wooden toy Archives - Handmade with Ashley

How to make a Solar System threading game (with video!)

Ashley — Sat, 17 Dec 2016 14:10:25 +0000

DIY Solar System Threading Game

Hi everyone! I’ve teamed up with 5 YouTubers to bring you a YouTube Handmade Holiday Gift Series. Handmade gifts often cost little in materials but the value to the person on the receiving end is exponential. This week my friends and I are sharing a new gift idea each day.

YouTube Handmade Holiday Gift Series

Here’s the schedule:

Sunday 12/11/2016 ToolBox Divas www.youtube.com/ToolBoxDivasNation
Monday 12/12/2016 DoityourselfDanielle https://www.youtube.com/user/doityourselfdanielle
Tuesday 12/13/2016 Woodgrain Girls https://goo.gl/25x8FI
Wednesday 12/14/2016 Handmade with Ashley https://goo.gl/qGO171
Thursday 12/15/2016 Cowlick Studios https://goo.gl/3iqccJ
Friday 12/16/2016 Mother Daughter Projects https://www.youtube.com/MotherDaughterProjects

Stay tuned, subscribe to each of our channels, and give a handmade gift this holiday season.

How to make a Solar System Threading Game

This is my YouTube project video debut. I’m sharing how to make a Solar System threading game. Threading games are great for developing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, concentration, and patience. Inspiration for this project comes from my son. He is learning about planets and adores space. Watch the tutorial below and continue reading for the written version.

Quick safety warning: The project involves small pieces and a cord. This is a potential choking hazard for young children.

Tools and Supplies

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

The following items are the tools and supplies you’ll need to make the solar system threading game.

Tools

Saw (hand or power)
Scroll saw (or jigsaw or coping saw)
Drill (with a drill guide or preferably a drill press)
3/8″ Spade drill bit
1/16″ drill bit
Vise (I used my JawHorse)
Sander

Tools used for the project

Supplies

Scrap lumber
1/4″ dowel
Acrylic paints
Sealer (I used Mod Podge)
String (I used leather cord)
Sand paper
Strong adhesive (I used DAP Rapid Fuse)

Step 1: Sketch shapes of the sun and planets onto the scrap lumber

I wanted a very cartoony look for my solar system. I sketched lumpy circles for each planet and the sun. While the planets aren’t drawn to scale, I did try to size them such that Jupiter was the largest circle (after the sun) and Mercury was the smallest circle.

Step 2: Cut out each shape

Shapes cut out with a scroll saw

Use a scroll saw, jigsaw or a coping saw to cut out each planet and the sun.

I used my scroll equipped with a Flying Dutchman Ultra Reverse blade.

Step 3: Drill holes through each planet

Drill 3/8″ holes through each planet. I used a spade bit.

Step 4: Drill holes for the string

Drill a 1/16″ hole approximately a 1/4″ – 1/2″ deep in one end of the dowel and on one side of the sun.

Step 5: Prep planets for painting

Sand the surface of the planets and sun. Apply primer if necessary.

Step 6: Paint a base coat

Paint each planet and sun with a solid layer of the most predominate color.

Step 7: Paint details

Painting planet details

Follow up with a new layer of paint capture details and features of each planet and the sun. Look at pictures of the solar system as a reference. I wanted a cartoony look for my solar system. Once I painted the details I went back and painted happy faces on each planet and the sun.

Step 8: Seal the paint

Protect the paint with a coat of sealer.

Step 9: Secure the string

Securing string to dowel and sun

Apply adhesive to each 1/16″ hole and insert the cord. I used a piece of leather cord that I had on hand.

Step 10: Enjoy!

If you build the solar system threading game, please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @handmadewithashley or Twitter @handmadewithash. I’d love to see your pictures!

DIY Threading Solar System Game

DIY Solar System Threading Game

The post How to make a Solar System threading game (with video!) appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

DIY BB-8 Push Toy (Tutorial)

Ashley — Sun, 04 Dec 2016 10:01:15 +0000

How to make a wooden BB-8 push toy. This is an excellent homemade gift for the little Star Wars fan in your life.

DIY BB-8 Push Toy

Hi everyone! I’ve teamed up with 12 awesome woodworker bloggers to bring you 13 Days of a Woodworker Christmas.

