Here's to ART!!!

Oh how time flies when you're doing laundry, cleaning house, making dinners, learning multiplication, working in the yard, getting out winter clothes, putting winter clothes in the garage sale pile and getting new winter clothes, washing dishes, etc, etc, etc!!! ;-))

I know, I know, everyone's busy, right!!!

This little project took me awhile to complete...I had to figure out some logistical issues, being construction-challenged as I am...but I think it turned out fairly well!!

This is what I started with...



It was the frame of a table umbrella that had gotten hit hard in one of the storms last summer, and I just thought there might be something interesting that I could do with it other than throw it away...

First I dissassembled...



...just took everything apart with screwdriver and pliers...then looked at what was there. I don't know why, but the long thin pieces looked to me like they might make a good easel, so now I had a plan!!

The long thin pieces would be the legs of the easel, and they already had a hole through one end, so I measured how long of a screw I needed to go through all three pieces, then went to the hardware store and totally guessed about the diameter of said screw!!! (It just felt right ;-)))



I also got a length of chain and some "screw eyes" (I just have to say here that that name makes me laugh...don't know why I just giggle at it...teehee!!) and a set of two small L-brackets with screws. I am not professional enough at this to have thought about taking pictures of all of those things before I used them, so let me know if clarification is required!! :-))

The "screw eyes" (teehee!!) and chain were placed on the middle of the easel to assure that the easel won't slip and collapse...



And the L-brackets were used to attach the shelf piece to the legs...



The shelf piece was just an extra bit of left-over board, so the total cost of this project was less than $5...just the cost of the hardware!!

And voila!! Here is the assembled easel...





It's a great height for grade-school kiddos, bigger than toddler-size, but still a bit smaller than adult size. Since the wood used is two different colors, I could paint (or stain) the whole thing to make it more professional looking...(isn't there something inherently ironic about painting an easel?????? ;-))

I kindof like the rawness of it, though, and this way, nothing will be "ruined" if my little Rembrandts decide to become Jackson Pollacks!!!!!! ;-))