The Camper Wall/Window Challenge

It has been Day #1 of the 10 days we have left to get our camper ready for the road!

My mission for today was the window/wall.

A month or so ago it looked like.....

THIS!!!

Then THIS.......

And finally - THIS!

Louis Dean had made it sturdy!

Now it was up to me to make it pretty!

I found an old ticking jumper I wore 20 years ago when homeschooling.

PERFECT window treatment.......??

We brainstormed over coffee. I gathered my materials and we each went to work on our respective areas! I can't even begin to explain what all LD did but it had something to do with 30 amps and 50 amps and the right plug.

This is how MY project turned out!

I used old calendar pages from 1993 and glued, stapled and did whatever it took to get them on the wall and the shelf. I'm not QUITE through yet! I will add the buttons and trims I have in mind - and on hand - in the morning!

We are using things we already have - for the most part - thus making this a very frugal project indeed!

The shelf is there for reasons known and understood by Louis Dean. He told me but I can't figure it out. Something to do with wall support and a soft spot in the the ceiling he had to repair. Needless to say this wall is stronger than the day the camper was BUILT!

The shelf will hold our spices - you know those tall containers you get at Sam's?

We have over two DOZEN of them so we won't need to buy new ones for the camper!

A spring rod solved the curtain problem. I layered in some room darkening fabric since I couldn't fit the blinds back up there.

Louis Dean is one happy camper!

The wall is DONE!

The electric is DONE!

The floor is DONE!

The outside is DONE!

I am as happy with how it turned out as I can be!

We are totally winging this camper redo deal and that in itself is kind of fun!

I love warm and cozy and I MUST have my little lights!

This is just an inexpensive plastic Christmas light with fabric glued on.

The bulbs are dipped in clear silicone.

I have dozens of these all over my house!

It's beginning to look like home!

And, Amber, if you are reading this I hope you are much encouraged at the progress we have made. She has been concerned about the quality of our living conditions. You can see this is going to be perfect for us!

I put the girl bunk all back together and will start on the boy bunk tomorrow.

I also need to fashion a window treatment for the sofa area.

Just LOOK at the broomstick skirt I found!

Cut in half it would be plenty big enough for the window.

Perhaps attach it with Velcro?

Or just keep with the idea of hanging it out of the cupboard door?

We worked hard today. I even did an hour of yard work after I finished in the camper.

It's so hot you have to wait til the sun goes down to do anything outside.

We actually are so tired we ate cottage cheese and bananas for supper!

Still time for a 'Closer' and then a little driveway sitting.

Bet we sleep WELL tonight!!



Christmas in July!

I ALWAYS do a 'Christmas in July' project!

 This year it is a pillow that I have wagged around with me since April! I finally started working on it in earnest this week while I am down here with the babies.

For over 30 years I taught an art class in my dining room every Tuesday night.

During the month of July we would listen to Christmas music, sip hot chocolate with peppermint stick stirrers and work on our Christmas painting.

Things have been a little different this year but I will still manage to finish this pillow by the end the week. I know! The project will be stretching into August! I can NOT believe today is July 31st!!

I have been down here in Houston watching babies grow!

And they ARE growing!

Right now they are the size of doll babies!

Can you tell who is the biggest?

Harrison, then Kailey, followed by Trystan and Logan taking turns at being the smallest. They won't stay little long so Amber takes every opportunity to put cute clothes on them.

We don't spend ALL of our time holding babies!

They are still feeding every three hours so Mom and Dad have to keep those bottles filled and waiting. Night feedings are still the biggest challenge but they won't last forever. I am going to start PRAYING for each one as I give that last bottle about midnight that they will sleep just a little longer between each night time feeding.

The number of diapers we go through in a day is staggering!

Every baby has his/her own chart where important information is logged in......

like the amount they drank and the contents of their diapers!

Have I mentioned how ORGANIZED Amber and Mike are?

You simply couldn't DO quadruplets without being organized!

Mike works for such an awesome corporation.

Each Monday and Thursday someone from his company shows up at the door with a full dinner! EVERY Monday and Thursday!!

And the meals are so GOOD!

We have had pot roast with all the veggies, brisket that melted in your mouth along with smoked sausage, potato salad, baked beans AND home made BREAD!!

Last night we had deliciously seasoned pork loin with fresh broccoli, roasted asparagus and rice WITH crescent dinner rolls and chocolate chip cookies.

I am telling you......these coworkers are AWESOME!!

While I have been away Louis Dean has continued work on the RV back home.

We should be moving it down her by the middle of August.

Every night - between feedings - I sit out in the front yard here while Louis Dean sits on the driveway 260 miles away at home and we have our evening glass of wine together.

It's not the same but it will have to do for now.

Our 'Camper Plans' are coming along and soon we will be together again and I can't wait. It is silly how much I miss that husband of mine! What makes it even nicer is that he misses ME, too!!

The last day of July! I just can't believe how time is FLYING by!!

Creating a Cozy, Comfy CAMPER is HARD WORK!

We have been working hard on this camper restoration project.

There were times when I looked at the whole thing and thought it was simply impossible to make this into a clean live-able place. Louis Dean has been amazing - as always! I have said it before and will say it again - there is nothing this man cannot fix!

Had Amber not had quadruplets and had she and Mike not lived in the Houston area, well, we would never have had the motivation to tackle the job of turning a neglected and damaged trailer into what will become our 'Home Away from Home!'

But she DID, they DO, and we ARE!

We still have a LONG way to go but not nearly as far as we DID!

We have accomplished a lot. LD has repaired the damaged floor and I have cleaned and scrubbed and decorated around a great deal of debris.

At least now we have ONE side of the camper where we can sit in comfort.

