When I settled on this item, I envisioned carefully and lovingly crafting something tailored to the recipient – perhaps something knitted with cables or lace? perhaps I’d sew a complicated garment?

As has been the case with these things, time was getting away and I was kind of agonising (who me?) about my progress. While in the process of agonising I realised I’d pretty much covered off Bessie’s something special without intending to.

The windows in Bessie’s room go from the floor to a little above waist height, maybe chest height, so there’s a vast expanse of wall doing not a lot. Bessie loves art and has collection of artwork – lovely prints, embroideries and such. These were previously balanced on a pine plank which was balanced on the top of the vertical blind brackets.

There was a horrible patch of ectoplasm on the right which would sort of ooze when it rained. I picked at it one day and a whole bunch of damp spakfilla fell out, revealing the bricks below. We kind of liked the effect and left them untouched. I’d really love to strip back to the bricks entirely but the rest has been cement-rendered and I’m concerned the whole front wall would fall into the street if we attempted to remove it.

I’d been wanting to do something about the wall for some time, so while Don was clambering about the scaffolding in the rain, I was ensconced in Bessie’s room watching fixer upper episodes.

A bit of glossy paint, another length of wood from the garage, a couple of brackets, some white sugru, curtain rail from ikea, curtains from k-mart and for <$100 we have a brand new, much better space.

Four something specials to go!