Make a joyful miniature outdoor spa scene from a plastic laundry scoop ,some craft sticks and some recycled bits and pieces to furnish. A lovely surprise for the miniature playhouse fan! My bamboo screen comes from a discarded garden screen; the wall-hanging is an orphan earring; the rug comes from a damaged vintage doily; the vanity details are all from jewelry parts; the coat hanger is made from a paperclip. Make the basic white spa bath surrounded by timber decking then supply your own style and imagination.I suggest you pre-paint the scoop so it's ready to install, then you have a great little rainy day project all ready to complete. (Hint: on my market stall, boys like this just as much as girls!)

Step 1: What You Will Need to Get Started

The only essentials are

• A plastic laundry scoop (any color) in a tub-like shape

• Some craft sticks for the decking. (I used long ones to make enough room for some drying off and lounging. Mine have been dyed in coffee but you can use them unstained for a Scandi look.

• Some multi- purpose glue (suited to wood, fabric, plastic, etc)

• White spray- on gloss enamel that will bind to plastic ( eg Rustoleum)

• A pencil and a craft knife and a ruler for cutting.

This is all you need to make the spa set in decking. You'll then need to set this on some sort of support. (I'll give you two simple options).

Start by spraying the INSIDE of the laundry scoop with the white enamel. Let dry and repeat so you have two or three coats in total. (If you spray the outside the glue will lift some of the paint when you install it in the deck).

Step 2: Start Building the Decking

Line up 20 craft sticks on your cutting board. Measure the width and cut three sticks from some more boards. Glue in place.

Step 3: Creating the Hole to Sink the Spa

When dry, trace out the shape of the spa bath as pictured on the underside

of the deck. Now draw a second line about 2mm (1/8 in) INSIDE the traced line. This will be your cutting line.

Using a new blade on your cutting knife and a ruler, begin to cut the straight marked lines.

Work gently but firmly. You will need to make about ten cuts on each straight line. You will find you can then lift up the pieces and remove them.

Step 4: Reinforcing the Deck

Next cut the odd corners, so you have a spa- shaped hole as pictured.

If you're going to be playing with the spa bath then glue in some extra supports to the underside of the deck to make it stronger.

Step 5: Making the Deck Supports

Before you glue the spa in place decide what sort of base you want. You can simply glue four matchboxes to the underside, as pictured, which is quite stable for play. If you want something that looks a bit classier you can drill some holes to the underside and make some feet as I did. (Because I wanted to make the bamboo wall I threaded the doweling right through the holes to act as wall supports as well as feet.)

Step 6: Sinking the Bath Into Position

Now it's time to glue the bath into the deck. Make a fine line of glue all around your timber cut-out and

lower the bath into position. While the glue is drying you can start adding your own finishing touches. I'm crafting on a tropical island, so I like to use shells as vases. What will you use in your part of the world?