The Home Care and Repair merit badge is one of my favorites, especially at the PiPa level. However, since Lily is an Explorer, completing this badge has eluded her. She has put it off because she could not find a project to build from wood that did not involve a kit. Finally, a decision was made – a simple bench for her American Girl Doll.
She dug through the wood pile my husband has and found a few pieces that would work. Each piece was cut to size using a hand saw. Sorry, I do not have the measurements. Next, she sanded each piece and applied a coat of primer.
She opted to paint the bench purple. She used two coats of acrylic craft paint. After the paint was dry she glued and nailed the legs in place. She needed another coat of paint to hide the nail heads and the scuff marks made from the hammer.
Truthfully, I doubt this little bench will get much play because Lily has almost outgrown her AG dolls. While she is not willing to put them in storage, she also does not play with them. But since that was not the objective and we were able to finish the badge without spending any money – I’m happy.
NOTE: The requirements have been greatly simplified here. Please be sure to read the full text in the American Heritage Girl Handbook to make sure you fully understand the requirements.
