Sparkly Things at the Violin Store

Meet Sparkle Violin!

I bought new bags of plastic jewels recently because I decided to fix the Sparkle Cello.  It's probably the most photographed thing in our store, and since that one section under the different tite-bond glue went dark I decided during a lull in repair work to go ahead and put the sparkle back in that area.

Chiseling off bad jewels

It looks a little different than before, but at least it glitters again.

Sometimes Sparkle Cellos Have to Happen

When we last met our half size (damaged beyond all reasonable repair--trust me) cello, it was being covered with plastic jewels.  Turns out sorting fake jewels by color is strangely enjoyable and a somewhat addictive activity.  Only Mona tired of that task quickly.  Aden and Quinn and I felt as if we could have sorted jewels forever.  (It probably qualifies as one of the chores the Terrible Trivium from The Phantom Tollbooth would have devised, so best we moved on no matter how soothing it seemed.)

I duct taped the sides of the cello to cover holes and got a basic coat of black spray paint on most of the body before using titebond to attach jewels.

I started with the sides, then moved on to the front, back, and finally the scroll.

Do Graffiti Artists Wear Gloves?

Because I have a HUGE blister on the tip of my right index finger after using spray paint the other night.  (Well, half an inch long, but for a blister that seems huge.)

I decided to convert a defunct half size cello into a sparkly wonder work for the front window, and it seemed like a good idea to get a rough coat of black down on the whole thing before I started gluing on fake jewels.  So I picked up some cheap spray paint on my way home from work, then took all of a minute and a half to spray the cello in the dark in our backyard and now my finger HURTS.  Like, I need to stop typing in a minute because OW.

Seriously, do people who do a lot of spray painting do something different?  How did I do this so wrong?

Anyway, pictures soon of sparkly cello progress.  I've already jeweled up the ribs and it's looking very Vegas.  This cello is Fat Elvis all the way.

(And Ian said to me when I was sorting fake jewels by color at the dining room table that when I start freaking out about how little time there is to get everything done for the holidays he will remind me that I chose to add the sparkly cello to the agenda.  But when inspiration hits sometimes you have to run with it, even when it's inconvenient.  Sometimes sparkly cellos have to happen.)

PHOTO UPDATE:

Blister:

Sparkle cello progress: