Craft...

It seems very strange to think that Mum and Dad are off to the UK today without us!!  I am sure they will have a great time although I am worried they are going to find it very cold.  I understand the 'Indian' summer in the UK has finished and we still have temperatures around 30 degrees.

 

 

It was craft today at Jeanette's and above is a piece of her work that is set into the shingle in her garden.  I hadn't noticed it before and would not have done were it not for the fact that Prodromi Pam is going to do something similar for her garden - and I think it is fab - and having got some of Sean and Sharon's left over swimming pool tiles I know now what I could do with them.  Some of Jeanette's work is absolutely stunning and fills me with loads of ideas!!!

 

 

As I was working on grouting today - which is an artform in itself - I was outside working and although I don't get the stunning view over the swimming pool out to sea the view from the side of the house looking over to Argaka is equally stunning.  Jeannette and Graham have a really wonderful home - I wonder if they might adopt me???

 

Anyway so this is the gecko part way through the grouting process.  It is a painstaking round of putting on grout, letting it dry a bit, wiping it off, building up layer upon layer until I was satisfied, but more importantly Jeannette was satisfied that I had done it properly and, as I had done such a poor job with the coasters last time I was determined to to a better job today!

 

Achieving a nice smooth finish is not as easy as it looks particularly as the wooden (?) base or the gecko was quite flexible and was getting wet and so I kept getting cracks in the grout.  Also trying to smooth the grout around the feet and the eyes proved to be quite a challenge but made easier when Jeannette gave me a brush.  I worked on this for about three hours until I finally felt I had got it right.  Voila - my Gaudi-esque gecko!!!  I have decided that I am going to mount him onto a black tile so that he stands out and then get a clock mechanism and then John can do the necessary to put it all together and make me a lovely outdoor clock that we can hang in the front garden by the patio table and chairs.  And as for my next project???  Not sure but I feel flip-flops may be calling!!  Anyway next week when Vix is here we are going to be going together which should be fun.  Some of the girls from the group are exhibiting at a craft show in Faros Saturday week which is the day that Vix and Trev return but as their flight is later on in the day we should have time to go and give our support - and probably spend some money!!