13 hours later and we made it back to Minnesota from Fred's!
What a great meet it was! Lots of new faces and places! Fred's shop is indeed a one-of-a-kind place! The hospitality was top-notch!
Thanks to everyone who made us feel at home! If you have never been to Fred's..ya gotta go!
Thanks to Monte and Patsy, for the Hooters dining experience! thanks to R.T. for the "Down Under" comparisions, thanks to Magoo for a good laugh and his dog Scotty..(I never did hear or see the Banjo!) next time! Keith Myers...I'm going to get you painting yet! Good to see you Bruce!
I will forget many people so so thanks to you all, and hopefully see you here in July!
How bout some pictures? geet? anyone?
Posted by coop (Member # 504) on :
Glad you made it home safe & sound! It was my pleasure to meet you, and finally put a face with the name.
Trena and I are in serious negotiations trying to fit a trip up "North" into our schedule.
It's a good ting doncha know?
Posted by Bruce Bowers (Member # 892) on :
Yah,fer sure you betcha!
So, you're goin' to to be travelling north, then, are ya?
That was a a great time. Wow!
Posted by Monte Jumper (Member # 1106) on :
Good to have you here Mike and good to see you too Bruce ...Patsy and I just got in from a Josh Grobin concert so our weekend wasn't quite over either.
Had a good time good to see everyone got home safely ...(you too coop).
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
Just got home....GREAT meet!
Thanx Fred & Marilynn!!!
Now to bed!
Posted by Ray Skaines (Member # 3702) on :
Had a great time @ Fred's. Great to see old friends and meet some new, thanks to Fred and Marilynn.
Made a DVD of the meet. Check back later if interested.
Ray
Posted by Raymond Chapman (Member # 361) on :
Fred and Marilyn (and Skip) were again great hosts for one of the best gatherings around. Just like an old family reunion.
It was good to see old friends (like that short Okie) and make some new ones (like Bruce and Mike). The talent present was mind boggling.
Many did not know that Fred was supposed to have been in the hospital for a kidney stone operation on Thursday, but got the doctor to postpone it and had a stint implanted and went through the weekend with some "Happy Pills". He didn't mention it to many, but he wasn't feeling very well - but it didn't stop him from being his usual gracious host. Thanks Fred.
Now, it's back to the real world. Gotta coat out some MDO.
Posted by Mark Yearwood (Member # 2723) on :
Yes, another memorable weekend with Letterheads! I always feel like I'm leaving family members behind when it's over.
Mike, it was great meeting you and Ayleen and I may have my wife talked into a trip to Mazeppa this July.
Bruce, it was a pleasure to meet you.(he really can letter). Too bad Dana couldn't make it.
Keith, you semed a little overwelmed by it all but that's normal for a first timer! Go sling some paint...
and it's always nice visiting with friends. Si & Marty, Raymond, Ray Skaines, Monte, Coop,Padillas...and the list goes on. oh..and Magoo and Scotty the pooch, too!
Thank you Fred and Marilyn for another great meet!
Posted by mike meyer (Member # 542) on :
I'd like to GAR-UN-TEE you'll be here Mark by Throwing one of our projects yur way for the Meet!
If ya wanna be part of it! Email me for details!
We'd love to have you here..(July in Minnesota will be like Air-Conditioning for Y'all!)
Y'all? Did I really type that?
I mean.."You Guys" there, that's more Minnesotan!
There will be a Special "Ladies Day" at the "Mall of America" so bring your spouse! Monte, bring Patsy!!
Posted by Ray Skaines (Member # 3702) on :
Here's a link to view Fred's Sasekalahewata Meet this weekend.
We all had a great time. May take a while for dial-up internet users. Quicktime shows the clip darker than I'd like (although in the DVD the lighting is fine). This is my first shot at trying this. Comments and suggestions appreciated. Ray
Posted by Raymond Chapman (Member # 361) on :
Ray - what a super job!!!
You captured the spirit of the weekend and the background music was just the right touch. Your editing skills are apparent. This will be something to save for future generations.
Now, you are going to have to go to every meet and be the official photographer. We now have the Ken Burns of the Letterhead movement.
That short, bald guy really talks a lot, doesn't he?
Posted by Dana Bowers (Member # 780) on :
Wish I could have been there... from what Bruce said it was a GREAT time!!
