Every kid wants a clubhouse. This kid built one...

How much fun was your Monday?  Since I'm off to Belgium and France the next two weeks, I did a long day with ArtGirl, to make up for the missed classes.  She's been wanting to build a clubhouse in her back yard, and child after my own heart, she wanted to use salvaged stuff.  We used plywood and other lumber from an old bunk bed, two-by-sixes from friends who moved and passed them to me, the storm window from an old door, cabinet hinges, and a canvas drop cloth.  I'll pop back to her place tomorrow to get her started on painting, which she can handle pretty much on her own.  We didn't frame it up quite like a real house, but it's sturdy, cute, and we did it in one (loooong) day.  Here's the progression...

All you need is a pile of swell stuff, a flexible imagination, and a few tools.  Sunscreen and bug dope aren't a bad idea either.

She measures and marks!

She runs in screws!

She saws!

She sands!

She goofs off a bit (who doesn't?)

She enjoys sitting on her new front porch.  She deserves the rest after this day!

One unusual feature is the canvas roof.  We'll give it a couple of coats of paint, and it will be pretty water proof for the rest of the summer, and maybe next.  This little toss-together won't last much more than that, but by then, she'll be too old for a club house, and she's hoping her folks will spring for a little art studio shed.  By then, she'll be strong enough to run the circular saw and build her own!

Hope your next two weeks are fabulous and fun.  My travel does include work, but I'm going to take a vacation from the computer, at least.  I'll post again sometime around the 4th of July.  Ta for now!

Update:  The clubhouse has held up through two summers, and as of January of 2015 seems likely to hold up a few more.  Here's a shot of it that her mama took, once Faithie painted it:

Okay, I admit it, one bonus of having ArtGirl in my life is getting the chance to build all the things I wanted to, when I was her age.  I mean, I built forts, but not with proper tools and a grown-up to make sure they weren't going to collapse on my head.  (No, they didn't drop me on my head, but they weren't overly concerned with protecting it either, apparently.)  Anyway, being nobody's mama and everyone's auntie certainly gives me the luxury of quality time with my borrowed children...and the title of "the cool grown-up".  I don't take a minute of it for granted.