Starting to work on the Gallery

Spring is (almost) here and I feel ready to really get working on the gallery. The room has been sub-zero over the winter but with the sunshine this weekend we were able to throw the windows and door open and get some warm fresh air into it.

There is still much to clear and loads of work to do – the space has been used as A’s workshop whilst we were renovating the house and now that most of that work is complete I can take over the room :) There are currently cobwebs there that the Addams family would be proud of.


A. put in the large French windows and made the wooden railings to match the steps and balcony entrance. Electrics need finished and lighting installed, plastering completed, floor painted, shelving, workbenches and extractor fans installed, steps built - everything :)


The large brown wardrobe was left here by the previous owners (and the table) but a lick of paint and a some fancy new handles and it’ll be transformed into a gorgeous armoire for storing packing materials etc


I will have a good size of workbench for assembly/soldering and then an area for finishing jewellery and stars – I’ve still to work out the exact placing! The little sink should clean up. Stairs need to be replaced on the right side, which leads to the studio I am currently using.

Time to roll my sleeves up and to work :)

The Studio (so far)

I took some photos of my workshop as it is today. It's a little cramped for space at the moment but when I get the adjoining gallery sorted, this room will be used for glass storage/cutting and my computer/paperwork only.

All other tasks will be in the open studio next door so this large table with all my beads, findings ribbons etc will move. The table belonged to A.'s great grandmother and we'd had it for years - it's been painted a multitude of colours in that time and we still use the matching chairs in our kitchen now - they're painted pink with pink gingham cushion pads at the moment but I'm sure that'll change in a couple of months :) I'm not sure if I'll use the table in the new space, probably not.



Most of my glass is in boxes under the table, although large uncut pieces are in another room for the time being. The plan is to build shelving for the glass beside the chimney.



Unseen on the left is a large map of the world - I glue little glittery gold stars to shipping destinations/customer locations etc - it's fun to know where my glass is around the globe :)

Chamrousse

One of the many beautiful views on the trek

Last weekend I went walking in snow shoes at Chamrousse - about an hours drive from our house. I wasn't looking forward to it, apart from hating any form of exercise, previous experience on 'raquettes' had taught me that I should come prepared with crampons and a pickaxe instead snowshoes!

Still, I was reassured on Sunday morning that this particular 'expedition' would be gentle enough even for me. I stuffed some Mars bars into my pockets just incase I needed a boost up a steep bit anyway :)

We started at 1750 metres at the Ski de Fond (Nordic/cross country) - the weather was so mild I regretted wearing a puffy snowboard jacket (no, I don't do that either - but the coat looked good) and left the ski de fond path for the forest - which was great fun - only right at the end, when the climb became almost vertical, did I say enough was enough whilst swearing like a trooper (it's amazing how one can always find the energy to swear even when gasping for breath) I think I got to about 1900 give or take 50 metres ;)

one of the many gullies to be avoid!

My friend had made some warm spiced wine as a little treat for us before we made our way back - so the steep bits back to the plateau were spent sliding down on my butt whilst trying to avoid the deep gullies and holes where the snow hadn't completely covered the little streams below. Never to old to play in the snow :)

I want to go back in the summer with family and hopefully, have a picnic at the top of the ridge that I never quite got to this time!