I've been busy in my shed...

[Bob]

We needed a fence to keep our Chocolate Labrador away from the lo's play area. Even if you clean up immediately I worry that I've left a bit behind. Having decided on a fence and gate I thought I might as well make one that was fun.



I also looked at the sandpits for sale and decided that a flipping great big tractor tyre would be a much better option. While I was scrounging one tyre I managed to get three of the big tyres for the lo's to climb on or hide in.

[caz3007]

Love the fence and love the tyres

[FussyElmo]

Love the fence.

Like the sandpit but how are you covering it - want to make a sunken on but didnt know how to cover it

[LauraS]

Love the fence.

Like the sandpit but how are you covering it - want to make a sunken on but didnt know how to cover it

I bought some waterproof outdoor tent type fabric really cheaply to recover the roof of the fort on our swingset last year - if you made an oversized circle with elastic in the hem, it would cover a tyre great.

Not sure how you'd do it if the tyre qs sunk into the ground though... maybe a circle of outdoor ply, sanded and painted, with rope handles?

[LauraS]

Bob, how did you secure the stacked tyres? I love the idea, but not sure how I'd secure them to stop them toppling when climbed on...

Oh, and where did you beg them from?

[Bob]

Thanks for the lovely compliments.

I scrounged the tyres from an agricultural workshop near us. I think they were glad to get rid of them because it costs them quite a lot to dispose of commercially. I washed them with a jetwash and then drilled lots of holes in the lower sides so that rainwater wouldn't collect and go stagnant.

As for fixing them onto each other there is no need. It took two big men to lift one onto another so there is no way the children could shift them even an inch. Mrs Ofsted was well impressed with them when she visited but mainly the kids love them.

This summer I'm going to give them children a selection of emulsion paints and let them loose on the tyres with big paint brushes.

To cover the sand we have a punctured blowup paddling pool which fits over the big thin tyre perfectly.

I haven't got any photo's but I worried about the pencil points if a child decided to climb the fence so after a few days I removed all the pencils and refitted them with the points down. I don't think it is as asthetically pleasing but their safety comes first and it stopped me worrying. I also included the hedgehog/cat gap on the righthand side.

[MessybutHappy]

Seriously good!

[angeldelight]

Oooh it looks really nice

Well dine you

Angel xxx

[MessybutHappy]

Love the fence.

Like the sandpit but how are you covering it - want to make a sunken on but didnt know how to cover it

A friend had a sunken one - the cover was a flat bit of ply covered in tarpaulin, one edge was propped up so the whole surface sloped, the back edge was protected by a flap of tarpaulin. It wasn't 100% waterproof, but we agreed that a little bit of water makes for damp sand which is easier to play with anyay!

[Bob]

A friend had a sunken one - the cover was a flat bit of ply covered in tarpaulin, one edge was propped up so the whole surface sloped, the back edge was protected by a flap of tarpaulin. It wasn't 100% waterproof, but we agreed that a little bit of water makes for damp sand which is easier to play with anyay!

That's a perfect solution and it was what I started to do but then I found our old paddling pool and discovered that it fitted the sandpit. We stick a toy spade in the middle of the sand and put the plastic over that so water doesn't pool in the middle.

When I'm busy in my shed I usually stick to smaller things like these boxes.

This one was a present for a friend of ours





and this one I made for my daughter because she loves baking cakes

[RuthJ]

Wow! You have some talent! I love the fence

[twinkletots]

The fence looks fantastic!

[Bob]

I made this for a lovely old lady at our church.



And I've started to make lots of these wooden keyrings for people.

[Ballette]

Wow, you're very talented

[FussyElmo]

Very Talented. Love the cupcake and keyrings!

Thanks for the suggestions for the sandpit cover

[skatie]

Wow, that's very impressive! I absolutely love your fencing its brilliant and am very jealous of your lovely tyre sandpit, it will look great painted. Hmmm, wondering who I can scrounge a tractor tyre off?

[smurfette]

Fab! Gonna see if I can scrounge a tractor tyre or two! Love the fence thanks for ideas!!

[Bob]

Grrrrrr! What is it about being a childminder that means a parent doesn't have to even say thank you.
I made a set of name tags for our schoolies book bags with nice hardwoods and inlaid names.



and when I gave it to one of the children this evening the mother just took if off them and stuck it in her pocket
I thought "What! a 'thank you' is a bit much for you is it?
Wish I'd never bothered now.

[sarah707]

They are really lovely... as are the other things you make.

My dad turned wood in his spare time so I know quality when I see it

[smurfette]

Grrrrrr! What is it about being a childminder that means a parent doesn't have to even say thank you.
I made a set of name tags for our schoolies book bags with nice hardwoods and inlaid names.

and when I gave it to one of the children this evening the mother just took if off them and stuck it in her pocket
I thought "What! a 'thank you' is a bit much for you is it?
Wish I'd never bothered now.

Grrr for you they are lovely, hopefully schoolies will be proud to show them off