Metal mayhem

Over the last week I have been into metal in a big way.

Last Friday I flew from Melbourne to Launceston on a very cheap airfare to buy a suitcase full of silver-plated EPNS to add to the metal bank in preparation for a possible commission Fiona and I could be collaborating on. Unpacking the small carry-on suitcase revealed that I had purchased 25 trays a three smaller butter dishes. Quite a stash as you can see from the photo below. I'm not sure how I managed to pack them all into the case (a Tardis suitcase?).

©2013 Barry Smith - A suitcase full of silver

Today I started cutting up some of the trays into small notebook size 'pages' (8X12cm). The first photo shows the carnage caused on the cutting floor when I get to trays with the cutting blade in my angle grinder. Could be some found earrings amongst the offcuts? And the second photo shows a few 'pages' trimmed, hammered and polished.

©2013 Barry Smith - Havoc with a metal cutting blade - 4 small trays

©2013 Barry Smith - Small metal 'pages' from four small trays

And I have been stamping, grinding and polishing a heap of Daily Words words and Inspiration in your Pocket words in preparation for our open studio on 6-7 July. Yesterday and today I managed to finish the grinding and polishing of the words.

©2013 Barry Smith - Stamping silver-plated EPNS offcuts

©2013 Barry Smith - A stash of Inspiration in your Pocket words

©2013 Barry Smith - Seven sets of Daily Words words

The great thing about the Daily Words words and Inspiration in you Pocket words is that they give me the opportunity to use those off cuts you can see in the second photo in this post.