Showing posts with label masonry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label masonry. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 4, 2020

Building A Fire Pit: Having Fun During Coronavirus

Building A Fire Pit: Having Fun During Coronavirus



With all the concerns and anxiety about Coronavirus (COVID-19), we need to find ways to slow down, relax, and enjoy the time we have to ourselves.  To stay safe if we have asthma, heart disease, diabetes, overweight, have/survived cancer, or 50+ year old.  Take a break from the numbers about infections, hospitalizations, and deaths.  

Staying healthy also means time for relaxation.  The benefits of unwinding are: slowing heart rate, lowering blood pressure, slowing your breathing rate, improving digestion, maintaining normal blood sugar levels, reducing activity of stress hormones, increasing blood flow to major muscles, reducing muscle tension and chronic pain, improving concentration and mood, improving sleep quality, lowering fatigue, reducing anger and frustration, boosting confidence to handle problems (Mayo Clinic Stress Management).  And what can be more relaxing than a night talking by the fire?


1) Dig a hole the size you'd like for a fire pit.  This is about 40 inches x 40 inches with a depth of about 9 inches.  (Call 811 or your local utility provider before digging)


2) Once dug out, tamp or pack the soil tight and level (Not really seen in this photo).


3) Lay out the cinder blocks in a level square.  Fill in with some of the soil that you've dug out.


4) Next, lay some decorative bricks on top.  Once in place, dump soil or sand on top of the bricks and try to rub it into the seams.


 

Remember to follow local and state guidelines before burning.  And just so we don't add unnecessary stress, here's a link for building a fire: https://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Fire.  Once completed, you'll have a simple, cheap fire pit that is easy to maintain, quick to fix, and simple to remove.  

DON'T FORGET TO HAVE FUN!
And, please feel free to contact if you have any questions or suggestions!


Health and Safety Considerations for gathering:
1) No indoor activities
2) No sharing bathrooms
3) Wash hands before and after gathering.  Don't touch your face.
4) Bring your own food, snacks, drinks, and utensils.
5) Do not attend if you have asthma, heart disease, diabetes, overweight, have/survived cancer, or 50+ year old.
6) Do not attend if you have or have had Coronavirus or showing symptoms (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html).
8) Limit attendance.  Check local health department for guidelines and restrictions.
9) Talk with everyone about comfort levels.  Expect and allow non-participation and last minute cancellations.

Mike Kraus was born on the industrial shoreline of Muskegon, Michigan. After earning his Fine Arts Degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he attended Grand Valley State University for his graduate degree. From there, he gained varied experiences from the Chicago Architecture Foundation, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Children's Memorial Foundation. And every place he worked, he had his sketchbook with him and found ways to be actively creative. In 2014, Kraus became a full-time artist by establishing Mike Kraus Art. Since then, he has sold hundreds of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. Currently, Kraus lives in Rochester, New York with his beautiful wife and goofy dog.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

How To Build a Simple Fire Pit

Updated by popular demand.  I've decided to put up a quick post because there has been a lot of interest in how I built this fire pit.  So, here we go.

First, dig a hole the size you'd like for a fire pit.  This is about 40 inches x 40 inches with a depth of about 9 inches.

Once dug out, tamp or pack the soil tight and level (Not really seen in this photo).

Lay out the cinderblocks in a square and level.  Fill in with some of the soil that you dug out.

Next, lay some decorative bricks on top.  Once in place, dump soil or sand on top of the bricks and try to rub it into the seams.


 
TA DA!  You have a simple, cheap fire pit that is easy to maintain, easy to fix, and easy to remove.  


THANKS and please let me know if you need anything or have any questions!

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Digging My Own Grave

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Must of done something wrong to be digging my own grave...  With Megan's b-day shovel...

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"He knew he had it comin..."

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That ain't no grave, it's the early stages of a new fire pit! 

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It's getting there...

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Oh boy, just in time for Memorial Day Weekend!  (For instructions, please visit: http://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2013/06/how-to-build-simple-fire-pit.html)

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Oh happy wife.  A new fire pit and hammock all in the same weekend.  Must of been a good birthday!
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Now for some randomness.  And, what could be more random than cuddling chincillas?
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Deer hanging out on a driveway on our walk.  The eyes tell me he's a robot

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Bobette and Bob chalk drawings at Cobbles Elementary

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What does this mean?

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The new petunias seem to be holding their own.  

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Poppies (which can only be said in the Wicked Witch of the West's voice.  Sorry)

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Waiting to vote for Penfield's 4.4% property tax hike, there was a little art show that featured my niece Rachel's awesome rendition of Hokusai's Great Wave.  There's framing.  The color gradient in the sky is well done.  The marker line work is beautiful.  
Looking forward to the long weekend.  A MUCH, MUCH needed weekend and should be a lot of fun.  Hope yours is too!

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