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Wednesday 22 October 2008

Fruit i inked today!!!

Arrhhhh......land ahoy shipmates!!! That was my best pirate impression, which may give you a clue to this weeks guest fruit on "Fruit i inked today!".

I've been toying with this idea for a while, but there seemed to be too many obstacles with it. However i when i assign myself a fruity mission, the only option is to achieve it at all costs!

So as it's just turned midnight on what should be a mighty fine Thursday, fruit lovers of the world, i give you......the COCONUT!!!




How about this for a beauty!!! For something that started off almost doomed to fail, i am really chuffed with this weeks results. Grab a cuppa, get ya bum comfy and let me explain.....

I saw a whole box of coconuts in my local grocers, so it a fit of excitement i bought a few and brought them home. Then i encountered my first obstacle, how to crack it open neatly! It doesn't work too well with a hammer, or a brick, or the heavy end of a child's scooter (Lets keep that one between us). Plus i found that all the coconuts that i tried, were dried out inside. Not a good start.

So out came my trusty tenon saw....
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This worked a treat, and the fact that it was dry was actually a help, not a hindrance.
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I don't know if you are aware, but it's really quite hard to ink something that is round. The slightest spot of ink runs all over the place and you end up juggling it to keep it in place, so to get the individual patches took some doing i'm telling you!
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The best part of this weeks inking, was using a lilac "Zig" alcohol ink i got from Jennie at the Artistic Stamper. It is quite a dark lilac, i would go as far as saying purple but it worked gorgeously on the white of the coconut. In fact, i liked the lilac so much i went totally over the top on the on the half of the coconut. It was a bit dark though, so i added a sprinkling of ultra fine holographic glitter, i thought it made the coconut look like one of those cool pieces of rock with the crystal formations inside.
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Aha my inky friends.....the story does not stop there! Maddy suggested the great idea of using them as a tea light candle holder....so i took a couple of piccies in the dark.....
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Doesn't that look spectacular! Obviously i waited until the ink was well dried before i did this, what with the inks being highly flammable, but it was worth the wait.
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And the other half....
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Now then, the fruitinkability rating? I am going to easily go with an 8 for this one! I think thats a new record for "Fruit i inked today!" Oooh....do i hear a few boos and hisses? Mutterings of, "How can that beat the legendary pineapple?!!!!.....FIX!!! FIX!!!!!!!!"
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Calm down people, this for me was almost on par with the pineapple as far as fun to ink and pleasure to ink, however the fact that it has another use as a candle holder, and therefore this will not be destined for my freezer.....tips it over the top in the fruitinkability ratings.
In case anyone was wondering why i didn't do anything with the outside, i did try but it just didn't work out. I tried giving it a haircut but it was having none of it. I tried inking it, far too brown and woodlike to play along.
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Thanks everyone once again for stopping by to see what inky mess i've made this week. Without you lot, my fruit would merely be a sad fetish which could have got me locked up by now! Till next week..... :))
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Oops.....almost forgot to say......i almost didn't show you the coconut this week......i was a little SHY!!! :))) Get it? Coconut shy? :) Just listen to those groans! :)))

21 comments:

Jennie -The Artistic Stamper said...

my I am the first to comment! mmm coconut, er what can I say except you are a nutty inker! xxx

Calv said...

Thank you Jennie, it must have something to do with the company i keep and people i speak to on the phone.....the nuttyness is rubbing off! :)

Tami Bayer said...

The coconut is such a genius idea. Based on the outside I would never imagine you'd try this one. Avocados are very popular at my house this week, thinking you might add one to your inking adventures. Maybe it's too dark in color? Congrats on your new DT gig!

Hels Sheridan said...

PMSL...Calv, I was just gearing up to be clever and say something about you being shy...but you beat me to it :O)) Love the Coconut...have you got a lovely bunch of them then? Have you? Go on, have you really? And, I just had a flash of a brainwave (don't worry, I was seated at the time) .... how about, cutting off all the nasty hairy outsidey stuff, coating the shell with Gesso and then inking it? Just an idea, I don't have so many of them you know LOL Loving your inky fruity tales Calv and I think you have excelled yourself with this one...and well done Maddy for the tealight idea, it is stunning! Hels x

Calv said...

Hi Tami :) i did think about an avacado, the texture would have been great to ink, but as you say, it is very dark.

Might still try it one day though.

Thanks Hels lol...glad you liked it. :) What is Gesso by the way? Not heard of that. Might go and Google it so i don't lok thick (don't read that bit lol).

And yes Hels....i do indeed have a lovely bunch of coconuts!!! :)

Peet said...

what a great idea, Love your Coconut!!!

maddy hill said...

they are gorgeous calvin and when you double click the pic bigger you can see all the sparkles ...

Rachelxx said...

Hmm the company you keep & who you speak to on the phone (when you answer it!!) Guess I count in the nuttyness eh?

Love your coconut - lovely colours & good thinking to add the sparkles :-)

Calv said...

Thanks Peet, lovely to see you here, Maddy introduced me to your blog....stunning work there.

Cheers Maddy :)

And Rachel....you're definately included in the nuttyness! :)

Mardi said...

By George, I mean Calv I think you have it! What a clever idea for the masterpiece. I love it!

H said...

Wow the colour really stands out, im loving the sparkles on this wintery day.

Sarah C said...

Yeah, I did groan at the last bit LOL

This is really good. Very creative and determined :D

Heather said...

OMG - what patience you have. Absolutely stunning and inspirational - I can see myself going round finding things to ink now.(Oh no, I hope not - I'm a real messy crafter as it is, I already have green pearlized ink on my wooden floor that won't come off).
Keep up with the original work.
hugs Heather xxx

Calv said...

Thanks again for the kind comments everyone, they are much apreciated.

Hi Heather, i've just taken a look at your blog too, you have so many lovely things on there.

Claire Mackaness said...

Wow they are truly beautifull Calv!

Claire Mackaness said...

Have you thought of inking a Dragon Fruit? I saw one in Sainsburys today and thought of you!!

Calv said...

Thanks Claire......ooh a dragon fruit, will have to look that one up.....certainly sounds interesting. Cheers for that.

Anonymous said...

Very nice! Great tropical addition to the eventual fruit morgue.

Have you started a portfolio of your inked fruit? Maybe use them as part of your holiday greetings this year? It's a thought!

Liverpool Lou (Anne) said...

It looks fantastic Calv :)
Anne x

Cazzy said...

I can only say one word - WHY!
Calv it is going to end up in a gallery somewhere one day, I wonder how long they will last!

Calv said...

Thanks Lea, not sure if theres much room left in the fruit morgue lol, love that phrase. :)

Good idea about the portfolio....might do that.

Thanks Anne, nice to see yo popping in. :)

Hi Cazzy...good questin, why indeed! Why not is my best answer i'm afraid lol. :) Imagine that, one day in a gallery, giving Damien Hirst a run for his money!

Thanks everyone.