This is neat! I headed straight to the ts to check for things to make this with. I'll have to wait to come up with a clear lamp as they only had china ones. I suppose the china would work, but I'd like to make one in clear glass with cobalt pieces. This looks like something the squirrels wouldn't be able to destroy by chewing on it!!!

Thanks for the compliments everyone. My husband didn't use any plans or pattern. He just copied what he had seen in the past on regular docks. He grooved out the frame underneath to make it securely fit on the skimmer (I had asked him to somehow keep it secure so that it wouldn't accidently tip if our cats stood on the edge to drink or look down at the water). Basically, the 'dock' is just a nicer replacement cover and is very light and easy to remove. The original plastic cover has been removed (its not underneath) and is now stored in our shed; I will switch them around when the snow and ice arrives in the winter, this way protecting and preserving the nice cedar color of the 'dock' instead of leaving it buried under deep snow.

Jane, don't listen to him! If you have ever used a sewing machine, then cutting wood pieces will be easy for you. You just trace the outside line of your pattern onto the wood and then feed it into the saw and follow the line just like when you are sewing. And remember, it won't cut unless you push it against the blade, so you can pause anytime to want and don't have to feel rushed at all. I use a scroll saw and prefer either 3/4 inch soft pine or for thin things like this, I prefer the Baltic Birch plywood sheets. I say "prefer" because I will use any scrap of wood I can get my hands on! ;o) And now with all the scrapbooking pages, even if you don't paint, you can create a neat item for your decor. Just cut a shape, spread Mod Podge on it, then press on a pretty sheet of paper, trim the edges, and add a design or letters. I've seen some really neat word blocks recently on some of the blogs. Women CAN use POWER tools! ;o) Glad all of you liked it. OA, I can't take credit for the little tattoo. It was already part of the design from Juliette Martin. I have a few of her books and she does some darling designs. I often hesitate to do her designs because there are so many little details and I usually like quick & easy! Painting is like most other things, the more you do it, the easier it is. So yes, I was feeling a bit rusty-- struggling more with the small detail items especially and some of my outlines are thicker than I'd like. But overall, it's okay, and lots more fun and durable than just buying a paper decoration at Michael's. ;o) Luvs

Thanks, everyone! Glad you enjoyed the pictures. Bebe, you called that one right. Those strands took me 15 mins. apiece, and that was if I didn't make any mistakes (I made a lot of booboos since each strand had its own pattern). The math/pattern alone on that was tough enough to figure out. I started out thinking I'd bead fringe for the whole thing, but quickly changed my mind. If you're not insane already, doing that job will put you there. lol I'm putting the surgery off till I finish the toy box. Both hands have bad osteoarthritis in the thumb joint, and hurt all the time, so I'm eager to get them fixed!