... on an overdue thankyou.

This morning I got out the tinsnips and made my first Beastie from that lovely batch of new corrugated iron that C's Ma's friend Lil gave me.

As I chopped into it, I immediately realised that although it's a thicker grade of iron than my previous sheet, it's also a lot 'softer' to work with, somehow?

I drew out the Beastie on the reverse - painted partially white, which is quite a nice texture in itself.

You can see how the tin warps like billy-oh as I cut it. 

A rough-cut Beastie.

Lots of rough edges to sort out.

What a completely delicious patina! I just love that first it was red - then someone wanted it green.

Filing down the burrs and rough bits is the longest part of the process.

Thanks so much Lil!

... on tin!

I received a big boost to the Beastie Tin Reserves a few days ago. To date, all of my Beasties have been made from tin that used to be on the top of our old chook-house. It was mostly painted pale green, with some red stripes on the edges - it had already been used a few times before it was built into the chookshed - who knows where? Anyway, this tin was lovely - only - I ran out. From the two full sheets I used to have, I now only have a few small Beastie-sized rectangles, which I'm hesitant to use as I know there's no more!

So, it was rather timely to hear news that C's mum had a friend, Lil, who knew I made stuff from tin, and had a few pieces in her garden she thought I might be able to use. Yes. OH yes!

When we picked them up from Lil, C just shook his head and laughed at how delighted I was over a stack of rusty painted tin. PERFECT. BEASTIE. TIN!

Red AND green paint! Rust! Oxidation! Flakiness! I tell you, it made my day, and I can feel a Beastie plague coming on!

... on the joy to be had from bits of corrugated iron.

Recently I've found myself with a few spare days off work. I've tried:

A. Moonlighting as a builder's labourer. This is varyingly successful depending on how hot and humid it is on any given day. Moving bits of scaffolding in the withering sun at midday = wobbles and heatstroke. Hiding under a tarpaulin to paint the ends of beams = more my style.

B. Staring at the stockmarket hoping for divine inspiration. None yet.

C. Making many batches of dextrose-sweetened icecream in my new icecream-maker. Vanilla bean is particularly nice, as is chocolate made with Dutch cocoa.

D. Pekin-bantam wrangling. It's a great time-waster but Otto just doesn't understand that if he continues to practice his crowing (he's only 3 months old) then the neighbours will be most upset and he'll have to be re-homed sooner than expected.

and E. Mildly contemplating why it is that I haven't made any Beasties for a while!

So, out with the stout gloves and tin-snips!

Chop! Snip! Bend out the corrugations! Give them all a good scrub and sit them in the sun to dry! Hello Beasties!