Etched Metal House Second Window

This little house made of metal is fighting me all the way.My drill stopped working so I had been using a hand drill but it was causing me pain as I broke a small bone in my little finger two weeks ago...how embarrassing to say this but I broke it trying to open the fridge door with my pinkie as my hands were full.So I was going along ever so slowly making the house because of it...then the drill bit broke.Of course it had to happen at 6pm at night so I had to wait till the next day to get another.There I was off on another three hour trip into town and back again to get two new drill bits.Grant is letting me use his cordless drill now which is a great help.Adding one to my birthday wish list for November *grin*
Finally window two is done.I have used another old metal vintage button found on the Gold Fields near here,some more embossed pewter and a dictionary word "eyes"

Underneath is an old Optical lens with a gel medium transfer of a gorgeous vintage lady who has such lovely eyes.

this is the rear of the Optical lens

When you move the Optical lens out of the way there is an old scratched watch face and my two etched metal ladies.I gave one a wing.

So this window could be "eyes are the window to the soul" or "Eyes.A recorder of time to the soul".I loved the etched iron work behind the two ladies but the roof has an overhang and I really couldn't avoid covering it up.The back door side is almost done.May upload it late tonight or tomorrow.Oh and I found another vintage metal button in my stash and if you check the post below it is now added to window 1 on the first image.

hugs

Annette In Oz

Etched Metal House1st Window side

After my four hour search for 12mm butt hinges all over Darwin I finally have some.Anywho here is the first window for side 1 done.Keeping the outside simple here and it just has some embossed pewter,a vintage metal button and an old dictionary word added.Gosh I love those little nail brads I got from Scraptivate in Perth.

As you lift the window I have another faux tin type in a metal frame.I've embossed the brass mesh in the Cuttlebug that is behind the image.At top left there is a vintage hand painted ceramic oval and at the bottom right is a handmade tiny bone or shell button that I found in the old Gold Fields up here in the Northern Territory of Oz.

Lastly the view of what is under the window.Again I left it fairly untouched so the texture of the metal etching can still shine thru and only added another few dictionary words.

I think I'll do the other window tomorrow as the rear door is...well the rear door...an area to exit so to speak.It will close the page of my story in creating it and why it was started at all.I still want to give it away(once I can work out how to assemble it LOL)when its done.I look at the old stamped and now etched metal faces from the past on my house in awe.In a way they are being immortalized and I would like my story and theirs to go to someone who would treasure it.

hugs

Annette In Oz

Litchfield Park,The Grave In The Gold Fields,Melissa and Tim

Melissa sends me a txt "Mum I'm in town.I went to enquire about the cost of a tattoo.... and he is doing it now".I faint again LOL.Melissa has just turned 18 and had asked about getting tattoos in the past and we had discouraged her.Even so I was surprised yet respectful of her body art choices.I'm grateful she reads alot and knew what the tattoo means as well and "seize the day" she did LOL

We have just got air conditioners in all the bedrooms.Tim's pet coastal carpet python gets a bit cool overnight and likes to go outside for a bit of sun.The local birds hate him though and he can't stay too long as they squawk at him and swoop.Here is Tim(bed hair and all)and his snake...yes the snake lives in Tim's room.

Now he is warmed up and starting too move fast across the grass

Here are the photos from a day trip to Litchfield and the Gold Fields.This is Blythe Homestead and its located in Litchfield Park.We had tried to get in to see it a few years ago but the creeks were too deep on the other occasions.Notice how low the roof is.It was still being used right up to the 1960's.It was an out station for Stapleton Station and they also mined tin on the hills at the side of it.

Just up from Blythe Homestead is Sandy Creek Falls...I just wanted to dive on in but forgot my swimmers.Naked mid forty year old woman skinny dip swimming I think not LOL

Its tourist season here so we didn't go to Wangi Falls or the rock holes but decided on a bush walk to Tolmer Falls off the usual tourist walk.There is a natural arch at the top of the falls.Here is a shot looking forward to the arch

and from the other side looking back to the arch

Next day we went down to the gold fields were I found some old bone or shell buttons that I will use on my etched metal house,some Chinese gambling stones and some lovely rusted bits and pieces.Near the old race course there is a small cemetery.Most of the graves are unmarked except for this one.A bush fire had gone thru there last year and the grave looks so stark at the moment against what is left of the bush ,brown ground and the blue sky

Closer

closer look at the iron work

I'm cursing my locality again.I spent four hours today looking for small 12mm butt hinges.I've eventually found a few but they are not the right colour.Oh well I shall just have to see what I can do with them.I'll upload the first window side of the etched metal house tonight.Dinner is burning AGAIN *grin*

hugs

Annette In Oz

Etched Metal House Front Door

Darn life gets in the way at times but ALWAYS in amongst the mess of my life I think about art and being creative.This is proving to be a hard year for us here.Grant's Dad didn't make it and has passed away.We will miss Gordon heaps and it was a heart wrenching time for us all.Just before Grant left to go to his Mum's I started full time day shift work.I couldn't reset my body clock though after 23years of working in the evening or on night duty.It just made me tired and I had no time to do my arts and crafts that I love so much.Eventually I got sick myself and when I weighed up the pros and cons of it all I was the looser by the change.I've quit that now and go back to my old shifts in a few weeks time.I'm now on ten days leave though and have a big catch up to do.Grant is back home and this am I started to play with my etched metal house again.SSSooo here is the front door

I've used a letter brass plate over the two little Collections girls.The door nob is from my stash of old coat buttons that were given to me when my Aunt Betty passed away.I love these and they are such a great idea.They have a pin like mechanism or screw so they can be taken apart and reused in other coats.This one had a lovely green shiny bit in it.I placed a glass piece over the faux tin type lady and rubbed on the word "her".I was trying to imply "her two(the small brass number 2 nail on the bird wing)girls".Next is the door open

I lined it with a dictionary page and then covered that with brass mesh and tied on another faux tin type of two children using brass wire.The dictionary words read "behind that door".

On the back I kept it simple so as not to diminish the etching of the metal.It has dictionary words for "lives play"......"so behind that door lives play".I'll work on a window side this evening.We did a quick day trip to Litchfield Park and Grove Hill(the old gold field area up here)recently.Litchfield is not far from here and is like a mini Kakadu.There are some lovely spots down there,waterfalls,old homesteads,old graves(they fascinate me)etc so I shall load them up tonight on my blog too. :o)

hugs

Annette In Oz