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.

Dancing by Solar Torch Light at the Garden Castle Shed

It was such a delightful view this evening that  hubby twirled me around this scene. We did a quick little dance by the new solar torch lighting.

The doors were given two coats of spar varnish today, hubby touched up the color differences so well you almost can't tell where they were pieced. Notice the solar lights, they do have a bit of a torch effect. I will still add some copper detail, not sure yet how that will be. For now they fit over dowels cut on a diagonal and screwed to the wall.

The desk has got to go! The threshold will be put in tomorrow.

Crenellated Wall on Garden Castle Shed

It was a big step today for the garden castle shed. We now have a crenellated wall. Now it really looks like a castle shed. 

There is still much to do but we are one step further along. Here it is at dusk with solar lights, the reflection in the mirror is from our house.

It was a beautiful warm sunny day, must have been about 15 degrees above normal. We both worked in t-shirts.

Yesterday I received Dan Reeder's latest updated Paper Mache Dragons book and this morning moved all my paper mache supplies to the shed. The garden castle shed must have a dragon in a turret! I posted photos of my previous dragons on the November 5 post, here.

Jan made my worktop desk in the turret on the right. I'll have a view from two windows to the yard.

We had tea earlier in the day and then by 4 p.m. I had my celebration Blue Moon beer after doing lots of painting.

 Painting proof, look at those fingers.

 

Jan is fitting the trim for a window, they will be next in the process to complete my dream shed.

Full Moon Over the Garden Castle Shed

We had a full moon over the garden castle shed this evening. The solar lights came on, still need to mount them permanently. Inside there are two lights, the solar panel is mounted to the right where it gets some light during the day but not enough, the lights only stayed on about 3 hours.

Wall mounted solar lights on either side of the door are a must, just haven't found any suitable yet.

Oh, how I want everything done! We are a step closer.

We have both turret roofs up. The door shape has been redone, we had to piece the sides. That will be covered when we frame the finished door.

Tomorrow the window shapes will be completed and maybe the crenellations.

 

Jan made up several simple ladders for me to organize the shelves and hearts that we have listed on our Etsy shop. I designed them to be moveable and will hang or stand. It will be nice to get things out of the house and organized in the shed.

There is a plan for the floor but it may be a couple of weeks before I can get to it.

Code Enforcement Checked on Castle Shed

Monday morning, by 11 a.m. a city building code inspector was at our door. Some neighbor didn't waste a minute to call, must have called at 8 a.m. to report us. The roof frame went up permanently on Saturday.

We invited the inspector in, I was confident we did not need a permit for the shed. He said someone walking by called about the the height of the roof. He measured the square footage and we are well below 120 square feet. He measured the height, it is 11 feet, a foot below the 12 foot high maximum.

The inspector asked if the base was treated wood, yes it is. He asked if we were adding electricity. I told him no, only solar lighting. We were very happy when he left. It is good knowing that we are okay and not violating any building codes.

Look at the gargoyle's scowl, he was not happy but the pot of yellow Johnny-Jump Ups that our neighbor Tracey brought us did cheer him up.

We worked a while today and put out a few things after cleaning up. Our Dutch shoes fit right in to our Dutch inspired shed.

And I couldn't resist putting out some solar lights. Don't you think we need a chandelier hanging in each turret? They will be solar.

We finished the back side of the second turret, put up the back side panels and back fascia today. I painted the back wall. Next we will do the smaller back turret panels so the slant roof can go on.

Here is our inspiration, the Koppelpoort water gate built in the 1400s in Amersfoort, Netherlands. Jan took the photo when we went back to visit in 2006, what a surprise during our midnight walk. The Dutch know lighting so well.

Dutch Cursing the Drill, Building the Garden Castle Shed

There was a lot of Dutch cursing going on today. Jan had to drill and install a lot of screws to get the back panels up. The dependable Mikita cordless battery gave out so he had to use the Bosch and the speed control is so finicky, that's what caused all the cursing.

Jan is sawing off the top of the back panels.

Pouring out some exterior primer paint.

By 4 p.m. I had my afternoon treat, see my glass to the right of the painting tray.

Cleaning up.

Back wall is up and primed.

We couldn't wait to see how solar lights look so we taped one on each side of the door opening and a 10 lumen floodlight is down below shining up, you can barely see the light below. We tested painting the lense yellow but it looks like a greenish cast, may need to try a different shade to get a warm yellow effect instead of the bright white.

Close up of a light taped to the stud.

Tomorrow we will permanently attach the rafters so the temporary support boards can be removed and we start on a turret. Can't wait!