Green is good for your eyes

Or so my mother always used to say, and she's right about many things. In any case: I love green. Most who know me are very aware and so I grabbed the opportunity now that I had to do something about that impossible floor in my new studio.

Had the floor been in a better shape (some of the wooden planks are damaged by moisture and somewhat rotten) I would have sanded it down and laquered it. However, then I'd have to completely exchange some of the boards and that was way too much work (and money). And yes, one might say that a multi-color-splattered wooden floor is very artistic and all, but I needed some calm and control - in order to create my own creative chaos.

Some have asked me why I put so much work and money into this rented room and I have pondered on that for a while and come to realize, that I have been working in  four different workshops and have never had the opportunity to influence my immediate surroundings. I have had to put up with colors, light and working conditions that were less than ideal in order to be able to work and always yearned to create my own haven. By all means: when I work, only the closest 50 cm are important, since I'm usually very concentrated, but I would so love to be able to use my studio (that's what I'm calling it from now on) as an inspirational heaven - a room of ones own as Virginia Wolfe calls it.

And so we're back to the green floor: I've always wanted a green floor and never had the possibility. Now that I'm dealing with a floor that needs to be covered with something I'm jumping at the opportunity and set out to paint it.

But... the color wasn't completely right. This is the first coat, and so the color isn't entirely conclusive, but it was too cold.

So I mixed a bit of yellow into it when applying the second layer and was much more satisfied.

Today I tested if it worked with the fabric I had bought for the seat etc. and it did (phew)

My childhood friend Hege came by today and helped me and my friend Michael building the glazed cabinets (mmmm.... power tools!) Thank you very much both of you! We didn't get that far, but we had fun (and pizza, thanks to my boyfriend, who catered for us).

And here she test-sits the window seat sans padding. It looks exactly like I have been picturing it! Note how she was so courteous as to wearing a green and matching scarf! You are a peach Hege and you can come sit in that window seat any time :-)

Two men in leather harnesses

That's right! I rented two men who dressed up in leather harnesses for me. Sounds seriously kinky, but actually it was "just" because they were designated to deliver my new safe. Well, I have to admit that I was extremely excited, though not in that way ;-)

I have managed to find an amazing antique safe created at a time when things were made to last. It isn't particularly big, but none the less, my new baby brings a whooping 400 kilos + on the scale! Due to the fact that my workshop is situated in a tall basement, there was a flight of four stairs to conquer in order to reach its final destination. Try moving over 400 compact kilos securely down four stairs! Hence the harnesses...

Getting it out of the van and the last meters to the door was the easy part. Then the two guys spent the next 20 minutes adjusting the straps of their harnesses in order to be damned sure that all was right before going down. I was so nervous, I couldn't look!

 
And all of a sudden it was in place and I was both relieved and happy.

I realized, that renting my new studioshop wasn't the biggest step. That was buying and installing the safe. It will cost half of the price of it to move it again and hence now I'm almost literally stuck. This is it. Now I'm dagnamit doing it! I guess it should freak me out, but I'm calm and happy and am in a hurry to get it all up and working: I have no less than 10 commissions waiting!