Lock Down Project

[NY cat man]

Ugh! I did my project (putting together the cabinet) but it turns out I need a mallet to hammer down the top! It doesn't say that anywhere in the manual, so I definitely don't just have one lying around
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I also made a little collage for my sheet music binder for drum school (which turned out better than I thought it would):
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If you haven't gotten one already, make sure you get a non-marring rubber mallet. Also, make sure to use a piece of wood, and strike that instead of the cabinet itself. Ask me how I know of such things.

 

[NY cat man]

Here is something I built for a neighbor to replace her old one. I just put it up yesterday, and yes, we are still in lockdown.

 

[WillowMarie]

I've been keeping myself occupied lately with a project so that I'm not tempted to go outside too often. I decided to rebuild the deck. Here's a picture of the house with the original deck.
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At first my plan was to clean off and repaint the deck, then fix the broken steps. When I took the steps down I realised the whole deck was rotten.
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It came down so easily!
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Because of the water pipes that run under the deck I had to keep some of the original supporting beams and the concrete blocks in place. This was at the end of the first day. The cats were able to get in and out and Herman, our friendly raccoon, had his water and food outside.
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We were able to recycle a lot of the timber. We also had some boards given to us. This was the result.
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Once we had painted everything, cleaned it off and planted flowers it looked a bit better
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I hung the hammock up too.
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The cats got their own deck box for napping in, which has since been filled with straw, and a ladder so the older ones can get in and out easily.
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I also rebuilt the tree house. It got damaged in a typhoon last year, but now it has a new roof, a new set of legs and a new position above the cherry trees.
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I've filled it with straw and attached a ladder to this side.
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Carpet in the tree house.
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Does anyone else have a lock down project to show us?

Wow, absolutely stunning! Looks gorgeous.The darker wood color really compliments the house well.

 

[Tobermory]

Here is something I built for a neighbor to replace her old one. I just put it up yesterday, and yes, we are still in lockdown.View attachment 334720

She must be so grateful. Lots of lovely detail. So thoughtful of you.

 

[Norachan]

Here is something I built for a neighbor to replace her old one.

That's beautiful. I really like the shape.

 

[NY cat man]

That's beautiful. I really like the shape.

It is a duplicate of the old one. I took a bunch of measurements and photos to get it right. The original was built by her late husband, but it was in sad shape. I saved it for her anyway.

 

[Norachan]

I've added a bit more to my Lock Down Project. I built some shelves so the cats can get up and down from the roof more easily.

I put in a few shelves for myself too. Now I have a rack for my gardening tools and a place for a few citronella candles and the cat's brushes.

Albert was the first one to try out the new shelves.

A few more pictures. The cat nap box is very popular.

Heidi.

Freya.

The flowers are all doing well too.

I still have some wood left over. If I have time this weekend I might try making a bird box.

 

[NY cat man]

I've added a bit more to my Lock Down Project. I built some shelves so the cats can get up and down from the roof more easily.
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I put in a few shelves for myself too. Now I have a rack for my gardening tools and a place for a few citronella candles and the cat's brushes.
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Albert was the first one to try out the new shelves.
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A few more pictures. The cat nap box is very popular.
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Heidi.
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Freya.
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The flowers are all doing well too.
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I still have some wood left over. If I have time this weekend I might try making a bird box.
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Nicely done!

 

[Norachan]

I finally finished my bird house.

I'm all out of wood now, have to find something else to do.

 

[Jcatbird]

Your deck, kitty tower and birdhouse are purrfection! That was a great amount of lock down activity! I did my bit for carpentry last summer when insects invaded and I had to rebuild the cat room! Thanks to N NY cat man I got some great carpentry tips! I don’t know how you got the deck and all the cat items done so quickly! The cat room took me a very long time and the cats helped! Lol I’m inviting you to come visit the next time I build something!

The kitties were a great help when installing the new flooring but they would help with carrying the plywood.

New floor, new doors and new AC unit.

Extra wide window sills for extra bird watching. Lol

I don’t think I could do another building project right now. No supplies available and the cats don’t want to leave the cat room! My lockdown continues but I have been re working my greenhouse. Much more relaxing than doing subflooring. Lol
It’s nice to have orchids back after losing my collection while doing the rescues here. I had friends with divisions of my plants who are also in lockdown. Their project was to reconnect with me and send pieces of my plants back! Reconnecting came as a result of checking on friends during this time. Another great project. I have spoken to friends that I had not heard from in a long time. They may be far away but we are closer than ever now. In return for the orchid divisions, I have been building some shadowbox miniature orchid greenhouses for them and doing some paintings of their favorite orchids. Staying busy with the help of some kitties.

