Monday 20 July 2015

Obelisk

My recent shed building has given me a taste for woodworking as a change to dressmaking.  So, when Mum and Dad were here last week, I asked if Dad would give me a hand to make a wooden obelisk for the garden.
I searched the internet for garden obelisk plans and found one that looked reasonably simple - I wasn't about to start trying to cut mitres or anything fancy.
Anyway, we did it - I learnt the proper technique for sawing and drilling and we put it together, using this plan as a basis but adapting it to our own specs (see, I'm getting all the jargon)
And I didn't get my Dad to do it all either - he just advised and assisted - and posed
He did question whether I wanted it quite so tall, but it seemed a pity not to use the full length of the timber
I must admit, it does look a little bit big in the middle of the garden but I think when it's painted and in among the shrubs it'll be fine
Mum believes we must have been influenced by our recent trip to London, and has taken to referring to it as 'The Mini Shard'.
Anyway, it cost about a tenner in materials, and only took two drizzly days to finish - and to be honest, it wouldn't have taken that long if it wasn't such a long-winded process for my Dad and I to get down on our knees and back up again.  
I'd seen similar wooden obelisks on t'interweb for up to £100 quid, so I think it's a bargain.  It just needs to be painted and for Dad to do me a hand-turned finial (knob to you and me) for the top.

By Wednesday the  weather brightened up, so I had lots of outings with Mum and Dad - coffee with Gina for a sneaky non-weekend look at her Open Studios, visits and meals out with relatives, and on on Saturday to Art Van Go for their summer 'gathering'
Mum's not a textile artist but she was fascinated by watching the various artists demonstrating and seeing what a huge range of art materials are available.  
So, a lovely week all round - and this week has started well too - my niece called me this morning to say that they would like me to be godmother to baby Grace.  I can't tell you how proud, honoured and delighted I am to be asked.  Are WE gonna have some great times kiddo!
I'm only really mentioning it here so that I've got an excuse to post another cute baby picture.

Obelisk - The Tank (you wouldn't believe how many songs there are called Obelisk on itunes - this is one of the least worst)

4 comments:

  1. How delightful that your gorgeous goddaughter shares your dress sense! And yes, my first thoughts were that your obelisk looks like the Shard. Must dash... I'm off to AVG today too!

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  2. Many years ago, after watching Geoff Hamiltons' cottage gardens programme, my then partener made me an obelisk just like yours.
    The difference was, a ballcock (from plumbers' merchants) was added to the flat top, screwed in and then painted the same colour as the rest of the obelisk. I also lightly painted bits of coppery gold onto the ballcock as, the paint was like aged copper, it set it off wonderfully! The ballcock was originally bright orange and took some coating of paint and lasted until the wood eventually rotted away at the base of the obelisk. In hindsight, maybe we should have shortened it, taking off the rotted wood?

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    Replies
    1. Sounds brilliant - if my Dad doesn't get around to turning me something - that's the answer. Knob, ballcock, what's the difference?!?

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  3. Hi Gill, that pic for your dad armed with the power drill is hilarious! Congrats on the new addition to the family. Let me know if you want to borrow some Ottobre magazines to start sewing for her! Really excited that you might be able to make the Fabric Godmother's open day xxx

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