Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Thursday Thirteen #59 -- Wired!
Guitar strings are slippery things. They come coiled up in a packet, sort of like a condom, only they don't like to be stretched out. You have to put one end into your guitar and pull it taut. It bends, it struggles, it sings. But it doesn't like to be manhandled.
Enter Mitchell Voss, frontman for ShapeShifter and rhythm guitarist extraordinaire (in the minds of many). He'd never thought much about a used guitar string until he went and fell in love with an artist. Kerri is magic, he swears it, and that was before she went and started making art with his broken guitar strings. Thirteen different things, in fact.
Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will try to link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Enter Mitchell Voss, frontman for ShapeShifter and rhythm guitarist extraordinaire (in the minds of many). He'd never thought much about a used guitar string until he went and fell in love with an artist. Kerri is magic, he swears it, and that was before she went and started making art with his broken guitar strings. Thirteen different things, in fact.
 |
1. First, she wound some of Mitchell's hair around a piece of string. "Look!" she cried, inordinately pleased with herself. "Instant dredlocks!" (he tried to keep from blushing, lest someone discover he'd tried this, himself, once.) 2. Then she took a number of strings, divided them into groups of three, and braided them around a strap of leather, which she turned into a very sexy choker for Mitchell. He wore it. 3. This fueled her ambitions, and she soon figured out a way to make the wire stay when bent. She made a charm for the choker. When Mitchell wore it to a photo shoot, girls everywhere coveted it. 4. Kerri's next masterpiece was a blob that she designated as a Christmas tree ornament. Since Mitchell is usually on the road this time of year (preferably in Australia, where it's summer), Kerri gave it to his mom, Sonya, who treasures it. 5. One day, Kerri noticed Eric using a book thong to mark his place in a book he was reading. He admitted it was a gift from one of the many girls he befriended on the road and then kept in touch with. Kerri found some beads and some of Eric's used strings and voila. Eric had a return gift for that girl. 6. Bored one day on the bus, Kerri pulled out her stash of broken strings -- by this point, she was collecting Eric's as well, although Trevor's were too thick -- and made what she dubbed an abstract sculpture. It got left behind in a dressing room, or was perhaps stolen by a fan. At any rate, it's gone. 7. One day in October, Kerri figured out how to make the wire form right angles -- and stay that way. She got a small piece of wood from one of the roadies and snuck out shopping one day while Mitchell was giving interviews. She came back with a rubber rat that was supposed to be a Halloween decoration. She tucked it under the piece of wire, on top of the wood and, voila. Rat trap. The guys liked it so much, they took to putting it on the catering table in their dressing room. Watching girls encounter the rat right beside their food is a never-ending source of amusement. 8. By now, Kerri had a pretty good idea of things she could get the wires to do. So she fashioned a tiara for herself. It came out great. Problem was, Trevor stole it and wore it onstage a few times -- and then gave it to a girl in the front row. 9. She tried making an earring out of the wire, but that was one of her few failures. 10. Thinking it would make the bus homier, she took the demo CDs and cassettes handed to the band by fans eager to have their band discovered, and hung them in the back lounge. Mitchell ripped them down and threw them in the garbage, not sparing the guitar strings Kerri had used as hangers. 11. It took a coffee mug to get the shape right, but Kerri wove the strings into what most people called a Dream Catcher, but what she called a Heavy Metal Nightmare Preventer. Eric stole it and hung it in his bunk. He claimed it worked. 12. Kerri bought a book about how to make chain mail, but gave up that idea as too time-consuming. That didn't stop Daniel from trying it -- and giving up, saying that the wire was just too hard to make behave. Kerri winked and said she knew. 13. At last, fed up with Kerri's collection and the things she spent her days creating, Mitchell stole the unused strings and gave them to fans. While it was widely agreed that they made the best souvenirs, everyone missed Kerri's creations. She largely stuck to pencils and paper after that. It was, after all, her preferred medium. |
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will try to link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Labels: Daniel, Eric, Kerri, meme, Mitchell, ShapeShifter, Thursday Thirteen, Trevor
Comments:
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That was so creative -- and fun. Your writing did not need pictures -- but they would have been nice!
# posted by 
: December 19, 2007 5:39 PM
: December 19, 2007 5:39 PM 
Very interesting. I have never tried to do anything with used guitar strings, and just the little bit of wire art I have tried in my scrapbooking with wire that is designed to be bent and molded made me realize it was not my preferred art form. Thanks for this fun and interesting list.
Happy TT and Merry Christmas!
TM
Happy TT and Merry Christmas!
TM
Very nice. :) I love the creativity of it and the meta-creationism even more so.
No wonder this is a must every week.
Happy Thursday Susan
~X
No wonder this is a must every week.
Happy Thursday Susan
~X
# posted by : December 19, 2007 8:49 PM
: December 19, 2007 8:49 PM
See I could have used her when I broke a bunch of my guitar strings! They really hurt when they snap too. I love the dreamcatcher idea. :)
You know stringing a guitar is the one thing I know how to do. Playing it once the strings are on...no... But hey there is a start. Lots of great ideas. :D
Susan -- loved your list! Great idea! My son plays in a band and boy, would he love to have some of these ideas!!
Great TT!!
Great TT!!
Maybe ShapeShifter could sell some of these on Etsy for a little extra cash.
