Friday Catch Up - 26th June 2026

 I'm back from a cruise but more about that another time. This week I'm just [it is a long post] going to show you a tree house I made for the grandchildren to play with,  It has been a success with them. 

As it includes faces, windows, doors and seats I'll include my usual links.

Friday Face Off, Monday Window, Thursday Doors, Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge

I was going to make two tree houses with a bridge across but changed my mind after doing the first one, mainly because it was a smaller box and there wouldn't have been much room inside for all the effort.

I made a base cut from two layers of cardboard. Cut holes in the tall box for rooms and windows and made floors on each level.

I added a couple of branches made from foil and paper. The texture on the tree was also foil and/or paper. Painted with acrylic paints. I put decorative paper on the walls or painted them. I tiled the floor with squares of cardboard.

I started adding bushes on the base garden.

The top looked a bit blunt and I didn't want to make more branches so I made a house for top. The fire is made from a cardboard box with a steradent tube for the chimney. I put in little twigs for the fire with paper flames. Next to it is a cardboard covered lid made into a storage bin for real logs. The bush was purchased but I planted it in a painted lid. I made the fence from some purchased 'sticks'.

I decided to add a bridge leading to some steps to fill the space using egg box cartons to make the textured stones. I also used egg boxes for the garden path and patio tiles.

I purchased the school tables, chairs, bags and board. The food was made from air dry clay.

The top house walls were decorated with card stones. The corrugated cardboard roof was painted with metallic paint.

I made a table, bed with covers and pillow, chair with side tables attached, lamp. The pie is clay in a beer bottle top. The trifle in a purchased dish.

The row of units were made from card, the sink may have been from tablets, the tap is part of a paperclip, the handles were cut from electrical wire. The fridge is a painted mustard tin. The cupboard was a vintage container which I altered a bit to stand up and I added an handle for opening. My granddaughter helped with the food. The little 'glass' items were bought. I stuck on some fancy paperclips on a wooden block for the chair. I made the tiny teddy many years ago from felt.

Music room. The clock was made from a lid from something with a card cut out and the clockface drawn on. The piano, stool, bookcase and book were purchased. The bench was made from two pieces of formed card. I added fabric for the back and a cushion to sit on. The doll is another one I made a few years back.

The mushrooms were wooden which I painted. I also painted the white fabric flowers. [Flower of the week] The water hose was made from a sewing machine bobbin and shoe lace. I was going to put a nozzle on the end but didn't get round to it.

The bird feeder did hold beads, I added a cardboard base and two little sticks for the bird to sit on. The bird was made from clay and painted.

The bulls were a gift from my husband for the treehouse, not my choice but the kids are amused by them.

The little bush is foil, paper, clay and mustard seeds then painted.

I wanted the bridge to look like wooden planks.

The tree trunks are card, the leafy part is foil, paper and the bobbles are mustard seeds, painted of course.

Finished at last!

If I were to do it again would I do it differently - yes.

For one thing I would have blended in the house on top.

Enjoy your week with whatever you are doing.