I have always loved the miniature orchids. This one is pictured by my thumb. Lol

 

[Norachan]

That looks amazing Jcatbird Very professional!

The deck took a couple of months to finish. We had a few days of snow, which slowed me down a bit, but it was a lot easier than I expected.

After the first day, when we just tore the old deck down and moved all the wood, I woke up in a cold sweat at 4 am thinking, "OMG did I really knock the deck down? What if my whole house falls over!?"



Thankfully there were no disasters. I'll take some more pictures after the monsoon. It's looking very lush and green out there now, nothing like it did at the end of April, when I took the first pictures.

Don't know if I posted these ones before. Happy and Sophie scaling the peaks of timber mountain. Cats can be so helpful, can't they?

 

[MonaLyssa33]

I created a plan to landscape my yard. That's about as ambitious as I've gotten so far.

I used an actual 3D modeling program for the house part but then since I have never used it before, I switched to using Paint for the landscaping because the modeling program was taking too long for me to figure out. The arch thing and the shed aren't in the right direction because Paint doesn't allow you to rotate shapes.

 

[NY cat man]

I created a plan to landscape my yard. That's about as ambitious as I've gotten so far.

I used an actual 3D modeling program for the house part but then since I have never used it before, I switched to using Paint for the landscaping because the modeling program was taking too long for me to figure out. The arch thing and the shed aren't in the right direction because Paint doesn't allow you to rotate shapes.View attachment 338961

Depending on whether it is flat or curved on top, it is a pergola (flat), arbor or bower (curved). In some cases, there are kits available to build them.

 

[Talien]

I turned my bedroom into a Cat room.

 

[Norachan]

I created a plan to landscape my yard. That's about as ambitious as I've gotten so far.

That looks good! Are you planning to start it this year?

it is a pergola

I've got dreams of building a pergola one day. I'm planning to put steps up the side so the cats can get on top and grow wisteria all over it. Wisteria grows wild here, so I know it's tough enough to survive our winters

I turned my bedroom into a Cat room.

Nice job! Do you still sleep in there?

 

[jcat]

That looks good! Are you planning to start it this year?


I've got dreams of building a pergola one day. I'm planning to put steps up the side so the cats can get on top and grow wisteria all over it. Wisteria grows wild here, so I know it's tough enough to survive our winters.

It can grow too well on a pergola! Our wisteria - which was gorgeous - got so thick and heavy after about 10 - 12 years that it pulled our rather sturdy pergola way out of whack. Everything had to come down, and the current pergola has grapes growing on it. It's not unusual to look out and see birds, mice, shrews, or raccoons sitting on top munching grapes. Cats are often up there to hunt. The mice and shrews can easily climb the vines. Then the neighborhood cats climb the pergola to try and catch them.

 

[Talien]

That looks good! Are you planning to start it this year?


I've got dreams of building a pergola one day. I'm planning to put steps up the side so the cats can get on top and grow wisteria all over it. Wisteria grows wild here, so I know it's tough enough to survive our winters


Nice job! Do you still sleep in there?

Sorta. I got rid of the bed frame and moved the mattress into one of the closets. That way if I don't feel like having Cats walking and jumping on me at night I can just shut the closet door.

 

[Norachan]

It can grow too well on a pergola! Our wisteria - which was gorgeous - got so thick and heavy after about 10 - 12 years that it pulled our rather sturdy pergola way out of whack. Everything had to come down, and the current pergola has grapes growing on it. It's not unusual to look out and see birds, mice, shrews, or raccoons sitting on top munching grapes. Cats are often up there to hunt. The mice and shrews can easily climb the vines. Then the neighborhood cats climb the pergola to try and catch them.

I've noticed some of the older houses around here have the porches and fences pulled down by wisteria vines. It's probably too cold up here for grapes. Shame, I think our cats would just love an elevated hunting deck.

Sorta. I got rid of the bed frame and moved the mattress into one of the closets. That way if I don't feel like having Cats walking and jumping on me at night I can just shut the closet door.

Oh, that's the sign of a real cat lover! Our cats get the closet and I sleep in the bed.

 

[MonaLyssa33]

Depending on whether it is flat or curved on top, it is a pergola (flat), arbor or bower (curved). In some cases, there are kits available to build them.

I guess what I have in my backyard could be considered an arbor. It's on top of a small 5x5 foot deck (or possibly patio or something) too.

 

[MonaLyssa33]

That looks good! Are you planning to start it this year?

I don't know yet. I have school and work to deal with, so if I have time after other house improvement projects, I hope to.