A Happy Space

(Me...)

(Best part? I still can't find everything.)

(The happy Cricut)

(Yes, Todd wrote my name... :))



So...a year or so ago I took over half of B's room and renamed it "the craft room". Then I decided that I wasn't going to just sit in the corner, putter and watch old VHS tapes, I was actually going to be productive.
{Hench the purchasing of the Cricut.}



Today, I reclaimed the space and named it:









"My Studio"









Why? I'm an Artist dammit! :)




I totally deserve a happy, happy, inspiring place to create M.U.S.E. I've earned that, right?

Enjoy the pics as much as I enjoy my space, My Studio.

j

...and I quote...

"That Tommy Shaw knows his shiz!"
says ever delicate B.


While playing the "Should I File it or Toss it???" game with a pile of old stuff I came across my receipt for my first guitar: an Ovation Celebrity MS 257. The receipt was dated May 20th, 2000. I also found the journal entry from the day I knew that I had to hold my own guitar in my hands...

Let's go for a ride...

"May 16th, 2000

STYX!!!

I saw STYX!!! I saw Tommy Shaw! Row 15 Sec. FAA. I stood on my chair for the opening song,
'Brave New World' and for 'Blue Collar Man' then a man with a flashlight yelled at me and told me to get down, I didn't want him to take me away, so I did...

Tommy played 'Crystal Ball' on his green 12 string Taylor. While singing along, I had an overwhelming feeling that I NEED my own guitar. Thank you, Mr. Shaw!"

I spent the next three days digging and researching to find my PERFECT guitar and found it on May 20 at Wagstaff Music (it was here in Murray-then it was torn down to build Borders, etc.)

Fast forward 9 years and 10 days to the night of my last STYX show, Tommy walks out with his green Taylor and talks about 'Crystal Ball' being his first song for STYX and how glad he was that it was the title track of his first record with the band. And then, he began to play...

I had that same feeling as I did way back then when he sang. This time, I knew that I had got to learn the song and make it mine.

I took my music (TAB) to B, who looked it over with wide eyes and said, "It's gonna be hard Seester!" I told him I gave myself a year to learn to play it "fluently". He told me he'd give me until the end of Summer. Last Saturday was our first attempt at the song (fingerpicking) and we got through THREE MEASURES!!! THREE!!!

It was then that B said what he said about Tommy. I second.

j

The Krylon Bandwagon

Inspired by the painting frenzy-patio chairs and the inside of the Studio-Donna Downey's "Inspiration Wednesdays", and my new love of yellow, I picked up a can of Sun Yellow Gloss Indoor/Outdoor Krylon spray paint, and my old wicker hamper and mag rack and ran outside.

Quickly I figured out that I also needed a change of shirt, an old sheet (No newspaper, recycling queen that I am...) and some sort of mask before I went much further. I found my DigiTech shirt: "The Power to Create" (DigiTech makes effects for studio/musician use), a Dr.s Mask and and old bed sheet and got to work.

Do you see the slight yellow tinge on the bridge of my nose?

I'm resisting the urge to somehow glam this project up. There's nothing wrong with a simple coat of paint...right? Besides that, they're going in the same bathroom as this:

Oh , glory be!

j

6 (blessedly important to me) Unimportant Things~

"Don't discount what's important to some, even if it's meaningless in your world".

Here is what you need to do:

1. List Six UNIMPORTANT Things That Make You Happy.

2. Mention and link to the person who tagged you

3. Tag six of your favorite bloggers to play along, and comment on their blog to let them know they've been tagged.

My Fave 6:

1: Dragonflies: my personal omen (READ 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho, PLEASE!)

2: The squeal of my fingers as they slide up and down on my guitar strings.

3: Finding a first edition of ANY book!

4: Pilot Precise Grip Extra Fine Rollerball pens. They make me feel like everything I create is Art.

5: Cooking without recipes and relying on taste and knowing.

6: The absolute JOY that comes from combining Mustard Yellow & Teal. I've never been happier!

Thanks to my fabulous Kaydee:

Loved you yesterday. Love you still. Always have. Always will.

I tag... The Girls on Douglas, Andrea D., BOTH Stephanie B's., Des, and my KatieBuck!

Starchild

I've talked a lot about Starchild Music Productions and the projects that I'm working on for M.U.S.E. a lot lately, but I haven't shown any PICTURES! I took a few when I was in working the other day and thought you might like to see! Starchild offers guitar lessons taught by Jon and Brandon Dansie (all ages and skill levels encouraged), custom guitar work-done by THE Floyd Kunz of Artisan Guitar Works, M.U.S.E. (a line of goodies by me: static and adhesive vinyl images (that won't harm your guitar and look great on car windows, mirrors, walls, guitar picks, etc.), sterling silver jewelry (workin on it!) and a monthly newsletter-scheduled to be available in August (hopefully sooner!) called; 'M.U.S.E.ings of a Starchild'.)

Starchild Music Productions is located @:

650 E. Union Square Suite B

Sandy, Ut

84070

Can't make it to Sandy for M.U.S.E.? Items are also available at http://jonnajonna.etsy.com/. It's a slow process getting items up, so check back often!

What do you think???

M.U.S.E. Guitar Bling in action!

My workspace and home of M.U.S.E.

Some of the guitars and swag Starchild has to offer...
See the guitar keys?

Some of the available M.U.S.E. Guitar Bling images.

Starchild is currently accepting students AND teachers! Email me for more info!

j

Ahh...the bliss that is STYX...

Last weekend, the wait was finally over. My Tommy was in town and I had great seats-I was happier than a girl in a candy shop-and just as inpatient.

