I built my kids a house!

I built my kids a house...ok, a playhouse - but - they'll love it all the same!

What boggles my mind, is that I can take a stack of lumber, and turn it into something amazing!

Everything I did, I did by using the amazing Ana-White plans. 

I started on Tuesday by framing it.

It's starting to look like a house.

Then we went on to the deck on the Wednesday.

Made sure it was square and straight secure.

One thing I learned through the process was to check for square! It says it in all the plans, and I never do. Let me tell you - it's important :) I was off by 4 inches - let's just say if I didn't check - I don't think my house would have went together in the end!

On Thursday I took a little break to soak up the kiddo's on my vacation - we did a little reading where the house would go.  Friday and Saturday I painted and painted some more. Oh - and on Friday I decided to build the picnic table and chairs too!

And today it all got assembled. My first pass at roofing too!

Here is the picnic table.

The two gable walls.

The three (I build 4) chairs, each kid got to pick out their own fabric. I made pillows to match too.

The front side:

For the shutters I took some leftover wainscoting and 1x2's and made 6 quick shutters.  For the front door, I took the door cutout from the front of the house and trimmed it out with some 1x3's.

I think the three of them will like it!

It was a lot of work - but it makes me so crazy excited to finish something like this, and watch my kids grow with it and play with it!

Teacher Appreciation Gift

So this week was teacher appreciation week.  I tend to go a little nuts and like to have custom gifts for each of the teachers.  So this year I went to the amazing Ana White for inspiration. And I saw her Wood Magazine Files.

So I went to work in the garage.  I had a lot of plywood left over from when I did Hayden's bed. I got to cutting, I set out to make 6 of them - but ended up with 7 - I don't know how that happened.  

The funny thing is that when I went to finish them - they didn't line up perfectly how I wanted them to. So I ended up putting a different spin on them and covered the whole thing with scrapbook paper.

Brianna ended up bringing three to school - one for her teacher, one for the aide and then her favorite - her gym teacher - we made a special one for him.

Hayden brought two for each teacher to daycare, and so did Mikey. 

Then I whipped up some handmade cards with a little apple and a thank you stamp.  Forgot to take pictures of that.

They are cute and functional - and I had everything on hand!  Even better!

A new Bed for Hayden

So if you haven't noticed - I just adore Ana White I have built so many projects.  My latest was my biggest!

Here is the final project!  I used these plans.

It's amazing that this can turn into the photo above! Here is all my 3/4 inch cabinet grade plywood ripped into their individual widths.  It was about $200 in lumber. I was so proud - during this project I overcame my fear of the circular saw - it's now my new BFF!!

Here are the 1x2 and 1x3's.  And the 1/4 inch is under there too ripped to the right width. Don't mind the crazy dirty, unorganized garage. After this project it got a make-over!

Starting to see progress!!!!  It all came together! It's built - just needs to be sanded and primed and painted.  What was entertaining is I was a WHOLE SHEET SHORT!!!  I only accounted for one tall tower - I didn't double it - so I found pieces floating around and made it work.  That piece on the far right - yup - that was a mis-cut piece of MDF left over from yet another project!

Yup - messed up the footboard too - I couldn't get it to work - because I was short. So I improvised with beadboard - and I am in love with it!

What's crazy is I took one of the busiest times at work (I work full-time with three little kids), to build this when I got home. It was something I could have control over.

I need to start liking this stage better - but I just don't yet. The painting. I did buy a Wagner sprayer- it worked pretty well. Ask me how the 2nd time goes though - to see if I cleaned it well enough.

I set up shop on a windy (don't recommend a windy day to use a power sprayer!).

I set up a sheet and had a roller and brush on hand - and was able to get 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of paint on in that day.

Then the assembly part!!!  Everytime I go in Hay's room I smile with accomplishment! I did it - and I did it all by myself (with the exception of the actual moving of the furniture!)

Hay plays more in her room than ever - now that she can find all her toys!

I adore Ana White!!! I built the caddy from her site too. I built 7 last easter.

The letters, and accessory pieces on to of the middle, all came from Hobby Lobby.

The bedding came from Target, and the baskets came from Joann's.

Here is how the footboard came out being "cobbled" together from leftover bead-board and 1x2;s and 1x3's!

My husband picked out this molding - it was a nice extra touch! (I should probably fill my nail holes)

There is so much storage - her jewelry, stuffed animals, nick-nacks. I love it

I also built the dress-up center for Hay's birthday last year.

I made 5 of these doll beds for Christmas.

Tried to get the whole shot in the mirror.

The project was so worth it!

Overall I think the room cost me around $500 - this included crown for the whole room, new bedding, accessories including almost 10 baskets.  I think that's a good price for a whole new room!

Sloppy Joe

It was so entertaining watching my youngest trying to eat sloppy joe's!

I am loving storyboards - they are so much fun!

Time Out

This is what happens when Mikey throws a tantrum at dinner - time out.

And his "mean" face.

Things I don't want to forget:

Hayden's favorite number is :Sixteen eight or fifteen eight - not really a number - but loves to say them.

Mikey loves to play with his cars and trains - there are no other toys.

Brianna had a her first day of an all day "camp" because school is out for the week. My husband says "So what was the best part of today", Brianna "I'll tell you what the worst part was Dad - having to go to that place, I'll tell you the best part - when you picked me up", all said with a straight face - that little ham!

Dinner and Playing

I am trying to remember to blog more about my own kids and what I want to remember.

A typical crazy night at our house.

They like to ham it up for the camera.

Mikey being his crazy self when the camera get's broken out.

Then it's off to the playroom.  Mikey watching Diego getting out his binoculars. 

Brianna screaming "Take my picture!"

She got a new watch today and told us what time it was every 10 minutes. She was very proud of it!

So you are telling me that you don't want me to dump out all my cars?

He can play with his Little People ramp for hours!

This is his favorite place to be.