When I go to a gallery exhibition, I love to see the artist’s earlier works or practice sketches. It reminds me of the amount of work and practice that goes in before you make something you’re happy with. It also reminds me that,unless you’re some kind of super human freak, most artists generally don’t start out creating great works, they create a lot of crap before it starts to get any good.

We’re only about 2 weeks behind schedule so far, which is actually about 2 weeks less behind schedule than I thought we’d be at this point. So we’re actually ahead of schedule. Work on the taps is going swimmingly. I’ve got 16 tap designs that we’ll be launching at the end of the month. We’ve been testing finishes and getting the process down, faster and faster. Derek will be doing some big upgrades to the CNC in the next couple of months.

Thanks everyone for voting on your favorite East Creek Session Ale tap handle! The Narwhals were the clear winner and not just because my Dad voted 50 times. Below are a few photos of the taps I’ve been working on this morning. We’ll be working on lots of new designs in the coming weeks as well as a few jigs and racks that will make the process much faster. We’re hoping to have a shop set up in the next few months with tap handles to start and cooled beer towers, stools, bar tops, signs etc.

At long last! Not just one, but two East Creek Session Ale logos!!! I’ve been promising an East Creek Ale logo ever since we made the West Creek Homebrew beer box a year or so ago, causing feelings of alienation, tension and jealousy. Creating a rift between East and West Creek, a rift that can only be healed with narwhals and submarines. Time for all the East Creekers to weigh in on what your ale logo will look like.

It’s no fun pouring a pint from your own built in beer tower in your own custom pub when you’re still using the original crappy plastic tap handles. Okay, yes it is. It’s always fun. However, it’s even better with custom tap handles. That was our project this weekend. The beer tower is a dual tap so we have a beer keg on one and a keg of fizzy water on the other.

As promised in my last post (My Monster Easel) here is a photo of Scrappy being an asshole. Watching me through our bathroom skylight, “Hey, food lady…!” Seriously, Dude, a little privacy.

Some of my most treasured possessions are things that people have made me. A scarf from my niece, a quilt from my Mom, paintings from my Mother-in-law, an intricately wood burned Ouija from a friend, a drawing from my nephew…the list goes on. I’m lucky to have family and friends that love to make things, and better yet, love to give them away. One of these treasured possessions is my monster easel.

It may have appeared as though Derek and I dropped off the face of the earth sometime this past year. Rest assured, we have just been wholly preoccupied with what is now referred to in hushed tones as “The Great Renovation of 2016” or “The Renovation to End All Renovations”. It has been all-consuming and exhausting, driven by obsession bordering on madness, and has left time for little else. And now…dare I say…we’re done?

When I was a wee lass, perhaps 5 or 6 years old, my family took us for a camping trip in the English country side. The English weather lived up to its good name. It rained the entire time and the field was muddy. Before long, my wonderful father suggested the brilliant idea of taking me to a nearby pub. I realize now that it was probably at the request of my Mother, to get me out of her hair so that she could get the tent set up.

Last but not least, the workshop. There is still much to do here, window trim and much of the finishing and counter-tops etc. However I thought I’d post a photo of the new extension. I’ll post more photos as we finish more. [caption id=“attachment_784” align=“aligncenter” width=“875”]That’s my workbench that Derek built from the old bowling lane wood. (Thanks Honey) Also on the right you can see our old kitchen cabinets re-purposed and spray-painted red and black.