myself some kind of reward to look forward to afterwards. To be healthy it try not to make it food related or get carried away with retail therapy. 

Sometimes I get new art supplies.

I have been discovering local things here and getting lots of love and support from everyone and I am very grateful for each day. Little steps each day to better health. Going slow and steady. 

Stay Tuned! More on the way!

-Scoocher

Getting Things Done and Improved Health

 

I have been going to fitness class pretty regular now. I’m able to get more things done too. Mostly in my studio, which is almost ready to work in now. Got my records and cd’s all organized and working on getting my original first stereo I ever had back up and working. Kind of leaning how as I go. Made some mistakes already. I got the wrong plugs which were “banana plugs” then I got “lollipop plugs” which I had to connect to wire. Still did not work. Checked the speakers and they were alright. Found one more option called “RCA to bare wire” plugs which look like they are already set to go whenever they get here. One post called Radio Shack “rat shack”…never heard this one before but that’s the kind of old stereo it is. It’s a 70’s Panasonic that has the kind of turntable you stack up records on then hit the switch and they fall to the mat and the arm automatically shifts over to the start groove.

Has fm radio and the extremely popular 8 track built in. It got rained on in our old garage for about 10 years and before that it was in my dad’s old garage and before that in my childhood bedroom. The original speakers I left behind when we moved and found new vintage bookshelf speakers online pretty cheap and they are much better quality. They should work out prefect for that room.

I got the big studio chair I have always wanted. My wife got it for me as an early birthday present. She got the perfect size and it’s good quality. She even got a deal as it was being discontinued and was on sale. Enough room for my dog to share which he has but he’s still not sure about being in my new studio yet. It is kind of overwhelming all the collection things in there but I made sure to keep the floor free of clutter so we can play fetch in there. 

Got some new books from Punk Hostage Press that will go on sale on my website this month and I started updating the store site. I will get that all going once the studio is finally done. I ordered new shelves too which are made to order so it may take time to get those. Need new window blinds too and tomorrow I’m looking into that. It’s getting done right and turning out really cool. I’m setting up my store shop stock and shipping supplies too. Went to the local post office and met Kenny who works there. Great service. Looking forward to sending out your purchases there.

Hope y’all are doing well and finding some joy in each day. Thank you for checking out my blog. More updates as soon as I get them. See you soon! God Bless -Scoocher

Out on the path…

 

Doctor told me to start a fitness class and set up other appointments to help me out so I got all that going now.

Very nice people in my class and great instructors. All kinds of encouragement from them all and the owner told me about his wife who started the center and how he is keeping it going in her memory. My thanks to all of them for helping me and taking the time to help me get it going.

Good radio stations here. On the road to the fitness center my wife saw a local produce warehouse that is open one day a week to the public and she is going to check that out soon.

My beard farming is going strong too. My nephew said it’s “lookin rowdy” guess it’s going to keep growing…

Our dog saw how much I’m trying and gave me a big hug today and lots of kisses. My wife has been so good to me. 

Thought you might like this photo of an old printing press like the ones at the old shop I worked at years ago. I always loved the way they looked and they ran like the blazes all day long…clackitey, claketey, clack… sometimes they haunt my dreams still, but nothing like seeing your work right off the press after setting up the plates all day.

I still have to check out the local print shop here but I’m too busy yet to get to my print job I need done.

I’m feeling good and keeping after it. Hope you all are doing well. Take Care, until next time- Happy Trails and God Bless,

-Scoocher