LA Graffiti Tour - November 2015

The downtown arts district in Los Angeles has some amazing graffiti popping up.  And maybe some of it would make for a nice back drop for a Coopers Attic photo shoot.  I had driven through the area several times while working on different TV shows shooting in Los Angeles.  But the day I tried to go find it on my own I just got completely lost.  Then found the LA Graffiti Tour, talked about it with my long time good buddy Al Kraig, who is always up for a fun adventure.  Nest thing I know he calls me back and had booked a tour date.  Just that fast.

Some pictures have many other pictures hidden inside.  So what you might see at first glance can soon change the longer you look into it.

Spots like this take several days to complete, with added scaffolding and a whole paint crew, the many people not actively painting but still helping are referred to as toyz.

It amazes me how the artist can get such clean lines with just a pop can.

Not all graffiti is spray paint, this local artist cuts out pieces of metal and then stands here for several hours nailing them in.

Image the kind of time it must take to hammer in all those nails, one right next to the other.

The lower section to this piece had been destroyed but I still love it.

Some beautiful eyes, I can only imagine what one of these artists could do to my garage door

This is done by the UTI crew, they have a designated area downtown, almost like a turf.

By Amy West

unknown artist

Collector Car 6 - July 2015

The Coachmen Car Club of Ventura County puts on a huge free car show celebrating National Collector Car Appreciation Day.  Just like the 4th of July is free to the general public to go to the park and see all the fireworks.  This car club believes in doing the same thing.  I joined the club at Collector Car 4 at the Simi Town Center Mall, helping to build the stage, set up chairs, direct traffic, what ever they might need.  Skeeter is the president of the club and also the driving force of all our car related events.  This years show started out with us scheduling a show to be inside a 250,000 square foot warehouse.  The organizing committee met there several times and was amazed that we would be putting together a mini SEMA.

But the closer we got to the show date, some problems with the local fire marshall came up.  First it was agreed we should have air moving fans at all the 10 foot tall elephant doors to move out any exhaust from the 500 cars that would park inside on the day.  Then 2 weeks before show day we were told no cars can go inside unless the battery of each car is disabled and the gas cap taped on.  I guess that is a common practice for other large car shows that have several days to prepare for.  We do everything all in one day.  What to do?  We have to move the event - so we went to the 

Simi Valley Town Center Mall.  Everything changes at that point.  Where the vendors will set up, where the stage sets up, how all the cars get parked, and so on.

All along Coopers Attic wanted to build a Pin Up Lounge, a spot where all the pin up girls could relax and get out of the sun, a spot to mingle with other photographers and shoot some fun photography away from all the crowds of the show.

The big "Pin Up" part of our sign didn't stay up long, the Simi Valley winds had other ideas, and it crashed down soon after we stood it up.  Luckily it didn't hit anyone or any cars. Rather then try and repair it and stand it up again, it was tucked away for another day.

Vintage clocks, old 45's, license plates, vintage metal signs, a vintage french vanity with framed mirror, even the turbinator - a vintage hair dryer.

The walls were built to 8 feet tall because the original car show spot was inside a big warehouse which now posed a different problem.  We need shade for all the pin up girls, But pop up's are only 6 feet tall.  So custom metal stilts were built last minute to raise the pop up's to 8 feet tall.

Time to take some fun Pin Up photos.

Last years winner Crystal Petet, with some of this years hopefuls.

600 cars came out.  Uncle Joe Benson from KLOS was on hand to MC the Pin Up girls.  Even George Barris was on hand to shake hands and sign autographs.

Taylor's Baby Shower - May 2015

Our house seemed like the best place to entertain all the ladies for a baby shower.  The park could be crowded with other people, my sisters house was to small.  Taylor lived in a condo, so that wouldn't work.  And I love to have people over, so of course I said yes.  But I was going to be out of town and not able to prep the backyard in getting everything ready for the big day.  Nancy and Jo Ann spent many weekends ahead of time pulling weeds, trimming branches, sweeping leaves, getting the yard in tip top shape.  When I finally got home from Colorado, there was only 1 week left to do any final preparations.  And some where I had seen these cute 3 inch terra cotta flower pots filled with succulents.  Maybe I could get some and then paint them pink, have them on all the tables and everyone could then take one home.  So the hunt was on.

Home Depot does not have 3", Lowes does not have 3", Orchard Supply does not have 3" are you kidding me... Some might just throw in the towel at this point, why search high and low for the perfect flower pot?  2" just seems to small &  4" just seems to big.  Luckily my sister is detective and can seem to find anything.  JoAnn's carries 3" pots, and so we picked up 30.

