Making Magic

 

Ever since our Charlie was three years old our son-in-law gave him toy soldiers for Christmas. Son-in-law learned from his dad how to cast molds of soldiers found in toy sales, garage sales, thrift shops, etc., and they would build an army from them. He pays such attention to detail some of his paint brushes have two bristles so he can get just that one spot dot. His creations truly are beautiful. Incredible.

This was one of the gifts Charlie got when he was three.  You can see the burned out building in the back, the soldiers in the back, the vegetation, these things are prized by Charlie and sparked his interest in military history.  Our son in law made and painted all of it.

After that year Charlie always got the last gift under the tree because it was so very special. As Charlie grew he would ask for a specific war or battle or 'side' represented.  And that's what he would get.  Son in law would spend the better part of a month painting a platoon, building an army for Charlie.

This year our son in law showed Charlie and all who were interested how it's done. Son in law's father passed away this year so he inherited the tools, the ones he learned with.  

He set up a station on the back porch - for ventilation and so it was pretty cold - a hot plate with a ladle for melting the mistakes.  There are no mistakes, if one of the soldiers doesn't turn out or come out of a mold you just put it back and melt it down again.

He had two kinds of molds, metal and - I don't know what they were but it wasn't metal.

After the metal was melted they would pour it into a mold and wait a very short time for it to set

And out it came! 
 

                                      The kids were in a well ventilated area, wearing gloves

You can see it was cold! Hoods were worn, hands in pockets! Charlie is now 20 and his interest in military history and love of these soldiers from our son in law has not waned one bit. 

 It fascinated all of them.

There is always something interesting to learn from our son in law, even us old people!  It's no wonder when you can be doing something like this that you wouldn't pick up your cell phone the entire day.