I love these quiet little moments

Grand Designs 2011

If you have read my blog before you will know I'm a bit of a fan of Grand Designs. I went a couple of years ago and it's where I found my beloved Esse Ironheart. This year its back and so are ESSE. When you are engaged in a project that you feel very passionate about you probably have a very clear idea about the overall feel of what you want to achieve. What you don't have is a list of all the things you need to achieve it and more importantly an infinite budget to buy them all. That I think is where shows like this are really useful in that they give you a chance to really touch and feel some of the things you think you want. You can then work out what's really important to you and your home and where your budget is best spent. The other useful thing about trade shows is that its an opportunity for motivation and inspiration. This past few months I've been working full time in the UK to help the project along and its good to keep sight of that vision.

Where does the time go!

In the blink of an eye and its September again. To be fair I've been pretty much working full time which doesn't help. In between working and travelling back and forth I have managed to do a bit of work at the house in the shape of the ceiling over what will be the Girls bed rooms. Sounds easy but given the span of the room involves some fairly chunky timber joists although I have to confess that I did cheat a bit by way of having a little help. This time my lovely sister and her family came over all the way from Blighty with some friends of theirs. The result is a big and heavy job made a lot easier than if would have been alone. Thanks.

In bloom

Its been a while since my last post. This month I've been teaching English at a business school in Caen. I have to say its been interesting and quiet good fun, only 5 sessions for their summer school so relatively light weight.  Over the month its been middling weather wise but at least we have had some rain, and the potagere is starting to bear fruit, plenty of spinach and cabbage to go at. The house is starting to come together as well all be it slowly. Anyway summer is here and everything is pretty rosy so I thought I'd just take a quick few pictures of the house in summer. When it starts to get cold I can remind myself of what summer is like!

Started to get a bit of furniture for the kitchen, this was off www.leboncoin.fr. This site is where all the bargains are to be had. Everybody else in the world uses ebay, well the French use leboncoin. unlike ebay its all small announcements so no bidding and because you select the department your in you generally go a look at stuff before you buy it. Why would you buy something you have never seen? Bof?

Oh yes and I've finished the plaster board in the kitchen. Just need to find some thistle multi finish! There are French ways to do it but old habits die hard!

Mr Lemur's latest ring

950 Hallmarked Platinum

Rare Petrol Blue Natural Spinel

With my own handmade mount made from individual Platinum wires welded together to produce a unique one-off piece.

Archibald Knox Inspired belt

Solid Silver in the Art Nouveau Style set with Amethyst Quartz. 

New belts hot off the forge

Check out my latest stuff

Both have solid silver hallmarked buckles and the finest leather straps money can buy. You can check them out at our etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/CheekyLemur