tiddy rooseveltThe first two interior paintings in the hedgehog feeding station. They'll have a coat of varnish then frames will be mounted around them
Other paintings i'm thinking:
Bowl of fruit
Vase of flowers
Poppy fields with a blue sky
Soft clocks
Another hedgehog portrait
Bowl of fruit
Vase of flowers
Poppy fields with a blue sky
Soft clocks
Another hedgehog portrait
In honour of @PhineasX's Hogratio Quillson, another of their ancestors now adorns the wall of the second feeding station
Next up: soft clocks
And I couldn't do a dali inspired painting without having a giraffe on fire for good measure
Soft clocks. These will be ready for a spot of varnish and the frames done in the morning
If you're just joining me and have no idea what I'm doing:
I'm decorating a hedgehog feeding station (for wild hedgehogs, not pets), painting works of art on the walls of it and putting ornate gold frames around them.
Getting a cultural exchange going.
I'm really not used to doing such tiny details, so this has been A Challenge
Wood ordered ready to start work on building the new exterior baffles. And a sheet of perspex as a roof over them since ply isn't likely to hold up nearly as long, even with layers of enamel paint (plus then i'll be able to spot if any hedgehogs start snoozing in there, as happened last year)
Plotting out the baffles, this is what'll be built onto either side of the feeding station leading up to the doors.
Cats cannot duck *and* take tight turns at the same time. The tighter the turn, the harder it is, they need to be able to pull themselves through. So here the roof is low enough a cat can't do that, narrow enough it can't manoeuvre , and it it would have to duck further on the main bend
The entrances would also be facing a wall so that's another 90 degree turn to get in it.
These are the kinds of baffles I've always wanted to put on them but, well, that's rather a lot of construction
It's all coming together at last!
Baffles now cut out, sanded, and the first layers of paint going on. The sign on the front is painted.
Should be ready to put the main part of the building together tomorrow!
Should be ready to put the main part of the building together tomorrow!
In the event anyone is thoroughly invested in all of this and has a spare fiver they'd like to put towards the renovations, I have a tip jar on my website 
http://wagtails.art
(It's safe for work, don't worry! )
I'll be making and selling some tiny paintings like in the hog house at some point too I think (3-4cm in size), once it's all done
The baffles are almost painted. Tomorrow i put the art on the walls then it's time to assemble and pour the floor!
Marine hinges and hasps for the roof flaps, I've seen the state store bought hedgehog boxes get into and we're bypassing that thank you very much!
If this damn thing is going to last 15 years it won't be let down by a bloody hinge.
Silicone and fibreglass sheet to cover the flaps too, and hdpe blocks to keep it well off the ground
Eventually I plan to rebuild the Hog's Hedge (the other feeding station) from scratch. What I've turned this into is a fairly close approximation of how I'd go about it (just with a higher ceiling in the main chamber. For class, like. Love a high ceiling)
Honestly at this point I'm looking forward to getting my studio back. It's had a giant dust sheet and cardboard laid out on it got 2 weeks covered in wood at various stages of painting.
I like to start a project, do the project to completion, and then rest. A project like redecorating these would ordinarily be 2 days. I do not have the patience for all this waiting for things to dry stuff (and with 6+ layers to put on its a lot of waiting)
I got the epoxy layer on the floor of the nesting box this morning so that's as good as finished now.
The last of the tiny paintings get done in the baffles tomorrow, I just need the coats on them atm to thoroughly dry.
I need a few more dry flowers for the floor then I can assemble it all and get it poured. Nearly there! Couple of days left at most
The last of the tiny paintings get done in the baffles tomorrow, I just need the coats on them atm to thoroughly dry.
I need a few more dry flowers for the floor then I can assemble it all and get it poured. Nearly there! Couple of days left at most
The last few paintings done, each about 3cm
A portrait of Egg, a vase of flowers, a horse because paintings of horses are always fancy and high class, and the hedgehogs' very own original kandinsky
A little over 2 weeks later and the Igel's Nest (hedgehog nesting box) is finished!
Undercoated in mold resistant stain blocking paint, made fully waterproof by 2-3 layers of enamel based paint, topped off with an acrylic based paint for colour and then covered with a few layers of polyvine varnish. This thing should now outlive me!
