Roughing it when you're in a cabin is all great in theory, but modern conveniences are pretty nice. That's why we decided having running water and electricity at the cabin was high on our priority list. We decided the best way to do this was to dig a trench for the water line and electrical from our house out to the cabin site, lay the electrical cable and water conduit, and then backfill the dirt. 1. Dig the trench We rented a mini-excavator from Simplex in Cornwall to dig the trench. ... continue reading...
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We are building a tiny cabin in the woods
We are starting another large-ish project! We are building a tiny cabin in the woods and going to rent it out as a short term vacation rental. This idea came to us this summer when we were thinking about what our next big project would be. It had been our plan to buy another income property like we did just over a year ago. However, the pandemic happened, the real estate market went crazy, and another income property seemed like too big of a risk at this time. We live on 30 acres of ... continue reading...
How to make a triangle display shelf
It was recently our daughter's birthday, and she's really into rocks and jewels right now. I decided for her birthday to make her a triangle display shelf for all her special things. This is a pretty simple project that you can complete within a weekend. Tools and materials 5" wide poplar wood table saw mitre saw wood glue brad nailer palm sander and sandpaper spackling tape measure white spray paint 1. Cut the wood piece in half I started with some ... continue reading...
How to make a convertible picnic table that converts to benches
About a month ago I was asked by the kids' school to make some seating that could also double as desk space to use as an outdoor classroom. This was all part of a bigger project to build a pavilion in memory of a parent from a family in the school that passed away a short time ago. I found these convertible picnic table plans from Ana White, but modified them slightly to fit the purposes for our school. Instead of four feet long, I made these benches 6 feet long, added some extra bracing, and ... continue reading...
How to make cornhole bags
Do you want to learn how to make your own cornhole bags? A few weeks ago Tony made some amazing cornhole boards, and my contribution to this DIY project was to make the cornhole bags. If you're not familiar with cornhole, this is a great backyard game that you can easily play with one hand, while your other hand is holding a cold delicious bevy. All you have to do is throw a bean bag at a board and get it in the hole, and keep track of your points. Easy right? Today I'm going to show you how to ... continue reading...
How to build a tree fort
Are you thinking of building a tree fort for your kids? Do you want it to be waterproof and bugproof, but not spend too much money? I made this tree fort using mostly materials I already had. The most money I spent was on the paint, but that is totally not necessary. I didn't take too many pictures of the progress shots, because I never intended to write about this. This tree fort was one of my "special projects", as Tony likes to call it. I was able to get out of the house, build something with ... continue reading...
How to build a deck
Do you want to learn how to build a deck, start to finish? Find out how we doubled our outdoor living space and how you can do the same. Originally Tony and I hadn't planned on building an extension to our deck this year. But since a lot of our summer plans were cancelled, we decided it would actually be a great time to start a big project, and especially one that would increase our outdoor living space. We started building our deck Easter weekend, and it took us about ... continue reading...
How to build a DIY outdoor sectional couch
A main part of our deck building project was to increase our outdoor living space, and a great way to do that is with a DIY outdoor sectional. We wanted comfy seating outside where we could sit in the shade and watch the kids play in the pool. A place to enjoy our morning coffee, or maybe to have an afternoon nap. Catch up on our deck building project: 1: How to design a deck 2: How to install deck footings and sonotubes 3: How to install deck posts, beams and joists 4: ... continue reading...
