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April 4th, 2003. This is what we were given, a small plot of land with the remains of a previous tenants old booth structure, and knee deep weeds. There had been substantial damage to the Faire site due to storms that Winter, so both our neighbors had some work to do also. Obviously for us, the first order of business was to clear out the weeds and get rid of the old structure.
April 8th, 2003. We bought an old guard shed from a company that was trying to offload them for low prices. It became the main piece of our new home. This is what it looked like when we bought it. Ugly, yellow, dirty, with the name and number of the company we bought it from painted in bold across the side. 
May 10th, 2003. Our new booth! Finished and livable. Thanks to days of hard work and the help of an invaluable young builder named Michael, the old yellow guard shed is now a charming white with sage green trim, and a peaked gingerbread roof. Old telephone poles were sawn down to create a wood arbor off the front for shade, and a broad display cabinet for baskets of prints, cards and other goodies. A whimsical, lopsided redwood fence was built to hide our neighbors' 'backstage' areas from public view. Hidden sprinklers running off of a battery operated timer attached to a hose are set up to water the new English garden Jacqueline planted with climbing roses, lambs ears, lavender and grape vine, among others. The weeds are gone, dug out by hand and replaced with wood bark chips and brick paving. 
May 10th, 2003. The 'toadstools' in front are cut logs Jacqueline picked up at a local public compost heap, and set in the ground. They are topped with circles of foam covered with cotton duck and stuffed with bits and pieces of old rag, upholstery stuffing and other odds and ends to give it a lumpy, mushroom shape. Jacqueline painted the fabric with a brick red fabric paint, haphazardly sponged a very thin dark brown wash over it to age it, and then splotched off white 'spots' on them. They are quite a crowd pleaser and have created quite a few "photo ops". 
May 10th, 2003. Thank goodness for the "Gump" as we call it! Opening weekend, not three days after we finished building, a very bad rainstorm hit, and Faire was rained out. We spent two days warm, snug and most gratefully of all, dry inside our 8x12 foot little house. Not a drop leaked in, and the patter of the rain on our peaked roof was a soothing lullaby as we burrowed into our cozy bed. Jacqueline kitted out the Gump with a three and a half foot high bed platform she built from 4x4s and 3/4 inch thick birch plywood. Topping it is an inflatable mattress and layer upon layer of comforters and pillows. The curtains are made with fireproof muslin hung on dead-fall branches she picked up around Faire after the Winter storms, and tied back with bits of old ribbon. Hooks hang on the walls to hang clothing and costumes on, a sage green rag run warms the painted white wood floor, and peg boards hang on the wall above the bed platform to show off faire momentos. A 12 inch wide shelf was built just behind the matress to store books, flashlights, travel clock, and other sundry items. Jacqueline had a water cooler brought in, and though there is no power to it, we at least have fresh pure water to drink and wash our hands and brush our teeth with. There is also a table across the opposite wall from the bed, and two stools, and loads of storage space both under the bed and under the table. All in all, a comfortable place to ride out a storm! Jacqueline's comments: "I could totally live here if it was just me again. Build some more bookshelves in, put my paints there, and get me a solar panel for power so I can warm water for outdoor showers and listen to music, and I'm good to go!"
All
artwork & content copyright Toadstool Farm Art
No unauthorized usage of artwork or trademarked name is permitted.
Another Great Web Site by Creativity Designs www.creativitydesigns.com
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All
artwork & content copyright Toadstool Farm Art
No unauthorized usage of artwork or trademarked name is permitted.
Another Great Web Site by Creativity Designs www.creativitydesigns.com