It took a while for me to find the motivation to do more work on the container and surrounding yard, but I finally found the strength to get back to it. While the container is certainly usable and finished, the yard wasn't. It had overgrown weeds and simply no proper walkway or path leading to the massive door.
With help from my friend Stefan, I built edging from steel and dug up the grass. We laid down old carpet to keep the weed and grass out and then carted in almost 10,000 lbs. of crushed glass by hand. The city of Austin gives the stuff away if you haul it yourself. We realized after hauling it all that it actually weighed more than the container did when I moved it in. (I'd guess the container is closer to 15,000 lbs. now) I think the crushed glass carries on the theme of recycled goods quite well. It also blends perfectly with the bottles that Margot used to line the landscaping.
We ended up using an old Vietnam-era parachute to drape between the house and the container and were pleasantly surprised with how much more of a comfy feeling it added. It makes the entire yard feel more warm and inviting.
November 13th,14th, 20th & 21st we're studio stop in the E.A.S.T tour of Austin. That's the "East Austin Studio Tour" that showcases local artists and their studios. Stop by if you're in town.
