Stop Number Two!

Hey Guys!


Blake's Cardboard Piano had another amazing stop! Jillian *just* got her Poughkeepsie tattoo on her ACTUAL body! I think this really seals the deal, I'm going to have to get one too.


I think Nise and the girls started a great tradition of a letter to Blake, and Jillian continued it as well. So check out her gorgeous letter and matching pictures! Would you like to join? I'd LOVE to have you along, email me at debra.anastasia@gmail.com for more information.

Dear Blake,

I was beyond excited, and totally teary eyed, to receive your piano in the mail today! It came on the same day I went for my Poughkeepsie tattoo… what an amazing Poughkeepsie filled weekend!

I live in Ambler, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia. I took your piano to all of the places I pictured in my mind when I was reading your story.

My first stop was St. Mary’s Villa for Children and Families. The Villa was originally an orphanage for boys. It was run by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth and moved to the location in Ambler in 1936. Their mission is to empower children and families to lead responsible lives and develop healthy relationships built on faith, hope and love. In the latter half of the century, the children under St. Mary’s care required more specialized services. Many were abused, abandoned or needed extra supervision and attention in school and in their residences. Social work services and appropriate therapies continue to be offered to the children placed in the agency’s care. Today, St. Mary’s Villa for Children and Families is recognized as a preeminent provider of services for abused and neglected children in the greater Philadelphia area. I can’t help but have a new appreciation for the spot I have driven by numerous times and had never given a passing glance.

The second spot was the Ambler train station. Years of renovation to the station have recently been completed and it made a fantastic backdrop for the piano!

Lastly, I took the piano to a little restaurant and café across the street from the train station, called Trax Café. This is a quiet little place that I could picture you playing piano in at night or sipping coffee sitting at one of the café tables outside in the sun during the day.

I want to thank you so very much for giving me an amazing opportunity to spend time with your piano. I have truly enjoyed making some great memories with it around my town!

Xoxoxo

Jillian

Thanks so much Jillian for making stop number two so fantastic!

Stop Number One!

Okay. I'm so freaking excited about the tour of Blake's Cardboard piano! I had every reason to be. Its first stop was a smashing, creative success. My sweet readers 'nise, Alicia, and Patti took it for a spin. These friends of mine also got he actual Poughkeepsie tattoo ON THEIR BODIES! So seeing the piano with three real tats blew my little mind.


They included a note to Blake so I will let them have at it below.  It will go International, so feel free to become a stop, email me at debra.anastasia@gmail.com for more information.


 Take it away Ladies....

 

Dearest Blake,

It was an honor to provide shelter and respite for your beloved piano during the first stop of its tour.

We live just outside Williamsport, PA, so we took the piano to visit some of our favorite places.

First stop was the Carl Stotz Little League Memorial. The memorial commemorates the site of the very first Little League Baseball game on June 6, 1939. Hopefully, the close-up of the plaque is legible for you. It explains the history so much more eloquently than I ever could. Williamsport is the birthplace of Little League.  Little League is all about fostering brotherhood, and we thought it was fitting to include this in your piano tour.

Our second stop was the Michael Pilato mural in Williamsport, Michael is renowned for his incredible murals, and if you go to his website, you can get a better idea of what ours looks like. We took a picture of your piano under the Little League portion of the memorial. The man in the TV set above the Lycoming Little League players is Carl Stotz. As you can tell by the website, our mural is HUGE and would have eclipsed your piano, it was a little overwhelming, but we felt the section we chose best commemorated Williamsport.

Our final stop was at Christ Episcopal Church. Deb liked the picture of the cross we sent her a few months ago, so we returned with your piano. I could almost hear the strains of Ava Maria coming from the organ inside. Incidentally, John Henry Hopkins, Jr, rector of the church in the late 1800’s wrote the Christmas Carol “We Three Kings” during his time in NYC in 1857 for a holiday pageant.

Patti, Alicia and I have included several pics of our ‘Pough Sisters’ tattoo, and a picture of some Pough memorabilia Miss Deb sent us with our books.

We were honored that you would entrust something as special as your piano to our care.  Thanks again. I can’t wait to see where the piano ends up traveling to.

Blessings,

~nise, Patti, Alicia

Thanks ladies! I'm so honored to have you as readers and friends. You rock. <3 Debra

About the Piano...

Back in the day, when I first wrote Poughkeepsie, the image of a handsome man playing a piece of cardboard like a piano captured me. As the story developed, the cardboard even developed its own back story. It was also a part of one of the hardest chapters I ever wrote. (And Mouse's chapter, of course.) 


 I still remember writing with tears rolling down my face when Blake made a huge decision involving the piano.


So when I was arranging pictures for the book's trailer, I tried and tried to find an image of a keyboard sketched on cardboard. Finally I broke down and drew it myself. I was at my in law's house and my husband and I were going to stop at the Poughkeepsie station for some pictures. I went down to my in law's basement and found a fairly beat up cardboard box. I ripped off a piece, grabbed a Sharpie, and went to town. I sucked at it. I went downstairs and tore at that poor box again and handed the marker to my husband. 


 "You need to draw this. Pretend to be a teenager. And write manly." He did a good job (he always writes manly - I was just busting his chops). Then I spent a few minutes adding age to it by sandpapering warn spots on the cardboard, imagining Blake's repetitive touch at the station. Then I rolled and unrolled it a million times.


 Next, it was time for the piano's photo shoot. It was a liquid hot day in New York. (We come visiting up from Maryland twice a year.) My husband was the photographer and I was in charge of the model. To get the shots I wanted, I found myself crawling over metal guardrails that had been baking all day. I could almost hear my pale, wimpy skin sizzling.


We took some dumb pictures. And we took some that worked. Here are some of both types. I was very pleased that we weren't arrested. 

 

So now I'm letting this baby out into the world. I'm so very excited to see the piano with you! Please take a picture of it in your town or by something you love. Email me when you get it and I will provide you with the next stop. There should be temporary tattoos in the package for you to enjoy as well. If you would like to be a stop, please join in! Email me at Debra.anastasia@gmail.com and I will hook you up with a spot on the list. You must agree to keep the piano moving. I'm imagining it might take a while to make the rounds, so please be patient!

Thanks again for being a part of the fun. 

<3 Debra

P.S. here's the videos with the piano