Hello Pickles Quilt top DONE finally :)

These photos are actually PRE-border.  I wound up putting a 6" ash Kona border all the way around!  Just 'cause I LOVE huge blankets and this one is for a taller people :)  I love how fun and colorful and just down right happy it is!  

 Now to piece the back and get two quilts sandwiched at once :)

 I have been trying to get some things crossed off that terribly long to do list and it's so fun to see them coming together!

Busy, busy

More rippage of flooring out, drilling and nailing and gluing to fix the dinette bench (thank you sweet hubby), priming and more priming on the interior, measuring and figuring out fabric requirements for all the cushions, outside touch-ups, and so much more, besides the etsy orders and errands and family life-- this weekend was a busy one :)  Gotta figure out where to order the silly flooring too- It seriously cannot be this hard ;).  More pictures coming soon!!

The floor...

I really did not intend to rip the entire floor out- just a tiny bit of the entryway corner.  But it all just happened :)  

Here we are thus far- getting there!  "Shark" fixed and undercarriage painted! Inside taped off and ready to prime.  Woohoo!

What a Day 5!!

Oh boy, was today busy!  The blue took three coats and the orange took SIX, count em, 6!!!  For serious :)  Here's progress along the way...

One coat of each->

 Two coats of each ->

 Blue done, now on to the orange :)

 All done, tape off!!  Added some wave splashes, stood back and realized the wave looks more like a shark!  HA!!  So I'll be free handing waves instead of a straight blue line tomorrow :)  Go figure :)  And quite a few touch up places needed where the tape took off more than it should have.  Overall, I'm happy so far...

Still lots to do- paint trailer part black.  Get new hub caps, sand and paint wheels, put reflectors and lights back on- make sure they work!, so forth and so on :)  Pushing to get the outside done by this weekend!  Hoping, hoping!

Days C and Quatro

So here's the low down...

Day C was a second coat of white in the morning, then errands getting more paint- the fun happy orange and deep aqua teal paint- and then a third and FINAL white coat in the evening!  I had everyone out helping me on that last coat; we had the music blaring and it was a blast!  I love moments like this- just pure heaven!  That's the whole reason I wanted to do this redo by ourselves, so we could make it fun and US!  

Day Quatro was all about un-tapeing everything that was taped for the white and re-tapeing it the opposite way for the colors.  :)  I was hoping to get to the colors, but life took over and they will have to wait.  Not too long though...  I can hardly wait to see the bright happiness on it!  And my artistic little is making the inside of the door all painted fun!  It makes me smile to see it coming together!  Once the outside gets done, we'll have more cut out for us!  But it is so fun doing it bit by bit and will make camping all the more fun to be part of the whole process of making it OURS :)

My new, OLD favorite chairs!

If you have ever been thrifting, you know what I am talking about when I say that you just *know* when you see something and it has to be yours!  The kind of "honey, go grab that man to put a SOLD tag on here while I guard them, QUICK!!" moment!  That's what it was like last week when I spotted these beauties!  They shouted across the store at me, and once I sat down, I almost freaked!  Not only are they the most cozy and wondermous chairs in the world, they ROCK!!!  Full blown rocking chairs- I can cuddle up and cover up in a handmade quilt- doesn't get any better than that! :)  They are the kind of chairs you sit in and could fall asleep!  Heaven!  I would love to recover them in a light gray color- Kona ash color would be perfect :)  We'll see how things go, AFTER I get the renovation done ;)!  And not too shabby for just 16 bucks each!  Sweet score!  Here they are, my find of the month:

DAY 2...

Today was a bit crazier...

I was very collected about going to get paint today when my hubby threw me a curve ball!  He polished a small section of the camper.  WOW, did it shine!  We love the look and after much deliberation, decided to try to have the part that was going to be white, be polished aluminum!  You can see the shiny little section right under the top brown stripe on the left side of the photo.  I had already taped the bottom stripe/wave off.  So we changed gears and I went to purchase a whole bunch of Mother's polishing goop.

