beyond the big push

On Saturday afternoon I began varnishing the instrument after five very full days of completing the white work. Needless to say, I was beat-tired and ecstatic all at once. I set out directly for the Champlain Valley Folk Festival to show some other instruments, and had a great weekend, the highlight of which was a pretty free-form jam with Rashaad Eggleston, Larry Unger, Jeremiah McClane and some other folks. It was a perfect musical ending to my week of intense work. Late Friday night, I discovered that my HP Photosmart camera, which has served me and this project so well had up and died on the tripod, lens hanging out like a tired dog's tongue. So, therefore no new pics since then. Before it died, however, I got this self portrait of a late night break from neck setting.
HP is sending me a replacement w/in 24hrs, so I hope to show the varnish process, though I'm now getting to the color-stage: looking good.