Festifall was Fantastic

The weather was amazing, the event was well oragnized, and a ton of awesome people came out to see the great vendors lining Franklin Street.  Thank you to everyone that stopped by the My Truck Leroy booth.  Festifall was our best show to date!

We are excited about this weekend-Shakori and Craft Attack.  For everyone that wasn't able to make it to Festifall, drop by and see us at one of the shows this weekend coming up.

*Just a reminder:  Although I would love to be making custom orders, the My Truck Leroy workshop has been closed down in preperation for our trip around the world.  This means that we only have our current inventory and cannot do any custom orders until the shop is re-opened (probably sometime in 2011). 

My Truck Leroy is moving . . .around the World!

Hi everyone,
We have a HUGE announcement.

My Truck Leroy will be on hiatus for the next year and a half-beginning early 2010-finding inspiration and Traveling Around the World!!!

We only have our current inventory for the holiday season. Our metal shop has been broken down in preparation for our trip (so,unfortunately we will not be able to do any custom work).

Make sure to visit us at some of our final shows this holiday season. Pick up your Christmas gift my truck Leroy stars while they last. Make sure to check back frequently for updates on our travels.

Sugar Skulls for the masses

New Sugar Skulls for all you folks that have been asking for them . . .These are all LIGHTS!!! I have phased out the candle holders and replaced them with candelabras.

Fall into Festifall

My Truck Leroy was accepted to be a vendor at the 2009 Festifall, Chapel Hill, NC. Yippie!!! I will be attending (Jessica). I love Festifall! I am excited to show our new work to Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Durham locals that may not have been down to Raleigh in a while. Definitely drop by this event . . .there are lots of awesome vendors, music, food, and community voting booths for People's Choice Award!!!

Discover the West End in Downtown Chapel Hill!
October 4, 2009 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Celebrate Chapel Hill's Local Arts & Artisans! The Town of Chapel Hill presents the 37th Annual Festifall, an outdoor festival celebrating Chapel Hill's rich culture of art.

Spend a Sunday afternoon with the family in in the Southern part of Heaven buying quality art and enjoying live entertainment.

Browse through more than 100 exhibitors, dine in some of downtown's nationally acclaimed restaurants or dance to popular bands at one of our many sound stages.

Don’t miss the People’s Choice Awards for Artists, details to be announced.

This is your chance to buy one-of-a-kind pieces, or teach your children about the importance of the arts with hands-on activities. Join us on West Franklin Street in downtown Chapel Hill on Sunday, October 4, 2009 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Don't Forget!!! Designers Downtown Market is Next weekend!!!

My Truck Leroy will be at the Designers Downtown Market (Ornamentia parking lot, Raleigh) next weekend with all of our new work! Stop by Helios pick up a Cup a Joe and stroll down to the Ornamentia Parking lot for a mid-morning shopping spree of local handmade art and craft items. What an awesome Saturday morning.

There are lots of great vendors that will be in attendance, check the Designers Downtown Market web-page by clicking on the title of this post "Don't Forget!!! Designers Downtown Market is Next weekend" for more info.

Shakori Hills-Dancing the Night Away

My Truck Leroy was accepted into the Shakori Hills Festival and we will be accompanied by Paul VanNess (copper wire sculpture). This is a 4 day festival so you have plenty of time to drop by, say hi, dance, and eat some local fixin's.

Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance

Fall Festival 2009: October 8-11

A family-friendly festival of music, dance, art, and education. 4 days, 4 stages, and over 50 bands in beautiful, green Chatham County!

Craft Attack- Be there or be Square

My Truck Leroy was accepted to Craft Attack 2009- Charlotte!!! I will be one participating (Jessica) and I am so excited to be a part of an event in Charlotte for the first time. This is the 2nd annual event put on by an Etsy street team with bunches of really cool local vendors. If you are a Charlottonian, or close to Charlotte make sure to drop by!

Craft Attack is . . .

A marketplace of handcrafted items from area artists. Pottery, jewelry, wearables, dolls and collectables, bags, soaps, candles, handspun yarn, stuffed animals and more.

Saturday, October 10, 2009 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Independence Neighborhood Park
300 Hawthorne Lane, Charlotte, NC 28204

New Work!

