Sunday, December 2, 2012

Christmas Spirit...
   Spent this weekend decorating Lillie up for Christmas.   She is in the front yard with lights inside and out.
  I spent some time taking pictures... and Phoenix the Cat just sat there...

I would set the timer... run to the trailer and pose....
He would just watch me go back and forth...
Silly Cat.

I Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous, Happy New Year.
:) Suzy

Saturday, November 10, 2012

  Today I took a 2.5hr drive with my Mother and Sister to an Antique Mall in Cashmere, Wash.  There was snow on the hills above town and we hit snowfall on most of the drive up there.  It was a belated birthday trip for her.
  At the Mall I found my pink petticoat for next year's Glamping trips.   I also found a pink felt pennant from Ocean City, Wash.  It will look perfect in Lillie.   I also found my "Luggable Loo"... a vintage enamalware chamber pot with a lid.   There were two in the same booth... one a blue rimmed pot and the other red rimmed.  My helpful sister suggested I take the red rimmed one as it had a larger lip.  I wonder what her intentions were?   Hahaha
   I also found some vintage pearl jewelry.  I think they will be fun to play with.
I also think I will paint more black silhouettes around her.  I've got a few ideas in mind.


But we will see. 
:)  Suzy

Friday, October 19, 2012

Fall is upon us...

   It's getting cool these days.  Fall is here.  I've been in Grape Harvest for the past 3 weeks and not done much with the SSLillie.
   Grape Harvest started late Sept.  The afternoons were warm when I got home, so I pulled Lillie up on the yard and did some more silhouette painting.   She now has another cat and a bird.
  This Kitty is on the back side.  The Bird perches on the window.

   We were expecting Rain last week.  So I went and bought a couple of small Camo tarps to cover her with.  I didn't want a HUGE tarp, I wanted her window still to be able to open.  I had/have concerns about her front and back windows with condensation/moisture, so I only covered the top, front and rear.  I wish the camo was pink.


See the Hovering Thunder clowds.

    The edge of the tarp covers the seams.  These are two small tarps... I plan on tweeking them to custom fit Lillie with easy to strap down ties.  I think I might sew the tarps together... right now they are overlapping and I have had to readjust it a couple of times since I put it on.
    I tested the windows with the first day of rain... moisture was just barely there in the corners of the F&B windows.  The seams, which shows past moisture stains, were perfectly dry.  I've not sealed the top, but will this coming spring.
   I have more decorating ideas for the interior.   I want to keep her on the lawn and work on her this fall & winter.   I'm looking forward to it.
Happy Glamping, Suzy

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Detailing....    Birthdays...
    Did some detailing a couple of weeks ago.... did the blue tapeing off thing and spray painted black accent parts...
   Here I've added a black finishing stripe around the middle of the propane tanks.  I also topped off the cap/handle and the foot stand of each tank.
I also added a Black Cat silhouette sitting on the wheel well and the wheel well trim is black as well.

Isn't it a beauty so far... I'm not finished with the detailing yet.  I like the upper rough weathered paint look... I'm not wanting to paint it or strip it, but I should seal it.
   Yesterday was my Birthday... I spent a quiet day... well as quiet as it could be with two little grandsons visiting.  I started out my day by joining my sister and Mom at a Shabby Antique show... Bloomerang.  It is JUST the sort of place we want to sell out of our Bunkhouse Boutique Glamping Booth at.  We left our name & phone number, they are planning one for next year too.   The shortly after lunch, my daughter and her to adorable little boys joined me for the afternoon.   We had a lot of fun.
  I may have spent a quiet birthday yesterday, BUT I was totally blown away suprized by a suprize birthday party last weekend.  My BFF and I joined my Mom & Sis at another Farmer's Market up the valley mid morning, scouted around and had lunch in a Pizza Bar & Restaurant.  Then we headed back to town and stopped at the Christian Thrift Shop here in town, which is a nice little shop.   My friend and I headed to my housed.  There was no evidence of anyone around, but my two kids, the grandkids, my friends and family suprized me with a party.  It was a full afternoon of celebration.


