These days, efforts have been dedicated to bones, songs and soaps.
The bones were a Craigslist find (thank you, Almendra) that I picked up from this hippie down the street. The ad was something along the lines of, 'Deer and coyote bones. Must take all. Clean'. I found all of those statements were true, save the last. It took me roughly one year to clean the flesh, hair, cartilage and other vertebral matter (which I found to resemble cream cheese) from all of the pieces. It was a grotesque undertaking and I wish never to smell the soup they were bathing in for months at a time ever again. That being said, they are now clean and beautiful, ready for the next step. When all is said and done, I hope to have completed a marvelous marionette. For now, it has only taken the form of a bizarre creature that parades constantly around in my head.
¸.•´ ♥ ☆ ♥ `•.¸.•´ ♥ º ☆.¸¸.•´¯`♥¸.•´ ♥ ☆ ♥ `•.¸.•´ ♥ º ☆.¸¸.•´¯`♥¸.•´ ♥ ☆ ♥ `•.¸.•´ ♥ º ☆.¸¸.•´¯`♥¸.•´ ♥ ☆ ♥
I have been particularly inspired to write more songs and hope to record them with my dad when I make a visit back to Michigan for the holidays. I'd like to do so (if not this trip then) as soon as possible, as one of them relates to my grandfather, who happens to be dying. There are things that I have found only expressible to him through song. I have hope for his health, albeit dim, but my greatest hope is that he knows that I love him. It wasn't always easy between us. Also... recording is fun. I hope to have improved from last time and to have fun with my dad. ¸.•´ ♥ ☆ ♥ `•.¸.•´ ♥ º
Soaps have been a weird side project that have morphed into a quasi serious passion. When I was still living in Japan I sometimes got lonely for that 'good ol' timey down home Americana' bullshit that I don't think I had developed a taste for until I was away from it. Somehow I stumbled across a youtube video of this southern woman doing a tutorial on soap making. She was simple as a stump, and I found her misuse of grammar and trailing thoughts strangely refreshing during the times that I felt a little isolated. Her voice was warm and inviting. When I came back home I remembered that video and decided to try a batch. One thing led to another, and now I am working on a cottage industry type operation that could well turn into a little business. Fingers crossed. I have been working out the scents, colors and branding and am very excited about the possibilities. Below are some of the initial packaging and batch mock-ups I've been working on (they'll be a little different, but basically they'll all have a character that matches the scent and color of the soap, as well as a Japanese proverb on the back). Also pictured is a flyer from the printing press that I recently visited, which I am hoping to get the labels printed from.