I found the perfect pastel pink color, and started the process of painting 30 pots.  Dry terra cotta really absorbs the paint, so one coat was not going to do it.  And of course some paint needs to be on the inside as well.

It's great when you have a space where you can get creative, a couple of saw horses, some plywood, a good stereo, and things just start to come together.

OK, why is there carpeting on the bottom of the plywood?  Because I grabbed what I had on hand - the dog ramp is a big length of plywood, so my dogs can get up into my 4 wheel drive truck.

 A natural wood charger, some pink succulent pots, some fresh cut summer flowers in a mason jar and you have the makings of the perfect baby shower center piece.

Even the Harley house made for the perfect back drop for the cotton candy station.

Chuppah

Some friends have asked for a Chuppah for their spring wedding.  Evan & Kristen love the Renaissance and would like to incorporate a natural looking tree branch Chuppah.  The challenge - to find the materials and build something that looked period correct.  Evan and I first drove out to all the surrounding beach areas of Ventura county looking for any interesting drift wood but came up empty handed.  I however knew of a large wholesale nursery that was going out of business and thought that might be the way to go.  The trees had grown through the pots and into the ground.  So they will not be able to sell them.  But with a chainsaw we could harvest the exact tree trunks we wanted.
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Knowing this was such a great opportunity we decided to gather more than we needed for this project.  You can always find a use for a good tree trunk

.Building a Chuppah has some challenges, like how to brace it while standing it up, making it stronger so it will transport without falling apart, and still look natural.

Here it is in its final glory, ready for some white linens

An Idea is Born

Well as you can see it's been over a year since I added anything to the blog.  Does anyone read the blog?  Do I want to spend time at the computer typing out the thoughts in my head in hopes others will find it all interesting to read?  Or would I rather take the dogs for a hike, weed out the vegetable bed, or get out in the garage and build something?  Probably any of the 3 would be fine.

I received so much praise from everyone for all I had done for Taylor & Brendan's rustic wedding, and so many people said "Rustic weddings are hot - you should do this" But I have a job doing the greens for the studios.  But then studio work seems to be stopping around March for the summer.  Or maybe it's all the production companies have left California for the tax incentives in other states, Atlanta, New Mexico or New York.  And what's left behind are the crushed peanut shells of jobs, unemployment, and the occasional odd job just to pay the bills.  Not fun... And so I have started looking at Craigslist, yard sales, flea markets, thrift stores.  And buying what I could afford.

Of course 10 wine barrels would be best, but I can't afford 10, 2 is a good start.

In April of 2014 I drove out the Durango Colorado to help a friend on a big project of installing 42 new hot tubs at a time share community.  And in the off time I drove around the small towns and shopped the thrift stores.  Saw this stack of three and of course had to grab it.

Out with the old and in with the new.  Of course once a new tub is installed I am going to have to check it out.  After all it gets cold at night in Pagosa Springs Colorado.  Not a bad looking place to call work for a month.

OK, I know what your thinking.  That's not a rustic prop, and I agree.  But I loved the old time craftsmanship, all the hard metal joints, the spring suspension, and the curved handle bars.  Was this a clown bike for the circus, or a pre war childs toy? Either way I had to have it.

Brendan & Taylor's Rustic Wedding

I can not believe I am finally putting this on my blog, months have past since the lucky day.  The colors the bride had picked were Tiffany Blue and White.  So many of the props were painted with that in mind.  It took many friends and 2 trailers to bring everything to the Strathern Historical Park in Simi Valley the day of the event.  The park does not allow you to decorate the day before.  My greensman experience played a big role in decorating with over grown plants to help hide the bases of some of the signs, and to add to the bare dirt areas.  Tickled with some silk flowers and we have lush flowering full grown plants.

 The bride loved the idea of having an old car deliver her to the aisle.  So just as the bridal party was ending their walk down the aisle a 1936 Ford Sedan was rolling up to do just that.  The car stopped with the rear door right at aisle entrance, creating an amazing photo op for all the guests.

A regular wedding at a church can get so boring at times especially for the little ones.  But a rustic wedding can seem like going to the park for the kids.  There are games to play, popcorn to eat, bubbles to blow, stick on tattoos.  And then a short sit down ceremony to rest, and then back to the games.

a home made rustic sign

the lemonade stand and vintage wash sink make for a great bar.

 an old produce cart turned into wedding gift cart.

Old double hung windows, remove the glass and add chicken wire, some vintage luggage tags.

An old desk painted Tiffany Blue.