Elephant Step Stool

Inspiration from Tots Only Etsy page.

This is my first non-food tutorial!  I hope it makes sense and that the documents work out.  Email me if you have issues.  I hope you enjoy building it as much as we did!

Materials:

• template 1 and template 2
• 1" x 12" x 12' board
• 1/4" x 2" x 2' poplar board
• coping saw
• wood glue
• paint or stain of choice for ears and body
• polyurethane or seal of choice

Directions:

1. Print template.  Cut out shapes, tape elephant together.
2. Foot board: cut one rectangle from the 1" x 12' board, 11" x 9 1/2."  Cut two more rectangles (supports) from the same board, 11" x 2 1/4."  File and sand edges.
3. Body: trace elephant twice onto 1" x 12' board.  Cut elephant from board.  Use a drill to make a hole in the handles and then slip the coping saw through that hole, then cut the handles.  File and sand edges.
4. Ears: trace ear piece twice onto 1/4" x 2' x 2' poplar board.  Cut from board.  File and sand edges.
5. Glue the supports to the bottom of the foot board.  Once dried, glue the foot board to the elephants, just under the handle holes (make sure the elephants are facing the same direction).  Follow gluing directions and use a clamp as it dries.
6. Paint or stain the stool and ears your colors of choice.  We left the ears unstained and stained the body with English Chestnut.  Let dry.
7. Glue ears to stool.
8. Optional eye: drill or paint a dot.  We drilled a small hole, not penetrating the entire wood.  
9. Seal wood (we used polyurethane) according to directions.
10. Enjoy!