Stained Glass - steady progress

I managed to get a good weekend's work in on the stained glass last weekend so I'm making steady progress. Things I've learned: 1. It gets more difficult as you add more glass and lead; 2. Never close off an area - always leave one side open or it's impossible to force the final piece in; 3. Don't bring too many leads together in one joint - try to stagger them; and 4. It's a damn sight easier to put solder on that get it off, so be very careful about getting it everywhere.


all in all, I'm quite happy about the way things are going; you just have to get used to the fact that your rather neat design gets messier as you go on. Also, accuracy in cutting is important - every millimetre out increases the error as you move across the design.

The work is very satisfying, though it certainly makes my back ache bending over the worktop, especially when I'm trying to do something fiddly on the far side - that's why I've turned the layout round so I could work on the rose at close quarters.

There's just the possibility I might finish it this weekend - it looks as if it's going to rain, so there won't be much gardening going on.

The Studio... getting ready

Yes, I know Marea calls it a Summerhouse, but to me it's going to be a studio; somewhere I can do my stained glass and painting without having to clear up my workings all the time - somewhere I can leave designs half done to come back to them later.

The first thing was to take out and get rid of the old plum tree and honeysuckle, plus moving a couple of good roses such as Austin's 'Buttercup' (photos later in the season) and clearing the ground.


With the trees, shrubs and remains of the fence gone, it all looks a bit bare. The land falls away down to our parking area, and where we keep the logs. The plan is to shorten the bank and take soil from the bottom to level it all up.

First, we have to get rid of the bindweed or we'll never be shot of it. I don't want it undermining the base and coming up through the floor!

Also, there are lots of smaller plants to move - mainly different varieties of cranesbill, but also primulas, grape hyacinths, auriculas, etc., etc.

The bank looks very scrappy, and we also have to dig in the cable that runs around from the switch box to the pump and pond lights. this will also provide power for the studio (for lighting, heating and soldering).

Once the base went down, it all looked a lot better - smooth and level. i was surprised at how much soil had to be taken away; I thought we might have to bring some in.

The base is set on (new) sleepers, tannelised, so they ought to las 20 years or more with no treatment.

To the right is the gateway to the garden; I have to rebuild the steps and back fill with more gravel (probably about 2 tonnes).

Molly is a bit bewildered by all this activity. Fortunately, she's not the sort of dog that runs away even when there's no fence to keep her in (unlike her predecessor, Josh, who kept getting out of our last, very large, garden by pulling strands of the chain-link fencing until they straightened and came out, parting the fence - he was going to an industrial estate nearby where they kept feeding him. In the end, we had to put up an electric fence - that stopped him).