Busy Busy Busy...

I planned on giving an update a few weeks ago, before my trip to Florida. Of course, as usual, I got distracted by other stuff...mostly getting stuff around for THREE art shows...the big one being a solo show in Orlando. I had a real good time...if you like drinking and rock n' roll, as I do, you can't do much better than Orlando. Plus, The Mummy ride at Universal is insanely cool!

I didn't take too many pics in Orlando, but I had to stop and snap a photo of the Beefy King sign...Too cool!



This is one of the first pieces I sold. I love this one, but it went to a great home.



Here's some more of my show at Will's Pub. It was all part of Floridas Dying Records' 6th anniversary celebration. There were a ton of really great bands playing all weekend. It was so much fun, and I highly recommend catching the Jacuzzi Boys and Cop City/Chill Pillars on their US tours this spring.



The next 4 paintings were also shipped to Florida right after these pictures were taken.















The next two paintings, "Demon Dork" and "Demon Dweeb" JUST got mailed off to Victoria, BC Canada for a group show at Talk's Cheap records.







This owl necklace is what Melanie got for Valentine's day.



...Speaking of Valentine's day, these velvet-ish plastic cats were probably someone's V-day gift in the early 70's. We picked them up last month in Lansing, Michigan, while we were in town on a mission for Vietnamese food(which I fell in love with in Florida, and isn't available anywhere near my town).



The little Eskimo has 3 different faces, but the crying one is by far the best. I grabbed this off eBay for cheap. I've seen a ton of them around over the years, but they usually seem to be priced a bit higher than I feel like paying(which isn't much). The deer is from Hog Creek, a local-ish antique mall. It's the same place I found the owl necklace. I don't really know anything about the deer other than it's made in Japan, and I assume it's from the 60's.



I've had my eye on this Kreiss Psycho Ceramics beatnik for a couple years...Every time we'd hit the antique store it was in, I'd check to see if the price came down, which after a while, it did...half price even...but that was still a little higher than I could convince myself to pay. Then last week, I checked and it was gone. Bummer!

Luckily, it was gone because Melanie had bought if for me as a valentine's present.



This big-eyed lion doesn't have any marking besides 'Japan', but it's obviously made by Enesco, just like these cats. I happened across this on eBay while I was looking for something else that I found and was eventually out-bid on. Luckily, I won the lion.



Damn, eBay is addictive. every couple years, we go on a big eBay binge, and we're in middle of a big one right now. I HAD TO HAVE THIS BANK!!! Seriously. Cyclopes cave woman? Sold! My picture didn't turn out great, so I actually am posting the one that the seller posted on eBay. It was made in Japan by Napco.



I was floored when I saw this peaking out of a dark corner in the antique mall last week. This awesome, almost 3 foot tall mid-century wall hanging was made by Happy Things Inc, and is now one of my favorite possessions...and a total steal at $15!



I've been wanting some original art(that I didn't do) for my walls for some time. A couple months ago I found this CZM painting on eBay, and after a fierce bidding war, it now hangs in my living room next to my front door(though this pic was taken in my bathroom, because my living room has bad lighting). Check out CZM's great artwork here.



I'm already brainstorming my next post...and hopefully I'll find some time to do it soon...I hate all these big gaps between posts. Also, I hopefully will have some art merch to peddle on here soon.

Randomness

So, I know I have left my readers out in the cold for several months. I feel terrible about it. I've been super busy lately, putting together 2 art shows and doing a bit of traveling. Also, I was without a camera for a good chunk of time...but enough of my excuses...let's jump in it!

I honestly don't remember where I got these bobble head tigers. Maybe I'm getting Alzheimer's early. They were at one of the local antique stores a few months ago, I think, but I don't remember which one.



Melanie and I stopped in a nifty antique shop in Memphis while we were in town for Gonerfest, and she picked up this little purse with winking eyes. She has a couple similar coin purses that I'm sure were made by the same company, but I keep forgetting to take pictures of them when I see 'em...damn Alzheimer's.




Flip it over, and it's a guy. Tranny purse.



When we got home from Memphis, we were greeted by a new floor in the bakery.



My mom got me this cat for x-mas as a stocking stuffer. She doesn't know I know she got it at the local Salvation Army for $1. I think there's a matching dog around here somewhere...A bunch of my stuff's in boxes.



This Flip Wilson talking doll was my X-mas gift to myself. At $5, I couldn't pass it up...



...especially considering that when you flip Flip over, he becomes Geraldine, and hangs out with tranny purse.



This is Gaylord...he was made in 1962 by Ideal, and I found this one still with it's bone! My parents wouldn't let me have a dog when I was a kid, and I suspect that if I was a kid in 1962, they would have gotten me this instead and told me it's just as good as a real dog. That's what this toy was...something to shut your kids up when they beg for a dog...No wonder Gaylord's time in toy stores was short. The name probably doesn't help much.





