The Bickering Builders Build aTree Fort?

Hey! 

Thanks for stopping by, and a Very Happy Thanksgiving Weekend to all of my Canadian readers!

Today I am excited to share one of the projects that has been in the works now for a few days…The Tree Fort.

Yup…I said a FORT.

This is the story of the ‘Bickering Builders’.

My Cowboy  (bickering builder #1) is really just a large kid…and he knows how kids think.  He likes to play…and build…and really likes to give my youngest  (bickering builder #2(Busy) and her little friends (bickering builders #3 & #4) a very hard time about Boys…and just about anything else that will get their dander up.  haha.   So…when he noticed that Busy and her bestie were doing their best to build a fort in the trees out back, he decided to give them a hand.

At first, he was telling them that he was building himself a fort even better than theirs, and that his fort would have a NO GIRLS allowed sign on it.   BUT…that didn’t last, and the plan was struck to build the BEST tree fort EVER for Busy and her little friends to hang out in.


So..they set off down the path that we have been working on  through the trees for the quad and the ‘little truck’ to go through…bickering about this and that, in search for  a perfect spot.

After a little bickering…okay…who am I kidding here…a LOT of bickering… they decided that this looks like a perfect site for a tree fort... right?  

They needed to stake it out…and bicker, measure and plan and bicker and scheme…and bicker…did I mention that my Cowboy and my Busy are always bickering?   Ya…but it’s not a serious bickering…they try to get each others goats…but it's all in good fun…STILL…to the outsiders…it’s bickering …and it requires a lot of tylenol sometimes for this old gal.   haha

SO…How does one build a tree fort if there are no trees on the spot they chose?

They bicker and argue until they find a couple of good ones…and chop them down….


They dig a few holes…and plant those logs into them…(still bickering about how to do it.)

…Making sure to bicker and argue about who’s working harder the whole time…(or it’s just not fun!)

OH MY WORD!!   The tree fort is going to be RAISED UP off the ground????    OH MY!   This is where the mother gets a little skeptical…I just don’t know about this…

Making sure it’s level…and bickering about that too…ha ha

I wonder if she is excited?   It’s no wonder that she waits desperately for the Cowboy to come home from work…he’s one of her absolute favorite playmates.   Those two are always doing something silly and fun…but I think this is the best project yet.

One base frame done.

Now what? 

More bickering? 

More calling each other Grandma and Grandpa??? 

ha-ha  Yup.

The Bickering Builders put on a floor.

While the older one got the walls ready to assemble…the younger one secured the floorboards.

HEY!!!!   That’s MY drill!

SOMEHOW the Bickering Builders roped me into helping put up the walls…and gave the camera to big sister to take all kinds of embarrassing photos (none of which will ever see the light of day)…and one or two that cold be shared.

So far SO GOOD!!!    Even I am getting excited!
  
Just after this photo was taken, I had to run to town quick to pick up some head ache medicine and a couple of helpers…and when I got back…to my surprise…

The Tree Fort was DONE!!!   Just in time for the Thanksgiving LONG weekend off of school!!!   YAY!

Slide and all! 

The Bickering Builders had accomplished what I thought was next to impossible…and neither of them were injured…AND they are still the best of friends!

The girls had found this ‘slide’ out in the bush when they were exploring one day…and they just HAD to have it. 

I think that the bullet holes in it just add to the rustic charm of the place don’t you agree?

Move in time…The extra helpers were absolutely delighted to see the fort was ready to decorate!  Everyone grabbed a pop and headed for the fort.

Some VERY happy faces.

These girls raided MY stash of spare tables and chairs…and got to work.  

It was like watching an episode of Divine Design!   ha-ha

Comfy chair and... a coat tree…?

They built themselves a shelf…and isn’t that my drill again???

They invited me up…which wasn’t a big deal…I do ladders quite well…

It was the getting out that had me a little worried.

I did it…but can honestly say..it was COLD.   ha-ha

These ladies even talked the head builder into building them a swing…which the next day turned into a double swing…and there was some talk about a zip line...but I think that was put on hold for now.

It’s not hard to tell that my Cowboy made three little ladies VERY happy with this fort.   Good Job Cowboy!

The decorating is not quite finished…there will be a curtain type door…and a few other odds n ends in there…but for now they are happy as can be!

That evening, it was quite chilly outside…but those girls wanted to spend as much time as they could in that fort…so they bundled up, took flashlights, and their Cowboy (you know for protection from Moose and Bunnies) and hung out for just a little while...then they played hide and seek in the dark…and headed into the house.   Big sister and I were there too…but we didn’t have near as much fun as the three bickering builders.

