Making brick walls

Hi again,
The next step for my cottage was deciding how to do the exterior walls. I wanted a textural effect so a paper finish wasn't for me. A quick google search led me to Bromley Craft Products and their realistic brick effect. Basically you apply the brick texture through a stencil to give a brick finish. My photo is a bit jaundiced (its difficult to get decent light for photos in an English winter) but I hope you get the idea. It looks much better in reality.








Over the past few weeks I've been collecting bits and pieces of furniture from Ebay. A couple just because they are brilliant as they are, and a few more as job-lots so I don't spend too much and don't have to feel guilty when I chop and paint them!
I still keep trying out the furniture. Not all will be going in this house... Some will be for other projects further down the line.
Until next time
Gillian

A new house

Hello again,
So, did you work it out? -no, it's not baking ( I do that often enough anyway). Yep, the house was the clue...
My other new house is...




This is a kit from Dolls House Emporium, the Garden Pavillion. I like it because it is small and pretty versatile. I am not the sort of person who will buy a complete dollshouse and furniture to go inside... Where is the fun in that? No, I'm going to do it all myself.
I've started with a kit and some bare wood furniture so that I can make my own style up. I'm thinking modern good witches cottage. I recently read the Modern Witch books by Deborah Geary and I want to fit in a world like that.
I plan to make a upper platform at one end of the cottage and will probably make other adaptions as I go. That is as far as my planning goes at the moment. This my dry build, a test of how it all goes together.




I also tried out the furniture to see if I had enough and to work out what else I might need- I think an cooker/Aga would be a good idea and a wash stand.




Until next time
Gillian

Another clue

Hi, Happy Christmas to you all,
Here is a Christmas clue to my new hobby...


... A project that includes many of my crafting likes and is very varied....

Soon to be revealed.

Until next time
Gillian

A new project

I have a new project that I have wanted to do since the summer... It takes me back to my childhood. John bought it as my Christmas present, but I have been naughty and, when he was in hospital recently, it "accidentally" fell open as I went by! Since then things keep happening, and a couple of additional bits have been bought, and I think it is sort of accepted that Christmas came early for me. Are you curious yet?

All will be revealed soon, I just need to take some photos in good light.

Until next time
Gillian

Autumn at Eden

We decided to go for an Autumn walk today, and as we have annual passes at the Eden Project we thought we'd go back there. It is the kind of place where there is something to see all through the year.


We particularly enjoy walking in the outdoor area, climbing the hill to the Wild Cornwall area. We had a lot of laughs here, as John has just bought the iMovies app and wanted to take some film clips to play around with... Sean and I duly obliged with some seriously crazy acting up- goodness knows what John can do with it but we laughed a lot and had great fun.


The outdoor area is spectacular, careful planting makes it all very natural. It's a quiet area, many visitors just focus on the biomes, but as in so many places, a little extra walk is well worth the effort.





Some new features are the sensory gardens... I found the water feature particularly relaxing.


After a mocha and Danish pastry we were ready for the Tropical biome. For the first time on one of our visits the high viewing platform was open. It is 50 feet above the canopy and is closed as soon as it gets too hot to be safe. I don't like heights or wobbly bridges so left John to go up alone... It scared me enough watching him... He is the person to the right of the three going up the steps in this photo... Rather him than me!!!





It's the little things that make your day! I discovered this outdoor pipe glockenspiel while Sean was exploring... Of course it wasn't long before he wanted a go too...


What a lovely autumn day, lets hope that we get enough good weather over the next couple of months to visit again before winter. How lucky we are to live so close.

Until next time
Gillian

Getting older

Each birthday means I'm another year older and I've been thinking- do I feel older? I have aches and pains more often now, and I definitely need glasses to read with, or much larger font size, but overall...?

In my teens I didn't like to follow the crowd (OK so theres not much change there). In today's language I would probably be called Emo, with purple jeans and long outrageously patterned skirts. Thank goodness I can't find any photos!

In my twenties I went from graduate to worker to wife and mother, a lot of change in just a few short years, and it was certainly a lot to go through!

In my thirties I was still primarily a mother, but one who was studying part time for the degree I'd always wanted in Earth Sciences. I was so tired and constantly busy.


In my forties I now work full time in the school term, I am still a mum but whilst it is still intense, it is not so all consuming. I now make time for me (even though life still feels too busy most of the time) to read each day, and for a variety of hobbies. I have more interests and, frankly, more friends who know me well (and still like me!).




So do I feel older? Biologically and physically yes; but emotionally no. Definitely not. I'm happier and more settled than at any other time in my life. I'm busy and still tired a lot, but I'm in control and I like that. I do what I want and just enjoy life more. I have more fun than ever before and don't think I'm ready to properly grow up yet!

Until next time
Gillian

Places to visit in Cornwall

When I tell people I live in Cornwall I usually end up talking about places people have visited, so today I am sharing some of my favourite places to visit in Cornwall.

Most people think of the beaches...


Or the rugged coastline...


And, of course, there are so many iconic images...


But there are so many fabulous places...

1. Eden project


2. Lanhydrock House
3. St.Ives- beach harbour and town



4. Falmouth- harbour town and Pendennis Castle
5. St Michael's Mount
6. The Minack Theatre


Others worth seeing
1. Truro- town and cathedral




2. Coast and Country crafts at Perranworthal ( for anyone who sews or quilts/patchworks)
3. Boscastle- now restored after disasterous flash flooding a few years ago- a gorgeous fishing village and harbour
4. Explore mine engine houses by the Bissoe cycle trail
5. The hermitage at Roche- to describe this as a small building on top of an isolated rock doesn't do it justice

These are just my favourites, every year we discover more..Cornwall really is a place of contrasts, moor and woods, rivers and parks, coast and beaches, gardens and country houses, towns and theatres. That's why we love to live here...

Until next time
Gillian