The finished play house

I was about to write about the dairy-free tandoori chicken masala I made for the first time tonight (part of my new year's resolution to cook something new every week), but thought it would be much more visual to show the finished play house that I have painted for the local nursery. Don't get me wrong, the curry was delicious, if a bit "fizzy" for the children, but the play house is much more fun, look:

The beach hut

I mentioned that I was re-painting the playhouse at the local nursery, and the front is finally finished! I can't finish the murals on the back and sides until the weather improves, so for now, here is the front:

The life belt is made from 2 cut pieces of marine ply painted up with the same paints I used for the main hut painting. The name is on 2 pieces of driftwood which my friend Anna kindly painted using enamel* paint.

*I think - I should really check to be sure.

I did not make this today, but...

My sister reminded me of something I made a while back for my daughter's birthday. She was into Maisy Mouse at the time (Charlotte, not my sister) and I made this for them to play with at her birthday party. I think the box was left over from when we had a new kitchen delivered, and not one to throw anything out unless I have to, it went up in the loft for a while. Anyway, here is the Maisy thing:

Now I shall find out if certain people are reading the blog, as they are bound to comment on this picture - the things you do when your 3-year-old niece asks you to!
The picture is acrylic paint on cardboard. I cut the face holes out then lined each hole with brown gummed paper so the kids didn't get paper cuts on their faces.

Some friends were talking the other day about how much kids love a good cardboard box, I don't think I ever grew out of it, and have to admit I have boxes full of boxes in the loft - they always come in useful.

Another mural

I have just got back from fixing up another mural. It is unfinished, as the children from the nursery are going to add foliage to the tree with all their named hand-prints. I can't wait to go in and do that with around thirty 2 - 4 year olds! I'll put up a finished picture, eventually.

The day job, sort of.

I am officially a self-employed artist. I haven't done much in the way of painting while the children have been small, and before that I mainly did picture framing and not painting. Last year, I painted a mural for the local nursery as a thank-you gift when Charlotte left for school.

Here it is, painted in acrylic on marine ply and varnished. It's pretty simple, incorporating colours, counting and a bit of imagination (who lives behind the purple door?).





As a result of doing this, I was tasked with a proper job. The play house in the garden was looking a bit sorry for itself and needed a proper make-over.

Here are the pictures of the play house prior to my make-over. All sound woodwork, but just needed a good tidy up.

I had some soffit boards painted on our house a couple of years ago, and the decorator who did it used a special coating instead of ordinary paint. He was raving about the stuff, so I looked into it for painting the shed.

My local trade paint shop sells it, tinted to 45 different colours, so I bought a carefully chosen selection and was able to mix these to make all the colours I needed for the job. I am part way through it right now, and when it is finished I shall post pictures. As long as the rain holds off for a bit I'll be able to get it done!