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"PLAY A LITTLE SONG FOR ME!!!"

January 31st, 2009 in blog, member junk     
fellowjunker janis gurney, contributor
4 users recommend
The finished player piano music box.
The supplies I used for this project:  an old tea box picked up at the thrift store, a music box mechanism I removed from another thrift store find, the player piano roll, and the cover off a music book.
The music box mechanism was easy to add.  I just screwed it into the inside of the box after drilling a hole for the winding device.
I covered the box with pages from an old music book to start with because the player piano paper is quite transparent.  On top of this I glued sheets cut from the piano roll.  Each side of the box has different parts of the song highlighted on my roll. I also saved and added the manufacture information from the roll.
The black knob at the top is one of the end pieces from the roll.   A cover I had from a vintage music book matched the colours of the words on the roll perfectly so I reduced it on a photocopier and used it for the front of the box.
The blue circle at the top is a frame.
The finished player piano music box.

The finished 'player piano music box'.
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Well, what to do with these player piano rolls!!!!????!!!!!  I have to admit that I was very challenged by them!!!!  The first roll that I tried to work with was sooooooo old and brittle that it crumbled into pieces every time I touched it.  Luckily, the second roll was in better shape. 

For my project I created a music box.


Pattern or design used: My Own Design - junkstyle
posted in: blog, member junk, tabletop
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Comments (13)

shabbychick writes: Janis - just catching up on posts - your project is divine!! The layering you did with the paper looks so nice, and you gave it your signature look for sure!! And, I love that it's a music box too!! (What song does it play??)

Thanks for sharing! Kathy Posted: 9:28 am on February 12th
DownHomeDIY writes: "What's in the box, what's in the box, we gotta find out what's in the box...OOOH!" Those were lyrics from a fun little ditty on some childhood show...can't remember what it was for the life of me. But, this clever little project is something I will not forget! The details make it top notch!
Great job.
-MB Posted: 9:12 pm on February 3rd
MimiToria writes: Quite innovative Janis for someone that was so dismayed over what to do. Thank goodness your 2nd roll was more useable than the one that kept tearing up.
I've had food posioning and this is the first I've felt good enough to be at the computer for 2 days, so finally getting a biit caught up reading the posts. Haven't been up to working on my project more though, so hopefully I'll get a burst of strength and be able to finish up soon.
Your the furtherest contributor in distance, but got yours in first. Impressive!
Gretchen Posted: 12:17 pm on February 3rd
TGTG writes: Wow Janis. This is fantastic. I am really impressed. I am still struggling with my rolls so know what a challenge they are!

Beautiful!

JennyK Posted: 5:40 pm on February 2nd
KimberlyMelamed writes: Janis, I was so excited to see your project! It is absolutely beautiful and befitting of your style. You did an absolutely fabulous job with a very difficult material. Thanks for participating in the challenge.

Take Care,
Kimberly Posted: 11:41 am on February 2nd
1retrogal writes: How cute! Very inventive to think of adding the music box to the music box! heehee. :)
Karen Posted: 11:07 pm on February 1st
CottageElements writes: Janis, wow! What else can I say. Absolutely wonderful. So perfect a thing to do with those roles. I'm with Georgia, I'm call in sick, too! LOL. Actually I am done, just need to work on posting them. But how can I top this????

Lani Posted: 5:45 pm on February 1st
georgiamoon writes: Janis Are you KIDDING me...this is SO beautiful!!! I love what you have done. I'm callin' in sick. I love that this project is so definitely YOU. I hope that I have a stroke of genius today, I haven't been able to work on mine cause of my sale, but I'm on it now. You've inspired me. As always you do such fantastic work. I love it, Geo Posted: 4:04 pm on February 1st
bridiemurphy writes: Precious...quite literal and creative too! Posted: 11:06 am on February 1st
JunkArchitect writes: Janis, congratulations you’re the first one to finish the Contributor’s Challenge and you came up with a fantastic idea too…the pressures off.

I don’t think Sue could have chosen a more “challenging” piece of junk then those piano rolls…a brittle beige tube of paper full of holes. I can’t wait to see what the other contributor’s came up with considering how diverse the whole group is.

My project is finally complete; all I need to do is take the photos.

Jim Posted: 11:18 pm on January 31st
Junk_Sophisticate writes: Janis!! This is absolutely gorgeous! It looks so like you too. Definitely a Janis Gurney original.

Beautiful work indeed.
Candy Posted: 7:10 pm on January 31st
irishrovr writes: This is great!!

Eileen http://ruralwisconsin.blogspot.com/ Posted: 6:37 pm on January 31st
suewhitney writes: Hi All,

The fun is beginning! Janis is the first of our contributors to submit her player piano music roll project. Janis, this is delightful,delovely, and deliciously creative! I love it! Thanks you so much for participating in this challenge...you have out done yourself.

Cheers,
Sue

P.S. I just want everyone to know who has never worked with these music rolls that they are very difficult to deal with. The paper rips, the plastic breaks, and so on and so forth. I want to thank all of the contributors for still talking to me after receiving their packages. Hmmm....guess I haven't heard from Georgia in a while. Ha! Posted: 5:13 pm on January 31st
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