That’s all for me today…Until Next Time….

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!

(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.
 
www.tootsietime.com

today’s post has been proudly sponsored by Chic-a-Boot…

Re-dressing The Dresser

I have re-finished a lot of furniture…but never have I done a home made treatment.   I have used paint, stain, ink, fabric, paper and metal…but never have I looked into my kitchen cupboards to re-create a piece of furniture.  

A few weeks ago, I was looking online for a way to distress wood, to make it look old.   I happened upon a few sites that gave several different techniques that would weather wood quickly.   Intrigued, I tried every last one of them.   I was disappointed in all of them.   None of them gave me the results I was looking for.   So…in my usual Tootsie fashion, I mulled it over for a few days. 

Everyone knows how I love rust.   YES I said RUST.   I love old rusty metal things, that I can use in my decorating adventures…I just love it.   I love rust pretty much anywhere and everywhere…except on my Truck.  lol   I decided that I would age some wood…and I would do it using a coctail of rust, vinegar. baking soda, and strong black tea.

I poured a jug of vinegar into a pail, threw in a rusty piece of metal and added a sprinkle of baking soda.   It started to bubble immediatley…the vinegar was eating the rust off the metal and turning it to a wonderful shade of brown.   The tea was hot, super strong and a glorious shade of deep brown…It was time.   I just needed to find some wood to age!  I poured the tea into the bucket of vinegar water and was ready to get to work.

I did a few sample boards to see what the concoction that I had brewed up would do to them…Spruce changed to a glorious color of gray…so did cedar…it got very nice and dark…almost black.   Pine changed to a soft shade of brown-gray…I think I found my new favorite treatment!   I NEEDED to try this Tootsie Brew on a piece of furniture!

My Cowboy had this dresser sitting in storage.   It needed to be fixed up.  It isn’t in the “worst” shape…nor is it “old”…but it is something he likes, so he wanted it fixed up a bit.   It is made from solid pine…and had a varnish treatment on it.   I was absolutely “up” for the challenge to make this small dresser over.   It would need to be done in such a way that it would look like it belonged in the Minburn house that we are renovating and transforming.  

I eagerly pulled out the electric sander, and got straight to work!

I sanded for a couple (3 1/2)  of hours, until the dresser was completely naked.   None of the varnish was left at all….It sure did come out white!

There are a few blemishes on the front of the bottom drawer, but for the most part, this piece is in good shape!

I then pulled out my Tootsie Brew…of vinegar, rust, baking soda, and black tea, and got busy painting it onto the dresser.

Waiting for that coat of “brew” to dry seemed to take FOREVER!….

….but it was worth the wait!   I am loving the way this wood is aging!  

I sent my Cowboy a photo of his dresser thus far.   We both agreed that maybe I should try another application of the “brew”   just to try to darken it up a bit more. 

So…I applied another coat.   While I waited for it to dry, I worked on the hardware.

I bought a can of hammered metal spray paint in a brown color…and sprayed each of the drawer pulls. 

By the time the drawer pulls were dry, so was the dresser…and I could marry them!

OH YEA….This looks GREAT.

I love the new look for this dresser…it is rustic and aged…it’s not shiny, it’s not pretty…it’s gorgeous!

It is a great change for this inexpensive dresser.  I am so happy with the way it turned out…and best of all…my Cowboy loves it.  We are both looking forward to putting it into the 108 year old house we are fixing up!

If you would like to read about the 108 year old house project…you can find links to the first 4 chapters at the end of this post.


What do YOU think?   Did I do this dresser justice?   Did my “brew” age it?   Don’t forget to weigh in with a comment!   I’d love to hear from you!

Until Next Time…  Happy Junkin’/ Renovating/ Decorating!

*)*)*)… Beware the true intentions of false people

(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.

www.tootsietime.com

Did you miss a post or two in the 108 year old house series?
Article #1  If The Walls Of This Old House Could Tell A Story…The Saddest Chapter Is About To End.

Article #2   If Walls Could Tell A Story…The 108 Year Old House…On The Inside

Article #3If The Walls Of This Old House Could Tell a Story…The Small Bedroom In The 108 Year Old House

Article #4 If the Walls Of This Old House Could Tell a Story…The Master Bedroom

Add To Junkin' Cart??? Yes Please!!!

Welcome!

When last we met, I left you with this photo.

I asked you if you noticed the new addition to my garden.  Did you find it?   That new addition is where today’s story/post begins.
 
