I might just be the best Mom ever!

 

How dare I brag?  Well, I think it's pretty well known that anything I say- dramatically- which is how I say most everything- has to be taken with a grain of salt.  Or, feel free to just pour that white substance right on your tongue.  It may be necessary. 

 

I had one of those ideas.  You know, the kind you do because your child must have the best of everything except that your wallet doesn't support that concept.  The kind of idea that takes months to execute and way-ay-ay too much money.

I decided I would make Brooke a horse ranch.  All I needed was a 4x8 sheet of plywood.  I poured bottles and bottles of white glue all over it and pressed in sand to make "dirt".  (Who, besides me, tries to make dirt?)  I colored it up with spritzes of paints.  Then....well........

 

Well, there had to be a mountain for the horses to climb.  Every path must go somewhere, right?

 

 

Only this mountain has a secret cave where wild mustangs hide out.

 This mountain is made out of chicken wire, paper mache, paper clay, real clay...ya know- everything I could get my hands on.  The rocks are made from that expanding spray foam insulation. 

 

And every horse ranch has a stable.

 

 

This was my first effort at barn raising.  I used the stock sizes of balsa wood an thin plywood that I could readily purchase at my local craft store.  Most of the decisions made were based on what was available in precut sizes. 

I have to say I am amazed it turned out.  I also have to say- I am glad it is done!  So is the Brookster.  She would have been happy with a cardboard box and sign that said "Horses" written in sharpie marker! (Oh, and the wallpaper on the ceiling?  Good ole' scrap booking paper!)