   I recieved a basket full of Glamper things for the SSLillie, a string of Flamingo lights and a jar that people put money into for me to spend on the Aloha.  I have plans for an awning from Marti's Awnings.  I got one for the 90 Okanagan MH.  A very nice weekend... not what I had planned at all for the rest of the day.   A pleasant way to spend it with friends and family.
:)  Suzy
  

Friday, August 24, 2012

Little Shabby Shanti-Lillie..... I'm happy with the look of the sponge paint job.
      See how the colors show through.  Her white underneath (the petticoat), the coral being the next layer and the bubblegum pink her to layer of lace.   See how it blends with her OLD paint under the turquoise strie.
   The J-rail all around was not intended to be painted.  I plan to remove it this fall or spring... clean it up (remove layers of paint) re-butyl seal and re-install it back on.   Or I could just buy new J-rail and install instead.   We shall see.   I'm in no rush.
   She is going to her first "Showmeoff" this Sunday.  We will be in Richland, Wash. at a Hogs Wash inton BBQ and Show.  It's for all vehicles with wheels.  There will be vintage trailers, vintage cars and I think new & vintage moterbikes and Harleys.   Some of our Tin Can Tourist bunch are going to be there.  We are looking forward to it.
   I sat down one evening afterwork to sand the rust off the door stop before I painted it.  I used a sand cloth, it's like screen with grit added to it.   I then eyeballed the trailer baby moon hubcaps which were totally covered with rust.   I thought "what the hell" and began sanding the rust.   I was amazed.  It removed the rust and the chrome shows through.
   See the hub on the left.... that is how both of them looked.  The hub on the right has had some sanding...

I found out later that soaking them in viniger water for a few days would have disolved much of the rust off and I would have avoided the little scratches on the chrome.  Oh. well.   I'm going to still try and polish them ups a bit.
     I also have a C-rail above the front window.  The C-rail is for an awning.  I already have a window shade over the front window which protects it from rock chips.   I would like to add an awning to the side of the trailer over the door.  I thought of just moving the C-rail from over the window and install it above the door, but I've had suggestions of just purchasing new Longer piece of C-rail and installing.  I think I will do this.  And then I could make a smaller awning to install above the window that would used the window shade for support just for color.

   The little loopy thingy is an awninch support I think.  I don't know if I will utilize these in the new awnings or not...
    I've got some work tomorrow to make her ready for her styling debut on Sunday... Lace - check, vintage table cloth-check, vintage ice chest - check, chandelier - check.  

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Stage one painting.... Done.
Ended up sponge painting the bublegum pink over the coral.  The door is striped.

I'm thinking of leaving the top unpainted any further.  It has aluminum showing and spots of paint... kinda Shabby.   I have the Aloha decal for above the back window and I think I will put in on her even though she's got no new upper paint.   Her name is Shanti-Lillie and she is shanty shabby chic. 

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Today... I started painting the Aloha.   I paper & taped her stripe off this morning... chose my colors and went to Ace to pick up some paint.   I chose a Semi-Gloss indoor/outdoor paint that works on aluminum siding.  I chose the color Autumn Reverie which is a salmonie pink.  
 When I came home I set my materials up and sponged on the paint on the bottom half of the trailer only.  I painted the lower half of the door and the storage door a solid Autumn Reverie.  I even Painted the lower half of the Propane tanks.

   After a while I began removing the tape and paper and was dissappointed... the Reverie goes good with the front of the trailer colors, but the pink under the stripe is too pink... the salmon pink looks off.
   So I chose a Flamingo-ie pink and headed back down to Ace.... it was just turnin 6 pm and they were closed.  Bummer.  I will head down there tomorrow morning to get more paint.   I came home and paper & taped off the trailer again and since I will be only sponging over the salmon paint I will create a two tone look.   I also decided to tape off the solid doors into stripes just for fun.  The Propane bottles will also be striped lower.  
   I hesitate to completely paint the the entire tank, I've heard that they won't fill the bottles if they are painted.  One has a couple of labels on it but the other, I think older bottle, doesn't.  I'm gonna check with Bleyhls this week.
    Here are some pics of the Work in Progress....

