In case you were wondering...

In case you were wondering...

This blog exists to encourage all those who have ever wanted--and needed!--a tiny getaway close to home. A workshop, playhouse, garden shed, sanctuary, mini-greenhouse, studio, home office; whatever it is you need, it IS doable, with some sacrifice, imagination, and compromise.

It helps if you're handy, too.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Happy Solstice Journal Noodling


The skeleton of the shed was in place when I did the sketch at upper left, but I did the sketch of the roof detail at upper right to show Mark was I was thinking we'd do. Originally he'd thought just to nail the metal roof to the rafters, but--COLD, and hard to heat even with a little woodstove, so no.


The graphed detail at top is a not-to-scale rendering of where the shed is in relation to our house--the shed's a lot smaller than the house! I can just walk through the gate and in the back door...see the dotted red line?

The deck, sills, and floor joists are "YellaWood," treated white pine that should last a while...at lower right is a sketch of the roof as it's turning out, plus a detail of the screws with washers that hold the metal in place, and the odd joined nails that fit the nail gun. (My, does THAT ever make things move faster! We had no such mechanical help 20+ years ago when I built the cabin!)

And at lower left, noodling a bit about the odd window placement--looks perfect INSIDE, a bit surprised on the outside. Maybe a window box, shelf, or bit of sculpture will ground it...

Today we found the perfect window for the back wall, which will mount on hinges like an awning...and cheap! Good condition, sturdy, for $15 in the flea market...

I attempted a spreadsheet, but it is NOT my area of expertise!

I do like to document and plan and explore possibilities in my journal before we commit to them--guess I'm really a visual person, through and through. I don't know what I'm doing till I've drawn it on paper...

10 comments:

  1. Love the plan, and love the idea of a sketching shed to be creative in. Sounds like just the kind of place I need... look forward to seeing more.c

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  2. Thank you, Catriona! I'm enjoying the process, a lot!

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  3. Great pages Kate. They'd even be great framed and hanging inside the retreat!

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  4. The image you created in A Naturalist's Cabin of the nail gun spitting out the nails as though they were something distasteful has stuck with me over the years.

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  5. LOL! I'd forgotten that! For some reason Greg's air compressor just wasn't strong enough to deal with the nail gun...with real electricity PLUS a powerful air compressor, this one is quite violent about the whole thing!

    And Timaree, that's a neat idea! They're in my journal, I'd probably do prints, but it would be fun to have the process documented there...

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  6. With your inventive mind and loving attention to detail, you'd have made a great architect!
    I'm enjoying sharing this process along with you.

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  7. This is just so wonderful! I'm so glad we get to share in the process and you are making incredible progress!

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  8. Ooh, can't wait to see the new window! What if you painted a longish vertical rectangular shape around the front window in a color like indigo or some dark or dark-to-midtone shade ( a green?) that would draw the eye downward a bit---that could add a wonderful graphic touch to the exterior and make the window seem lower.

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  9. Thank you, MaryO! I'm a real nester, I think. MESSY, but inventive.*G*

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  10. Thank you Deborah and Miss Laura. I know we're really making good progress...I just get SO frustrated when nothing's happening. When I built the cabin I was over 20 years younger and if nothing was happening I'd go MAKE it happen. I had my own 16-ounce hammer, a toolbelt, the whole thing, and I'd just get to work. Now I mostly watch and do small stuff...meh!

    Laura, I thought of painting something there! Deciding WHAT will be the main problem. We'll get the trim on the doors and windows first and probably get it stained, then see what it needs or what inspires me! I thought maybe a greenman...

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