This gardening girl is happy to have this project finished–even happier to have the boxes of parts off the floor of my quilting studio.

If you missed my recent post Tuteur-ial…, check it out to see the first few steps of this DIY project. Back from my travels for a few days I get back to it.

In the first project post I stopped short of adding the final side having run out of energy, daylight and time.

My trusty rubber mallet tapped that final side on each tuteur.

Did a little paint touch up here and there in preparation to tap on the ball finials.

At 72″ tall I need a step stool for that final construction step.

Every dowel held joint got a 3″ long screw for stability.

Each tuteur required thirty-two screws–plus 4 in each finial base. The instructions caution against over-tightening these screws and I am proud to report the drill only got away from me twice out of 72 screws total. For now I have decided to forego adding the slender upright extra bar on each side. I think the look is a little more contemporary without them.

Et Voila! In place flanking currently unplanted hayrack window boxes, the tuteurs help to carry the purple front door and trellis work theme to somewhat colorless area adjacent to the driveway. The awning over my studio windows is actually a small stripe containing beiges, browns and the purple, although the purple doesn’t leap out–they painted wood certainly draws the eye! The last step is the selection of a climber or tow that can co-exist. Full sun,  adequate water and hopefully evergreen. Any thoughts?

There are lots of examples and instructions to build various styles of tuteurs or obelisks on the web. Lacking the tools and skill to do a lot of accurate lumber cutting I went with a kit with all the hard tasks accomplished by someone who knows what they’re doing. Had it not been for my desire to paint the wood I could have assembled both in the matter of several hours. Thank you, Mr. deJong of Woodbrute Designs in British Columbia for your great directions and all parts included.