With a solid resin floor it also makes it easy to keep clean and won't be attractive to woodlice.
Just a tiny bit overkill but at least i won't have to worry about a hedgehog moving in and deciding it's also his toilet anymore.
Cleaning that when it's porous wood, not a fun experience.
The Urch Inn (main hedgehog feeding station) so far, before the baffles are added, resin floor poured, and roof put on.
With the baffles now moved from inside to outside, there's now considerably more space than there used to be
Some of the tiny hand painted works of art inside the main building of the feeding station.
And flaps!
The flowers laid on the floor and stuck down. They're dry but waiting until morning to lay the resin just to be absolutely certain
A small detail but important one: screws.
Even if you buy expensive ones that say they won't rust, they still might rust. In any outdoor project it's always a sticking point.
I'm mainly using timber wolf which is fine, but the small ones are an unknown and will be exposed to the rain, and in a place that'll pool. My go to for such things? Nail lacquer.
Very hard wearing, sticks like shit, and absolutely won't come off unless you want it to.
I'm leaving it indoors a few more days to be certain the epoxy is alright and then it'll be put out and the roof put on it. I'll get some all pics when it's in place and set up
A platform was set up out in the woods today for the Igel's Nest to rest on, so that's now all set up and good to go.
I will caution that you shouldn't expect to see any hedgehog videos any time soon. Even if the rat problem can be controlled quickly, it's still likely to involve a lot of waiting for them to find the place
Normally whenever I do anything with the hedgehog houses I get a 'THAT WON'T STOP A CAT!' guy turn up to be wrong at me
This time I actually designed the entrances myself, based around my understanding of cat anatomy which I only learned to stop them getting in the damn hedgehog houses. I am perfectly placed to 'well, actually...' and not a single such guy has emerged.
I am both thrilled we have moved past it but gutted for my unaired prepared argument
To just go ahead and explain it anyway:
Cats have certain options when it comes to getting through small spaces.
For the most part they can duck through a small entrance, but need space the other side of the entrance to pull themselves through. A very low tunnel is impossible for many cats for this reason, they can't get purchase to pull their body as there's no height available for it.
Asta [AMP]@babe lowering my voice, putting on a fake mustache, creasing my brows, taking an arrogant tone well ACTUALLY...
(let it rip! I wanna hear the argument!)
(let it rip! I wanna hear the argument!)
Scruffy looking packet herder@babe How does that stop a cat?
Birch-o-matic@babe Brilliant!
Big Pawed Bear@babe I would suggest signage, but, well, I don't think hedgepigs can read.
Lappenjammer@babe We get a lovely thing to start looking forward to from now on. I don't mind waiting for hogs. This looks amazing!
Florenz@babe your dedication to the well being of the hedgehogs of the area is outstanding. I really hope you get visitors to your feeding station after all the work you've put into it.
surdfish
Michael Gemar@michaelgemar @nev thank you! It's so close to finished, I'm so excited
Miezeburter Krokainsson@babe kewl, i'll try
Chris Mills@babe nice!
alina cyborg mouse 
@babe careful, this mouse has covered outdoor temperature sensors with clear nail polish before and water found a way to creep in at the edges. should still offer great protection compared to nothing, but keep an eye on them if the lacquer shows signs of coming loose anywhere (difference in shine where the interface between the materials detached)
Jonathan Hartley@babe love it! I should try that! Thanks for posting.
RavenKitty
Rich Holmes@babe If cats evolve opposable thumbs we're blaming you
Жафстелце
Jef Poskanzer@babe How about putting a bouncer hedgehog figure at the entrance, to help keep out cats.
@jef The entrances will be close to a wall so nowhere to put them
Hayley Question-Mark@babe The Urch Inn and The Igle's Nest are top tier names.
@barrowofdirt I cannot take credit for either. They're both absolutely brilliant names
Sim
sotolf
Miia Mustang
GreenSkyOverMe (Monika)@babe Also I learned a new word: baffle [noun].
Brynnbo the FrogMxstress@babe These hedgehogs (and mice and slugs?) are gonna be so cultured
@FrazzledBrynn They're going to be the fanciest hogs in town
Clifton RoystonThis is such a delightful idea, and I've been truly enjoying following along with your current project.
@babe after all this, i hope the hedgepigs apretiate fine art *smile*
PTBRB