Bed Building Day Number One
Here are the beds we're making for Riley's birthday party:
American Girl Doll Bed
We did a trial run a while back and made one for Riley and one for Julia. They turned out great so we knew we could handle making them in bulk.
My dad cut all the wood. My mom, Riley and I got to work sanding all of the pieces. Tons of pieces.
Riley was the best at it. Her wood pieces came out perfectly smooth. She got really hot after a few pieces and went inside to research things that bunnies eat.
There was a bunny sitting in the shade on their back porch area. You could walk right up to it and it wouldn't move. Riley created a home for it using a wicker basket and colorful flannel fabric with flowers.
As my mom and I sanded, Riley opened the door and asked "Do we have any canteloupe or artichokes?" We smiled and my mom said she didn't. A few minutes later she popped her head out to ask "How about bananas? Or basil?" They had basil so my mom gave her some of that to put by the basket for the bunny. Later she asked "How about dandelions - roots, flowers and all?" They then went outside and found dandelions for the bunny. The bunny ended up eating the basil!
We were able to get all the pieces sanded. My dad began to put together the rails of the bed. *Warning: read directions before assembling despite having done this before - it will save you much time.* This was something neither of us thought to do. Why? Not sure.
I began to put together the headboards and footboards. My first one was a total disaster as I spent more time pulling out bent nails than I did actually putting it together. However it made the rest of them a million times easier as I learned from the many mistakes I made on the first set. Just stayed patient, enjoyed the breeze from the wind blowing into the garage and kept moving forward on it.
My dad finished the rails and we started out to put the headboard to a rail. It didn't fit. No matter how we turned it. Turns out that the shorter rail is supposed to be nailed to the outside of the longer rail. Not vice versa. While meant that all 24 rails had to be completely redone. My dad pried them all apart and put them all back together again. What a guy!!!
I kept going on my section and completed the headboards and footboards minus a few that my dad did. Along the way I hammered my pointer finger on my left hand several times in the same place. It is now purple and red and swollen. I somehow hammered some skin on the palm of that hand as well to give me a really nice blood blister. The price of determination and very little woodworking skills. But I did it!
We were able to get six of the beds completely finished. They really look awesome!! We only have six more to put together (when our pink drill is charged again as we stopped when it ran out of juice...). They should go much faster since pretty well everything is put together.
Riley was shrieking "EEEEEE" when she saw all the beds. My dad is amazing to be doing all of this and helping out so much. I thanked him several times. Hoping he knows what a truly amazing and cool thing this is that he is doing. He's a very great Grandpa to give his time and skills and bad back to this project.
American Girl Doll Bed
We did a trial run a while back and made one for Riley and one for Julia. They turned out great so we knew we could handle making them in bulk.
My dad cut all the wood. My mom, Riley and I got to work sanding all of the pieces. Tons of pieces.
 |
| The Sanders... |
 |
| The Sawer. |
Riley was the best at it. Her wood pieces came out perfectly smooth. She got really hot after a few pieces and went inside to research things that bunnies eat.
There was a bunny sitting in the shade on their back porch area. You could walk right up to it and it wouldn't move. Riley created a home for it using a wicker basket and colorful flannel fabric with flowers.
As my mom and I sanded, Riley opened the door and asked "Do we have any canteloupe or artichokes?" We smiled and my mom said she didn't. A few minutes later she popped her head out to ask "How about bananas? Or basil?" They had basil so my mom gave her some of that to put by the basket for the bunny. Later she asked "How about dandelions - roots, flowers and all?" They then went outside and found dandelions for the bunny. The bunny ended up eating the basil!
We were able to get all the pieces sanded. My dad began to put together the rails of the bed. *Warning: read directions before assembling despite having done this before - it will save you much time.* This was something neither of us thought to do. Why? Not sure.
I began to put together the headboards and footboards. My first one was a total disaster as I spent more time pulling out bent nails than I did actually putting it together. However it made the rest of them a million times easier as I learned from the many mistakes I made on the first set. Just stayed patient, enjoyed the breeze from the wind blowing into the garage and kept moving forward on it.
 |
| Lots of rails, headboards and footboards. |
My dad finished the rails and we started out to put the headboard to a rail. It didn't fit. No matter how we turned it. Turns out that the shorter rail is supposed to be nailed to the outside of the longer rail. Not vice versa. While meant that all 24 rails had to be completely redone. My dad pried them all apart and put them all back together again. What a guy!!!
I kept going on my section and completed the headboards and footboards minus a few that my dad did. Along the way I hammered my pointer finger on my left hand several times in the same place. It is now purple and red and swollen. I somehow hammered some skin on the palm of that hand as well to give me a really nice blood blister. The price of determination and very little woodworking skills. But I did it!
We were able to get six of the beds completely finished. They really look awesome!! We only have six more to put together (when our pink drill is charged again as we stopped when it ran out of juice...). They should go much faster since pretty well everything is put together.
 |
| Six little beds all in a row... |
Riley was shrieking "EEEEEE" when she saw all the beds. My dad is amazing to be doing all of this and helping out so much. I thanked him several times. Hoping he knows what a truly amazing and cool thing this is that he is doing. He's a very great Grandpa to give his time and skills and bad back to this project.
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