It's beginning to look a bit like a light shop!

The last few days have been tough. I'm full of cold and quite exhausted and not in any shape to make decisions BUT the decisions still have to be made! I had an afternoon off this afternoon to recharge a bit...well actually I went home for a rest and a cup of tea and just couldn't drag myself back! It felt strange being at home!!! Nice to be clean and in clothes that aren't covered in paint though!

The ceiling wiring is underway. I knew this would be the trickiest bit and it has been. Committing to where to put the ceiling roses has caused me endless angst, but as Robert keeps saying 'Perfection is the enemy of 'good enough''! They will be fine!

We have tomorrow to finish packing the old shop up before moving everything over on Thursday. That means tomorrow is also the day when all the last messy jobs have to be done in readiness for everything arriving...I'd better go to bed. Night night.x

Shop Progress

Well I am very happy with my new workshop. I'm enjoying it's spaciousness and the lovely window. Still only one little blackbird coming to my table but I hope there will be more birds when they get the message! That cutting mat is brand new..and doesn't it look it! I'll soon wear it out! I also bought a fantastic ultra slim light box which is actualy underneath the cutting mat. It has saved a space issue. Means I don't have to take up space need my ultra thick heavy one that;s uncomfortable to use. I like it a lot.

Been stressful in the shop the last couple of days as we had to put the (huge and heavy) ceiling boxes up which has been a real headache for all involved. Now they're up I can work out just where i need to place the light fittings. It's exhausting making all these decisions, but as everyone keeps telling me 'it'll be worth it in the end'.

It's the last weekend of Radiance at number 58. I'm closing from Monday 22nd so that we can take it all apart and bring it over and set it all up again. Grand opening will be on the 6th March. I hope you can make it to the party!!

Prototype

We went to Maclan over in Keighley yesterday to see the prototype for my new plastic clip. These guys are amazing and have thought long and hard about what I need. Unfortunately it's not quite there yet as the current clip proved a bit fiddly to clip on so it needs to be modified. This means more time...another two weeks for the mould to be made. I'm a bit stressed as I might not have any of my own lamps left by the time I open my new shop! Oh dear. I'm taking apart all my old lamps that I have at home to use the old clips to make my orders. Desperate times! We'll get there soon!

Valentines Day

Somebody thinks I am wonderful (!) and made my day with this beautiful Rob Ryan papercut. What a very good feeling! I think he is wonderful too.x

Moving the workshop

It's been another busy week and a topsy turvy one at that. On Monday we spent the day packing up the old workshop and unearthing four years of dust and junk. It was great to have a clearout. (Thanks Matt for all your valuable help! I could NOT have tackled that without your encouragement!). On Tuesday the removal men came to take it all down the road. By half past eleven I was in and the joiners fitted my desks in for me. I spent the day making myself at home and doing that with joiners on site was heavenly. 'Can you just do this'....'can you just put this up for me'. Emma did the wallpapering on Tuesday night and it looks really lovely. I'll show you pictures when the door frame has been finished. On Wednesday I actually did some work at my new desk which was nice. A little blackbird hopping around in the yard made me realise that I could actually feed the birds as it's a cat free zone so I bought a bird feeder which I can see from my desk. I LOVE watching the birds but havent been able to do it for years cos of my monster cats! The joiners came to fit the shelves in the shop that afternoon too and they did a good job considering the walls were terribly wonky! Thursday I was in the workshop in the morning and the old shop in the afternoon. Me and my Dad swapped over so he could test out the new workshop. He liked it but was chilly. You'd think that fire kicked out alot of heat but it just doesn't. I'm hoping a service will do it good and make it more efficient. All the time the electrician has been in a corner or down a hole somewhere wiring up and doing his thing. He's made great progress and the end is in site!

It's all good but today I am exhausted! I even had a little cry in yoga last night when i discovered just how tired I was and couldn't bring myself to move my body any more! I'm having a quiet day behind the Radiance counter pottering about on the computer and gathering my energy for the next installment!

'I do' Wedding Show

The wedding exhibition at The Heart Gallery in Hebden Bridge starts this Sunday. Alison has been working hard getting everything ready and I can't wait to see it. My 'Happy Ever After' fairy lights and a personalised wedding lamp are making an appearance. If you're planning your wedding you are bound to find inspiration here. The exhibition runs until 4th April.

Door Surgery

The old door came off this weekend for some care and attention. Paul has put the clear glass in. Today it's by the fire again having it's first coat of colour. Can't wait to see it.

After a smooth first week it's been quite a weekend! First Sean discovered the whole back electric circuit of the shop is completely broken, dangerous and unsuable starting at the corroded plug that he found. He is having to re-join the circuit on the outside of the walls with trunking which is a pity and has slowed us down a bit. Then on Saturday while Paul was building me a workbench in the backroom he hit a water pipe. Oh my God! Water came gushing out at high speed soaking him and the storeroom. He didn't know where the stop tap was, tried ringing me in the shop but I was with a customer so didn't answer frustratingly (and I didn't know anyway) and he ran around in a panic until he found it under the stairs. What a nightmare. Poor guy. Luckily he had a plumber mate who happened to be shopping in Hebden and came to save the day.

