Driven Rain. Driven Jason.

Wow!  That rain is really belting down on the roof this morning.  Even while I'm on my treadmill now (I'll explain in a second) I can still hear it rap against the shingles of our home.  The forcasters were calling for it and did we ever get it.  Driving back late last night from Albany in the rain, with my mother, was interesting.  Heck, it was dangerous!  Not only was visibility strained and were the deep puddles tempting my car to hydroplane, but the rain also knocked many leaves down onto the wet roads.  Not good.  Slick.

But, thankfully, my mother and I both made it home safely, as well as the items to be painted that we'd just purchased.  From the sounds of it outside, it'll be a good day to stay in, light an autumn scented candle and put a big push on to complete more items for Sunday's opening of the store. 

Oh, not sure if you knew yet, but that is the official date of our online opening: 
Sunday, October 3rd at 12:00 noon.

I'll list tomorrow some more of the items you can expect to find.  But right now I want to list an item you won't find at the store...  "What?" you may be saying.  Well this does relate, being that it is the first 3D Custom Sculpted Photo Frame (I've gotta think of a shorter name) I'd ever made.  Since I want to leave the Farm Frame, I'm currently finishing up as surprise for Sunday, I want to show you a finished example of my first.

This is my father, Richard, and the beautiful photo that my uncle took of him on a walk in Massena, NY:

It's a clear photo, but I zoomed in so much, it's a little blurry.  Anyway...

This is a 3D Custom Sculpted Photo Frame based on his photo:

You can see the 5 x 7 photo inside the frame and the outside imagery is matched and hand sculpted, cast and then painted.  In this shot, the frame is resting (a little lopsided) on a table, but it has a hanger and usually is mounted on the wall upright.

It's one of my favorite projects - though a little time consuming to make. 

And the Beekman's first in a series, that I started to show you, will be finished by this Sunday!  But in order for my little invention to be complete by that time, I've got to get off this invention that I'm currently walking on and have been for the last 1/2 hour - my Computer Treadmill Unit.  (I told you I'd get back to this.) 

My Computer Treadmill Unit is not much of an original idea since they sell professional ones online for hundreds to thousands of dollars made of steel.  I made my own homely version (and it DOES look homely) for nothing.    P.S. - I don't recommend people building their own out of the cheap materials I used (and I mean cheap) because we're talking about cardboard and duct tape!  Seriously.

I'd take a photo, but I'm truly humiliated by the way this contraption looks.  It got filmed last season in the show, but they cut the footage - possibly due to my newbie nervousness, but probably because this cardboard/duct tape/ treadmill Beast was lingering in the corner. 

In all fairness to the Computer Treadmill Beast, it's a wreck to look at, but this thing has changed my life!  When ever I'm feeling tired or blue or uncreative, (as many artists often do) I hop on my Computer Treadmill Unit for a half hour, check my emails, blog, or update the website as I walk and, before I know it, I'm feeling excellent!  It charges me up while staying productive!  By the way, the Treadmill Beast has helped me loose weight too.  Another perk.  Love my Beast!

But that's what my life is all about now - using my creativity to make constant improvements - to myself and the products that I make.  Sometimes they are little outlandish.  Most of the time they work!

On that note, it's already 6:15am and I've gotta get to work creatin' some more products for you. 

Thanks for readin'!