Basehor couple displays firepits at annual Monster Bash
Rough & Rigid’s annual Monster Bash was held recently, much to the anticipation and delight of its loyal customers. The annual event is the public’s chance to get their hands on the unique hand-crafted metal tins, specially designed for the Halloween season.Owners Dawn and Brad Easley began their custom firepit business in the garage of their home as a hobby. It quickly became a full-time business after an order came for a fire pit for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Word spread quickly about the durability and high quality of the Easley’s custom firepits and accessories and the couple now ships custom orders throughout the United States.In the past few years, the Easleys have found another niche by creating Halloween and Christmas themed recycled cut-out metal containers to sell at events, including the annual Monster Bash. This year’s event included hundreds of Halloween-themed tins, from small oil cans to five-gallon vintage and large metal milk containers. Those metal cans and other containers are sourced from local antique stores as well as a team of people who regularly attend auctions around the Midwest. Dawn refers to the final designs as “forever pumpkins” that can be lit from the inside, just like a jack-o-lantern, and said that cans are collected from October through May with the cutting beginning in June.More than 1,000 cut-out tin pumpkins were available this year, some of which were literally dug out of the ground. Dawn said that anything old, rusty and crusty can be brought back to life and repurposed for their designs. Once the containers are sourced, Dawn thoroughly cleans the containers and then Brad cuts the designs. Once they are cleaned up again, the cans are ready for display for shoppers at the annual Monster Bash.Elizabeth Williams and her friends attended this year’s event. The Smithville resident had heard about the event in the past and was anxious to see it in person and start a collection of her own.“My friend told me about the event and I told her I wanted to go this year to see what it’s all about. It was hard to make a decision about what I wanted to buy because all of them are so neat. I especially like the oil cans,” Williams said.This year’s Monster Bash event included a food truck, and more than a dozen local vendors offered everything from fresh baked cookies to fall mum and jewelry. Attendees also had the opportunity for some great photo ops throughout the property, including a graveyard with an 11-foot skeleton standing watch. Brad’s favorite holiday has always been Halloween because his Oct. 11 birthday always included going to local haunted houses to celebrate.“We couldn’t have asked for a better day for this year’s Monster Bash. The weather was beautiful with just a hint of fall in the crisp air. Our customers seemed to be happy to be out enjoying the weather and meeting other people from the community while picking out their favorite pumpkin this year,” said Dawn.An additional online Facebook sale will take place later this month. Specific dates will be posted on Rough & Rigid’s Facebook page, including information about a Christmas event. For information about custom fire pits and accessories produced by Rough & Rigid, visit www.rrfirepits.com.
