Woodworking pt. 1

So just before we took our family vacation this summer, I was totally inspired by Ana White's farmhouse bed for 18" dolls. My dear husband just wasn't interested in making it, but after seeing the directions and having helped put my fair share of Pinewood Derby cars as well as checking out blogs like Sawdust and Paper Scraps, I thought, "Why couldn't I learn to do this?"

So family vacation time comes--I have to say, my dad has got great woodworking skills. Growing up we had a cupboard he had made for us where we stored all of our pretend food. He also made a high chair and the stable that housed our Nativity set. Many years ago he made this stable--one for each of my sisters and I--which was a slightly larger replica of the one my family grew up with.

The second nativity (on the right) was a gift from my in-laws. They got it in South Africa.

Then last year we were presented with

He modeled it after the advent calendar in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. He found a website that served as a jumping off point, and then made his own templates. Each tiny window has tiny hinges and it was all lovingly put together by my parents. (My mom did the bulk of the painting). I don't have great pictures of all of the detail, but it's there.

A widows walk cleverly made from paperclips, the architectural elements just under the roofline, and the tiny icicles they attached are just a few of them.

He began working on the first one for my mom after he finally retired. It turned out wonderfully, and then he set to work making one for each of my sisters and I.

I have to say, I'm so proud of my dad! He was also one of my inspirations. I asked him if he would be willing to teach me some basic woodworking skills when we saw them for our family vacation. He said he would! Part 2 to soon follow.