 I went to the Yakima Valley Jr. Fair in Grandview today... I heard there would be some "Sisters" there.  I didn't find the sisters, but I did find a Vintage Horse Trailer being used as a Food Booth.


I talked to the owner and she says they've been hauling their food appliances for quite a few years, unloading and loading at each function.  Then they decided to just arrange it and use the trailer as part of their booth.   Like so many Vintage Travel Trailer's being converted into food booths, I thought this was a great idea.  You basically don't have to gut it as there is no fixtures in it to begin with.

Monday, August 6, 2012

New paint on her bumper...
New paint on her tongue....

New paint on her icebox door....
From brown to off white.   It will get some kind of silhouette design on it too.


Found a C-rail over her front window.  She has a window shade that protects the front window while traveling, but over that is a C-rail that is made for an awning.  I plan to move it to the doorside over the door and making her an awning.

I've not gotten a chance to work much with her or clean her up lately... weekends get busy.  I do think I may have to strip the paint before I repaint her.  I'm only going to sponge paint her salmon and white... and hope to just be able to lightly sand her before she gets her paint. 
Here's a pic of her inside bed & bunk on our first camping trip.  My little grandson wouldn't show his face for the picture.... little stinker.
Gotta Love him.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Just got my Aloha Decal for her this week.  It will go on after she's been painted.  They are usually stationed above the back window.
   My son-in-law had the muscle needed to loosen & remove the heavy bolts that held the box base onto the back bumper.  The 3/4 plywood was rotten in one corner and I plan to replace it with a new box.  Thank You M.
   Now the scraping of old... flaky... ugly paint.  Today after work I accomplished this... scraping and chipping the white and salmon.  Then washed the bumper and the "I don't know how many years" worth of dirt from most of the crevices.  I could have used the paint remover, but decided to just sit down and scrape.  I'll wash it down again and sand it later.
   I then moved to the front of the trailer and began scraping.  The 2 propane tanks were kinda in the way, so I removed them too.

   While scraping at the silver paint on the triangle tip I found some lettering... HADCO ENG???, Pat. No. 2523500.   I hosed it down too... I'll wash again and sand it before it gets paint.   I'm thinking of painting bumper and tongue black Rustoleum.
   I have a couple of concern spots underneath behind the tires... the wood looks like a composition wood... it is warped and sagging.  There is a wooden floor over it that the linoleum is on.  This is in the area of the goucho bed.  Gonna haveto do something about it.  Otherwise the underneath of the rest of the trailer looks solid. 

Sunday, July 8, 2012

One of the improvements I made was removing the wooden box on her back bumper.  It was made of 3/4 plywood, with a bottom, front, back, 2 side pieces and a small strip where the piano hinge for the lit was attached.  The right corner was badly damaged/rotted... I thought I would just repair it but decided that I would like to build something new for her.
Before pic...

After pic.
I left the base of the box on just to use as a carrier platform for the outdoor rug and a couple of chairs.  I tarped and bungied them to the bumper platform and they traveled well. You can see the salmon pink that was behind the box.  These are the colors that I plan to repaint her... salmon pink & turquoise.
  When I texted the kids I got a trailer, I took a picture with my phone and told them "the Beast has a little Sister".  I think I will name her "Lil Sister" for now, until something better comes up.   What is her theme?  I'm thinking ME.  A little bit Gypsie, Pirate, Faerie, Country, Bohemian, Ecclectic and very similar to my home decor.  In otherwords... fashionably cluttered.  Ha. :)