13 Days of a Woodworker Christmas

My Love 2 Create – Open now!
The Handyman’s Daughter – Open now!
Craftsman Drive – Open now!
Handmade with Ashley – That’s me!
Hazel & Gold – Open now!
The Painted Key – Open now!
The Created Home – Open now!
Her Tool Belt – Open now!
Lazy Guy DIY – Open now!
Uncookie Cutter – Open now!
Knock It Off Crafter – Open now!
The Jawn Shop – Open now!
Keddie Woodshop – Open now!

And on top of sharing the how to on 13 projects, we’re having a giveway! We’ve teamed up with @RyobiPowerTools and @PaintWIZ_ Paint Sprayers to bring you a prize pack valued at over $300!

To enter to win the giveaway, starting December 1st repost the 13 Days of Woodworker Christmas Image to your Instagram feed with the tag #13DaysofWoodworking. Want additional entries? Each day a different blogger “unwraps” their project they’ll post a teaser image on their Instagram feed. Follow their account (and check out their project!) and repost their teaser image to your Instagram feed with the same tag #13DaysofWoodworking along with the unique tag that’s will be given out along with each project. What? We are giving you 14 different chances to win this awesome gift pack? Darn right, it’s the season of giving isn’t it? You have until 10:00pm PST on December 14th to enter. All entries will be tallied and a winner will be announced Friday, December 16th.

My secret hashtag is #bb8pushtoy.

The Fourth Day of Christmas

BB-8 Push Toy in action!

I’m a Star Wars geek. I enjoy combining Star Wars with woodworking (see TIE Fighter Bookshelf). Today, I’m sharing how to build a wooden BB-8 Push toy. This would be a cute homemade gift for the little Star Wars fan in your life.

On the fourth day of Christmas your dear woodworker made a wooden BB-8 push toy

Tools and Supplies

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

The following items are the tools and supplies you’ll need to build the BB-8 push toy.

Tools

Something to cut circles with (I used my trim router with a circle jig)
Orbital Sander
Handsaw
Drill
1/2″ Forstner bit
9/16″ Forstner bit
1/16″ Drill bit
Router with 1/4″ roundover bit
Printer
Paint brush

Project supplies

Supplies

Scrap wood (1×8 – 24″)
1/2″ Wooden dowel rod (48″ long)
1″ Dowel cap for a 1/2″ dowel
1″ Split ball
1/16″ wooden dowel (2)
Wood glue
Triple Thick Gloss Glaze
Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium
Mod Podge Dimensional Magic
Spray primer
Acrylic Paints (black, white, orange, gray)
Black marker
BB-8 Coloring page (page 2, print 2 copies at 125%)

How to build a BB-8 Push Toy

DIY BB-8 Push Toy

Step 1: Cut four circles

Cut 4 circles from your scrap piece of lumber. You will need two 6″ circles and two 3.5″ circles.

Cutting 3.5″ circles with a hole saw

Cutting 6″ circle with Makita trim router and Rockler trim router circle jig

I used a 3.5″ hole saw to cut out my circles. I don’t recommend this method. However if you do decide to use a hole saw, please handle with care. For the larger 6″ circles, I used my trim router equipped with a circle jig. I own a Rockler circle jig. It’s not compatible with my Makita trim router out of the box. I just needed to make a quick mod to make it work.

Step 2: Drill holes for the axle

Drilling holes for axle

Find the center of the 6″ circles. Drill a 1/2″ wide hole no more than 1/2″ deep at the center point of each large circle.

Drilling hole for axle

Find the center on one of the 3.5″ circles. Drill a 9/16″ hole through the entire circle.

Step 3: Drill holes for BB-8’s head

Drilling hole in BB-8’s head

On each 3.5″ circle drill a 1/2″ deep hole with the 1/2″ bit.

Step 4: Drill a hole for the handle

Find the 3.5″ circle with a hole for the axle. Drill another 1/2″ deep hole with the 1/2″ bit 45 degrees from the hole for BB-8’s head.

Step 5: Drill two tiny holes for antennas

Find the 3.5″ circle with one hole. Drill two 1/16″ holes on the opposite end of the existing hole.

Step 6: Cut the dowels

I recommend cutting the dowels to fit. BB-8’s head should be slightly covered by the body. You will need a short dowel (~ 1 1/2″) piece for connecting the head to the body and another short piece for connecting the two wheels (~ 1 3/4″). What’s remaining will be the handle for the toy.

Also cut two pieces of 1/8″ dowel (BB-8’s antennas). My tiny dowel pieces were about 1 1/2″ and 1″ long.

Step 7: Tidy up the circles

Circle edges are rounded over

Round over the edges of each circle with a 1/4″ roundover router bit. Sand the surface of each circle.

