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Castle Play Structure – last minute play set details
Castle Play Structure – last minute play set details

The entire Play Set will be packed up Monday morning and transported to site for installation. The end of this past week was all about the details: Aubrey adds professional Rock Climbing Holds to the Princess Tower walls: Marco hangs doors and shutters & glues the long screws into the…

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Barbara ButlerJune 26, 2010Big Forts, Detailing, Play Accessories, Staining, Castle PlayComment
Barbara’s back from the LI Treehouse install
Barbara’s back from the LI Treehouse install

After a week on site installing the Long Island treehouse, this is Barbara’s 1st day back at the shop.
1st order of business is to walk her dog, Daisy, who is really happy to have Barbara back! Daisy (a rescue from the Ridgeback society) is half Rhodesian Ridgeback and half unknown – maybe German Shepard.


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Kento MizunoJune 24, 2010Building in shop, Long Island, Treehouse, Barbara Butler
Rudi passed his interview for citizenship!
Rudi passed his interview for citizenship!

Good news. Rudi came in this morning and announced that he passed the interview. He has been “recommended for approval”. Now he is just waiting to receive notification of the final decision and then he will be sworn in at the ceremony to become a US citizen.

Congratulations Rudi!



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Kento MizunoJune 24, 2010Barbara + others, StainingComment
Long Island Treehouse: Grand Slam!
Long Island Treehouse: Grand Slam!

Barbara received the following email comments from our Long Island Treehouse client: A huge hit (Grand slam) my daughter Screamed and my son looked up in awe. Couldn’t get them out last night until dark then they got a little spooked and shut it down for the evening. At first…

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Barbara ButlerJune 21, 2010finished photos, Testimonials, treehouse, treehouses, Long Island, Long Island Treehouse
Castle Play Structure: building in the shop
Castle Play Structure: building in the shop

Remember Castle Play Structure? While Barbara and crew were in Southampton last week installing the Long Island Treehouse, the guys were back at the shop in South San Francisco building this large, intricate Castle Play Structure.

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Suzanne ButlerJune 21, 2010Artist Sketch, Big Forts, Building in shop, Staining, Castle Play
Happy Fathers Day!
Happy Fathers Day!


To the great dads that have actively enjoyed their Barbara Butler tree house and/or play structure with their kids over the past 25 years!

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Kento MizunoJune 20, 2010Holiday, Fathers, Dad, Father
Long Island Treehouse: Day 3 Install
Long Island Treehouse: Day 3 Install

FINAL DAY on site!Marco & Will spend the morning adding the play accessories:pulley bucket, rock holds, drop leaf table & 2 drop benches, top secret wall safe, chalkboard, shelf & pegs set, and lots & lots of Long Island road signs! Then break for yoga exercises on the lawn! Meanwhile,…


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Barbara ButlerJune 18, 2010Installation, Rustic, Treehouses, Long Island Treehouse
Long Island Treehouse: Day 4 Install
Long Island Treehouse: Day 4 Install

FINAL DAY on site!Marco & Will spend the morning adding the play accessories:pulley bucket, rock holds, drop leaf table & 2 drop benches, top secret wall safe, chalkboard, shelf & pegs set, and lots & lots of Long Island road signs! Then break for yoga exercises on the lawn! Meanwhile,…

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Barbara ButlerJune 18, 2010Finished Photos, Installation, Play Accessories, Rustic, Staining, Treehouses, Long Island, Long Island Treehouse
Long Island Treehouse: Day 2 Install
Long Island Treehouse: Day 2 Install

The guys start out the day digging post holes. adding knee braces… breaking for watermelon (Jeff was hoping to keep it for himself) Laying the deck boards and lifting the walls into place! At dusk, head back in Will’s “Fit” to the very cute little house rented for the week…


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Barbara ButlerJune 17, 2010Barbara + others, Installation, Rustic, Treehouses, Long Island Treehouse, Long IslandComment
Back at the Shop…
Back at the Shop…

The crew continues to work on the Castle Play Structure:Building the frame for the 2nd Towerand carving the trims Lunch on the dock!Ember, another sister & artist/master staining, has come down from Sebastopol to help stain for a couple of days! This is a huge structure and we need everyone’s…

