Garden Castle Solar Lights and Shelves

Little by little as we have time another project is planned or completed for the garden castle shed. The solar lights that have a slight torch look still need a decorative element that will be made of copper.

One day last week I pulled out yellow paper, pencil and scissors to create a paper pattern. Idea after idea and cut out after cut out just wasn't right. After idea number three I started numbering the paper patterns and made nine patterns. It was number eight that looks the best, here it is just taped to the wall.

Hubby got to work on shelves for the right side.

The recycled fencing shelves got a white washing with a mix of paint, water and carpenter's chalk dust.

Simple shelves are easy to move if things change, they just rest on the supports. As quickly as they dried they were loaded, to be organized later.

The white desk was moved out, couldn't stand the sticky drawers and just didn't want to deal with it. The plan is to have a small table that mounts to the studs, it will also be made of recycled fencing like the shelves and doors.

By evening, when the solar lights come on there is a nice glow. We still have many things to do, a shield like the Amersfoort water gate, maybe flags and it will need two gargoyles to match, he looks too lonely on the left all alone.

Crumpets and Tea

We spent the 4th of July poolside with family. After great hamburgers and fixings for dinner we had TV time with the grandsons.

Today was a quiet end to a holiday weekend. Hubby and I are sitting out after finishing up the last of the crumpets I made earlier today. I also made lemon curd.

Here it is after the sun went down, we had set the table.

Holes in crumpets have eluded me with many recipes. Today I tried a recipe by Titli Nihaan from her YouTube channel, The Bread Kitchen. She has a lovely British voice, watch her make them Here.

All set for crumpets and tea. Hubby poured tea from my latest English teapot.

 Yum yum! Loved the crumpets slathered in lemon curd.

   

Now all the solar lights have come on....

 ... and one candle. Time to say good night.

Roses and Fairy Doors at the Castle Shed

It's full springtime! We have a couple of rose bushes tucked along the edge of the yard. The yellow rose is so fragrant, they should all be so.

A couple of weeks ago Jan made a large custom order of doors and windows. It was for a lady in Atlanta for a large tree in her front yard and some for gifts. 

They have three coats of UV varnish to be suitable for the outdoors. Above are a few more he made for the Paris Cabinet Etsy shop. The doors for outdoors are thicker and have a sawtooth hanger on the back to hang on a small nail. The shop section where they are available is Here.

My favorite is the lavender door with a touch of shimmering gold on the window, really makes it look like light coming through. Hubby is so talented at painting these incredible little doors.

 

We have had tea and meals in front of the garden shed and have really enjoyed it.

We still have much to do to finish the garden shed. Oh, it's calling me for tea!

The Paris Cabinet Etsy shop's home page is Here.

Wild Harlequin Floor for Garden Castle Shed

A harlequin pattern for the floor of the garden castle shed has been on my mind but I decided it couldn't be a plain diamond pattern, it had to be wild.

Last Thursday I went out with a pencil to draw the big wavy lines to form the wavy diamonds. Friday afternoon was fun to be on the floor painting the wild shapes. By 4:30 Jan brought me a Blue Moon to celebrate! 

The floor pattern was a success but I can't say the same for the turret finials. Here I was cleaning off the flux after soldering, looks a mess.

The solder just didn't flow nicely, there were gaps in the seam so I turned it over to fill in.

 That didn't work! The whole seam popped open. I could scream!!!

 My brain works solutions during the night and I did wake up the next morning with a better solution. I will use a folded piece of copper on the inside and sweat solder it together at the same time I add the finial and flag. That will have to wait till I'm in the mood to do all the frustrating solder clean up.

In the mean time the garden castle shed still looks bare with no finials on top. I'm not happy with the color of the window frames, the lights are temporary, Jan needs to make the doors and frame when he has time and add the trim and window mullions. We've got lots more to do besides that but it's a process. It's been five months since the day I built the little foam core model that evolved into something much larger than originally planned.