Step 8: Prep the surface for paint

Spray priming

Prime each circle with white spray primer.

Step 9: Transfer BB-8 pattern onto the circles

Instead of freehand drawing BB-8’s pattern onto the circles, I cheated. I found an activity pack that contained several coloring book pages from The Force Awakens one of which is BB-8 (it’s on page 2). Print two copies enlarged at 125%.

I used Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium to transfer the coloring page outline onto the circles. Follow the instructions here on how to use it. Now here’s where I made a really awful mistake. I ran out of normal copy paper, but I had some colored copy paper. I mistakenly believed that the medium would only transfer my laser printer toner ink, but it also transferred pigments in the paper. Oops!

Trouble with the transfer

Step 10: Paint in the lines

Fill in BB-8’s colors. Be careful to stay between the lines. I used a black marker to touch up in areas where I painted over the line.

Painting BB-8’s body

Paint the 1″ split ball black, the 1/2″ dowel cap orange, and 1/16″ dowels gray.

Split ball and dowel end cap

Step 11: Add a layer of dimension

Once the paint has dried, coat the 1″ split ball with triple thick gloss glaze. Cover the small black dot on BB-8’s head with a few drops of the Mod Podge Dimensional Glaze. The glazes give BB-8’s eyes a glass-like look.

Adding Mod Podge Dimensional Magic to one of BB-8’s “eyes”

Step 12: Seal

Apply your favorite sealer to protect the paint.

Step 13: Assemble and enjoy!

Assembling BB-8

With wood glue and clamps, assemble BB-8.

Start with gluing in dowel in one of the 6″ circles. Once the glue has tried, thread the 3.5″ axel circle and glue the dowel to the remaining 6″ circle.

Attach BB-8’s head and handle with glue as well.

DIY BB-8 Push Toy

If you build the push toy, please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @handmadewithashley or Twitter @handmadewithash. I’d love to see your pictures!

DIY BB-8 Push Toy

Check out my other Star Wars projects here!

The post DIY BB-8 Push Toy (Tutorial) appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

Citrus Lane June 2015 Unboxing

Ashley — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 05:32:20 +0000

Ashley Unboxes: Citrus Lane June 2015 Package

The June 2015 package has arrived! Our Citrus Lane package targets a young boy around the age of 12 months. Let’s take a look inside.

The Contents

June’s hello message

June’s package contents

Inside our June Citrus Lane package we found the following items:

Hape First Pounder (MSRP $11.99)
Aqueduck (MSRP $9.99)
JJ Rabbit dipPLATE (MSRP $9.99)
Kabrita goat milk yogurt and fruit (MSRP $1.79)

First Impressions

Here are my initial impressions of each item we received this month.

Hape First Pounder

If we did not own a pounder, I am sure I would have been excited to see this in our package. The toy seems well made.

Aqueduck

The Aqueduck is a interesting water extender. We are not at a point where there is useful for us. Expect an update once our little man gets a little bigger.

JJ Rabbit dipPLATE

The JJ Rabbit dipPLATE is a nice quality, sturdy plate for the little guy. It features a dip tray on the side. This is the second JJ Rabbit item we have received through Citrus Lane. The first was the ergoFORK+SPOON in our January package. We use the spoon and fork quite frequently.

Kabrita Goat Milk Yogurt

We have not tried this yet. I’m not sure what to make of the 2+ age on the package. I will post an update this once we give it a try.

UPDATE:

We gave this a try over the weekend. My little guy loved this. I have never seen him down a pouch as quickly as he ate the Kabrita yogurt. He was very upset once he emptied the contents of the pouch. His reaction to it was big enough that I will order a few more.

Also, I have learned the 2+ means children who are eating solids.

Final Thoughts

Unfortunately, our June package did not raise the bar over our May package. This month was a little disappointing. I am most excited about our new plate and I think it will receive a lot of use in the future. The other items? Not so much.

Here’s to hoping July is an awesome month!

The post Citrus Lane June 2015 Unboxing appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

DIY Minecraft Sword (Wooden Sword Tutorial)

Ashley — Tue, 26 May 2015 01:10:31 +0000

Ashley Makes: DIY Minecraft Sword

My little sister loves Minecraft. She also loves handmade gifts from her big sister. For her birthday present, I made a Minecraft sword. The sword complements the wooden Minecraft torches I made a few months ago. You can check out the tutorial here. In this post, I’ll share steps for creating a sword of your own from a 1×12 board!

