Le Chevalet D'enfant Facile - { Easy Child's Easel }

When it became high time that my creative little poppet had a painting easel, I found all the commercial ones were too tall for her and so heavy yet rickety they'd crush her little noggin as soon a look at her. So with some scrap wood lying around in the shed, a few bits and bobs and a good dose of "girls can do anything" spirit...I made one!

Now it's your turn (when I said last week to ready your hammers I wasn't kidding!) Now before you run away in fright I want to let you know a few things to encourage you: 1) I honestly made it (not hubby) and it truly was easy, 2) I am about 165cm tall and weigh about 50 kg (read puny and a weakling) and 3) I failed wood work at high school! Who's game??



You'll need a saw, a hammer, a measuring tape (you can even use your sewing one), a phillips head screwdriver (the star shaped one), a flat head screwdriver, a pencil, a square (two rulers stuck together to make a right angle would do the trick),...



...two 35mm Butt Hinges (buy them in a pack with screws), glue, 20mm nails (about a handful), three 20mm cup head screws, (make sure your nails are the same thickness as the shaft of the screws i.e. the part inside the curly thread part)...


4 pieces of "42mm x 19mm" timber at 850mm long (you can always make these longer if you want a taller easel), 2 pieces of "42mm x 11mm" timber at 430mm long, 2 pieces of ply wood at 430mm x 510mm and two pieces of chain or thin rope approximately 400mm long each. Now if you think I am trying to fry your brain with all this millimetre talk...I'm just trying to get you into "tradies'" lingo to gain you some street cred at your hardware store. These timber widths are fairly standard and most hardware stores will cut it to size for you if you smile sweetly....and talk in millimetres.

Later on you'll need 3 soft drink bottles...G and T anyone?

If you've ever read a sewing pattern, threaded an overlocker, pieced together a quilt, learnt to crochet etc.etc. etc. you CAN do this (and then will strut like a peacock for weeks)!! If you're willing to step out of the sewing comfort zone and dabble in a little D.I.Y. I'd love for you to join me. I'll make a list of those brave and adventurous souls on my sidebar ...please don't let it only have one name on it...."Nancy no-friends" me! Then we'll do show and tell in a few weeks to see the magic you've made.

I'll be back tomorrow with the "how to" part. Come on...we are women hear us roar!!!