Laura spent her day brushing on the base coat of paint onto multiple features. The first coat is the most difficult as the concrete features are very porous and rough, and suck up a lot of paint. The challenge is to put the paint on as thick as possible without creating runs and drips. The second coat is a little easier, and the third blend coat is much faster. The final glazes go faster yet, and the dry brushing takes but a few minutes. All in all, a feature like this treasure chest will take one person seven or eight days in total. The end result will be pure magic!
Next generation steps up
Each time Henry comes out to help in the shop, he learns something new. This time, he saw me adding texture to the sides and back of a sign panel with a die grinder and immediately wanted to try it himself. He first donned his safety gear, and then we began the work. It was hard to wait, but he did allow me to do a little demo, and then he was off on his own. Juniper wasn’t about to let her brother have all the fun and took a turn as well, of course. As with everything they try, the learning curve was short, and the result was fantastic.
Sculpting a treasure
No pirate-themed mini golf would be complete without a treasure chest, and the one we are building for Vala’s Pumpkin Patch is no exception. This is a good-sized feature without a doubt. The shovel is custom-built by Peter, and because it will be tugged on by thousands of guests, it is much sturdier than it looks. The blade is 10-gauge steel, and the handle is sculpted concrete over thick-walled tubing.