(For sneak peaks on upcoming projects follow me on Facebook and Instagram!)

Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links.

Tools and Supplies

The following items are some of the tools and supplies I gathered to create the sword:

1×12 board 24 inches long
Graphing paper
Sander
Ruler
Scroll saw
Painters tape
Acrylic Craft Paints (I used Delta Ceramcoat paints)
- Brown Iron Oxide
- Bambi Brown
- Burnt Umber
- Raw Sienna
- North Sea
- Mermaid Blue
- Tahiti Blue
- Midnight Blue
Daddy Van’s Beeswax (for sealing the project)
Cotton Terry Cloth Applicators

Making the Sword

Step 1: Create sword pattern

With a straight edge, a pen and an image of the Minecraft sword, I created a pattern on graphing paper. Each pixel is 1 inch by 1 inch. The sword is 11 inches wide and about 22 inches long.

I scanned my pattern and it’s available here:

Minecraft sword pattern

Sword pattern cut out

Step 2: Trace sword pattern onto 1×12 board

Next, I traced the sword outline onto the 1×12 board.

Sword outline traced onto 1×12 board

Step 3: Cut out sword shape

I used my scroll saw to cut out the shape of the sword. I think a band saw would have been a more appropriate tool, but alas, I do not own one. Cutting straight lines with a scroll saw was a bit challenging because of blade drift. However, this was an excellent project for gaining experience with cutting along a line.

Removed excess wood with jig saw

Sword cut out

Step 4: Sand the sword

I used my orbital sander to sand the sword. I took a few shortcuts and it shows, so make sure you take your time and do a thorough job sanding.

Step 5: Draw grid lines on the sword

Next up, I drew one inch grid lines on each side of the sword.

Grid lines

Step 6: Paint the pixels

I painted each cell with acrylic paint. This part was a bit tedious, especially when I tried to be neat and tape off the cells. I used the following colors from Delta Ceramcoat:

Brown Iron Oxide
Bambi Brown
Burnt Umber
Raw Sienna
North Sea
Mermaid Blue
Tahiti Blue
Midnight Blue

Painting in progress

One side complete

Step 7: Seal the project

I used Daddy Van’s Beeswax to seal the sword.

The Finished Sword

I am pretty pleased with how the sword turned out. The wood is heavier than I thought. Swinging requires a bit of effort.

The finished Minecraft diamond sword

DIY Minecraft sword

The post DIY Minecraft Sword (Wooden Sword Tutorial) appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

DIY Busy Board

Ashley — Sat, 09 May 2015 13:22:07 +0000

Ashley Makes: DIY Busy Board

I found a really cool project while browsing Pinterest: a busy board (the busy board by Millionayres in particular)! I have never seen such a thing, but the moment I saw it I knew I had to make it. I made use of some scrap 1×12 boards, spray painted it black and yellow, and purchased a variety of items to attach to the board. In this post, I’ll share the steps I took for creating a busy board for our busy little boy!

Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links.

Tools and Supplies

The following items are some of the tools and supplies I gathered to make the busy board:

2 – 1×12 boards 36 inches long
Kreg Jig (for joining the two boards)
Silhouette (for creating the caution stencil)
Yellow spray paint
Black spray paint
Painters tape
Contact paper (material used to creating the Silhouette stencil)
Daddy Van’s Beeswax (for sealing the project)
Cotton Terry Cloth Applicators
OOK ReadyNail Large Sawtooth Hanger
OOK Picture Hangers

Busy Items

Creating the Busy Board

Step 1: Join the 1×12 boards.

I wanted to make use of lumber I had on hand, so for my board I used my Kreg Jig to join two 36″ long 1×12 boards.

1×12 Boards joined together with Kreg Jig pocket holes

Step 2: Spray paint the with base color.

Next, I spray painted the board with yellow spray paint.

Spray painted the board yellow

Step 3: Create caution stencil.

I created a caution stencil with the message, “CAUTION: CHILD AT PLAY” from my Silhouette and Contact paper. I followed the Shanty sister’s tutorial on creating a stencil with Contact paper to get the perfect cut setting on my Silhouette. You can download my Silhouette cut file here.

Step 4: Apply caution stencil and painters tape.

I applied the caution stencil to the board and used painters tape to tape off diagonal stripes.

Taped and ready for black paint

Step 5: Spray paint with secondary color.