I got a lot of painting done though...and I am getting the hang of that fire. It lit well for me today. We are making friends!

Right now I am going to pack up my workshop ready to move it over tomorrow. Better go and get on with it!

Component Nightmares!

Whilst all this moving business has been going on there has been major stress going on with the manufacturung of my lamps. I blogged about this a few weeks ago saying I'd been having some trouble with one of my suppliers that makes the little plastic clips for my lamps. They changed their manufacturer and the clips have been not up to scratch. I have been patiently waiting for them to fix it since October and last week they finally came and GUESS WHAT? They were WORSE! Popping off of their own accord. Just not strong enough.

...and now I am out of clips completely! I have taken apart all my old lamps and fairy lights to re-use the clips to fulfill orders and I have been getting samples of similar products from lots of plastic component companies across the UK. I thought I had found something last week. They look nice, hold tightly but this week I have found they are an absolute nightmare to fix on. I need three pairs of hands to build a lamp.

SO I am biting the bullet and getting a part made especially for me. I can't wait for the old clip people to sort themselves out as I don't know how long I'd have to wait and I have orders waiting. Maclan (they are great) make the tripods inside my lamps for me. They are putting their heads together to make me the ideal fastener that doesn't pop of and that is easy for me to fix on. In two weeks they will get some samples to me, then there is sure to be some tweaking to be done and then ACTION. I can make again. Until then I am on pause. I guess that will buy me some time to set up my new studio as I am moving it to the new place on Tuesday. Back to normal (well back to better than normal) soon!

Which white?

I said yesterday that i was uncertain about the colour I had chosen for the walls and woodwork - well seeing it this morning I was certain I didn't like it (arg)! The Farrow & Ball 'Limewhite' was just too murky looking in this shop. I've been using it for years happily but it really didn't suit it's new home. Having lost my confidence in my paint choice we decided to go to the Dulux shop (thanks for the emergency lift Fiona) and scan the wallpaper that i use (the Cole & Son Cream Cow Parsley) and mix up the 'white' from there. It's just right. Fresh and creamy and un-noticable. Will be the perfect clean backdrop.

The front door came off for it's day infront of the fire. It's a lovely old door. Paul lost sleep over how to replace the old beading behind the new pain (is that how you spell it?) of glass but I'm sure he'll work something out!

Seans having a nighmare with the electrics. He found that one of the plug sockets had got damp and corroded so he's been scratching his head alot over how to sort it all out today.

He's still there actually. Likes to work when we've all gone home. I'll pop by after yoga and check it's all alright...

Day Three!

The partition went up today. Behind the partition will be the workshop area. My desk will tuck in nicely behind this wall but I'll still be able to see over the top and say 'hello'! Most of the walls have been painted today but I'm a little uneasy about the colour. It's Limewhite by Farrow & Ball which I used in the old shop and use all the time for shows etc. It looks lovely in daylight but under energy saving bulbs it looks strangely pink and weird. It'd be a right pain if I have to change it now as so much has been painted....we'll see tomorrow. In the morning Emma is wallpapering that back wall. It's going to be pretty!

Not great weather for painting the outside. Tomorrow the front door is coming off and coming inside for a paint job infront of the fire!

New necklace

I spent my birthday money on this beautiful necklace by Laura Baxter which just arrived in the post. I absolutely LOVE it!

Hey it's weird being back in the (old) shop today. After all the activity and noise of the last few days it's a little quiet! Need to get some work done though..

Progress

It's been a good days work in the new shop. I'm amazed how quickly it's coming together actually. The behind the counter paneling has gone up, I have a fully shelved storeroom (WOW that's amazing), the workshop is almost painted and ready to be papered, plugs and switches have been moved and added, walls in the shop have been prepared for painting and I had a deep THINK about what to do with the third alcove that I had been ignoring! What a good team i have! Heres a couple of them. Thats Sean down a hole and Emma painting (wearing her phone number in case you need it!).

Shame about the weather though. We were hoping for a dry day to get some outdoor painting done but it rained and then even snowed. Boooooh. Maybe tomorrow?

Hoorah! I have the keys!

I got the keys to the new shop yesterday and work has begun. It was a hive of activity! Sean the elctrician started the wiring, Emma the painter pressure washed down the outside and the yard in preparation (bloody freezing well done her) and the joiners started shelving the storeroom. Little me just kind of bumbled around not quite knowing what to do with my self amidst it all! I brought my big wooden chair from the old shop and sat by the fire trying not to get in the way! It was wonderful to see it all going on though. The big plan in action in right before my eyes (after seeing it all go on in my imagination for so many weeks).

I felt EXHAUSTED last night and I didn't even do much!

Ok, another day. Back to it! I'll take some pics today!