Camp Z! Play Tent

Big sister was at Girl Scout day camp this past week, so the boy and I have been able to spend some quality time.  One of our highlights was him getting to play Wii for over an hour without anyone (namely big sister) telling him it was her turn or informing him that that was not how you do it.  He was in heaven. 

While he was playing, I was cruising the blog scene and came across a fabulous idea from Cakies on Grosgrain for an amazing A-Frame Tent!  After checking the wood supply in the garage, I loaded up the kid and headed out to Home Depot for some wood and JoAnns for some fabric.

Rubyellen from Cakies offers an amazing tutorial in her guest post as part of the Free Pattern Month at Grosgrain. I will touch on the basics.

NEED:
4 - 48" 1x2 finish boards (not too rough)
1 - 48" 3/4 dowel
1 - 3/4" paddle bit for your electric drill
Measuring tape
pencil or marker
Roughly 2.5 yard fabric - finished piece is 44"x85"

I had Home Depot cut my boards to size for me.  At home, I measured down 5" (she suggests 6") because my piece of fabric was slightly larger than needed.  Due to the width of my fabric, I have a 7" folded hem.  I actually like the deeper hem since my fabric is a printed upholstry fabric that is rather plain on the interior.

The fabric cover is roughtly 44" x 85".  Once you have hemmed each side, simply attach a 5" piece of elastic that has been folded in half to each corner.  This elastic is what hold the tent to the wood structure.

I love that the whole thing can be pulled apart and stored away as needed.  But for tonight, Z has invited Big Sis to sleep in the tent in his room.

Linked up to...

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For The Love of My Dad!

One year ago today, Monday, March 28th, my beautiful and wonderful father passed away.  I miss him everyday.  I think about the wonderful things that he taught me and my siblings over the years.  My Dad was hard working and a man of the earth - he believed in hard work and getting your hands dirty and that is just a couple of the traits I learned from him that I treasure so dearly.  One of his passions and talents was woodworking.  His legacy is a plethora of wood projects that he built - mostly without ever using a pattern - that he shared with his family and that hold a special place in the homes of my mom, me, my siblings and my nieces and nephews.

Me and my Dad on my Wedding Day in 2002 - one of my most treasured memories of my Dad!

In honor of my dad, I want to share a few of these projects that I cherish in my home.  Everything that my father built was made with love.  Each piece is built to last, is solid wood (mostly oak) and is perfect.  Each piece was truly a labor of love.  He made sure that each and every kid, grandkid and great-grandkid had atleast one piece that was made by him.  I cannot tell you how much the pieces that are in my home mean to me.

Headboard

Matching nightstands - 2

Deacons Bench

Clock

Doll Crib

Bookcase

 

Bookcase

Trivet

There is one more piece, a cocktail table that I was unable to take a picture of because it was covered up with too much stuff and I did not have time to pull it out and take a picture before we left on vacation.  I am sure there are a few smaller things as well.  I was a bit sad to move from our old house because my Dad had helped us pull the center out of a couple of the kitchen cabinet doors and replace them with glass.  Everytime I opened that door I thought of him.  I will try to share pictures of that project another day as it was such a great and easy project to add some character to a kitchen.

I love you and miss you Dad!!!