Animal magic

Creative duo Carlene and Michael Duffy from The Block and Ready Set Reno have designed these fabulous homemade stools for extra Christmas visitors.

15mm plywood

42 x 42mm dressed pine (1.2m long) 4 x 75mm chipboard screws

4 x 45mm chipboard screws

PVA glue

Sandpaper

Paint, paintbrushes and rollers

Bowl and stencils for ears

Dropsaw or handsaw, jigsaw and drill Safety glasses and ear protection

Step 1: Find an everyday item around the house that you can use to trace around for the base of your stool. A bucket or mixing bowl will be perfect.

Step 2: Place your item on top of the plywood and trace around with a pencil.

Step 3: Using a jigsaw, cut around the shape. Remember to wear safety equipment such as glasses and ear protection. Repeat for second stool. Step 4: Use the sandpaper to smooth off the edges and to remove any splinters.

Step 5: Using a drop saw or a hand saw, cut four lengths of the 42 x 42mm pine for each stool to about 250mm. These will form the legs of the stools.

Step 6: Mark in pencil where legs are to be positioned on seat. Using a ⅛ drill bit, drill pilot holes in the centre of each leg.

Step 7: Apply some glue on the end of a leg and position roughly in the centre of the pilot hole. Using the 75mm screws, fasten to seat with either a battery drill or screw driver. Repeat for all four legs. >>

“Now for the fun part. Grab the kids and add some colour.”

Step 8: On the remaining plywood, sketch some animal ears that will form the back rest of the stools. Or, if you have no artistic ability like me, simply print some templates from Google images. Step 9: Cut out ears from plywood and sand to remove sharp edges. Step 10: Place ears into position on the stool 50mm apart and mark with a pencil.

Step 11 Remove the ears and drill two pilot holes per ear within the marks you have made on each stool. Position ears so that legs do not obstruct the pilot holes.

Step 12: Placing the stool on its side, apply some glue to the ear and use the 45mm screws to fasten the ear into place. Repeat for other ear.

Step 13: And now, the fun part. Grab the kids and add some colour. We applied paint with the brushes to the seat and ears, and used the rollers for the legs.