Making Corn Hole Boards

My daughter and I finally made corn hole boards to enjoy this fall. It was quite a project but they turned out very nice. She found the information regarding the dimensions online which we used to build the boards.

We decided to use 1/2 inch plywood so that the boards would not bounce when the bags hit them. We used the top of a margarine tub to draw the circle for the hole.

Next we used a paddle bit to drill a starter hole.

Next we used a jigsaw to carefully cut the hole.

Next we screwed the frame together.

We added glue before attaching the top.

We also used screws to attach the top.

We used another container to mark the curve for the legs.

We used the paddle bit again to make holes for the leg hardware.

Then the painting process began.

We used a projector to trace the logo.

The painting process was the hardest and most time consuming part.

A scoreboard using golf tees was added to the end of one board.

We also used hardware cleats to store the measuring rope for ease in spacing the boards.

After many hours of tedious painting, the boards were complete.

Just in case you wonder, this is what our house looks like when I am involved in a project. So, this is what our house looks like most of the time!!

I’ll be linking to Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style.

Pumpkin Heads

I saw these pumpkin heads being carved at a festival this weekend and wanted to share the pictures with you. They were carved by North Carolina pumpkin carver Tim Trudgeon.

I can’t believe the details!

I hope you have a great week!

I’m linking to Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch, to The Scoop at Worthing Court, and to Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life.

Weathered Wood Tool Caddy

One of my favorite things about the Haven bloggers’ conference is getting to try new products. I was so excited to return to my room one day to find three DIY kits from Home Depot. The tool caddy pictured above was one of those treats!

I thought the packaging was so cute with the orange mesh tie.

Each kit contained the pre-cut wood pieces, hardware, and instructions.

There was a slight problem with my tool caddy. The slot for the bottom piece of lumber did not line up. Let’s take a closer look.

When I tried to slide in the bottom piece, it left a gap on one side because the slots were not lined up properly. I decided to complete the assembly then I cut a piece of scrap lumber for the bottom and screwed it in from the sides.

The kit even included plugs for the screw holes. After I finished the assembly, I gave everything a base coat of white paint. Next I applied a dry brush coat of gray paint from my paint stash.

One of the kits was a wine rack. You can see in the photo below that one part has had the gray paint applied.

I had these little silver medallions that came from a belt that was being discarded and decided to use them as embellishments.

I used glue to attach them to the side.

I used screws from the inside to attach knob feet to the bottom.

The little button on the side in the photo above was used to cover one of the screws that holds the new bottom in place. I am very pleased with how the projects turned out.

The tool caddy is a very generous size measuring 18 inches long and 11 inches high.

The photo below shows the finished wine rack.

Here is a close look at the finish. It looks very similar to the weather wood finish that is very popular now.

I gifted the wine rack to a friend and kept the tool caddy. I can think of lots of uses for the tool caddy and look forward to using it for many years.

You can click here to see how I updated a tool caddy that my kids built at Home Depot many years ago!

I will be linking to Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style and to Grace at Home at Imparting Grace.

Homekeeping- Preserving the Deck

When we built our summer cottage we inherited an old deck that our build urged us to burn. I had the idea to move it to the shade and clean it. We did so and sealed it with Thompson’s water seal. It is still in very good shape with the exception of one board that had to be replaced.

After the deck was moved to its new location I used a pressure washer to give it a good cleaning. Surprising to me, it looked almost new and I’m sure that it was more than 20 years old. I then coated it with Thompson’s water seal. The folks at Thompson’s told me that if water stands on the deck after rain, it does not need to be sealed again.  I noticed recently that there isn’t much standing water after a good rain so it was time to reseal.

I was instructed to give the deck a good cleaning with Thompson’s wood cleaner.

Next, I followed that with a coat of Thompson’s water seal. I planned to use my garden sprayer but it had the wrong end on the sprayer and I couldn’t find the other adapter so I used a paint roller. The can cautions about over application. When I got to the end of the deck I had a little extra and decided to apply it. Unfortunately, it was too much and left a spot that looked waxy, somewhat like over applying floor wax. That spot had since self corrected.  I know now to be more careful in following the directions next time.  Hopefully, I am good for 6 more years now!

I received complimentary product from Thompson’s Water Seal to use on this project. All opinions are my own.  Thompson’s is a product that I highly recommend.

I’m linking to Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch and to the Scoop at Worthing Court.

Pumpkin Village at the Dallas Arboretum

I had the opportunity to visit the Dallas Arboretum a few weeks ago and thoroughly enjoyed the pumpkin village. I was told by an employee that there are 65,000 pumpkins on display. It was very well done. I’ll let the pictures do most of the talking.

Piles and piles of pumpkins were displayed very creatively.

Many of the walkways were lined with pumpkins.

The white garden was lined with white pumpkins.

Some of the pumpkins were displayed on metal stands while others were stacked as topiaries or totems.

Even the marigolds look all festive in their fall splendor.

One section had all of the varieties labeled. This Apple Gourd looks just like a big green apple.

There were even pumpkin houses in the pumpkin village.

There was a maze of hay bales which is much more appropriate for small children.

There were several photo spots including Cinderella’s carriage and some scarecrow cut-outs.

There was a really cute scarecrow garden.

I saved my favorite for last, the swan lake display.

The “lake” was made of light green pumpkins and the “swans” were crooked neck gourds.

As you can tell, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit.

Autumn at the Dallas Arboretum runs until November 26 and admission is buy one get one free on Wednesdays. You can click this link to see the other admission discounts.

Happy fall!

I’ll be linking to Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style and to Grace at Home at Imparting Grace.