THANK YOU for my panel!!!!!!! WOW. THE Raymond Chapman, made lil ole nobody me a panel and I wasn't even there!!! TOO COOL. Just ask Bruce about my reaction to it... LOL!!
I will be there in Mazeppa. Oh Bruce will be too!!
Posted by Frank Magoo (Member # 3950) on :
Thanks for sharing that Ray, and thanks to Fred and Marilyn for making Scotty and I feel so welcome, and putting on such a great event and also putting up w/all of us.
I truly enjoyed myself, put a ton of faces to names, even slung some paint, told a bunch of lies, pestered everyone; and ate!!! The Mexican dinner was very good...a must for next year...
The only bummer of weekend was that I missed Monte's party, which I hear was excellent...not next time!!!
Sorry Mike, that banjo got plunked!!! Great meeting you.....you'll get to hear it yet...
Posted by Santo (Member # 411) on :
Thanks for the look Ray.
Posted by Delzell (Member # 1965) on :
Thanks Ray! I wish I could of been there. Thanks for being our eyes and EARS.
Much appreciated,
Debbie
[ March 15, 2005, 11:54 AM: Message edited by: Delzell ]
Posted by R T Thomas (Member # 355) on :
Just got home!! Had a most excellence adventure at Fred's this time! Got to meet some new folks and visit with the regulars that I missed last year. I was very, very lazy this year and failed to do even one panel. Hell I failed to do almost anything!! I did do some wine glasses for my nephew's upcoming wedding. (Thanks, Skip)
This meet is truly one of the best annual meets that goes on year after year. Fred and Marilyn are great hosts and never fail to make us all feel at home. Some of the work done at this meet just boggles the mind.
Thanks to Monte and Patsee for putting me up again and for putting up with me AGAIN. hahaha Thanks for the vinyl ink Patsee. I'll use it well.
As always it was great being "bunk mates" with the Padillas and Coop and Trena. Monte and Patsee put up with a lot just so we can have a good time.
It was good to finally meet Fwank Magloo. I've talked to and about Fwank for a long time and now I's knows him. Scotty has a lot better manners than his employee I can tell ya that.
Well, other than feeling a little sick from allergies once I got home, I had a great trip and would love to get to Mr. Meyer's meet in July. Only time will tell.
I wanna do 'em all!
See ya'll,
R.T.
Posted by Barb. Shortreed (Member # 1730) on :
Your video is awesome Ray! This is the sort of thing we have been waiting for to add to The Letterville Drive-In
Steve's working on putting a page of photos together. Here's a few sent in by Mike Meyer earlier today. Keep em' coming!
[ March 15, 2005, 02:35 AM: Message edited by: Barb. Shortreed ]
Posted by Robert Beverly (Member # 1907) on :
Had a great time!...and hey...got that abalone finally laid on before I left!
I just can't believe that it marked the 16th year in a row for them to host it!....
Thanks to Marylin, Fred, and Skipper...and of course the spouses/children that helped with cleanup!
And Ray, a wonderful tribute!....I have to get a copy of it from ya!
[ March 15, 2005, 09:27 AM: Message edited by: Robert Beverly ]
Posted by Keith Myers (Member # 5051) on :
Overwelmed might not cover my first letterhead meet. I felt like I got a couple of years worth of knowledge packed into 3 days of school. I was very neat to see so many different projects going on.
My only dissapointmet is that I bought several brushes while I was there and none of them seem to be as smart as the brushes you guys were using. Perhaps I'll just keep holding their heads under the paint and they will get the message that they need to get smart. (I perhaps I'll just keep practicing)
Mike, Mark, Ray, Gary, Fred, and everybody else...thanks for letting me peek over your shoulders the whole weekend. It was very nice to meet everyone in person also.
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
Keith....just pick one of those brushes and concentrate on teaching it how to work! Once it is well educated, put it in with all the others, while you are asleep that night, it will teach all the others!
Worked for me!
[ March 15, 2005, 04:00 PM: Message edited by: Si Allen ]
Posted by Raymond Chapman (Member # 361) on :
Keith - it was good to finally meet you in person.
That was your first Letterhead meet. Next time, all those excuses are null and void - you have to pick up something and go to work. And don't worry about criticism. Heck, Saturday, Bobbo said that my signs weren't very creative.
Sprinkle a little pixie dust on those brushes - works every time. Although Si may be on to something.
