Getting down and dirty... playing with clay!

A close up of the large cottage,  trying to show the weathering I've been doing.   It is still not really showing up on the photo in spite of me fiddling with the camera.   I'd also spent a lot of time, smudging and dribbling on watery paint...  

The photo has reminded me that the front door is still lacking a handle and a letter box.  I meant to put them on the other day.  Got a brain like a sieve,  no, make that a colander.   More scary is that in a couple of weeks I will be saying goodbye to my 50s...

A thatched roof,  well no, rather the beginnings of it it,  right now it is just a very thin layer of air dried clay.   I have to shape round the windows, so I came up with my own method,  building up the shape then layering on a very thin sheet of clay.   This pretty much took me all afternoon,  lots of shaping, water,  clay tools... it felt like I was back in pottery class at school.    I had lovely bright 'orange' hands at the end. 

Just a slightly different angle.   I have finished the rear section of the roof, but then forgot to take a pic of it.   I did the rear section yesterday, but after I'd let it dry I realised I'd need to severely sand it back to get rid of the lumps and bumps.   Having done that I then had to put on a new thin sheet of the clay, then stipple it to create the 'thatch' effect.  Which is why I'm doing the same for the front section of the roof,   using two layers of clay rather than one.  This is my first attempt,  and I'm sure the next one will be better.  It still has to be painted,  not sure what colour yet, there are a few suggestions in the book.   This photo does show up the pavement rather nicely.   There is just a tiny bit of touching up to do. 

My appointment with the mental health team on Sunday has been preying on my mind.   I've just been chatting to a friend on skype, she's been reassuring me that I'm doing the right thing.   To be fair she's told me for the last couple of years that I need some expert help.    I kept on asking my GP, but never got very far, other than being offered some bog standard counselling, which I'd tried.   It was the new GP that referred me, it was a relief,   I finally felt as if I was being taken seriously.   But, naturally,  according to my mate, I feel worried, and I am, and nervous.   I keep wanting Sunday to come and at the same time, to push it away - crazy, huh?  

What is definitely crazy is our weather,  it is still cold but now we've got horrible grey clouds, and they are not helping my mood.   It has been drizzling all day,  not really the type of weather that invites you to go out.   Not that I felt like it today,   I hunkered down and ignored Harvey's miaows, he wished to go out, funny how his mind changes when the heating comes on!   After seriously bothering me for about twenty minutes he became aware that the heating was on....   so he sloped off to his radiator bed!   Cheeky monkey.   

Well more work on the roof tomorrow,   that is the roof on the two very small cottages,  and some painting.   So may be back tomorrow night, if not then it will be Sunday.  Until then,  stay safe, and stay warm.   Thanks for dropping by.