One of the fun projects in Bernie Berlin’s book,  Artist Trading Card Workshop, is a rusty tin can container.

Billie was a good sport and volunteered to rust the cans for us. Bernie talks about using a rusting solution that includes an iron paint and a second step that caused the rust to happen. Bernie is smart – we are not so smart. We balked at paying for the two step rusting kit and decided to find another way to rust the cans. A search of the internet came up with a recipe that called for mixing bleach and vinegar in equal parts and then soaking the cans. There were warnings about the fumes this solution gives off but we figured if a “big name” included the recipe in her book that it couldn’t be all that bad. We are foolish.

I saw Billie several hours after she had used the mixture. Her voice was weak and her nose was burning. She told me that even though she had done it outside you could smell it inside. When I saw her today, 4 days later, she was still having a little bit of burning in her nose. I wish we had been as smart as Bernie.

Billie, we owe you one.