Next, I spray painted the entire board with black spray paint. Once I removed the stickers I was a little disappointed to notice a few areas where the stencil and tape were not completely stuck to the board. This resulted in a few fuzzy spots. Fortunately, if you stand from a distance the flaw is not noticeable.

Spray painted the board with black paint

Stencil and painters tape removed

Step 6: Seal the board.

I used Daddy Van’s Beeswax to apply a protective coat on the board. This is my first project using beeswax. Daddy Van’s was really easy to apply and I am quite pleased with the results. It gets bonus points for no smelly fumes and easy clean up!

Daddy Van’s Furniture Polish

Beeswax applied

Step 7: Install the busy hardware.

Now, here’s the fun part: installing the hardware! I made a trip to the hardware store and I purchased the following busy little items:

Door Chain
Locking Hasp
Spring Door stop
Bells
Caster wheel

I also made a trip to Michael’s to purchase some bells. I strung the bells on cord and attached it to the board as well.

If you use a door stop, secure the tip with glue.

Locks and a caster wheel

Bells from Michael’s

Step 8: Hang the board!

In hindsight, I should have installed the picture framing hardware prior to installing the busy hardware. It would have made this step a little easier. I installed two large OOK Sawtooth hangers on the back of the board. I then installed two 20 pound OOK Picture hangers on my drywall.

OOK Picture Hanging Hardware

If you have never used this picture hanging system, I recommend you check it out. It made this step a breeze!

Busy Board prior to hanging

The Finished Busy Board

The Busy Board was an instant hit for my little guy. He is most attracted to the spring door stop and caster wheels. I am pretty happy with how the project turned out as well! I do have a few more spots that I’d like to fill in, perhaps with a mirror and a push light.

The finished busy board

The kid approves

The post DIY Busy Board appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

DIY Bowling Lane (Tutorial)

Ashley — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 03:01:00 +0000

Ashley Makes: DIY Bowling Lane

Scratch your bowling itch by building this miniature bowling lane made from scrap lumber. My husband and I were discussing how fun it will be to take our little boy bowling once he is old enough to enjoy it. From that conversation I got the idea of building a miniature bowling lane. I was also inspired by Ana White’s #GetBuilding2015 challenge to make use of the large pile of lumber stored in my garage. This bowling lane is a little shy of being a foot wide and 4 feet long. In this post, I’ll share steps for making a bowling lane of your own!

(For sneak peeks on upcoming projects follow me on Facebook and Instagram!)

Kids bowling lane

Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links.

The Tools and Supplies

The following items are some of the tools and supplies I gathered to create the miniature bowling lane:

Bowling Pins

Bowling Lane

1 – 46″ long 1×12 board
2 – 46″ long 1×2 boards
2 – 9.75″ long 1×2 boards
1 – 9.75″ long 1×4 board
2 – 23″ long 1×4 boards
Kreg Jig (for joining boards)
Sander
Dremel (for rounding guard edges)
JigSaw (for rounding guard edges)
Wood Filler
Handsaw
Paint
Silhouette (for creating stencils for lane markers)

Decorating the Bowling Pins

I purchased 10 unfinished wooden bowling pins. The pins looked pretty bland. A little paint and washi tape made a big difference. The following steps describe how I decorated the pins.

Unfinished wooden bowling pins

Step 1: Paint the bowling pins white.

I spray painted the bowling pins white with a can of Rust-Oleum’s Painter’s Touch Paint+Primer.

Rust-Oleum Spray paint + Spray Paint Gun

Bowling pins lined up for painting

Step 2: Add washi tape to the neck of the bowling pin.

To give the bowling pins a nice pop of color, I added washi tape to the neck of the pins. I purchased my washi tape from cutetape.com. I used the following tapes:

Washi Tape from CuteTape

Step 3: Seal the washi tape with Mod Podge.

To ensure the tape would stay put, I applied a coat of Mod Podge (Matte Finish).

Step 4: Coat the pins with Triple Thick Gloss Glaze.

For the final step, I coated each pin with two layers of Triple Thick Gloss Glaze. This gave the pins a nice shiny and smooth finish.

Coating the bowling pins with Triple Thick Gloss Glaze

Building the Bowling Lane

Here’s how I pieced together the bowling lane.

Step 1: Cut the boards to the appropriate size.

I had a leftover 46″ long 1×12 board. I wanted the lane guards to run half the length of the bowling lane, so I cut 2 1×4 boards to length of 23 inches. The remaining 1×4 and 1×2 boards were cut to fit the 1×12 board.

