The Treehouse Appreciation Society


Happy Earth Day to you!
The weekend was gorgeous here in Seattle (seems to be over for the moment, hope everyone enjoyed). A big part of it for us was spent out in the backyard, readying it for warmer weather. The official Treehouse Appreciation Society began as a result of our weekend. (The society being we (you, anybody) wise crafters who craft and make things for treehouse, club house, outdoor fun, etc.) The more we cleaned up the play structure, the more excited we got, thinking of the possibilities of hanging out and playing there again this summer. At some point on Saturday, our thoughts turned to camp and treehouse-related crafts (as all cleaning sessions with mom usually do). Hence, the society…

We have always called this structure a treehouse, but its actually quite firmly on the ground. It does, however, have a great “lookout” on the top floor. Sitting up there gives you a bird’s eye view of our backyard and of the trees around us, that’s the treehouse part. Our little house in the trees. (I’ve spent some me time up there myself.)

There is a tiny clubhouse below, just behind the climbing wall, with a door, and according to 7 and 10 year olds, that’s where the magic happens. I donated an old doormat for the threshold, and Emma planted a pot of geraniums-

There were requests made by the kids for some sort of seating inside, and a table. That sent me off on a tangent I will explain in another post. In the spirit of using only what we have around the house, I gave them a plastic storage bin with a well fitting lid to put inside the clubhouse, that can be used for temporary seating. It was quickly filled with board games, binoculars, art supplies, and bird books. Perfect. An old camp table with a piece of oil cloth over it makes a table just the right size. And, what’s a clubhouse without curtains? Up went a set sewn from a yard of fabric I had and a curtain rod I found in the basement.
 
Its good…its really really good in there.

These little flower bud vials, left over from a floral arrangement my friend made, proved to be the real hit of the afternoon. There were flower petals to be crushed! Potions to be mixed! The birdbath was a handy pot-

I love my kid’s “can do” attitude, and am always happy when they don’t automatically think something needs to be purchased in order to make or finish the ideea they have in their mind. This is where their impatience pays off- they don’t have the time to wait for a grown up to take them to buy what they need (plus it takes a lot of energy and persistence to convince them to do it in the first place). So, by default, the imagination takes over and they simply make it happen.

And I apologize to the neighbors in advance for how many times Emma has played this song in the treehouse. I’m really thinking twice about putting sound of any kind out there.

19 Comments
  • Sarah Jackson

    April 22, 2009 at 9:09 pm

    That is so great. I want to hang out in your treehouse this summer! My kids would love something like that. Unfortunately, the chicken coop is sitting in its perfect spot. They’ll have to make do with an on-the-patio playhouse instead.
    Making do with what you have is the best part. It’s the whole spirit of camping out!

  • Lecia

    April 22, 2009 at 10:20 pm

    This is so awesome, Blair. I’m not showing this to my boys; they’ll have a riot about wanting their own!

  • N.

    April 23, 2009 at 3:23 am

    Awesome! I think New Order anything in repetition is much more tolerable than my 9 yo’s current obsession – Taylor Swift.

  • sarah

    April 23, 2009 at 3:40 am

    oh to be a kid!
    i totally remember potions and mixing! you’ve hooked them up! 🙂

  • UK lass in US

    April 23, 2009 at 4:46 am

    That reminds me of building a club house in my friend’s yard when we were kids. Great days.

  • Kendall Micayla

    April 23, 2009 at 4:55 am

    Looks like fun!!

  • melissa

    April 23, 2009 at 5:44 am

    oh, I love it. our tree house is in the fig tree. We need to finish it this summer- possibly paint it bright yellow (or something), add a tin roof, and I love the curtain idea!!

  • Mama Urchin

    April 23, 2009 at 7:44 am

    My dad is building a tree house in their woods for the urchins. They have put in all kinds of requirements, a kitchen, a bathroom, etc. What he will actually building is a deck with a house on it adjacent to a tree.

  • Sarah

    April 23, 2009 at 7:45 am

    My siblings playhouse is more of a fort than a house. And they love to play indians, so the fort has a lot of hanging seashells and indian-like stuff I’ve made for them.
    Your playhouse is so fancy!

  • Lizette

    April 23, 2009 at 8:12 am

    How fun! Can we have a playdate if we visit Seattle this summer?

  • Mrs Soup

    April 23, 2009 at 8:39 am

    That is amazing!! Makes me want to play in it!

  • florence wang

    April 23, 2009 at 9:32 am

    What a wonderful experience. Thanks for sharing!

  • blair/wisecraft

    April 23, 2009 at 9:59 am

    Ha! A bathroom. I’m sure my kids would love those kind of additions! : ) I look forward to seeing finished pics.

  • blair/wisecraft

    April 23, 2009 at 9:59 am

    Lizette, we’d love it!!! Let me know when you are in town.

  • betz

    April 23, 2009 at 8:56 pm

    Those trees in your yard are to die for! Love the tree house, how fun for your kids.

  • Emily

    April 23, 2009 at 10:00 pm

    This brings back memories! I wish I stomped around outside the way I used to; the way kids do. I hope you ALL have fun there!

  • Vintage Chica

    April 26, 2009 at 7:40 pm

    Really, really wonderful! We are so in. You know, we just finished pillows for ours…maybe next some curtains to go with the new hoist S added this weekend.

  • Valarie Budayr

    April 30, 2009 at 8:39 am

    Yea it’s treehouse season. Please count us in. We’ve just spent the last year building our treehouse and we are almost ready for our treehouse open house. Now it’s time to build and make fun things for the inside.

  • Diana (Ladybug Limited)

    May 5, 2009 at 8:23 am

    Awesome! We finally moved into a house last summer and our son has been asking for a treehouse or fort ever since. His 6th birthday is coming up in June and I’m telling all the relatives to get him Home Depot gift cards so his birthday present can be to build a fort with Papa 🙂

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