There were many times I threw brushes in the garbage while I was trying to learn, but the next morning I would go dig them out and try one more time. In fact, I'm still trying.
Posted by Ray Skaines (Member # 3702) on :
Keith, you were watching one of the best. The man from Temple can make it look simple. Not only can he stroke a good brush, Raymond is considered a great spokesperson and is held in the highest esteem from all of us "Letterheads".
I was fortunate that weekend... I had the best seat in the house. Mark Yearwood on my left and Raymond on the right. We had a blast slingin' paint.
Just wish our brushes had a built-in spellcheck.
[ March 15, 2005, 10:55 PM: Message edited by: Ray Skaines ]
Posted by Stephen Faulkner (Member # 2511) on :
Are Magoo Scottie And the Apache Junkyard crew the folks to suffer through a BLIZZARD on the way home???
I know Magoos Secret for driving straight through... He's snackin' on 'smores and snoozin' while Scottie the Wonder Dog takes the wheel!
We have about 70 pictures to share.... any idea where I can post them?
Posted by Raymond Chapman (Member # 361) on :
Thank you, Mr. Skaines. I appreciate your very nice words. But it was me who had the good seat. Those guys were trying to see who could do the smallest lettering - I stayed out of it. All of us agreed that Alton would have smoked everyone.
One of the comments I heard over the weekend (either by Ray or Mark) was that lettering was just like therapy. With experience you eventually reach a stage where you get into a "zone" where the outside world disappears and time stands still. You would have to be there to understand.
Try to explain that feeling to a non-letterer and watch their reaction. They want to call the guys with the white coats and the strait-jacket.
Another observation from this weekend: Scottie was the most well behaved of all who attended. He had to be the most laid-back dog I've ever seen. Magoo, you have one fine friend there. And you're not too bad, either.
P.S. About that spell check thing - I still insist it's "Oakie"....everyone else spells it wrong.
Also, yesterday I sent a CD with over a hundred photos to Steve. He can pick out what he wants to post.
[ March 16, 2005, 09:14 AM: Message edited by: Raymond Chapman ]
Posted by Ray Skaines (Member # 3702) on :
Hey Ray, "Oakie" sounded ok to me. I kind a liked the way you spelled "Oklalhoma" though. My mind is always thinking of what's the next letter to stroke. I need a spell check brush that can beep and whistle when I forget to put the tail on the "Q" and "R".
Once I signed my son's report card with a note to the teacher, "We is proud of Jonathan". She probably felt sorry for him after that.
The world famous sign painter sitting next to us can out-do us both. I was honored to receive his panel. Who knows, one day it may be worth a fortune. Imagine a hundred years from now, some of these "Letterhead" panels at an auction house. Mmmm... Fred's place already is a sign museum. Spending a day there to look at it is worth the trip. Where do we go to next? Mazeppa?
Posted by mike meyer (Member # 542) on :
we welcome you here Ray!
Posted by Steve Shortreed (Member # 436) on :
After watching Ray's live video, still photos just don't seem to do the trick. Thanks to Geet and Ellen for sharing this collection with us.
Thanks Steve for the compliment. Glad all enjoyed the video. Hope to do it again at some future meets.
Geet took some great shots at Fred's. Thanks for sharing. Never fails that you miss something when you see the other photos from the meet. From Geet's photos I saw some cowboy signpainter that I missed that weekend. Chris, sorry I missed seeing ya Bud. Hope to catch you at the next one.
Posted by Jon Butterworth (Member # 227) on :
Geeeeeeez those photos bring back memories of one of the best meeting places in the world! Thanks Fred.
Fred's Meet 2003 is still imprinted on my brain.
Monte, believe me yer getting even better with those feathers!
RT, looks like you need another Ozzie "sweat box job" to slim down that waist.
Chris, if you even lose that hat and smile ... I stole it!
Ray, your comment on Fred's being a sign museum is an understatement. Wonder when he is going to have to hang panels on the ceiling?
Who won the fridge? Bet RT did with MY ticket
I'll be back (one day)!
[ March 17, 2005, 02:55 AM: Message edited by: Jon Butterworth ]
Posted by josh hayden (Member # 5212) on :
I had a great time at Fred's and I'd like to thank every one.I learned more this year than I did last year,and I was fresh out of the feild made some new friends.In All had a great time
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Scotty has a lot better manners than his employee I can tell ya that.![[For Your Information]](graemlins/fyi.gif)