OK- so, here's the skinny: I need to raise $1000 by June 30th to make this album happen. To that end, I am putting forth a number of fundraising projects. This is the first:

THE ENVELOPE PROJECT

Here's how it works: Each of you send me $5. I know there at least a few hundred of you out there who want this album to happen. If each of you send me $5, I will be able to reach my $1000 goal pretty easily.

But wait! It gets better! Don't just send me ANY envelope. Make your envelope your own. Decorate it with glitter and cheerios. Make it out of a magazine page. Write a poem on the back. Make some kind of political statement or just color the whole thing with a highlighter. Whatever floats your boat.

As I receive each envelope I will take its picture and post it to the album blog: http://gracesalbum.blogspot.com/.

So, you will be both supporting my art and creating your own in the process! If you are looking for inspiration, try: The Envelope Collective (http://jennibickbookbinding.blogspot.com/2007/03/envelope-collective.html) for inspiration.

But remember, there are no rules!

I'm looking forward to getting your creations...

My address is:

Grace Pettis
3210 Hampton Rd., Apartment A
Austin, TX
78705

MY VERY FIRST ALBUM!!!! IT'S REALLY HAPPENING!!!!

So, if the above sentence didn't give it away, the carefully crafted blog you see before you with the title, "Grace's Album" hopefully did: I am in fact recording my first album this summer!! The rumors are true!

I know that many of you have been anticipating this project for some time now and so, without further ado, here are the basic points of importance:

-The album will be recorded at Blue Rock Studios in Wimberly, TX.
-The infamous, the one and only, the Billy Crockett will be producing this project.
-During the month of June, I will be fundraising and promoting. I need to raise $1000. (Yes, that's really it. Although, $2,000 would be much nicer.)
-In July, we will be going into the studio.
-The album will be manufactured in August.
-The album will (fingers crossed) be released on September the 1st.
-My first BIG FUNDRAISING CONCERT will take place on June 13th, at Journey, in Austin, TX. More details coming soon...

I decided to create this blog to clear up the fog that's surrounded this project up until now. Because of a lack of specifics, I have been unable to really be candid about this record- what it will look like, when it will be available, where it will be recorded, what it will mean, etc.

However, now that many of those loose threads have been neatly laced together, I am free to answer any and all questions that you may have about this process.

I'd love to know your thoughts. More than that, I'd love your help. I'd love for you to be just as enthusiastic about this as I am. I don't want to just talk at you with this blog. I want to talk with you.

So let's start a conversation about this album. What songs would you love to hear? What do you imagine the theme of this album being? Have any creative ideas for fundraising? This is my email address: grace.pettis@gmail.com

I'm really excited about this. Let's get this thing going!



That's probably enough news for one blog entry, but stay tuned for more about HOW YOU CAN HELP fund the album. And hey, while you're waiting for that entry, feel free to shoot off a few ideas of your own, either as a comment on the blog or at grace.pettis@gmail.com. I'm new at all this, and I need all the help I can get. Don't be shy!

Thanks everyone for your continued support. You made (and are making) this possible.

(yay!!!)

grace