I made this playhouse a little while ago for  Clare Crespo’s Yummyfun Kooking.  It’s made of cardboard boxes, bits of found wood, foil, plastic and lots and lots of popsicle sticks. I had a blast making it and it was a nice shift of gears and a good “brain opener”.  Clare is filming some new [...]]]>

I made this playhouse a little while ago for  Clare Crespo’s Yummyfun Kooking.  It’s made of cardboard boxes, bits of found wood, foil, plastic and lots and lots of popsicle sticks. I had a blast making it and it was a nice shift of gears and a good “brain opener”.  Clare is filming some new episodes of the Yummyfun Kooking show and I can’t wait to see the playhouse in action.  I’m a huge fan of C. Crespo and Yummyfun - if you are not already familiar I  recommend you check it out, most especially if you have little folks. There’s a recipe club and everything where you get stuff in the mail!

I made the ship above  as a prop for a TV commercial a couple years ago.  I assembled some boxes and parts of boxes into a shipish shape and then added all sorts of stuff – pipe cleaners, dixie cups, part of a birthday crown, wooden ice cream spoons, buttons, felt, [...]]]>

I made the ship above  as a prop for a TV commercial a couple years ago.  I assembled some boxes and parts of boxes into a shipish shape and then added all sorts of stuff – pipe cleaners, dixie cups, part of a birthday crown, wooden ice cream spoons, buttons, felt, etc. etc. The castle collage below was for an ad as well. I think they would be fun for little people to make ( with some grown up help).

Both  involve using the die cut sections of boxes for details .  I can’t resist a good piece of cardboard – I live near a fancy grocery and their recycling is full cartons and boxes with  interesting cutouts and shapes.

]]> http://annwood.net/blog/2010/03/11/things-to-do-on-a-rainy-day/feed/ 10 http://annwood.net/blog/2009/12/01/new-boats-and-castle-press/ http://annwood.net/blog/2009/12/01/new-boats-and-castle-press/#comments Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:05:45 +0000 annwood http://annwood.net/blog/?p=2322

The fleet here  is growing rapidly. I’m working on all sorts of new boats and ships and the little lateen rigged sailboats inspired by van gogh’s fishing boats are for you to make, I’m going to share the pattern and instructions next week. It takes me forever to work out the “how to” stuff but [...]]]>

The fleet here  is growing rapidly. I’m working on all sorts of new boats and ships and the little lateen rigged sailboats inspired by van gogh’s fishing boats are for you to make, I’m going to share the pattern and instructions next week. It takes me forever to work out the “how to” stuff but I think it’s pretty much there and I just need to test it on a couple people and photograph the steps. They are simple and relatively quick, I think you’re going to have fun making them.

Cardboard castle news:

Cardbaord Castle #2 is in the current issue of Elle Decor  – Japanese edition.  I get excited about any celebration of cardboard castle making and the entire magazine is lovely  so I’m pleased and flattered to be included.

It’s available [...]]]> I’m  pleased and excited to be included in “Play All Day – Design For Children” published this year by Gestalten. I’m also pleased to live in a world where you can have a blast making  castles out of old cardboard  boxes and on top of that! somebody will publish them in a lovely book.

It’s available at amazon now – check out  pages 48 and 49!

And a couple notes:

* Fill in the Blank Gallery is having a cardboard horse making workshop on Sunday, if you’re in Chicago check it out – all ages and skill levels are welcome and it’s free!!

* Henchard and some other new things ( including some ready made sweethearts and  a new set available to order)  will be in the shop sometime next week. If you are on the mailing list you will be notified when the shop is updated.

I finished my second cardboard castle and it’s in the window at Johnson at 179 Orchard street. There are also some doug rhodehamel style mushrooms and a couple little creatures roaming around. I had lots of fun making it and it was good thinking exercise for my sometimes too buttoned up brain. [...]]]>

I finished my second cardboard castle and it’s in the window at Johnson at 179 Orchard street. There are also some doug rhodehamel style mushrooms and a couple little creatures roaming around. I had lots of fun making it and it was good thinking exercise for my sometimes too buttoned up brain. I took some pictures of it here before we brought it over.

The back of the castle has some little holes you can peek into. I couldn’t really properly photograph what you see inside, there are ghosts at a ball in one,

an enchanted horse in another and miss havisham is held prisoner in a tower (her picture didn’t turn out at all).

The castle will be in the window at Johnson until October 31st . Unfortunately this is my last window for Johnson, Mrs. Johnson is closing at the end of the month. I’ll really miss doing her window. I started doing it for fun and it ended up changing my life in interesting and good ways, Thank you MJ.

And finished 2 new ships – pictures coming soon.