Camping and the Cutest Darn Curtains Ever!

Well, I went on my first Sisters on the Fly camp out last weekend .. what a blast!  They really do have more fun than anyone else!  Other than a minor mishap where I jackknifed the trailer into the SUV and put a big old dent in it (the SUV, not the trailer), it was a wonderful weekend ... neat people, great junk (went to the Nebraska Junk Jaunt) and gorgeous weather.  Couldn't have asked for more.

While I was there, I got to reminiscing about how much fun I had at Girl Scout camp as a child and decided THAT was the theme for my trailer!  For those of you unfamiliar with Sisters on the Fly, most of the trailers/campers are themed.  Most are cowgirl-related but there are some done up in ladybugs, ants, etc.  One of the ladies there had a red/white Shasta and everything she had inside was pretty much red and white ... it was beautiful.  On the fold down bed, she had a gorgeous white crocheted throw with red crocheted flowers, cute little red and white curtains, red and white accessories, etc.  You get the picture.

Another one was done in pink and cowgirl stuff.  She had adorable curtains, boots and had even decoupaged posters on her ceiling.  Very creative.

So, after going through a few theme ideas myself, I decided that since I've collected GS stuff for quite a while, why not incorporate that as my theme.  I ordered 10 yards of reproduction vintage Girl Scout fabric and started making curtains, found some old GS and GS camp pennants and will put them on the cabinet doors along with other assorted stuff.  I also had the brilliant idea that since I'll never use the bunk bed, I'll use it as a shelf only.  I removed the back half and will remount the front half (the part with the edge) so it only goes 1/2 way across my bed.  That way I won't bump my head in the middle of the night and I can display stuff on it.  I also even have an old Cadette uniform on a dressmaker's dummy that is wearing my old badge sash which I think will be cute to display also (as long as I don't scare myself in the middle of the night when I see a "body" in my camper).

I got 1 curtain done so far and I think it's the cutest thing ever.  What do you think?

Houston We Have Air!

Well, at least a breeze. I was able to open all the windows today with my daughter's help. Seems the stuck ones were simply being turned the wrong way. One would think that all the windows would crank open in the same direction but I guess someone had a little bit of fun at the camper factory but in any case, all the windows open and all the glass is intact. Dirty but intact.

With the cushions gone, I was able to inspect the interior a bit more. We're going to need to replace the plywood bed board because the slide out board sticks and there's some warpage to the main board. It's not anything that is necessary but might as well do it while the cushions are off being remade.

I found the water tank today (under the dinette seat on the driver's side) and will fill it with water and Clorox bleach and on hubby's suggestion, tow the camper around to slosh the water around in the tank. We'll probably do that when we tow her in to get a painting estimate. I don't plan on drinking water from the tap so will bring bottled water along but it will be nice to kill any lurking germs.

There are a lot of cobwebs that need to be vacuumed up out of little corners and some rectangular things that I think might be mouse bait. When it cools down (hopefully next week) I'll get in there and give her a good cleaning. Today was just a day to get the windows open so I can air her out and to check her out inside again.

The plywood shouldn't cost all that much and if I can find some whitewashed paneling I plan on replacing the sections under the window that have warped and then dried out. If not, I'll come up with another solution since it's not the main paneling, just simply about a 6-inch wide section of a "shelf" under the window. I'm also still trying to figure out how to put an air conditioner in there but haven't hit upon the perfect solution yet.

I also joined some yahoo groups for vintage Shasta camper trailers so I plan on making good use of the resources available.

The Beginning of a Dream

Since 2002 when I saw an article in Country Living magazine, I've wanted to own a vintage trailer and join Sisters on the Fly. After passing up a trailer at Goodwill years ago and kicking myself ever since, I decided to renew the quest. I stalked them on ebay and on craiglist, I trampled through a muddy field looking at old trailers that were abandoned to the elements and came complete with built in friends in the form of wasps that had made a home in the ceiling vents. Finally, the search paid off and I became the owner of a 1967 Shasta LoFlyte camper with wings!

This little darling is in amazing shape with intact whitewashed paneling and cabinets and other than some expected dust and mild dirt, is amazingly clean. No stink of mildew and no critters roaming around. My husband and I hooked her up to the truck and towed her home coming almost full circle since her very first owner lived about an hour from here.

She has yet to be christened with a name and needs new tires but she's been bug bombed and is ready for a pine-sol bath as soon as the weather cools off a little bit.

The cushions need new covers and as luck would have it, Walmart has most of their fabric on clearance so I was able to purchase some wonderful colorful semi-retro looking fabric for the seat cushions and have already found someone to make them for me. Let the restoration journey begin!