My dad built us a playhouse when we were kids.  I drove by the old house today and was shocked to see it was no longer there. 30 some odd years later and I honestly expected to see it still standing. He builds things to last. Thankfully, I still have photos and more importantly, incredible memories.

See photos below

When I had my first baby, my dad built a treehouse for her at their home.  My mom had asked him to ‘build a nice little playhouse’  and here’s what he built…

They sold that house a few years later …but the treehouse is still standing.  (3 years ago, when the kids and I moved back to this area, my daughter met her best friend and amazingly – she lives in the old house! So Em has actually been in the treehouse recently) 

This year, I asked my dad to build a playhouse for the kids in our yard.  I promised to help (which turned into my Honey helping – more specifically, learning to roof!) and to pay for all the materials. When we sat down to draw out the plans it looked as though the cost would be (at the very least) $2,000.

I’d hoped that I could get some of that cost down by shopping at the dump 😜 (but…actually) or searchingKijiji. But I didn’t have to! My dad started shopping around to find ‘left over’  building materials.  He’s creative and thrifty and long story short – the playhouse was built for under $400.

An example of his creative-thriftiness?

Windows can be very expensive … So he went to the wrecking yard and bought these old trailer windows! They do the trick, look neat and best of all cost about $10!

He also has a very kind neighbour who gave him all of the cedar siding for free.  It had been left over from a building project and was just sitting in his yard ‘doing nothing’.  Awesome!

And of course, when he had to buy materials from a ‘real store‘, he shopped on the  -Seniors get a Discount Day!

Here’s what the playhouse looks like today.

I love the little details he added. Like, this door handle he made…

I  added a few things too. The ‘Garbage Garden’ mural (see post) and this ‘path to play’

All that’s left to do is the interior… Still trying to decide if it should be filled with toys or art supplies… Either way, I know that there will be many fun moments had, and memories made, in Poppas Playhouse! ❤️