Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Toad Abodes/ Fairy houses

As I previously mentioned here, I have a project for you. My boys are FROG- A- HOLICS. Seriously if there were such a thing they’d need counseling. I’ll take the blame here.
Christopher used to cry when he was near frogs, bugs, snakes, lizards, ECT.  So I used to have to make him hold a frog when we’d catch one for them to see. Joshua was always an enthusiast luckily. (Ok I’ll admit, bugs and snakes make me cry too!!!! I have a ridiculous fear of snakes and spiders, ewww just thinking about it has me cringing) but well boys are supposed to be dirty, rough and tumble types and carry around frogs and lizards in their pockets right? I mean what mom of boys hasn’t had a frog in a pocket every now and then when they go to wash clothes??? (I even think my mom washed a lizard once, and yes that was my brother’s fault not mine, poor lizard never stood a chance. Though I seriously remember chasing one of the kids at church with a frog because he was afraid of it. HAHA).

So, needless to say I wasn’t going to have a son who was afraid of frogs, (snakes I’d sympathize with him, after all you can’t make your child do what you yourself wont do!) So now that Christopher conquered that fear, they both have become OBSESSIVE FROG CATCHERS!

I saw an article in either a magazine or news paper a few years ago about how to make a frog house so to speak, they called them Toad Abodes (too cute) but for the life of me I couldn’t find or locate a “how to” to make them “recipe”, this year, and we have frogs in abundance around here currently. Can’t let the poor critters go homeless now can we? So I thought this would be a cute little project with the boys.

After a little brain storming on some cool looking houses, and mommy brain stormed how to make them work this is the “recipe” we came up with. Oh and we also made a fairy house, because after watching the Tinkerbelle movie and seeing Tinkerbelle at Walt Disney World last year, we believe in fairies.  (Though I think said fairy house will become more bird house than fairy house, it’s still fun to pretend right?)

They had so much fun making the toad houses, we had to make 4 of them, and even made one with a friend after they enthusiastically told their friend all about them J (thus making mommy really happy that they enjoyed the project too!) Now we are on a mission to spread the word and hopefully house frogs all around the world.  (and yes I know tree frogs will not live in our little houses but he was still cute. Every night they cling to my front door.)

What you will need:
1.)    a design or idea (It can be as simple or creative as you want it.)
2.)    PLASTIC planter (can be a coffee or other plastic tub like material we re-purpose stuff all the time here so no hating)
3.)    A Sharpe marker
4.)    Newspapers (for catching glue and paint)
5.)    Decorations for your toad house
6.)    Scissors (preferably a sharp pair)
7.)     Paint if necessary
8.)    Glue
9.)    A small bowl for water

                  Now time to construct it:

1.)  Draw a door on your plastic pot
2.) Cut the door out with scissors
3.)  Spray paint if necessary but let air dry for a few days before allowing a frog to live in it
5.) Build your design
6.) Place in a well shaded area of your yard or garden
7.) Place a small bowl of water near your toad house to encourage them to live there.

**To turn it into a fairy house you must poke a hole in your pot prior to step 3 ( I had to use a  needle and candle to kind of melt and pierce at the same time) and place fishing string, twine, or a thin wire into the hole and make a hanger. Cover the bottom of the house with a planter plate and glue (I used a hot glue gun). Hang after decorating in or around a tree.
*** heres pictures of ours :)

















as soon as we have our very first tennant I will post a picture :)

4 comments:

Megan said...

Those are super cute!!! I love it! Kaylee loves frogs, and will try to catch any that she sees outside...no fear at all.
Hope you guys get an inhabitant soon!!

Gail@Sophisticated Steps said...

I can't believe you took the time to make all those. I'm not crazy about frogs (though I used to catch them as a kid - yuck!) but those are really cute.

I bet your boys think you're the greatest mom EVER! :)

Sophisticated Steps

Katie Potter said...

Aubrey thinks that one of Santa's elves follows her all year round and I'm thinking this would be a perfect little house for him....... Thanks!

emily said...

This is so cool!!

Did you know frogs cannot swallow with their eyes open? Just a fun little fact for you :)