The fun part is that I took State to guitar-so I got to Sloooooooooooooooooooooowwly drive past (traffic was INSANE!) Rio Tinto and-YES-got to see the fabulous as ever tour buses, the tents full of goodies, The Arrow getting set up... I was tingling in anticipation (at 1:30...)!

4:30 rolled around (FINALLY after a particularly disastrous lesson-I was very distracted...) and Myself, Dad, Mom, Floyd, Julie, Erin and Hannah all met at Raphael's-an interesting sit-down Mexican restaurant that has plastic chairs and a salad bar with lots of beans on it-to carb load before we faced the MILE plus walk from parking (@ The South Towne Expo) to our seats at the Stadium. Our waiter was 12 (I'm guessing) and LOOOOVED all of our menu choices. Apparently "Billy" has a lot of faves.

After lots of hot sauce and a "confused" sour cream mishap or two, we were off. We all met at Starchild to carpool and just as we were getting in the car...guess what? IT STARTED TO POUR!!!!!! Not just rain a little bit. We. Couldn't. See. ANYTHING. Nice. It took us about 10 minutes to get from 7th to State and into the parking lot (it usually only takes a minute or two going 40...) We piled out of the car, donned the rain jackets, hiked the pant legs up and started on our way.

By the time we made it IN the stadium, the rain had stopped (how perfect???!) but they weren't letting us on the floor. Turns out, they were DRYING OFF OUR SEATS!! The poor peeps in the stadium seats got to sit on wet chairs. Why was it different? The fact that after everything was all said and done my tickets cost almost $90? Maybe. We made the long walk to our seats and got all cozy-by this time the sky was blue, clouds were white and there was a sliver of a moon peeking out-when the announcer said that 38 Special would be out in the next 5 min. or so.

They were great!!!! The show was being billed as "All Classics-All Night" and that's what they gave us. While I didn't know enough words to sing along, I DID know the songs, tunes, etc. Fab. Here's a quick video of 'Second Chance' and 'Caught Up in You'.



Silly as it sounds, I was REALLLLLLY hopping for REO to play second. I needed my Tommy like NO OTHER, but STYX PLAYS LAST. That's my rule. STYX MUST PLAY LAST. That way I can really enjoy REO, have fun, and not be all spent from acting like a complete idiot because I am in the presence (never mind the fact that he's a good 50 feet away...) from Mr. Shaw and the rock gods of STYX. Just then Keith came out (amazingly nice (yes, I've met him) Stage Manager for STYX) and while I was THRILLED to see him I was secretly let down. So much for my plans, right?

The music being played over the loud speakers (to keep the crowds tame) was interrupted to play the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again"-which is to let us know (those that DO know) that STYX is just seconds away (I was on my feet by the second note of the song). And then, my boys were there.

I've done some digging on YouTube and have found a few videos of the show. Some are better than others...but ALL prove how freakin amazing STYX is.



I chose this one because the guy with the red hat was one row and about 6 people down from me. This is special jonna vision JUST FOR YOU!!!! I don't know who took this one, but it's superb.

THIS one is loads better. It looks to be the other side and few rows up from my seats:
'Grand Illusion' Gowan's tie is a skinny lime green. Yum.



STYX is my favorite band. Always has been. I read a little something the other day talking about the parts of the brain that are stimulated (YOU know what I'm talking about, Steph. ;) ) when you listen to your favorite music and I must say that I fully support that. I am an absolute MESS when Tommy Shaw is around (in any form...). STYX makes me weak in the knees and short of breath. Always. They played with such passion and force that when they walked off after Renegade, I felt as if I had completed an extremely hard workout. Thank you.

REO did a great job-but they didn't pack as much power as STYX. To compensate, they just turned up the volume. However, 'Keep Pushin' On" is one of my faves:




REO played and I stood-for some songs...-and sat on my wet jacket for others. I was sitting when I heard a collective gasp from the crowd. THIS was the reason:




Yes, that IS David Archuleta singing with Kevin. I don't believe that this was part of the plan-but it was super nonetheless.


Afterwards, Kevin talked a little about the new song that STYX and REO did together: "Can't Stop Rockin'"-the song the tour is named after. STYX came piling out and EVERYONE started singing. Todd (master drummer of STYX) played guitar for this one. I found this video-a compilation of great photos and video from the road, shot and assembled by Tommy Shaw!



Yes, my peeps-it WAS a most amazing evening. Bask is the bliss...
(By the way-it POURED on us for the walk back to the car. I didn't care.)

j

Mustard & Teal

I've noticed over the last few weeks that I've become drawn to two colors that I have just...DESPISED the rest of my life. Interesting...

It started with the purchase of my "bumblebee" shoes-a FABULOUS pair of mustard yellow leather ballet shoes with ZIPPERS on the heal and three on the toes. I love them, love them, love them! Then I went and got a silk teal Express sweater-and well...between the two, I haven't worn anything else. I've actually run out of ways to wear them-I'm out of combo's. The good news??? I've discovered that mustard and teal are my new HAPPY colors! I LOVE them together, love them on me and LOOOOOVE how I FEEL when I wear them! How fabulous is that??? ;)

So, I went shopping at my FAVORITE shop: ETSY and have put together an inspiring wish list. Anyone looking to make me EXTREMELY happy???

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade jonnajonna.etsy.com

*5/31: By the way, my Lovelies, I fell so hard for the yellow "Keep Calm and Carry On" that I just HAD to have it. It arrived Thursday... The draw for the brooch in grey, green and teal was too strong as well. I just got that one and plan to wear it in my hair. Love it.

All is well...

j