Summer 2013

To quote my Children OMG! I have not posted anything since March, how rubbish is that. But on the plus side I have been very busy. The Farm bed and the fishing cupnboard are nearing completion and will make their debut at the Hamptworth Fair in Hampshire on the 18th August.

I seem to lead a somewhat divided life between adult furniture and then switching to the children's furniture at a moments notice, I never quite know what I am making next which in a small workshop is somewhat frustrating. Still if you are selling who cares!!

March 2013

Well things have been happening, I deliver my first fairy bed of the year to Yorkshire on Friday, which I am really looking forward to. I have also been featured in the Field Magazine March issue for my fly box. I already have had 2 orders for them which I am delighted about.

The exposure in magazines keeps rolling on Spring issue of Country Child, Wiltshire Life. So with all this publicity I hope I can cope with all the deadlines, Yeah of course I can, I need that pressure to keep me stimulated.

All I need now is some time to start planning my speculative items for the year, gilded oak and leather bookcase, secret pull out child's sofa or the wedding firescreen? Well which one to make? I will keep you posted

February 2013

It seems ages since I last wrote, but I am still here just trying to kick start the year. January is always a tricky month, but it gave me time to collect my thoughts and work out a plan of campaign for the year. Everybody wants me to come and exhibit at their shows and fairs but I am not sure which ones to do. I am sharing a stand at Hamptworth which I have not done before, and there is the Woodfair at Stock Gaylard which I love going to. I am sure that it is not the best for me but I love the atmosphere there, not too big and people all seem to be passionate about wood, always helpful at a wood fair!!! I would love to exhibit at RHS Wisley but the funds will not stretch that far this year grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!
Additionally I have been tracked down by another woodfair called the Pink Tree Woodfair at Delamore, anyway there seem to be a lot of arty people at this show which is right up my street!! so the show circuit seems to be filling up, all I have to do now is to find the money to pay for them all!!

I have jumped off the furniture bandwagon recently to carry out some very technical refurbishment

TASK:- Fit a chipboard kitchen.
 I know I know how could I stoop so low? Once I had picked myself up off the floor at how much this rubbish cost, I set about reminding myself "your only doing it for the money". Still it teaches you a few things such as " I never ever want one of these in my kitchen!!" A couple of dressers and a butchers block will suit me fine, and of course a teak sink.

By the way this message and the kitchen units will self destruct in 5 seconds!!!

I was trying to show one of my nephews a cupboard bookcase I made for a client, (I have never received such  lovely message before thanking me for the bookcase. He was only 6) I realised that I had not put it up on the website, so that got remedied tonight, anyway picture of it below. I was really pleased with this everything worked out the way I wanted it to and the finished mural was really plausible, see what you think.

But everything working out pales into insignificance when a 6 year old boy thanks you personally!

Still more ramblings to come but I must stop things to do.

Ramblings of would be furnituremaker

Well the snow has gone and actually it seems warmer somehow? Still I had 3 days spare and I was determined to make a small kitchen table from some Horse Chestnut I had leftover. I was pleasantly surprised with the amazing wild grain which revealed itself when the timber was cut and planed. The table only took me 3 days but I wanted to personalise it and I thought why not carve feet of the family into the top. (well I am a bit mad in some of my ideas!!!!). I have never carved before really but with a blue footprint on paper from each of my children wife and myself I set to work. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed it and I am so chuffed with the result. So I have named it the Friday table (A large nod to Mr Defoe). See what you all think

Snow has fallen....actually still falling my children dragged me away from important computer work by throwing snowballs at my shepherd's hut window(well I could not let that pass!!). I am now back slightly damp! in the warm. Inspiration is elusive today with only  a brief  flash for some fabric drawer fronts (yet another item to add to the long workshop list. Speaking of that last time I tried glueing up a large Chest of Drawers was in similiar weather to now. DISASTER the glue all failed in the cold ................aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh. All had to be dismantled clean up and redone. Still workshop is a bit warmer now than it was. Not my finest hour still we live and learn

I came across this painted tray I did for someone just before Christmas, I must be getting old I had forgotten I had done it. Still amazing what a bit of paint will do for a rather nasty tray from a well known department store. As the client put it "it was boring!" Looking back at the photo I realised that perhaps I am not quite such a bad painter as I first thought. I can feel some present ideas seeping into my sluggish brain!!! Still I am still surprised what I will do for a bit of cash!!

 The last of the Christmas decorations have be confined to the loft and now January is well underway. I have already finished one small job this year, so things are looking up. As I look out to the rolling downland from my rebuilt shepherd's hut (another story for another time!) my flock of Light Sussex hove into view slightly resembling miniature melted snowmen eager for another bowl of scraps from the house.

Still this rambling is not getting any website built quicker, so I must sign off and return to the day job Boo.... Hiss!!