What's Christmas without a project?

Everyone needs a Christmas project, right?  This year Laura decided she would make the girls a felt playhouse--you know, the kind that slips over a card table?  That would be fine, except Laura's motto is "Go big or Go home."  So, the card table-sized playhouse morphed into a PVC pipe framed 40X52X52, tall enough for all the girls to stand up in and almost tall enough for ME to stand up!  Plenty of room for everyone to sit down and play, and for lots of stuffed animals to join in the fun.

The problem was that she started the project after Thanksgiving.  Yeah.  And it's not like she isn't busy--3 girls, works from home with a job that can be high intensity, she's the room mom for E's kindergarten class AND volunteers in the classroom, does a preschool for C and her little friends, and all the other various and sundry things that life throws her way.  Plus, she did all this without a pattern!   She had all the big pieces cut out, and all the small stuff (fruit, veggies, candy and baked goods, basket, squirrel, leaves) finished.  The plan was that once I got there we would just whip it out in a couple of days.

I can hear all you experienced moms and sewers laughing.  Remember--no pattern, and 2-3 girls underfoot.

The minute C and G went down for their nap (E being in all day kindergarten, thank goodness!) out came the sewing machine and we became sewing demons.   Plan plan plan.  Draw draw draw.  Cut cut cut.  Sew sew sew. When David got out to Iowa he said the place looked like a sweat shop.  Of course, everything had to be packed up and hidden away before E got home from school--we'd have about 2 1/2 hours in the afternoon, and then would sew at night until we dropped.  A couple of nights we were up until almost midnight.

Finally, by Christmas Eve morning (yes....) we finally had to take E into our confidence.  We were sewing at the kitchen table and by this time the playhouse is the size of a hot air balloon and can't be hidden any longer.  Laura explained that she was making something for the 2 Littles and could E help keep it a secret?  E looked at Laura with this expression on her face and said-----"Mom, I already know what it is.  I saw it on your blog."  WHAT???  She's only in kindergarten, for Pete's sake!!!!  "I saw it on your blog."????????  Note to Laura:  If you want to keep anything a secret from E, DO NOT PUT IT ON YOUR BLOG.  This kid is too bright for her own good.

The playhouse was a surprise for everyone except Miss Sherlock Holmes, and the Littles LOVED it.  All three of the girls play in it, and love it to pieces.  Great place for their imaginations to run wild.  Kudos for Laura for coming up with the idea and for all the work and effort and dedication she put into this!!!!  Way to go, LO!!!!!!!

Here's the front of the house.  Of course, it HAS to have a pink front door.

The mailbox has removable letters.  The girls have a lot of fun playing Mail.

We used a double layer of netting on the window to make it look like screening, and give it extra stability.  The bird is velcroed and can be moved around.  The flowers can be "picked" and put back in the flower box.

Here's a corner view to the dog house side.

The apple tree wraps around to the back side, where the vegetable garden is.  The apples can be picked.  Laura plans to make oranges and pears so the tree can have different fruit.  We made the door on the dog house big enough for their friends from Build-A-Bear to fit through.  The Littles can fit through, too, we found out.

I made the dog look like one of C's favorite stuffed doggies.  The water dish and dog bones are removable.

Here's the vegetable garden.  Isn't it awesome?  The squirrel is removable--he can frolic wherever he wants.  The goodies in the garden can be harvested and put in the basket that Laura wove and we put under the tree.  Right now there is corn and lettuce in the garden as well as a couple of ears of corn that she wove (no pictures, darn it!) but she is planning on making some potatoes and other veggies as well)

Had to put something on that long branch, so I made a bird's nest and a couple of removable baby birds, as well as a mommy bird.  She flies around, too.

This is the Sweet Shop.  We didn't get the sign made that goes over it, or the drop down awning that will form a tray to hold the goodies for sale.  Laura made a lot of yummy bakery goods, I made some candy and caramel apples, and she found a cake and cupcakes at Pottery Barn kids.  The girls LOVE playing shop at the window.

Here's some of the goodies they sell.  Doesn't that cinnamon roll look delicious?

Anyway, this was the Christmas Project to end all Christmas Projects, and it was worth all the time and effort to see those faces when it was uncovered on Christmas morning, and to see them playing in it.  I know that this is something that will be played with all year long, and won't lose it's luster after a month or so.  Great job, Laura!  I am proud of you.  You done good, kiddo.  Glad I could be your assistant on this.

PS.  Thanks to Laura for most of these pictures.