Monday, January 21, 2008

Pack-o-Fun

While strolling through an antiques flea market with my friend Cher, we came upon a booth offering a rare glimpse at the way things used to be. I say "rare" because the glimpse was not into the way homes were furnished or the way people dressed themselves. This was not even a glimpse into the way folks travelled or the things they collected. No. This glimpse was far more important than that.

It was a glimpse into the way folks expressed themselves through their most personal of revelations - their crafts!

Sitting on the floor near a corner of the booth was a box of crafting magazines. While flipping through the books, I knew I had found a new source of inspiration when I saw this:


What the...? Could it be???

That's right. It was a copy of Pack o Fun featuring the "Crazy Hat Show." Woo Hoo!

Now, don't get me wrong. Everyone knows I'm a stickler for details and have even been accused on more than one occasion of being a perfectionist. But nothing makes me feel better about a project going wrong than seeing someone else's project going wrong-er. I mean, the obsessive concern of getting a cable on a sweater to twist in just the right way pales when compared to finding the right grated cheese for a new hat.


(The crafting gods were smiling on me and giving me a sign to not take myself so seriously.)

The lady on the cover looked so proud! Why, she even wore her best brooch for the photo shoot!! Even though I'm sure it made her nosy neighbor just green with envy, it was definitely the accessory when wearing a sandwich on your head.


A quick flip to the credits page inside the cover confirmed my greatest hope. Just looking at the editors, I could tell this magazine was going to rock! Seriously, have you ever seen a picture that so instantly conveys creativity?!?

And I was holding the "Merry Month of May" issue! OMG!!

The magazine is just chock full of fascinating tips and useful hints, but my favorite part has to be the readers' comments page. But even among those jewels, one in particular shone brightly like a diamond among charcoal briquettes.


Rocket Fins? Rocket Fins?!? ::sigh::

That Cappuccio household must have been a blast. Wish I could have known them...

SDOSAS!
~Jer

3 comments:

  1. Jerry, delightful blog and thanks for the interview. Brought back big memories of things I've done with nothing -- my homemade Dr. Scholl clogs as a teen (don't try this at home, kids) and the project with my students in the gifted program at UTPA where we made life-size meganeura, giant prehistoric dragonflies with crunched paper and duct tape, and wings made from coat-hangers and nylons -- just to get the scale of the thing.
    Seriously inspiring -- thanks again.
    Jackie

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  2. Jerry, I think I fought you for that copy didn’t I? Or did we just fall on the floor together in a fit of spontanious laughter? Oh well, my hats off to you!

    Cher

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