These garage rocker dolls were in the same Memphis antique store as the tranny purse. I think they look like my friend Jules. I don't know where or when they were made, but they are pretty cool regardless.



I gave Melanie this poodle for Christmas, and it turned out that she had almost bought it for me. That happens every year. We got each other Charles Phoenix books, and my mom and Melanie both got me the "Cartoon Modern" book about mid-century modern animation.

I must've had tacos the day I took this picture, hence the Mexican Pepsi bottle lurking in the background.



This awesome sad eye cat picture was an x-mas gift from my mom.



Melanie got me another piece for my big/sad eye collection for Christmas...



...as well as her big sister. I dig the big eye/pin-up crossover! I also dig my bathroom's wallpaper!



Well, hopefully it won't be such a HUUUUUUUUUUUGE gap between updates next time.

Mega Yard Sale Madness!

The second weekend in August, much like city wide trash pickup, is something I see as a holiday. It's the weekend of the US 12 yard sales that stretch from Detroit to Chicago. Just my luck, US 12 is the main drag here in Coldwater, and about 3 blocks from my house. Every year I get up early-ish on Friday, and make it about 20 miles East by time things start winding down at 5. Saturday, I head West and make it about 30 miles. West isn't usually as good, and this year was no exception. Sunday I rest. This year was hands down my most fruitful year...and I'll show you why.

I found this neon green shelf at the VERY FIRST sale I hit at the Masonic Temple in Downtown Coldwater. It's the most expensive purchase of the entire weekend. It was 8 bucks, and a great start to the festivities.



I found this as I was getting ready to head home on day one. I was skipping a lot of stuff at this point, because money was getting low, and you usually don't need to stop the car to tell if a sale is gonna be shit. Then I spotted this sitting WAY back from the road leaning against a barn. Thanks 20-20 vision! I jumped outta the van practically before I had it stopped. I was expecting it to be pricey, because it was in an area with a lot of antique stores. Nope. one dollar...and the thing is HUGE. It needs a little work, but I think I can make it look real nice with little effort. On the back it says 1963, and I forget the manufacturer name...and it's down at the bakery, and I'm not walking down there right now, as it's like 5 am, and I need to go to bed...but I bet the same company made these, from my Christmas post.



I got this pair of Keane-ish sad eye paint by numbers for a buck at a sale of mostly antique farm stuff, being picked over by a couple wagon loads of Amish. Melanie hates paint by number paintings, but I think with these I'm starting to change her opinion. Hopefully soon she'll realize that the giant paint by numbers last supper at the antique store is a necessary purchase after all.



Either my dad or my grandma had these hanging on the wall when I was really little...I don't remember which. Our last name being Lyon, there was always lion stuff everywhere when I was little. Anyway, the pair from my childhood were all gold, but otherwise the same. I had totally forgotten about them, having not seen 'em since I was probably 5 or 6, but when I was in Cleveland at Flower Child, I saw a pair in the basement and memories came flooding back. Unfortunately, they were beyond my budget...but luckily, I found these two at a garage sale for a buck each.



These were my last purchase on Friday. They were 50 cents. They're Japanese, and neat, and that's about all I have to say about them.



Gotta love Platter Paks. One of the few things I collect that are neat looking AND useful. This one, however, is in REALLY dismal shape, so I probably won't use it to store anything. I didn't have this pattern yet, so despite being held together with scotch tape, I still had to drop $5 on it. I had to talk the lady selling it way down. She wanted me to buy the records she had in it too, all for $30. I don't need anymore Herb Alpert or Firestone Presents Christmas records, thank you very much.



My local Salvation Army was having a sidewalk sale, and they had a bunch of records on display in this. When I bought it($1.75), The ladies that work there said they couldn't believe it sat in there for so long without me buying it(since I scour for records there several times a week). I asked if they had records in it while it sat in the store. Nope, they used it to display shoes. The ladies at the Salvation Army are not very bright.



I don't know why this picture is sideways...It doesn't appear on my camera or my computer that way. I bought these speakers for a buck out of the back of a rusty trailer full of random junk. I think they look kinda cool, and I thought it was worth a buck to clean them up and see if they work.



I found these Martin Denny records at 2 different sales about 5 minutes apart. Every now and then, I go through an Exotica/lounge kick, so I need plenty of Martin Denny and Esquivel records and Shag books on hand at all times. Besides, it's hard to beat Martin Denny's album covers!



Speaking of Martin Denny, this is one of my favorite album covers of all time...Gee, I wonder why! I didn't get this at the garage sales...but you know, it'll probably be a REALLY long time before I talk about Martin Denny and his record covers on here again.



