Concrete & wood

I've mentioned before that James has been experimenting with a bit of woodwork lately, and I've been doing some experimenting of my own...with concrete! I think it's such a beautiful, organic-looking substance that only gets better with age and wear. Experimenting is the right word, though - there have been a lot of midadventures as I work out the complexities of the stuff - but I think I am starting to make some progress! The hardest things have been working of the right blend of cement, sand, stones, reinforcing fibres and water, and finding the right kind of moulds (I've sacrificed many a pot, dish and bowl to the cause!).

James and I decided to combine our forces recently to create a planter as a present for our friends Denis and Laura. I created three small concrete bowls that are just the right size for little succulents or tealight candles. James then took a nice piece of old wood (from the Balcatta haul) and drilled three holes just big enough for the bowls to sit in comfortably. We were originally going to hang it from leather straps but couldn't find anything strong enough so we went with a nice jute rope instead, which James attached to the four sides with studs. I then bound the rope together in the middle, at the point where it should hang, with some fine leather. The end result was a bit more rustic than I had originally imagined, but I liked it all the same!

I made a larger concrete pot and planted it with succulents as a housewarming present for Eko and Rick last week and I'm looking forward to bringing my concrete creations into Mr Sparrow once I've fine-tuned the process!