Hosting a stand for Alex's Lemonade Stand is such a great way to teach children to have a generous heart for others!
We were thrilled when A.C. Moore and Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation challenged us to create something for a greater cause, by building and hosting our own stand! We built our stand (pictured above top) using supplies that we had on-hand, inexpensive wooden craft crates, and a few additional simple supplies found at A.C. Moore. My older children are so excited with the way that it turned out; we're all bursting at the seems with excitement to hold our stand this weekend at our local A.C. Moore store!
Check out the simple supply list and tutorial below.
What you'll need:
- a pencil (to outline your letters / pennant flags for your banner)
- Fabric scissors (to cut felt)
- Low temp hot glue gun (to glue your twine / felt pennant flags / lettering to create lemonade banner)
- (3)Low temp hot glue sticks
- (4) 8" x 10" sheets of turquoise felt (pennant banner)
- (2) 8" x 10" sheets of yellow felt (pennant banner letters)
- (1) 3' piece of twine (pennant banner)
- (2) 18" pieces of twine (rods)
- Drill and corresponding bit (to secure dowels to your lemonade stand base)
- 4 Small sponge brushes (to paint your stand & dowels
- Staple Gun ( to secure bottom row of crates to top row of crates)
- 1/2" 12 mm Staples
- 3/4" tack nails (to create secure counter and crates side by side)
- hammer
- (4) 1/4" x 2-1/2" bolts and wing nuts to fit them (to secure dowels / pennant banner rods to the lemonade stand base)
- (4) large Woodline Works Large Wood Crates - item # 104148678 (lemonade stand base)
- (2 )Nicole Crafts 4 food x 7/8" Wood Dowels - item 104146750 (lemonade stand base / pennant banner rods)
- 3' x 12" piece of sanded plywood (lemonade stand counter)
- Americana Multi-Surface Satin Paint in Cotton Ball White we used (4) x 2fl oz. bottles (alternating slats on lemonade stand base and wooden dowels)
- Americana Multi-Surface Satin Paint in Lemon Zest -we used (2) 2 fl oz. bottles (alternating slats on lemonade stand base)
- Americana Multi-Surface Satin Paint in Seaside - we used (1) 2 fl oz. bottle (counter & sign pictured below)
How to:
- Start by assembling your stand. Place 2 large wooden crates flush side by side. Use your hammer and tack nails to secure the crates together where the solid boards / handles are located. Use two rows of 8 tack nails on either side to secure the crates together. Repeat using the 2 remaining crates.
- Carefully pick up 2 crates that you adjoined side-by-side with tack nails. Stack them on top of the other two crates that you've also adjoined. Make sure that they are all facing in the same direction (inward).
- Use one hand to apply pressure to the top row of crates. Use your other hand to utilize your your staple gun and 1/2" 12mm staples to staple 8-10 times along each row of slats inside your crates (staple the row where they are stacked/meet - refer to image below).
- Next, use your pre-cut sanded plywood (refer to dimensions above) tack nails, and hammer to create a counter top on your lemonade stand base. Affix on either end / down the middle where the thicker end boards meet with tack nails (refer to image below).
- Use your electric drill, bolts and wing nuts to affix your wooden dowels to either side of your lemonade stand base.
- Once your stand is fully assembled, now it's time to paint! Alternate colors (lemon zest / cottonball ) to paint the front of your stand. Apply two coats of paint. Allow adequate time for drying between coats. Paint the sides of your stand and dowels cottonball white.Apply two coats of paint. Allow adequate time for drying between coats.
Last, it's time to decorate! We made a fun sign for our stand using a chalkboard plaque with a twine hanger ($4.99 at A.C. Moore). We also picked up a cute mini sandwich-board style chalkboard sign ($1.99 at A.C. Moore) so that we could clearly display our pricing. To decorate our counter we used stacked faux lemons in a clear glass vase (all found in the floral department at A.C. Moore).
The fun pennant banner that's pictured above and below came together easily using felt, twine, and the free printable template below.
We also have some fun pom-pom garland and posters that we plan to decorate our stand with, when we set it up in-store this weekend!
We love that the stacked crates use to construct the base of the lemonade stand also create storage for concealing supplies; easily tuck plastic cups, lemonade mix, spring water, a small cooler with ice etc. behind the stand!
After the above images were taken of our completed stand, we decided to add another sign with the mission statement for the foundation. We used a wooden plaque with hangers ( $4.99 at A.C. Moore) Americana Multi-Surface Paint in Seaside, Lemon Zest, and Classic Green (.59 cents ea. on sale at A.C.Moore), and a Sharpie Paint Pen with medium point ($1.99 A.C. Moore). We also made a simple donation box from a photo box ($3 A.C. Moore)
We're all set for Saturday! We have set our fundraising goal at $400 (the cost for 1 day of cancer research) and we can't wait to see if we meet it!
You can donate during A.C. Moore's store-wide fundraiser for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF). Now through August 2, 2015, A.C. Moore will be selling paper lemons at checkout across all of its 140 locations nationwide, in support of ALSF
For more information on Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for childhood cancer and to register to host your own stand, visit them online at: http://www.alexslemonade.org/
*Disclosure: A.C. Moore provided us with crafting supplies / a gift card so that we could participate in this fun challenge / event for a great cause. All opinions expressed are our own.