Lumber

The final cuts were:

1 – 46″ long 1×12 board
2 – 46″ long 1×2 boards
2 – 9.75″ long 1×2 boards
1 – 9.75″ long 1×4 board
2 – 23″ long 1×4 boards

Step 2: Round the lane guard ends. (Optional)

Rounding the edges of the lane guards give the bowling lane a nice touch. I used a lid to trace a curve on one end of each of the 23″ 1×4 boards. I then used my jigsaw to cut the curve.

Jigsaw

Step 3: Add bottom trim.

I attached the 1×2 boards to the 1×12 board with some finishing nails and a hammer to form a box.

Nailing 1×2 boards to 1×12 board

Nailing the 1×2 boards to the 1×12 board

Bottom trim added

Step 4: Attach the lane guards.

Next, I used my Kreg Jig to create pocket holes for joining the pieces of the lane guard together. Once the 3 1×4 boards were joined, I then attached the lane guard to the 1×12 board.

Drilling pocket holes

Attaching pieces of the guard together

Attaching lane guards to bowling lane base

Step 5: Add wood filler and sand, sand sand.

I added wood filler to cover up the pocket holes and spent a good amount of time sanding down the rough edges.

Wood filler

Sanding the rounded edges with a Dremel

Sanding bowling lane

Step 6: Add paint.

I painted the bowling lane with Krylon Satin Sea Glass spray paint.

Ready for paint!

Step 7: Add washi tape. (Optional)

I wanted to tie in some of the colors from the bowling pins to the bowling lane. I wrapped perimeter of the lane with striped washi tape.

My little washi tape helper

Step 8: Add lane markers. (Optional)

For a nice final touch, I created stencils for lane arrows and markers for the bowling pin locations with the Silhouette editor. I used Contact paper to create the stencil. I followed the Shanty sister’s tutorial on creating a stencil with contact paper to get the perfect cut setting on my Silhouette. To complement the Sea Glass paint, I painted the lane markers with neon orange paint.

The Silhouette cut files are available here for download:

If you don’t own a Silhouette, I made the images available for download here:

Painting lane markers

Painting complete!

Close up on the lane arrows

Step 9: Seal the project!

The Completed Bowling Lane

The bowling lane was a really fun project. It has been a hit for my little guy, and the adults enjoy it too. To increase difficultly, use a smaller ball and have the bowler toss the ball from several feet away.

If you build the bowling lane, please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram as @handmadewithashley or Twitter as @handmadewithash. I’d love to see your pictures!

Bowling pins in position

Reader Projects

My very first reader project from @sawdustandperfume!

Made this mini bowling ally for my niece who is visually impaired. She loves being able to get up close to see what she is doing. The lrg orange dots for the pins are very helpful for her to set it back up. Plans from @handmadewithashley

A photo posted by @sawdustandperfume on Aug 1, 2016 at 1:05pm PDT

Pin it!

DIY Bowling Lane

DIY Kids Bowling Lane

For sneak peaks on upcoming projects follow me on Facebook and Instagram!

The post DIY Bowling Lane (Tutorial) appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

DIY Volcano Wooden Stacker

Ashley — Sat, 04 Apr 2015 21:33:12 +0000

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Ashley Makes: DIY Volcano Stacker

Using scrap lumber, I made a little volcano stacker. I created the stacker using a pattern from Erin Freuchtel-Dearing’s book, Natural Wooden Toys. The stacker was a really simple and easy project. I was able to complete the project within one afternoon using supplies I had on hand. Best of all, the toy seems to be a hit with the little guy!

The Tools and Supplies

Natural Wooden Toys by Erin Freuchtel-Dearing

The following is a list of a few tools and supplies I gathered to create the volcano stacker:

Natural Wooden Toys Book
Scroll Saw
Scrap Lumber
Acrylic Paint
Mod Podge
Dremel (for sanding the curves)

Making the Stacker

Step 1: Prepare the board.

I grabbed a 1×12 board from my scrap wood pile and gave it a really good sanding.

Prepping the scrap lumber

Step 2: Trace the pattern.

Using tracing paper, I made a copy of the volcano stacker pattern from the book. I then applied the pattern to my board.

Volcano stacker project in the book

Pattern applied to the board

Step 3: Cut out the shape and sand the edges.

Next, I used my scroll saw to cut out the four pieces that made up the volcano. I then sanded down the rough edges.

Scrolling complete

Step 4: Paint and seal the stacker.

I used acrylic craft paints and followed the same color scheme as the project in the book. Once the paint dried I applied Mod Podge (Matte Finish) to seal the stacker.