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Barbara ButlerJune 17, 2010Barbara + others, Big Forts, Building in shop, Staining, Castle Play
Long Island Treehouse: Day 1 Install
Long Island Treehouse: Day 1 Install

INSTALLATION: Day 1 The first day on site for a treehouse installation is all about positioning the girder box followed by the deck frame up in the tree. Placing of the girder box dictates the fit of the treehouse and how well the rest of the installation will go! The…

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Barbara ButlerJune 15, 2010Installation, Rustic, TreehousesComment
Castle Play Structure under construction
Castle Play Structure under construction

Monday, June 14th Colors are finalized! Here is Barbara’s Artist Sketch with the final color palette. The only change requested is to make the pink more of a “Princess Pink” if at all possible. Rudi starts off by staining the interior walls of the Clubhouse (Frog) followed by the Clubhouse…

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Suzanne ButlerJune 14, 2010Artist Sketch, Big Forts, Building in shop, Staining, Castle Play
Castle Play Structure under construction
Castle Play Structure under construction

Friday, June 12: Started the day with the Clubhouse framed, sided and the railing post anchored in the deck. Marco, who has been cutting/shaping the elegant, curved knee braces, is pleased with his handiwork! Once the deck is up in the air, the knee braces will attach underneath (between the…


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Kento MizunoJune 12, 2010Big Forts, Building in shopComment
Barbara’s Castle Play Structure is under construction
Barbara’s Castle Play Structure is under construction

Thursday, 6/10: Started the day with Aubrey (newest team member) out on the dock grinding the redwood smooth on all sides. We grind the wood smooth so kids won’t get splinters and round the corners so no sharp edges. Every builder starts in the grinding position, learning how to get…

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Kento MizunoJune 12, 2010Big Forts, Building in shop, Staining, Castle Play Comment
Next Project already underway…
Next Project already underway…

New Castle Play Structure design: Barbara’s latest design started with traipsing through the woods to find the perfect spot for the play structure. Her goal is to find a spot close enough to the house to keep an eye on young kids (from the kitchen window or a porch) but…

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Barbara ButlerJune 9, 2010Artist Sketch, Barbara + others, Stick-out, Castle PlayComment
Long Island Treehouse: Design process
Long Island Treehouse: Design process

In February, Barbara started the design process for this Long Island treehouse: Her first step was to visit the site, meet with her client, brainstorm ideas and help select the tree. Then take lots of photos. Back at the shop, Barbara “painted” the treehouse design directly onto the digital image.…

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Barbara ButlerJune 9, 2010Artist Sketch, Building in shop, Detailing, Play Accessories, Staining, Treehouses
Pretty in Pink
Pretty in Pink

We are about to pack up this playhouse and send it off to NY (along with a treehouse that is going to Southampton).

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Kento MizunoJune 8, 2010Carvings, Detailing, PlayhousesComment
Rocket Ship: Crew installing inside large warehouse!
Rocket Ship: Crew installing inside large warehouse!

Half-way through installation, the Rocket Ship is starting to look exactly like Barbara’s artist sketch!

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Suzanne ButlerJune 7, 2010Artist Sketch, Installation, Play StructuresComment
Barbara Butler’s Robin Hoods Fort with 2 swings
Barbara Butler’s Robin Hoods Fort with 2 swings

Look what was just installed last week in Pasadena, CA: beautiful, luscious colors on Barbara’s popular Robin Hood’s Fort play structure (this one has a 9′ long bridge over 2 swings and a Pyramid roof with stars):

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Barbara ButlerJune 7, 2010Play Forts, Robin Hood Fort, Robin HoodComment
Rocket Ship about to Launch
Rocket Ship about to Launch

Barbara and crew have been working non-stop to make ready for the launch of the Rocket Ship play structure this Friday, May 14th. Countdown includes: finish painting, detailing, packing, loading the truck and driving to LA. Building starts with the base floor. These photos show part of what it takes…


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Suzanne ButlerMay 12, 2010Barbara + others, Building in shop, Play Structures, StainingComment
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Barbara Butler Artist-Builder, Inc.
3430 Arden Road,
Hayward, CA, 94545,
United States
415-864-6840 information@barbarabutler.com
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