The fiddle in it's original state.
AOL and various other internet providers used to send out cd's to entice you to use them. I had saved all those cd's, I just knew they would be useful someday. The first thing I did was paint all but the neck of the fiddle white. Then I heated the cd's with a heat gun so that I could cut them without shattering them, then glued them to the neck. Other whole cd's were glued in place around the body.
I also have a large button collection. I got out all the bright colored buttons and divided them by color into a color wheel. Working from one side around to the other I arranged and glued the buttons in color order. It didn't quite give the impact I had hoped so I got out my paints and painted dots of corresponding colors around all the buttons.
The center of each cd got a button also. In the center section a glued clear glass half marble shapes. The entire piece was then coated with a clear varnish to protect it from the weather.
Here I am with the finished fiddle.
Every June I get to drive around town to find where my fiddle has been placed, usually it's near the High School where the contest actually takes place.