The Completed Stacker

Overall, I am pretty happy with the final project. However, next stacker there are two things I would do differently. One, I would do a better job sanding the edges. Sanding is my least favorite thing to do! In this project I took a shortcut there and it shows. Two, I would take my time painting and sealing. Once again, I took a shortcut and it shows. Now, my little boy could care less! He is really drawn to the toy and has not become bored of it yet. I am super excited about trying other projects from the book and experimenting with original designs of my own!

DIY Volcano Wooden Stacker

DIY Volcano Wooden Stacker separated

The post DIY Volcano Wooden Stacker appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

DIY Minecraft Torch (Tutorial)

Ashley — Thu, 02 Apr 2015 04:32:41 +0000

How to make wooden Minecraft torches from a 2×2 board. The torches make awesome party favors for a Minecraft themed birthday party.

Ashley Makes: Minecraft Torch

My favorite 7 year old recently had a Minecraft themed birthday party. For party favors, I made Minecraft torches from a 2×2 board. Painting each pixel of the torch was an incredibly time consuming process. This is definitely not a project you want to procrastinate on. I would budget two hours per a torch. The torches are 1.5″ wide and 7.5″ tall. The scale for the pixels is 0.75 inches. In this post, I’ll share steps for making a few torches of your own!

(For sneak peaks on upcoming projects follow me on Facebook and Instagram!)

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Tools and Supplies

The following is a list of the tools and supplies I gathered to create the torches:

2×2 board
Japanese Handsaw and Guide
Rockwell JawHorse (for holding the 2×2 while cutting)
A sander or a sanding block
A ruler
Acrylic Craft Paints (I used Delta Ceramcoat paints)
A good quality paint brush (A good brush helps keep the paint within the lines. I used one of my Da Vinci Red Sable brushes.)
Mod Podge (for sealing the paint)
Led Party Lights (optional)
1/2 drill bit (for creating a hole in the board to hold the led party lights)

I wanted consistent color among all of the torches, so I purchased specific colors instead of mixing colors. The colors I chose are not an exact match to the real torch, but close enough.

Making the Torch

Step 1: Cut the 2×2 Board.

A 2×2 board is not 2 inches by 2 inches. The real dimension of 2×2 board is 1.5 inches by 1.5 inches. This is why the pixel scale is 0.75 inches. The torches in Minecraft are 2 pixels wide and 10 pixels tall. So our torches are 1.5 inches wide and 7.5 inches tall.

Cut your 2×2 board to a length of 7.5 inches and give the board a good sanding.

Step 2: Draw a grid on the 2×2.

With your ruler, draw a grid on every side of the 2×2 board. Each cell represents a pixel and should be 0.75 inches by 0.75 inches. I found it easiest to first draw the grid lines on top and bottom sides of the 2×2 board.

Drawing grid lines

Grid lines completed

Step 3: Paint the pixels.

The bulk of the time on the project will be spent painting. If you are painting multiple torches, I recommend working like an assembly line and paint one color at a time. I recommend using a good quality brush. A good brush will make it easier to stay within the grid lines as you paint. Taping off the cells will give you nice and clean edges, but I found it very time consuming.

Da Vinci Size 4 Paint Brush

Here is the color scheme I used on my torches (column 1, column 2):

Acrylic Craft Paints

I painted rows 1 and 2 on the top of the torches, and I used Brown Iron Oxide to cover the bottom of the torches.

Tangerine paint added

White and yellow paint added

Painting the flame

Brown Iron Oxide paint added

Raw Sienna paint added

Step 4: Seal the torch.

Once the paint dried, apply a layer of Matte Mod Podge to seal the torches.

Step 5: Add a light. (Optional)

I thought turning the torches into a real source of light would be a neat upgrade. To do this, I purchased a bag of LED party lights. Each light is a little shy of being 0.5″ wide and 1.5″ tall. With a 0.5″ wide drill bit, drill an inch deep hole into the top of the torch.

A half inch drill bit

A hole for holding the party light

Drop the little party light in the hole and you’re good to go.

A light for the torch

A source of light in the darkness

The Finished Torch

I am pretty happy with how the torches came out. It is a great way to use leftover 2×2 boards in the garage and a neat treat for fans of the game.

DIY Minecraft Torches

The post DIY Minecraft Torch (Tutorial) appeared first on Handmade with Ashley.