I got this REALLY clean Kyu Sakamoto record off the same guy I got the Martin Denny "Exotica" record from. He was a really cool guy that picked this up when he was living in Japan in the early 60's. I talked to him and his wife for a really long time. I didn't know what this was when I bought it, as there is nothing but Japanese writing on it, front and back...but I LOVE the cover, and the vinyl is clear red, so I was sold! I think I'm gonna put his cover of "Good Timing" on my Christmas mix this year.



This was my find of the year. Hands down. The guy selling it was a total asshole too, so it made the score even sweeter. He had a filthy barn full of shit, nothing priced. I heard him gouging the shit out of everyone trying to by stuff. I went through box after box of mouse eaten, dirty, moldy, stuck together, often sleeveless records. Out of ALL of them(probably 1500 or so), I pulled three worth buying. This, a Kraftwerk record(TOTALLY out of place amongst the mostly awful 50's/60's goodwill records), and ANOTHER Martin Denny record with an attractive woman on the cover(when a formula works...). I asked how much he wanted for records and he grabbed them out of my hands, and started looking them over. "What the hell is THIS?!" he asked about the Kraftwerk record. I started to explain Kraftwerk, and he just started talking over me/making fun of me. $5 bucks a record. "Well, you can put these two back then". I already have the Kraftwerk record, and I can't foresee ever dropping $5 on a rough Martin Denny record from a dirty barn. After I paid he said "WAIT! IS THAT BUDDY HOLLY?!" Yup...first pressing, really clean too. He wanted it back, and I found a few semi-polite ways to tell him to get fucked, and he made fun of me some more, but without much sting, because I had won the battle.



I got a lot of other neat stuff too...some novelty pins that I seem to have misplaced, and will have to wait until another post. A Ton of art supplies, a few more records...Jimi Hendrix, ect...some Wacky Packages cards. I can't wait until next year!

Big Eye/Sad Eye Awesomeness part One

Heeeeyyyyyy....I'm smashed. I'm making Mojitos in celebration of finishing a long, intricate, time consuming art project...and I have tomorrow off, sorta. Actually, I'm going to see Nobunny, and I'm spinning records in between bands. Any way...

I LLLOOOVVVEEE cheesy, kitschy, 60's/70's Keane influenced big/sad-eye stuff...here's a few pieces(notice where I put 'part one' up there...I gotta stretch this shit out!) from my collection/hoard pile.

I found this guy in my last trip to Shipshewana, which I previously blogged about here. He was buried amongst the MOUNDS of junk in that American Pickers-esque barn. There's STILL a few goodies outta that place that I'm saving for later posts. This Japanese Enesco piece might look familiar to readers of HOA...He's a less cool(but still cool), and beat up version of these. I got it for a dollar, just like everything else in the barn. I looked up 'Enesco' on google. As far as I can tell, they're still cranking out cheap junk...I typed "Enesco" into Ebay, and got 40,000-plus results!



The Enesco cats look like this cat. I dunno who made these...I know there were a bunch of these sad cats and dogs made in (I assume) the early 70's, and if I wasn't seeing double, and having to go back and re-type every other word, I'd probably look it up...

Anywhozzle, I grabbed this at a semi-local antique mall for $5.



I also have a lamp of it. I found this on my last trip to Ohio, at an antique store, while I was waiting in line to pay.



Here's another view...



...and another...



Speaking of Ohio, HOA is going on the road this July. I'll have a table at the record trade/flea market/Poppets and Sweet Sixteens show/cookout at Now That's Class on the 11th. Come buy some collectibles or some artwork(Saving up for Gonerfest/My band's tour), and say 'hi'. I'm excited...I've never spent any time in Cleveland. Gonna visit friend and fellow blogger Erin, of the wonderful Trash You Up blog. I gotta start getting stuff around to sell. I know Melanie is gonna bring a bunch of cool vintage dresses.

Anyway...Here's some 70's puzzles Melanie and I found and put together....

This one was missing a piece, bah!



I remember, we did this one during Obama's first State of the Union address...When Joe Wilson yelled 'you lie!', we were finishing the border of the brim of the hat.



Both puzzles are labeled 'Bright Eyes'...I wonder if that's where Conor Oberst got the name for his shitty music.



Wellll...like I said, I'm friggin' smashed, thanks to tasty mojitos. The Mojito has made somewhat of a splash as of late as a hip drink of choice. It's unfortunate that most places make them wrong. I make real Mojitos...a recipe I learned from my Italian friend Mario, who learned the proper technique while on vacation in Cuba(birthplace of the Mojito). Here's how to make a real Mojito

In a glass, crush half a lime and a generous few sprigs of mint, and some natural cane sugar. Add crushed Ice, and equal parts spiced and light rum...maybe a slight bit more light rum. I like to keep a spoon in the drink, and stir it before each sip, otherwise, the lime and sugar sink to the bottom.

A lot of bars just use light rum and a mix. Some bars use soda water, or sprite! That is not a mojito.