Sadly, I had taken a bunch of photos of my new addition, and the step by step process to making it part of my gardens, but somewhere along the line…I misplaced them!  So, I had to do some fancy work to take a few more, so that I could share my story.

Lets get started.

A few months ago I went to a garden show in Seattle Washington with my Cowboy.  While we were there, I spotted a rusty old shopping cart that I REALLY wanted BAD.  

My Cowboy, who is very practical and level headed refused to indulge my junkin’ urge. 

He did not want to walk around in downtown Seattle pushing a rusted old shopping cart (or carrying it if the wheels didn’t work)  and saunter up to our very nice hotel room with it.

He absolutely refused to let me purchase this most beautiful piece of junk.   I was very sad.

He tried to distract me with other things, thinking I would forget all about that little shopping cart issue…but- I would have none of that.  I must have driven my sweet cowboy crazy with all the shopping cart talk.

When we got home, I shared a photo and my desperation to have said shopping cart with my Dad.   Now, if you have been following Tootsie Time for a while, you will know that I was raised by the KING of junk…and if he doesn’t have it, he knows where to find it.   He tried to settle my whining by telling me he knew where there was one, and that he just might be able to get it for me.   I was a little happier.

I waited…and waited and whined a little more about my NEED for this rusty old shopping cart, and STILL there was nothing coming my way.   I was not happy.    I was desperate and admittedly a little grumpy about it.

I had all but given up on my quest for a beautiful old shopping cart all adorned with beautiful rust and wear, when one day I arrived home from some errands to the most wonderful surprise.  A SHOPPING CART!

He had tossed it on the front lawn as if it was garbage and left it for me to find when I drove into my parking spot.   I was so excited I nearly forgot to put my truck in park!


The heat was on!   I had yapped about this shopping cart for so long, that he finally got me one, and now I had to do something with it!   I stared and stared at this cart… it is much bigger than the one I saw in Seattle, that got me into this tizzy.   WHAT on earth will I do with a full size one???  

I was blocked… drawing a stone cold blank!   I moved it around my yard, from spot to spot to see if it would fit into my garden somewhere…anywhere!   NOTHING seemed to make my eyes smile.   I just could not figure it out!   So…I set it aside…and put it out of my mind… I needed inspiration to smack me square in the face.  

One afternoon, as I was primping and pruning and playing with my flowers, getting things ready to photograph for Friday’s weekly party, I got the idea I had been waiting for.  

This corner was screaming for me to do something new.  It didn’t  “work” quite the way I wanted it to anymore…and I needed it to change…NOW.   I ran to the side of the house, and grabbed my wonderful old shopping cart.   I was inspired!

I moved the ladder to lean against the fence…and supported it with a bunch of old clay pots that were no longer strong enough to hold anything, or were broken.  I leaned my rusty old shovel piece against the ladder and got busy.
  
I gathered some left over annuals from this year’s greenhouse crop and a few little pieces of junk for decoration and set to planting.

It took me a while, but I figured out how to plant that shopping cart…I turned an empty bag from the bales of soil that I use in the greenhouse inside out…so that there was no writing visible…and filled it with potting soil.

I planted that baby right up!

I poked a few holes in the sides to add some trailing lobelia to the mix, and to help hide the black bag I used to plant in.   I added a pot of portulaca, an old watering can and a ceramic angel to the bottom. and stood back to admire my work.     It needed more.

I added a left over piece of garden hose…



…a couple of rusty plant hangers…

…placed an ornamental cabbage in the wash tub that was there before…and set it by the back handles of the cart.

There was one small window box left over from my spring planting, so I did it up to put into the seat of the cart…and I was DONE!!!

I waited a week or two before I shared it, to make sure that things were going to survive, and now I am ready to show you my fabulous, slightly rusted old shopping cart…done up Tootsie Style!

Ta-Da!!!



I am loving it!  I hope the rust spreads and fills the entire thing with glorious rustic color!

For now, I am happy with my semi- rusted old shopping cart.  

I can’t wait to see it all filled in and blooming like crazy!
 
That’s it for me today…I have just one more thing to say:

HA-HA COWBOY!   I GOT A SHOPPING CART!   (he actually really likes it…in spite of himself!)

So?  What do you think???   How did I do?   Do you need a cart now??? 

Until Next Time…Happy Junkin’, Plantin’ and Gardening!

*)*)*) show me a person who has never made a mistake…and I will show you someone who has never achieved much.

(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.

www.tootsietime.com

All of my house and garden plants are planted in Sunshine potting mediums.