Friday, December 14, 2012

Running Away to Join the Circus.

I'm determined to make time to write a blog post today because I'm starting to be afraid I may have forgotten how.

The school year officially finishes here today. Part of what I do for a day job is to get little people and their families ready for starting kindergarten and school when school resumes for the new year so this time of the year is probably my busiest time. That's what I've been doing -working and valiantly trying to avoid going down in a screaming heap.

There hasn't been a whole load of craftiness going on round here and what I have been doing seems to be stuck in a state of "half finished". I start something and get distracted or start something else and end up with another half finished project to add to my ever growing list. I have half finished sun catchers , half finished quilts, half finished wind chimes, half finished herb markers, half finished re-upholstery jobs,  and a half finished outdoor setting all laying round here making me feel guilty.

This weekend is going to see some of those things finished, especially the outdoor setting because I need somewhere to seat people on Christmas Day- sometimes I think Mr. P likes to bring things down to the wire just to see if he can finally push me over the edge.

Last weekend saw us moving pool tables and pressure washing concrete ( I bet you wish you lived my life for the excitement factor alone ) but in between doing all that I managed to make something for little P. I've been wanting to make him a tee pee for ages but dowel here costs a fortune ( I dont know why - its basically just bloody sticks) and I'm too mingy to pay 60 bucks for sticks. While I was sitting at work having lunch last week an idea popped into my head out of nowhere, so I did a quick sketch and I spent some of the weekend trying to make the thing in my head become a reality.

It was not without incident and unpicking and minor swearing was part of the process but in the end of I was very happy with the result.



Forgive my shoddy photography . It was late in the day and I couldn't be bothered moving the tent!





I still need to add some loops of elastic to the bottom so I can hook those around the legs of the trampoline to keep the base in a nice round shape but you get the idea. 



A lovely little quiet spot for a little boy to dream of lions and tigers dont you think?




32 comments:

AnnieO said...

Stunned am I, at the thought of the excitement of living your life, I'm even more stunned at the fabulousness that is Little P's Teepee! I would never have made anything this charming for my little tots (naturally because were three of them and sharing doesn't come easy in tot world as you are well aware, so I would have had to make 3)

Hope you survive the run up to Christmas!

Helsie said...

Great little tent. Little P is a lucky little boy. I'm not worried about yur finishes, you're like a whirlwind when you get going!

Karen said...

now I want a teepee - that one is so great, sure he will love it! does it come with secret powers to become invisible? I'd like it even better :)

Mistea said...

Fantastic place for making adventures real.
Love your tee pee, much better than sticks.

Hope your weekend goes exactly how you planned.

Katy Cameron said...

Aww man, now *I* want a bouncy tent to hide in...

Unknown said...

Little P is one lucky guy to have you in his life! I think I would love a teepee like that! I think we all need someplace to go and hide and dream sometimes!

Perhaps you could crawl in there sometimes too!

Lorraine said...

I am thinking you will be making another version of this for yourself?

Dee said...

I love the Teepee.

I thought you and Sara had done a bunk together. she has been very quiet too !

Paulette said...

WAY better than a teepee. Bravo!

I know you will finish your half-finished things in due course, and we will be amazed yet again.

thea said...

What a great circus tent! My little ones are just getting into making tents and would love to have one of those too.

Rachaeldaisy said...

That little teepee is so cute!! It looks so cosy with the quilt in there too. This time of year is crazy- you're doing well Shay!! Ps In my life I've known 2 people who ran away and joined the circus - truely!

Canadian Abroad said...

Fabulous. Makes me think of days of the Raj.

Noela said...

I bet your son will have great adventures in that Tee-pee. Hugs....

Kirsten's Cooking said...

Haha, just picturing "another version for you". :)
Great job, he's going to love it! You are so great at making meaningful memories for him!
Hope you have a good weekend, can't wait to see the food/drink you make for Christmas!

Marg said...

Little P is so lucky, I wish I had a quiet spot like that, although my arse would be hanging off that trampoline.

Jennifer said...

Oh......Little P will love it!

Michelle Ridgway said...

You are nothing short of a wonder. It is just gorgeous. Little P. Sure got lucky when he got you for a Nan.

Kris said...

Wait! I'm coming with you! (I really need the circus this week!)

Kristie said...

This is fantastic. I want to climb on into it!

Kirsten said...

Awesome! You are so creative it makes me wonder if you truely work :p
And don´t worry about half finished things, you´ve got so much finished this year! You really rock!

Elizabeth said...

Wow! that is so amazing! The fabrics are so fun and I love the little bunting around the top! You did a fabulous job! Little P will love it!

xo -E

Brenda said...

You are amazing!!!!!! I wish you were my nana!

Sarcastic Quilter said...

Awesome! You are such a great Bella.

Sue SA said...

What a fabulous special gift for a precious little boy. I love the fact that you used the mini trampoline as a base. This will be a great hiding place not to mention nap option!
Hope you get some down time soon to draw breath.

Kate said...

Love the tee-pee! How fun!

Between being the homeroom mom for DT's class and work, my life is just full of excitement, but the wrong kind as far as I'm concerned. Good luck with your projects this weekend.

Sarah said...

The tee pee is gorgeous! Your grandson is very lucky. I always think I'll make something like that, never do and then the kids get too old too quick :( hooray for holidays. No alarm clock for weeks! I always feel a bit unsettled this time of year though, the rush to the end of term, the rush to Christmas, the whole what have we achieved mindset. You always make me smile Shay. I do exciting things like you. In fact my husband turned 40 on Wednesday, 12/12, and we gave him a pressure cleaner for it!

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas Shay!

Love your teepee! Your grandson is a lucky little lad to have a grandmother who loves him so dearly. It's a perfect wee spot for him.
Have a wonderful Christmas. Be well and joyful!
Helen (Nanci's P.T.)

Terri said...

Genius Idea!!!!!!!!! Love the idea and the actuality. Good Job. And he gets a really pretty quilt in it, too! He is one lucky dude!
Hugs

Jindi's Cottage said...

That's how I feel about writing blog posts lately, like I have absolutely no idea of how it's done...no craftiness going on over here either...oh no! maybe I've forgotten how that is done too!...pressure washing concrete at least sounds productive and you can tick that off the list of things to do, always a good thing. And...you've certainly made up for lack of other craftiness with the Taj Mah Tent! It. Is. Awesome!! I love love love it...a totally fabtabulous cubby for a small P. And yes, what is it with the cost of dowel? I bought 1.5 metres of 1" dowel last year and it was, from memory, at least $14, maybe more but I may have blanked that out as too traumatic a memory...ridiculous but I couldn't change my mind as the nice hardware guy had already chopped it into three shorter lengths for me so there was no way out, just had to stump up the dollars for what was essentially three sticks...

Lisa said...

Hey, I want one for my kids! Is there a lock from the outside? ;) Just joking, but it does look like they'd LOVE it!

Baa-Me Kniits said...

I think I need somewhere like that to run away and hide too! Its perfect and Little P is going to love it.

Is the end of the year rush getting faster or is it just me? I feel like a spinning top most days.

Merry Christmas to you and your family Shay, hope you get some time to yourself as we rush headlong into 2013....all assuming we are still here tomorrow :-)

Vesuviusmama said...

The circus tent is awesome!