Curls and cleaning...

It has been a time of small tasks - some larger than others, but not a lot of making.

It feels like that nesting time almost - tidying up, putting away and the preparing of new things.

I am midst a major clean up of the studio.  It is more than tidying, more than cleaning - it feels like a massive re-thinking and re-organising and clean all together. I wonder what the word for that is?

So it was, as I hacked back the jungle in my studio with an imaginary machete,  that I found myself with a few tangles of this string.  Somebody had given it to me a while ago - part of their father's bookbinding kit.  I didn't know where to start but I began to untangle it as best I could.

Before.

During

After.

I was cutting it into lengths to use when tying up my blocks of type so that they can be used again. I now have lovely stash!

When I began, it reminded me a lot of a nest; and this one at the front door continues to delight me in different lights.

But back at this studio I was on my hands and knees scrubbing tiles, pulling things out, throwing things out and overall creating a nice light, clean space to work in again.

Can you believe that one of the tasks was wiping down some of the timber trays I store my lead type in with clove oil to remove bits of mould? I think that probably shows what a damp summer we had (and what happens when it is damp and you go away for 6 weeks...).

Still all the drawers now smell delicious so it isn't all bad!