We’re Making: A project so simple, I wonder why I’m writing about it

Except for the fact that I love it quite so much

Jun 07, 2024

For the very first print edition of Treehouse, I asked some buds to reenact an Italian post-Easter holiday called Pasquetta wherein friends gather after the main event, have a picnic, and eat what amounts to a leftovers pie. (Recipe, concept, execution all courtesy of Double Grazie.) It was an April issue, which meant this particular reenactment occurred sometime in March, in Maine, which is not exactly a pastoral moment in time or space. So, we gathered at a rocky beach where you really can’t tell what season it is at all. That presented a whole new problem which is utter lack of flat surface for showing off leftovers pie and dreamy ricotta cake and most cherished Thai seltzers.

My solution became a plywood board, wrapped in fabric, staple-gunned into place.

Truly: So simple as to wonder why we’re spending time talking about it. But, for all of the multi-step, multi-tooled, multi-supplied projects in the zine and in this newsletter, this is really one of my actual favorite things. It creates a small, sturdy surface for snacking; it’s less than a table, more than a blanket.

But then! For the August/September double issue last year, I put together a little more formalized instructions, this time adding a layer of waterproofing beeswax because the original fabric cover got real gross, real fast. You could also just go for some oilcloth, if that’s more your thing and you like the way those look.

PICNIC BOARD

+ plywood board, size of your choosing and schlep-ability (this one is 2’x3’)
+ fabric of your choosing, about 2-3” larger than the board on each side
+ staple gun
+ the real hero here, waterproofing wax

Place fabric print-side down, center board on top.
Fold each side as you would wrap a gift, staple into place.
Flip right side up and start applying beeswax according to manufacturer directions.
Usually there’s a little curing time required with the wax, so wait for that time to sail by, then take this thing out for a picnic—it’s SUMMER!