DIY Wooden Car (Plans by Ana White)

Ashley — Sat, 21 Mar 2015 08:56:46 +0000

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Ashley Makes: DIY Wooden Car

I built a wooden toy truck using a leftover 1×4 board in my garage. For this build I used Ana White’s plans for the wood wheelie cars. This was a quick and easy project and my first project using my scroll saw.

The Tools and Supplies

Here’s a list of some of the tools and supplies I gathered to build the toy car:

A scrap 1×4 board
1.5″ x 0.5″ Wood Toy Wheels with Treads (4)
0.25″ Wood Dowel
Rockwell JawHorse Material Support and Saw Horse
A scroll saw
Mod Podge (Matte Finish)
DecoArt Americana Acrylic Paint (Santa Red)

Building the Toy Truck

First, I glued the truck template provided by Ana White onto my 1×4 board. I used Sheila Landry’s advice on applying scroll saw patterns: cover the wood with painter’s tape and glue the pattern on top of that. This protects the wood from the glue so it will take stains and paints well.

Ana White’s truck template

The truck template glued to the board

Next, I drilled several holes into the board so I had a spot to insert my scroll saw blade.

Holes drilled into board

Then, I used my scroll saw to cut out the shape of the truck.

Cutting out truck template with the scroll saw

Cutting complete

Once I had the shape cut out, I drilled holes for the truck’s axles (a drill press is on the wishlist now). I gave the truck a quick sanding and I applied two layers of craft acrylic paint to the body. After the paint dried I applied a couple layers of Mod Podge to seal the surface. For the final step, I attached the wheels.

The Completed Toy Truck

Not too shabby for my first go at toy making. However, I am not happy with the finished toy. If I did it all over again, I would take my time with the finish. Also, the driver was not perpendicular to the truck’s body when I created the holes for the axles, so the truck leans slightly (hence the drill press on the wishlist.) My son does not seem to notice its flaws, so I will try to overlook them as well!

DIY Wooden Toy Truck

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Citrus Lane March 2015 Unboxing

Ashley — Sat, 21 Mar 2015 08:04:14 +0000

Ashley Unboxes: Citrus Lane March 2015 Package

The March 2015 package has arrived! Our Citrus Lane package targets a young boy between the age of 10 – 12 months old. Let’s take a look inside.

The Contents

March 2015 Package Message

March 2015 Package Contents

Inside our March Citrus Lane package we found the following items:

Bow Tie from Baby Bow Tie (MSRP $25.00?)
Tweat Snack Ball from Ubbi (MSRP $9.99)
First Play Peek a Boo Panda Wooden Toy from Melissa & Doug (MSRP $7.99)
Bubble Bath from Johnson & Johnson
Head to Toe Baby Wash from Johnson & Johnson

In addition to those items we received a 20% off coupon at ubbiworld.com, and a 15% off coupon at melissaanddoug.com.

First Impressions

Here are my initial impressions on each item we received this month.

Bow Tie from Baby Bow Tie

I was really excited to find this cute little bow tie in our package. This is my first exposure to the company Baby Bow Tie. The tie is well made, and best of all has a magnetic closure for easy dressing. The strap is also adjustable. The age range for the tie is newborn to 8 years. This little tie is a keeper!

Tweat Snack Ball from Ubbi

Tweat Snack Container

The Tweat Snack Ball is a pretty neat container. It features two big handles for easy holding, a soft spill guard (my favorite feature), an attached lid plus it leans and wobbles. This is my first exposure to Ubbi and the container comes at the perfect timing for us. I have not purchased any snack containers yet so the Tweat snack ball will see a lot of use from us.

First Play Peek a Boo Panda from Melissa & Doug

First Play Peek a Boo Panda

I am normally a big fan of wooden toys, but I am not crazy for the First Play Peek a Boo Panda from Melissa & Doug. I will give it time to grow on me. The arms on the Panda flip back and forth for a game of hide and seek. It kept my son entertained for a couple of minutes before he was ready to move on to something else, but I think it may grow on him as well.

April 2015 Update:

This toy has really grown on him. My little guy will sit for a few minutes quietly flipping the arms back and forth.

Bubble Bath and Head to Toe Baby Wash from Johnson & Johnson

There really is not much to say here. Due to skin sensitivities this is not something I will be using on my little one.

Final Thoughts

March’s Citrus Lane package was a good package for us. I think it is on par with February’s package. I love our bow tie and I really look forward to using our Tweat Snack Ball. I do miss receiving the little board books.

Here’s to hoping April’s package will have one!

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