We are doing our best to finish up many projects around our property before the Hazelnut Inn project gets underway next door. One such project is the garbage shed. Our business, like most has a giant there cubic yard garbage bin. It is rather unsightly but it needs to be in the driveway so it can be collected when it is full. Our solution was to house it inside a 'mountain'. The project was begun shortly after we purchased our property in June of 2003. We got as far as building the structure and the tree on top. But the property plans were in flux back then and it couldn't be finished until it had a permanent home. It was moved four times before it landed where it currently sits, after the house was finished. A addition was added on the rear to house all of the garden tools and lawn mower as well. Each year, as we find some spare time, we do a little more to finish things off. It is our hope that it may actually be finished this summer. We added some sculpted concrete work today and more work is scheduled over the next couple of days. Once it is painted we will add the soil and landscaping materials to bring it to life.
Ship shape!
It was finally time to begin the actual sculpting of the ship's hull today for the Hazelnut Inn. The bottom portion of the hull remains upside down for the sculpting About two thirds of the planks were created today to facilitate easy access for the sculpting process. Tomorrow, the balance of the concrete will be troweled into place and then carved with a realistic woodgrain. As always, the piece appeared to grow substantially larger as the transparent mesh was covered. It is very exciting to see this substantial piece come to life!
Elephant in the room
There is definitely an elephant in the shop of late - as large as life! We are currently sculpting the 'cut stone' elephant head for the corner of the retaining wall for the Hazelnut Inn. To get a sense of scale, the head measures just over 12' tall. We had to build the JUMBO feature laying down to fit it out of the shop door when we are done. It will stay horizontal until it is lifted into place on the property next door in three or four weeks along with the ship. That will change the neighbourhood forever! :)