Sunny Day at the Garden Castle Shed

The sun was beautiful and bright all day and into the high 60s, can't ask for better working weather. Jan brought one of the table and chairs to the back flagstone patio. We've had two of these Costco tables and six chairs for years on the front porch. I've been wanting to perk them up.

There is still much to do on the shed, sigh. My small torch was just not powerful enough to finish the copper finials. We bought a larger torch and should be finishing them this week, then we can make the door then the window trims, edgings, stonework base and much more.

Remember the photo below from last month when I cleaned some barn wood and the turned post? At that time I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with the post, it's taller then table height.

Well, I decided I wanted to have a stand, here is Jan adding on the base and top.

I slapped a little paint on it, still not sure if it will stay this color.

After a couple of days I'll decide and finish.

Jan was pretty skeptical when I said I wanted the table and chairs purple.

 

Don't you think the purple chair looks a lot better than the oxidized black? I was pleased but darn, it took a long time to paint two chairs.

Here is the result of the weekend rain. Two of the mushrooms have black ruffled edges, will the others open up the same way?

Roof Progress on Garden Castle Shed

Jan took a photo of the progress on the slant-roof comp shingles from Lowes, they are Estate Gray but have a bit of a green cast.

This evening Jan did some sketching and quick coloring for some options for doors, windows and colors.

Now we will decide. I'm partial to plain soft gray and teal doors and window trim.

Garden Castle Shed Second Turret

Early in the morning we went out to take a look at our garden castle shed construction site. Jan slipped on one of the roof octagons and the view up was so interesting I had to take a photo. It looks much bigger than it really is, I was standing below.

After returning from my office meeting I had doors to ship. Jan has been busy painting the orders, two were multiple doors, and three orders for one door each ordered from our Etsy shop, Paris Cabinet.

The second turret is started.

 

 

When the second turret framing is done we will need to decide how to proceed with the turret roofs since they are so high.

Castle Shed Turret Base

Jan finished the second turret base on Sunday afternoon before we went to the kids' for an early family dinner. Doug sure knows how to make a good steak!

Jan is Dutch for John, pronounced yan. So confusing, just think of the old song, "A Boy Named Sue."

The octagon turret base is made with 4x4 and 2x4 treated wood, held together with metal hangars and plates.

 Here he is bending one of the metal plates to the correct angle.

 

While Jan was working I made a strawberry pizza to take to dinner for dessert. They are so gooooood! I hadn't made one in many years because the old recipe calls for Danish Dessert which has been impossible to find. In August I researched recipes for a strawberry glaze to substitute and tried several and tweaked till I was pleased.

Well, I meant to take photos of the steps and the finished dessert but forgot!

It takes flour, butter and sugar for the shortbread crust, Philadelphia cream cheese and Cool Whip for the creamy layer.

 

The topping is sliced fresh strawberries in a strawberry glaze.

Next time I'll take pictures and post the recipe. 

Have you ever had a good home made strawberry pizza?

Garden Shed Base

Jan made the first base! Here is the underside showing the construction, the ground still needs to be leveled and prepared. The model is on one of the pallets we picked up last week.

Jan is picking out 2x4s for the frame.

Jason in Clovis responded to our request on Craigslist for old wood fencing. You have to be so careful, the first person that responded sent a link to what he said were photos of wood we could have and then it said you must download an upgrade to see the photos. Don't do it!!! It's a scam, search internet for how that works and avoid it.

Not too exciting photo of old fencing in van and below are bags of pebbles and sand for the base.

The weather is so nice right now, great for working outdoors.

Digging out Plants

Each day this week Jan has done something towards the shed. He's really taken to it. It's so wonderful to have a hubby who is eagerly into the project. Jan started digging out the plants to make room for the new shed.

Here I am in the location where it will go. The actual shed will be more than 6 times larger than the foam core model, and there will be doors. The shed will need a name, we have some ideas but not sure yet.

 

The old wood propped against the fence is 100 year old barn wood from a friend's old barn. We still have not decided what to do with the barn wood. The grain is so incredible, I want to do something special with it.

The new shed will use some new wood for base and framing but we want old wood for the siding. I'm watching CraigsList for free wood.