A new project!

Here is the new project: The Travellers Rest.  In a week's time it will, I promise, look very different.    In fact it already is.  It arrived on Friday in good time to lift my rotten mood.  It's been a real up and down week,  and my back has been so painful.   I had to go see my GP,  she was lovely and we talked about pain relief,  but she is reluctant to change my meds at the moment because of the upcoming appointment with a specialist.   So taking comfort in heat pads, and the odd glass of garnacha! 

The first job was to make the floors, plus the little roadway...  all will become clear as the pub comes together.    I cut up some card to use as floorboards,  they get stuck down individually,  get some distressing and then a coat of PVA, a glossy modpodge.   For the road I used some air dry clay,  then pressed a cobblestone mold into the clay.   And it was all left to dry.

This is the inside wall of the archway,  it was covered by a thin sheet of the clay.   It didn't need to be smooth,  in fact I wanted it to look rough and ready.    I covered the MDF in PVA, then lay the clay on top,   just pressed it down,  then trimmed off the excess.    It was left to dry overnight.   I did the same process on the opposite wall.

This is the inside wall with its timber frame, honest!   Forgot to take a before pic,  but hey, the pegs are colourful.   They are of course to hold down the timber frame until the glue dries.  Before this I gave the clay a tidy up, and a coat of paint.   Yep,   all slow, but necessary.

Here is that wall in situ.   It had some 'walnut' dabbed all over it.  The road had sand and  grass added,  along with dabs of various coloured paints.  It is now starting to look the part.   

I also made some beams for the 'roof',  just out of balsa wood.   I'll take pics of those tomorrow.  All in all it has been a very satisfying day.   Much better than yesterday when I was in agony, no idea what causes these flare ups,  I do try to watch what I do, and not do too much.  I did make it to The Range to get some of the glossy mod podge,  and loo rolls,  which had been on my shopping list all week.  Was also disgusted to see two cars parked in the disabled bays not displaying badges.    That meant I had to park much further away,  some folk are so bloody selfish.  I was glad to read that Tesco are now fining people for abusing the disabled spaces. 

Still learning how to play the ukulele,  my chord changes are much better,  but it takes a good ten minutes to get my fingers warmed up before I can start to play.   But the warm up is very useful for fingerpicking practice,  I just make up little tunes.  I'm also being a bit anti social on skype,  I'm afraid that I have become a bit fed up with a friend,  she skypes and then just moans,  now who needs that?   She doesn't even ask how I am,  or if I want to chat.  My counsellor told me that it was up to me who came into my flat, and she meant not only through the door, but by telephone or skype.  I've taken that advice on board,  I realised that I was pandering to my friend and letting her behave badly, no more.   A good and lasting friendship has to be healthy, and be a two way street, give and take,  not take all the time.  

This coming week is going to be a quiet one,   I need to recharge my batteries.  I got the duvet out of storage,   and a neighbour kindly put the winter curtains up for me.   I say  'winter'  they're just heavier so keep the warm in.  Soon be time for the clocks to go back,  and then we shall all hunker down and wait for spring to come around.  

I hope you have a good week.