Saturday, August 13, 2011

Easel


Another woodworking project not done by me! 

Grandpa made this easel for Emily (and Jenna and Kate).


Lots of adjustable bits to accommodate the heights and preferences of everyone from Kate to Mum (yes, I get to use it, too).


When it was done, we posed it with some framed art on it (which I'd oil-pastelled years ago for the girls' room to match their rug) to take some photos.

We also actually used it, of course.

And at the end of the day, we folded it up flat and put it away.

We love that Grandpa and Grandma got to make so many useful things for us on this trip. We also suspect that Grandpa, especially, enjoyed making those multiple trips to the Home Depot because he'd missed all the woodworking he'd done when he was younger. Dad and Mum like recounting how, as parents of young kids and moving into their first home with us, they'd taken the bus to the lumberyard and then walked home bearing planks on their shoulders between them (we didn't have a car). With those, they'd built our beds and our kitchen cabinets. Now that Singapore has annoyingly gone on to develop herself into a veritable urban jungle, all the old neighborhood lumberyards are gone and nobody does home carpentry any longer. I feel like I've been given a huge privilege to have places like Lowe's and the Home Depot just around the corner. And it was eye-opening watching Dad and Mum build these things for the kids with minimal power tools, just like they did in the old days when we couldn't afford them. I wish I could ship back to Singapore some of the space and resources we have here in the US so people could work with their hands again. 

And maybe I should attempt to work with wood someday, when I get tired of sewing or cardboarding. Not just to repurpose an entertainment center into a play kitchen, I mean. But to build things from scratch, the same way I sew, just for the sheer fun of it. I mean, we can never have too many new media to play with, right?

13 comments:

  1. Great easel!
    My mom is a great builder too, and often I wish I had her creativity with wood.

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  2. That's so wonderful! What a great Grandpa too! :) My girl would LOVE this!

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  3. A se minha filha tivesse um vovô criativo assim por pertinho. Seria muito diversão.

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  4. This is so cool! Your parents are very inspiring. If you start taking that path you'll have to share because I'd love to see.

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  5. Your mom and dad are completely awesome. And I can promise that your girls are going to think the same of you.

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  6. The girls are blessed to have such creative and willing grand parents. I love this easel.

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  7. what a great post...it shows how easy it is to take things for granted somethimes. Love your new easel, and your art is gorgeous!
    www.tinygreenhouse.blogspot.com

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  8. Your parents are the best! Do you think they will very permanently move to the U.S? Also tell them to feel free coming via Australia to give me a hand too :)
    Katherine

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  9. What a great woodworking project. I love how your daughter is holding the broom in the 3rd photo. I have really enjoyed hearing about the time spent with your parents.

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  10. It will be interesting to see what form your children's creativity will take as they grow into adults!

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  11. What a wonderful easel!

    I dream of learning woodworking someday, maybe when the kids are older (or grown and gone even)

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  12. From Donna: As a grandparent,I know how much joy it brings to make my grandchildren gifts, especially when they are appreciative. Your little girls are very fortunate to have such loving grandparents and mom. I love the painting

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  13. Thanks for a glimpse into a another way of living and doing things. Never occurred to me that people would be urbanized to the extent they wouldn't/couldn't build things. . . hmmmm. Food for thought.

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