We are enjoying the challenge of decorating and outfitting (as much as we can!) with things we already have. I have made dozens of denim quilts in my time so it was just natural to use recycled denim for the cushions and curtains.

MY side of the table is where the LOVE pillow is.

That's my decorated hammer hanging on the jean curtain.

At least I will always know where to find it!

I've added more wallpaper border and framed posters.

I am using the same principle in decorating the camper as I have done for my house -

MORE is always BETTER!!!

Every wall must have something on it!

The theme of coffee, chickens, rustic country things and whimsical touches pretty much evolved on its own.

As you can see - we still have many things to do!

Drawers and doors and floors - not to mention the BATHROOM!!

One of the bunks is done up in frills and lace for a GIRL guest!

(Like my grand daughter, Faith!)

I used leftover wallpaper from years ago!

I was surprised the pre pasted paper would STICK - it was THAT old!!

It made me happy to pull this lacy comforter out of my linen closet!

It is about 25 years old and as the lace would tear I repaired it with vintage bits and pieces as well as some doilies and ribbon roses. It became a real labor of love and holds lots of memories for me. I have changed styles and bedding over time. We now have a queen size bed and this is a full size comforter. It will work for this bunk just fine though!

I mean to paper the top bunk in a blue print and make it more appropriate for a BOY guest! This will be a project for later.

Our main goal now is to get the vinyl flooring down.

Louis Dean is covering the wood with roofing felt and will put the vinyl on top of that.

He's using a section he salvaged from an old house he was working on some years ago. This is a LOW COST restoration!

We plan to cover the vinyl with rugs to cozy it all up!

I have been discouraged at times but then I remember all the things we have done.

Things that looked impossible.

Like last year's bedroom redo.

And my bathroom the year before that.

If I can 'picture' it done - I'm there!

Right now I am 'picturing' us all comfy and cozy in our cute little camper.

The coffee is brewing and I am getting my journal out to write.

The air conditioner is humming, the cat is purring and the dog is still asleep.

I'm looking around at all the prettiness of the camper and remembering when we started and what a mess it was in.

We're getting there! Step by step!



I Get My THRILLS.....at the Local GoodWILLS!

I have been on a roll lately with the Goodwill's.......and Hobby Lobby's 80% off sales!

It has been so much fun finding things to deck out our camper with TONS of personality and very little actual $$!

Check these out!

Nifty clever hangers to replace the generic camper ones.

I am going with a fun eclectic look and these will fit right in!

The chickens have already been HUNG!

These plate chargers were just $0.60 each!

The two red French themed pieces will go in the bedroom.

They will look right at home with the pretty green wallpaper in there.

You gotta LOVE that pillow!

I found 4 framed posters. Perfect! They are interesting and light weight.

I MUST have STUFF on every single wall!!!

Great finds for the camper bathroom.

I plan to paper that room with the pink watered silk paper I used in my bathroom last year! I had EXTRA paper left so it won't cost me a penny!!

Not sure where this grape leaf plate holder will 'live' yet.

Never fear! I WILL find the perfect home for it!

Perhaps it will hold books or magazines instead of plates.

Maybe it will even live OUTside! Who knows?

The camper HAS to have a trash can.

This stainless steel one was a STEAL at just $5.99!

And I will need some cute things for our patio at the RV park!!

Good buy for $3.99!

A Yankee votive candle holder was $4.99.

Love the wine theme.

A pretty new shade for a living room lamp.

$5.99

The OLD lampshade found a new home in the gazebo.

I threw the one I replaced away.

Yes! I DO throw something away on occasion!

I bought this really pretty floor lamp at a Goodwill when I was down at Amber's last week. $17.99 and it is SO pretty! It may stay here in the foyer where I have it now.

Or I may take it on in to the camper. I am addicted to lamps of all sorts!

I thought I would throw in this pic of the valance for the kitchen camper.

I have recycled jeans in just about every way imaginable!

I papered the pantry in the camper and covered the freezer door with more paper!

Not sure yet what I will do to the fridge door. I'll think of something!

(I ran out of the green paper! Using things I have, you know!)

Today has been a hodge podge of emotions and activities.

I got up earlier than Louis Dean for a change. Made coffee, emptied the dishwasher, took out the trash and edged the front yard before he even woke up!

We read and had coffee together - in the camper so we could admire our progress! - and then dressed for and attended a funeral. A neighbor man died. His name is Jesse and he was always walking his beloved little dog and would stop and talk to us from time to time and pet Lucy. Another neighbor came by last night and told us about Jesse's passing. He said that Jesse felt bad on Sunday, went to the doctor on Monday who sent him to the hospital. He was diagnosed with leukemia on Tuesday, went home with hospice on Wednesday and died on Friday. We never even knew he was sick.

Louis Dean and I went out for lunch after the funeral and talked to each other about what we would want done when it's our turn to go. He doesn't want canned music. He's thinking he will record some of his OWN music to be played.

The minister read the poem 'The Dash' - which I dearly love - and the whole experience was more of a celebration than mourning.

We then went to Home Depot, I had my hair cut, worked on the camper, mowed the yard.......a mixed day of mixed activities and mixed emotions.

As Mrs. Morrison used to say when we would plan a time together.......

(she was a friend to me and all my children. I met her when she was 63 - MY age now - and she lived over 30 more years becoming a part of our lives.)

"Little Sweetie, you never know what a day may bring."

When it's all said and done.......today was a good day.

Now we need to close up the camper, put away our tools, get something to eat, put our feet up on the stone wall and sit back as we water the yard and have a nice glass of wine. Who cares if we get to bed at 2 am? We are retired and can sleep as late as we please! If I haven't said it lately - let me say it now!

I LOVE our life!!!