Last week’s blog said that the focus for the coming days would be dependent on the weather which turned out to be very mixed and prevented anything outside. Thankfully there was plenty to be getting on with upstairs in Grange which has been the sole focus of the week.
I did say that there was about a day’s worth of work left to complete the insulation – which, unusually, turned out to be almost correct! With the insulation done I was able to start both the internal cladding and installing the connecting door between the games and storage rooms. For now we are using a pre-fabricated door which is quick and simple, potentially in the future I may make one of our own but for now my time is better spent on getting the place finished!
I mentioned last week that many of the tasks I undertake I wildly underestimate the amount of time that they will take. For the lambris I am under no illusion that there are many days’ worth of work to complete especially getting the windows right which took a bit of time to do the first. Now done, and I am really pleased with the result so am glad that I took the time, the rest should be quicker.
During the week both David and I have been getting creative. For the first time we have guests staying in Hayloft over Christmas this year so we haven’t needed to decorate it before but now need to think of the best way to do so. Our plan is to put the tree in the bedroom but I thought that it would be disappointing not to have any sort of tree in the living area.
As space is limited we were given the idea of making a 2 dimensional wall-hanging tree that we had seen elsewhere last year. I have enjoyed all of the carpentry and woodworking that I have done so far and, as home-made crafts are now ‘the thing’, in the margins of the Grange work I have started making a ‘tree’. This is it so far and I will show how it progresses.
David too has been getting creative. Having made curtains for inside our and Priory’s kitchen doors last year he had always planned to make some Roman blinds for the windows but hadn’t got around to it – until now. This week he has made blinds for our kitchen (as well as a new lamp shade with the left over material) as practice for one to be made in Priory. I think they look great.
This week has seen the start of the Christmas market season where the real artisans and craft people put our efforts to shame. We visited a market in Sizun, our closest town, and also St. Martin des Champs just outside Morlaix. Both had a really good range of producers and crafters including spoon whittlers and someone who creates amazing lamps out of old household objects – lots of ideas for Christmas gifts as well as things to have a stab at and decorate the gîtes.
This week will be continuing with the lambris and, well that’s probably about it despite the weather looking like it could be absolutely fantastic for autumn but I may be able to get outside for a bit …
Kenavo.