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Took the little girl out on her first camping trip under my possession. We drove 170+ miles to Spokane's Bowl and Pitcher camp ground.  The drive was good, we cruised a smooth 60-62 miles per hour.  Our first stop of course was the Country Mercantile just outside Pasco....
The sign above says "Asparagus is here"... is this a sign that I should name her Asparagus?  I don't think so.  :)
Got to the campground after first stopping off to collect the grandsons and my daughter and set up camp.  The boys were eager to help set up, and I gave them solar lights to stake out.  We settled in for the night with baked beans, pigs in the blankets, celary & carrots for dinner. 
The next day we ran to Coeur D'Lane for an RV store that sold new and used RV parts to look for a couple of things that we needed.  I was didn't find what I was looking for but did find a toilet seat lid for my moterhome toilet.... whoohoo.   And then my 5 yr old grandson and I fixed my ice box door handle.  Bonus.
Back at camp that evening, we had visitors... deer, a buck and a couple of doe.



Our camp set up... very basic for now.  No Canopy. No extra Glamping Accessories just the Basic Glamping accessories.
I enjoyed our camp trip.. the boys were fun to have and full of energy.
Things that need attn:
1. Finish fixing the Icebox door.
2. Have gas lines checked... smelled propane ouside but not inside.
3. Work on Left Tail light/brake light.
4. Finish Glamping her up.

Saturday, June 30, 2012

   Got started on my slipcovers... got one done enough to test it out.
  Looks ok... I'm not happy about the wrinkles and puckers... but like I said... it's a work in progress.   Then I placed both cushions into the bed and found that they are 8" short of a complete bed.   What's with that???

So... according to the TCT... one member has a 1959 trailer that is the same way.  He says he has an 8" cushion section that fills in the space.  So... looks like I'm gonna have to get an 8" foam section to make into bolsters to fill in.  They cam be bolster pillows when not made into a bed. 
  I'm working on lace curtains that I plan to get finished this weekend.  I've decided my first campout will be on the 4th.  I'm going to head to Spokane again to the Bowl and Pitcher state park and camp out with the grandsons.  Their mother is welcome too.  Their father is working a double shift... so he won't be joining us.   We will have to plan a camp out for all of us together.   Maybe the gold mine over that way.
Tested out the propane gas... the stove top works... the oven works.  I should test the oven for baking... perhaps I'll bake some bisquits today.  I'm packing the essentials... trying to remember what all she will need.  She was totally empty, so I will need to purchase everthing to make a camping trip successful.  I don't want to rob from the Okanagan, The Beast needs to remain ready to take sale if the need/desire arrises.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Went shopping for fabric to make slipcovers for the cushions.  Even though they are in great shape, I wanted them to have some color.  Here is what I found....
It's soft salmon flowers, green and pink.   I have a wonderful Flamingo pillow that will accent it to the max.  I have enough enough fabric to make some throw pillows I'm sure... probably enough to make curtains too, but I think that would be too much.  We shall see.
   The sanding and sealing of the interior wood turned out good.  I've still got a drawer that looks shabby and is in need of some serious work, but that can be done later.
   Before and after pics of one corner....

Before and after of a couple of cupboards.... the one on the left is the before.

My kitchen cupboards over the counter & stove...

I've put the hinges back on the doors, handles on the drawers and re-enstalled them into the trailer.  I've put the back cushion back in and I'm ready for finishing decorating.  My Ice Box needs to be fixed yet, and I will get to that.  But I think I'm ready to start decorating.   I've also put aluminum backsplash up behind the stove.
   Lets talk potty.... this little treasure doesn't have one.  I've seen several revamps inside small trailers that the owners have created a space for their porta-potty tucked into the space under the stove.  I have a drawer there and it wouldn't take much to adjust it into a door and cubby for my PPotty.  
I went to a Tin Can Tourist Vintage Trailer Rally this past weekend, and a couple of small trailers also had this remodel in their trailers.  Here is one in a "Man Cave Trailer"...

I have my work cut out for me... it's not a high priority at the moment... so I've got time to "think about it".
:) Suzy
P.S.  I need to be thinking of a name for her.... I've thought of Myrtle May... Lily.... Star-something or Something-star.   Her colors are salmon, turquoise and now her covers are green/brown/salmon pink.  Must think on it.   :)