DIY Train Table

My two year old is OBSESSED with trains right now. I thought about scouring Craigs List for unused train tables that would fit the bill. Last month we moved and in the process I saw my coffee table that I've had for many years. I thought this table would be ideal for a table that may or may not be a hit for a two year old.

 

 First coat. I figured out that the foam brush wasn't cutting it very well and switched over to an actual paint roller. It gave a MUCH better look in the end.

My five year old wanted to help so much. I gave him the task of painting the lake for his brother's gift.

This is what it looked like before lines were added to the street and the rail road sign finished. I also added about 5 or 6 coats of polyurethane to the top to try to protect the surface a little bit.

I love the finished product. Instead of the round railroad street sign that normally has an "RR" on it, I put my son's initials on the sign to personalize it a little bit.

The finished product.

Both the boys enjoying the table. They can't get enough of it! I'm happy to say that the table will be around for a while and used daily.

Train Cake Fail

My youngest son turned two this week and I had GRAND plans to make him a train cake. I have a really cool cake pan that is in the shape of the various train cars and engine. I tried to make a cake using this pan once before (several years ago) and it was a fail at that time. I figured that since I have some clue of what I'm doing with cakes/decorating these days, I would not have the same experience. Not so much I'm afraid.

First of all, I apparently filled the cake pan too full and this is what I found in the bottom of the oven. 

Cake was all over the place. What a mess.

 The idea is that you let the cake cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes and invert it and the cake will pop right out.

 That really didn't happen for me. Cake stuck everywhere. It looked like there would not be a train cake after all.

Plan B went into effect. Looking in the pantry, I found everything I needed for Rice Krispie treats. I cleaned out the cake pan and greased it well and went to work stuffing sticky Rice Krispies in the pan and praying that the end result would look something like train cars. In the end, it wasn't what I originally envisioned, but that is okay. It turned out just fine for my little one and he loved it!

I died coconut flakes green for the grass and piped chocolate pudding for the track. I used Life Savers, Fruit Roll Ups and other candies for decorating the actual train cars.