Pegs aren't Boring . . . . . .

Who says Pegs are boring? Well this posting is all about a boring matter.

Just in case some of you were thinking that I was so obsessed with pegs that I couldn't manage to think about anything else, I would like to share a recent experience with you.

The other day DB and I went to a local timber yard which sells old railway sleepers and garden timber. In the corner of the yard was a steel cage containing off-cuts and scrap bits to be sold as firewood. The bits were all kinds of shapes and a number of them had been severely attacked by grubs which are known as "borers" in Australia. Initially, I had wanted to make a small box, using this interesting wood, but as you can see by the photograph, the borer had eaten most of the wood presenting a bit of a challenge.

We selected about ten pieces of red gum, paid the Japanese owner her $10 and I returned home with my treasures.

Back in the shed, I had doubts about making a box from something which looked like a sieve, but DB had a brainwave ......

She looked at the grub eaten brick shaped piece of red gum and said ....."Go and slice it like a loaf and keep the slices in order". I thought she had lost the plot a bit but never one to argue, and being quite an obedient chap, I did as I was instructed and attacked the wood.

When I returned, with 24 slices of grub eaten loaf/wood, she divided them into six groups of four and opened them out .... a bit like butterflies .. and placed them in symmetrical patterns. After a bit of shifting around, she finally settled on three groups of eight which I then glued to backing sheets of thin plywood and sanded them level.

At first DB thought they looked a bit like brain scans, but then (fortunately) she had the idea of rock pools and with the aid of a little acrylic paint, some liquid glass, and a bit of co-operation, we ended up with an artistic triptych. The photo shows the three panels together with a lump of wood filled with borer holes and also a grub .... it isn't a real one - DB made it from clay.

I know that all this has absolutely NOTHING to do with pegs, but I am so pleased with the resulting artwork that I wanted to share it with you.

........ what do you reckon we'd get for it on E-Bay??

Stop Press ......

Those that know me will be aware that I talk a bit. Well, to be honest, I talk quite a lot. Some of my blogs are a bit lengthy too, so I have devised a cunning plan for those of you who want to see the photos but don't want to plough through all the words.

If you look to the right of my page underneath the archives list, you will see that I have added a photo album.

Just click on the picture of that handsome fellow there and you will be transported to an album of all my blog photos.

But wait ............

there's more .............

I've also added a few photos of pegs not yet featured in my blog.

I won't keep you .... I can tell you are really excited ....

Bakelite Sniper Comes Good

As an avid collector, I naturally watch for clothes pegs and pins to be listed for sale on EBay.

Some years ago, I was doing my daily search and "6 Art Deco clothespins plastic or bakelite" came up for auction. with a starting price of US$25.

I was hugely excited by these pegs and kept a very close watch on them during the following week. Nobody bid on them at all and the auction was due to finish at 3 a.m. Melbourne time.

I waited until I was just too tired to stay up any longer (2am) and then put in a ridiculously high bid of US$50 and went to bed confident that they were mine.

The next morning, I was up early and eagerly logged on to EBay to confirm that the prize was mine.

Shock, horror, Oh No! Another bidder had waited until the last few minutes of the auction and had captured my pegs for $51 - that's known in the trade as "sniping" and I must admit to being a sniper myself on occasions.

But I was devastated - what could I do?

After a lot of thought I illegally wrote to the winner and asked if he was prepared to sell just one of these precious pegs to me. I told him I was quite happy to pay whatever he asked and quite understood if he wanted to make a profit.

Back came this wonderful reply "I collect bakelite items and I only need one so tell me what colours you would like and I'll post you a couple for free".

How about that - what a lovely guy.

Surfing Man

I have always thought that the sales of a particular washing detergent could be increased if they offered a free clothes peg in each packet.

Well, here it is, courtesy of Surf.

There are two sizes and it looks as if he is wearing a tie.

Does he look a bit rude hanging on the line or is it my imagination?