It was sort of inevitable that our table at Reading Rocks would be somewhat improvised, given that we were in charge of decorating for the event proper. Also, most of my inspiration books and props remain in storage. So, "Polka-Bats and Octopus Slacks" it was - primarily because we had the book with us at the apartment, but also because I appreciate the aesthetic of the author/illustrator, Calef Brown. Simply put, his art was something that I could work with, and without burning too many additional brain cells.
It didn't turn out too badly, all things considered.
The main images are from four of the poems in the book: The Bathtub Driver, Kansas City Octopus and Funky Snowman (shown above) and Mulligan Poker (shown below). The things coming out of the "box" (the box comprising of four canvases L-bracketed together) are taken from various other poems - Polkabats, Skeleton Flowers and Sleeping Fruit. I like the way that the Sleeping Fruit cascaded down the sides of the piece (thanks to Robyn's wire curlicues).
The main "tablecloth" (I use the term loosely) was a teal fleece blanket with a stripe running through it. I purchased it because (1) it was cheap, (2) I knew that the color was harmonious with the images in the book and (3) the look of it reminded me of, um . . . something. That "something" turned out to be the poem, Eliza's Pockets. The blanket was the exact color of the jacket in the book image, and the stripes resembled Eliza's pants - so I cut out pockets from leftover scrapbook paper to look like those in the book and affixed those all over the tabletop.
I'm all about the happy accidents these days. Also all about using the leftover scrapbook paper.
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