Long Weekend

I did it again.  I built another cardboard playhouse for Iris.  I couldn’t help it.  I found a giant sheet of cardboard AND I had a long weekend which basically equals the perfect storm.  Iris’s last little house has been getting harder and harder to get into- she has to almost crawl into it and we haven’t been using it too much anymore.

Plus there are certain parts of this house that drive me crazy.  Like how the dormer faces up.  That doesn’t make sense unless this house was in an earthquake.  And she can totally pull out the lights now that she is (finally) tall enough.

So I have been looking for plastic playhouses to redo/big enough cardboard sheets to make another cardboard house.  I have been getting antsy waiting this long to tackle another cute project.  The car was cute-ish, but not fun to make.  Need…. fun… cute… project….. ahem.  For Iris not for me.  Duh.

On Saturday I was cleaning out our garage when the clouds parted and a sun beam shined upon a giant piece of cardboard.  It was calling my name.  I grabbed it and ran inside to create a bigger and better playhouse.   So I documented my journey, and I will somewhat explain as I go.

Look at this giant!  Iris is already excitedly checking it out.  The last house I was able to start with a huge box, this time I had to make my own….. which isn’t as easy as I thought it would be.  I hot glued the crap out of these sheets of cardboard and even then they had a hard time staying together.  With a ton of hot glue+lots of duct tape, this baby isn’t coming apart any time soon.

The box is formed!  Hazzah!

I used a bread knife (an old one we used for gardening) to quickly cut the door and windows, and I was determined to make a dormer that looked like it hadn’t been punched in the face.  So far so good.

Iris, checking out the quality of my work before nap time.  So far, pretty good.  Kiddo seems to like the new house.

Roof has been added.

Iris wanted a pink door.  It has a darker shade of pink on the outside and a lighter shade on the inside.  Ohhhh two toned, how nice.  I used big sheets of white paper to “wrap the house”.  When I say wrap I mean use hot glue and glue them to the side and use duct tape as trim.

Roof is complete.  I am feelin’ the Grand Hotel vibes here.

Yeah this was a last minute addition.  I found a box the right size and HAD to add a fireplace.  I made some little cardboard logs and added a little battery operated candle to give it a flicker.

Flower boxes with Iris’s in them, and I found these really cute letters at Merchandise Outlet when I was trying to find duct tape and hot glue.

Finshed!

I added some gold sharpie circles as wallpaper.

Iris approves!

Phew.  I am tired.  My back hurts.  I think its time for some brownies, don’t you?  Oh, and does anyone want an old little house?  Eh?

-Jo