Fantastic list ... as always
Please stop by and check out 13 Reasons I Should Be Getting a Promotion for Christmas Regardless of my Gender.
Happy TT!
Fantastic list ... as always
Please stop by and check out 13 Reasons I Should Be Getting a Promotion for Christmas Regardless of my Gender.
Happy TT!
# posted by : December 20, 2007 1:02 AM
: December 20, 2007 1:02 AM
The creative process is the most precious thing in life, and you just nailed it.
Brilliant, wonderful, and very much appreciated.
Brilliant, wonderful, and very much appreciated.
# posted by : December 20, 2007 8:31 AM
: December 20, 2007 8:31 AM
Ah, 101 things to do with Guitar Strings that your mother didn't tell you....
Thanks for the birthday wishes!
Happy TT-13, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays!
Smiles,
Holly
http://theabundanceplace.com
Thanks for the birthday wishes!
Happy TT-13, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays!
Smiles,
Holly
http://theabundanceplace.com
'Heavy Metal Nightmare Preventer' - that is a fantastic idea, Susan! I love the whole TT, all the discoveries Kerri made with her imagination. Especially the return gift to the fan who gave Eric a book thong.
I like the sound of the tiara. Might encourage my delusions of grandeur ;-)
Lives Less Ordinary
Lives Less Ordinary
# posted by : December 20, 2007 11:01 AM
: December 20, 2007 11:01 AM
How amazingly creative. But "Heavy Metal Nightmare Preventer" was my favourite.
Best wishes
This is my calling card or link"Whittereronautism"which takes you straight to my new blog.
Best wishes
This is my calling card or link"Whittereronautism"which takes you straight to my new blog.
Kerri sounds very creative and green and a great person to have around.
At least four of my grand-children have guitars. Wonder what they do with their old strings? I rather fancy a tiara.
Michele sends her best.
At least four of my grand-children have guitars. Wonder what they do with their old strings? I rather fancy a tiara.
Michele sends her best.
Number 11 is definitely my favorite. Awesome list I loved it...and Susan I have been meaning to do so but I plan to add you to my writing blogs roll soon.
I am an unpublished newbie, but I like to rub elbows with real talent. My T13 is up should you care to pop by.
I am an unpublished newbie, but I like to rub elbows with real talent. My T13 is up should you care to pop by.
One very interesting Thursday Thirteen post. Michele sent me here to return your visit.
Hey, I have read HP 7 too. I did not like it.
rooted
reading room
Hey, I have read HP 7 too. I did not like it.
rooted
reading room
Hi Susan, Michele sent me. I had no idea so many things could be made from strings.
Rose
xo
Rose
xo
# posted by : December 20, 2007 12:39 PM
: December 20, 2007 12:39 PM
greetings from michele...
i LOVED this thursday thirteen. i have seen several peoples, but i think this was my favorite that i have seen thus far!
makes me wish my brother would save his broken strings instead of pitching them. but then, i just ma not that creative or patient, so maybe its for the best.
i LOVED this thursday thirteen. i have seen several peoples, but i think this was my favorite that i have seen thus far!
makes me wish my brother would save his broken strings instead of pitching them. but then, i just ma not that creative or patient, so maybe its for the best.
We used to make these bizarre little snail art things out of DH's old strings when he changed them.
Yeah, where's the picture of Trevor in the tiara!
Happy Holidays, Susan!
Yeah, where's the picture of Trevor in the tiara!
Happy Holidays, Susan!
What a creative T-13 and how ecologically appropriate. Waste not, want not. I guess it goes to show that in the right hands, nothing is junk! Thanks for sharing.
Hugs and blessings,
Hugs and blessings,
Interesting useful tool for string wire hehehe. You sure have a great imagination :)
Happy TTs! I hope you have a good day :)
Happy TTs! I hope you have a good day :)
Is a "book thong" what I think it means?? I'd rather bend the page corner than use someone's underwear!
Now you've got me thinking about making ornaments.
No, I will resist the urge to fake- craft!
No, I will resist the urge to fake- craft!
# posted by : December 20, 2007 8:40 PM
: December 20, 2007 8:40 PM
Now that is one creative TT. I'll never think of guitar strings the same way again.
Rock on!
Celticangel
http://www.celticangel.org
Rock on!
Celticangel
http://www.celticangel.org
# posted by : December 20, 2007 9:04 PM
: December 20, 2007 9:04 PM
LOL! What a fun and creative T13... and what fantastic ideas for things to do with guitar strings!
The choker in #2 sounds downright cool! And #4 is adorable (the blob Christmas ornament).
*giggling* at the image of Trevor in a tiara!
The choker in #2 sounds downright cool! And #4 is adorable (the blob Christmas ornament).
*giggling* at the image of Trevor in a tiara!
# posted by : December 20, 2007 11:00 PM
: December 20, 2007 11:00 PM
Very creative TT! I might even try some things since we regularly have broken guitar strings, lol!
Happy TT!
Happy TT!
Now see, - if Kerri had a big honkin aquamarine to set into the wire, it would have made a PERFECT necklace ;)
What a lovely little post that was! I wasn't sure if it was fact or fiction, but it was filled with truth:-)
Michele sent me,
N.
Michele sent me,
N.
So imaginative, as always :)
My TT was about the solstice this week.
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My TT was about the solstice this week.
# posted by : December 21, 2007 8:29 PM
: December 21, 2007 8:29 PM << Home