Everyone has been requesting flat stars. So. . . we have some news ones for hanging on the wall, a fence, a tree, whateva you like. Check 'em out!

Custom Work- You want sum?

If you ever look at one our items that are sold or see an item that you like, but would like for it to be just a bit different. . .contact us and we will make a really awesome custom piece for you! Checkout our most recent custom work. . .

New Stars

I have been working away to make some new stars. I changed it up a little with this batch and made them flat on the back for hanging on walls. Check them out in the My Truck Leroy Store: http://www.mytruckleroy.org/

It has been a hot summer in North Carolina. Check out the thermostat the metal shop this weekend!

Downtown Live-Marcy Playground

Thanks to everyone that came out to last weekends Downtown Live Art and Craft Market. It was a hot one 99 degrees! Fortunately we had a great spot under some trees, a tent to shelter us from the North Carolina summer sun, and a fan to cool us down a little. We had a great time even with the heat!

Downtown Live: Charlie Daniels Band

A little bit of rain won't damper our party. Even with the little sprinkle at the last Downtown Live, we had a ton of fun. Thanks to everyone that came out to see us.

Every other weekend My Truck Leroy is a vendor at the Downtown Live Art & Craft Market. Come by and see us, have a beer, and listen to live music! Admission is free.

This weekend the headliner is Marcy Playground.

Designers Downtown Market- My Truck Leroy is totally there!!!

My Truck Leroy has been accepted into the Designer Downtown Market. Yay us!!! Make sure to mark it down in your calenders. Just in time for Christmas shopping. Buy hand-made and make Santa happy!

Our Videos on You Tube

http://www.youtube.com/user/MyTruckLeroy?view=videos

If you have trouble with this link:
1. Go to youtube
2. Search for My Truck Leory
3. All of our videos are listed

How to Make a My Truck Leroy Metal Star

I thought it may be fun and interesting to some, to see how I make my metal stars. Here is a step-by-step explanation of how I do it. Hopefully you will find it interesting and/or helpful. Here is what the finished product looks like:How to Make a My Truck Leroy Metal Star:
Items you will need-
Plasma Cutter Torch & Air Compressor
Piece of Sheet Metal
MIG welder
Grinder
Metal Grinding Disk
Metal Sanding Disk
Washers
Clamps
Vice
Optional-
Mesh
Enamel
Stained glass
Stained glass cutter
Glue

1. Cut a Star shape from a piece of sheet metal with a plasma torch.

2. Draw designs on the star with a marker.
3. Cut the designs out using a plasma torch


4. Grind the excess metal off with a metal grinder.

5. Change out the grinder disk with a sanding disk and sand the metal to give the star a shinny finish.
6. Weld a washer to the top of the star (used to hang the star).


7. Cut out a shape for the candleholder from sheet metal with a plasma torch. This will make the bottom of the candleholder.
8. Draw designs on the newly cut out candleholder bottom.
9. Cut the designs out with a plasma torch.
10. Take the bottom of the candleholder and weld to a piece of metal approximately 1 to 1 ½ inches. Slowly work your way around the bottom piece by bending the metal, weld, bend metal, weld, and so on until it the newly attached side is shaped to the bottom piece.

11. Cut the excess metal off with a plasma torch.
12. Using the excess metal just cut off; weld the back on to the candleholder.
13. Cut the excess metal off with a plasma torch.
14. Put the finished candleholder in a vice. Using a grinder remove any excess metal from the bottoms, sides, and top of the candleholder.
15. Determine where you would like the candleholder to be placed on the star, clamp and weld the two pieces together.
16. Now you have the basic metal star candle holder
17. For extra details weld dots on the back.
18. Add stained glass.
19. Weld on mesh.
20. Embellish with washers
21. Paint with Enamel

There you have it! Hang it indoors or outdoors on a wall or just hanging from a tress. Use it to light a romantic dinner, a party sitting area, or just to add a little brightness to the environment. You could even put a small potted plants in it-like herbs! Whatever you do, just be creative!

Brought to you by Jess VanNess of My Truck Leroy. Copyright My Truck Leroy 2009.

Let us know what you think of this How-To post. Contact: info@mytuckleory.org