Studio update

Okay.....builder came today, and built up one gable - it has to be propped up for a week for the mortar to set, to make sure the RSJ doesn't buckle. And it has to set for 3 weeks before they can drill a hole for my ventilation. So....if it doesn't rain tomorrow, he'll do the other end. If it does, he'll come on Sunday - and if it rains then, we'll be set back another week - aaaaaaaah!

It's alive!

The new Now Forevermore website, that is. It's part of a one-two punch, the second update will happen at Christmas, with 'View Cart' buttons, 'Customers who bought this also bought', and feature buttons. But for now, I'm a happy bunny - I hope you like it!

Excuses to drink Champagne...

I've not blogged much about what's happening with Now Forevermore, but, truth is, things have been a little hectic! I'll be at the UK Wedding Show at Manchester GMEX this week-end, and have been frantically preparing. I've finally got round to making champagne jewellery, with beads created from a bottle of champagne. I know plenty of people have made beads from recycled bottles, and I'm excited to add that service to my wedding range - fingers crossed it drives home the uniqueness of what lampwork can do for your wedding, lol! I made enough beads for cufflinks, two pendants (only one in view), one pair of earrings, a bracelet, and a big hole/pandora bead - now all I need to do is update the website before the big day, and all systems are go!

With effort, like a squirrel

There's a German saying 'the squirrel feeds itself with effort' - presumably referring to a lot of effort to get into one dinky little nut. Anyway. The building inspector came Monday and gave the go ahead, but the builder could only come out Saturday. So yesterday, they started. They were also supposed to finish, I think, ready for the roofer to move in on Monday. This got slightly scuppered when it took three hours alone to remove a stone ready for the RSJ to hold the gable end. So they said they'd come back today (Sunday) to carry on. That was before they saw that the RSJ they had chosen was buckling under the first two rows of stones they'd managed to build up......about four rows to go.......so they took them down again, and the build is now held up until they can find the right RSJ for the job. There's another German saying - 'things that take forever will finally come good' - here's to hope, lol!

Trials and tribulations

Well, when we found out we needed a Building Notice and requested it on Tuesday, all looked well. When the form still hadn't arrived by Friday, the munchkin and I took matters into our own hands, drove down and filled in a form there and then. Things progressed quickly, and, fingers crossed, a planning inspector will come out tomorrow (Monday). Slightly sour feeling when I think it was supposed to be finished now, but holding on to the excitement of how lovely it'll be once it's done.

At the end of the rainbow...

When I saw this rainbow ending directly 'inside' my garage (soon to be studio), I couldn't resist. You can't tell on the photo, but it really continued down in front of the houses and into my future artistic home. The builder (John) came yesterday and started digging the foundations, but found that there are some there already - unusual for a garage, and a happy coincidence. So rather than taking a photo of a small pile of concrete rubble, I thought you might prefer a rainbow.

As for torching in the cellar........NOT my favourite pastime, lol! But it's good to stay busy and be able to fill orders!

Complications...

...no serious ones, just enough for me to wish I knew more about how these things are done. It's our own fault - we overlooked the 'conditions' in the building regs! So when I called and asked whether they seriously wanted us to cart a huge slab of stone in to them (as well as a slate), I was told 'yes'. And the need for a 1:20 drawing of the roof flashings is somewhat hampered by me not knowing what they're talking about, and our roofer being a roofer (and a very good one!), not an architect. Did I mention our fabulous roofer? He's rising to the challenge and getting out pencil & paper, and will also take care of the carting of slabs & slate. In the meantime, foundations for the back wall will be dug by our builder tomorrow (which made me double-check the days of the week!)

So, all's good in the world of studios, just a bit confused!

With no new studio pics, here are some amber rough pups, my favourite of the bead sets currently on my site ;o)