Allergies, Apologies, & Anger! ( and rust)

So I've been under the weather lately. Totally sick with fever and major allergies! Its really hard to craft when your nose is draining into your work-gross I know! I was trying to make it last Friday night over to the ATC swap at Mystic Paper. Didn't happen! Sick as a dog. Sorry all! To my friend Judy B- your class on Saturday looked awesome! So during my lapses of fever and blowing my nose! I've been prepping for Halloween- Finding all my images and old Halloween Cards! Halloween is my favorite!

Ive got half finished pieces all over the house-inside and out! Outside I've been rusting things all weekend! Heres a rust recipe for any brave souls- willing to try it! Be careful - you are mixing some very nasty chemicals! If you spend to much time breathing the fumes you will establish- what I call a bleach & vinegar burn in your nose hairs- It will be all you smell for the next week!(Trust me I know).If you spend to much time-you will knock yourself out! Do it outside as well- get good ventilation. Common sense- I know America seems to have less of it these days-but damn it we can still try!(Sorry did I jump on a soapbox).


This works on real tin(altoid tins) or iron. Be sure your metal has no sealer or finish on it. Also most of the time- to help the process you should lightly sand your pieces.

What you will need:
Tin or iron pieces
Household bleach
Vinegar
Gloves-or your hand will smell like this solution for days!

Plastic mixing container - I use a big nasty plastic dollar store tub! That way I can also throw it away when I finished.Also I use a lid to trap the smells until I'm done. This is some strong smelling stuff! My neighbors like it that I use a lid!

Mix 2 parts bleach to 1 part vinegar in the plastic mixing container. Mix enough to cover whatever you are working on.
Drop pieces into solution. To quicken the process- If you have an already rusted item or a piece of steal wool- throw it into the mix! Wait at least 30 minutes. The longer you leave the items in the solution the more build up you get! I leave some items in for 40mins others two days! If you want holes- in the tin like real old died in the desert look-leave for a few days. When ready move from mixture- let dry! Discard the solution-When items are dry, brush off as much or as little rust as you like to achieve the desired effect.
So that's the recipe folks! Enjoy but be careful. Any questions leave a comment-I'll get back to you!So the last part of my post- sad news. My moms cat was hit and died the other day! He was a young great cat! The person that hit him never stopped, nor checked his tag, this really gets to me! If you do something wrong- as bad as it may seem or be- you should still be mature and take the hard road! Take responsibility. I'm so sick off people,politicians,certain communities, Lindsay Lohan, Larry Craig, OJ, a certain George W! The list goes on! Of people cowardly not taking the responsible road! Did we as a community, or as individuals ever have that old Norman Rockwell do right kinda attitude??? A man(or woman)has got to do what they got do! Let me know...Stepping down from my box-

Your good friend,

-Gary Cooper