We all got busy after everyone was home, using some SERIOUS elbow grease!  I may not have use of my arm tomorrow- but wait, it gets better!  We got the bottom part of three sides done and moved to the last side.  Wouldn't ya know it, but the oxidation was too much, no matter how much was rubbed and polished, we couldn't get it as shiny as the other sides.  I had had it- we made an executive decision- this is "my" project (hehe), right- and I got back in the car to go purchase the white paint.  After trying a couple of places for colors, and having to repeat myself twenty million times that I did NOT want automotive or industrial paint, I think I finally found the option I want.  Sooo, I headed back home with the Rustoleum glossy white and got down to business painting :).  Deep into the dark again...

one coat down, and we'll see what tomorrow brings...

DAY UNO...

Ok folks, after much research, I figured out the safest and cheapest way to clean the paint up is a pressure washer.  I rented a HOT one from the local rental shop. This was a serious machine- almost as tall as me and so heavy they had to put it on a trailer that I had to rent to bring it home!  I just wanted the chipping paint smoothe enough to be able to effectively paint over.  Well, what an experience!  I got almost done washing the whole thing and was pretty happy with it when I got the nozzle too close, or so I thought, to the camper.  All of a sudden, the paint melted!  I couldn't believe my eyes!!  It was like I was coloring with a gray crayon on a white page- just incredible!  So needless to say, my fun had use begun!  Four hours later, deep into the dark, we finished getting every last drop of paint off!  WOW!  I am still in shock that it all came off!  So here is the new and improved, no more white paint, teensy tiny camper:

So on to the next thing!

My new project!

Well, now, you know I can't go too long without a camper :)  After selling our Blue Zoo, we took our hugungous camping trip this summer with a 5x8 u-haul.  Not a good experience, the u-haul part, that is :)  HA!  Oh, the stories I could tell!!But you'd be here all day, so I will just say that we desperately want another motorhome , but the one we want is way out of our ball park at the moment, and for our "toys", we like to pay cash.  So, the search was on for another option...

I have always wanted to build a house, and since that will most likely never happen, I figure remodeling an old trailer would be close.  I did some on the last one, but not all.  I wanted to do it ALL!!  Oh yes, call me crazy now!!  So weeks ago, I began searching.  Hubby was searching too, just for bigger and better.  I wanted cheap, cute and fun!!  Well, two days ago, I found it!  I went to a wonderful lady's home who actually had 2 for sale.  I was interested mostly in the 1950's Shasta, but after seeing it I knew it would take me years to finish, and I only have a month.  So I looked at the second one and knew it was the one!  The bright orange appliances did it :).  There is no potty, but we can always stick a potty in it- it's pretty much a glorified tent, and since I DON'T do tents, that means I can go camping ;)!  Yippee all around!!  I think this may just keep me busy the next little bit! hehe!  Like I have nothing else to do, but you know, staying ridiculously busy keeps my stress level down, funny but true.  So in the midst of finishing 4 quilts, I will be popping in every few days with the latest renovation post!  We are still searching for the perfect name! You'll soon see that she will have a lovely, quint, beach theme- not "wild and crazy spring break beach", but "calming, black sand and soothing waves beach"-Northern California beach, ahhhhh!  I can hear myself relax already!  Here's my color scheme:

And here is our teensy, tiny trailer:

It's 12 feet long and was dirt cheap.  Thank goodness, so hubby will let me do what I want this time.  So I am going all out with my creativity and tight budget, and it will be stinkin' crazy cute when I get done!

Remember...

Today we remember all that this country stands for and all those who stand up for it so that we can be free...

Source: google.com via Toni on Pinterest

My favorite dinner and memories...

The love of memories is often coupled with a good, homemade meal.  At least it is for a true Southerner :).  There is something about the smell, the sight, and the taste that can just take you back!  For me, this simple dinner does it!  We always called them "hobo" dinners- usually had around a campfire, but an oven or grill works just dandy too!  Here's the simpleness:

some ground beef- whatever type and fat  your preference is: we love angus, low fat

some onions

maybe some carrots, not in my photos

and spices- could be just salt and pepper, or fancy- I use McCormicks Steak Seasoning when I'm in a hurry :)

Break up the hamburger and chop the onion.  When using carrots, I leave mini carrots whole, but chop larger carrots in smaller pieces.  Put all in foil and heap on the spices!

Wrap tightly with foil and place on hot grill/oven till meat is cooked.  The veggies will be done by default ;).  Open and devour, SLOWLY, enjoying every bit and morsel of yumminess!  Makes good memories, you can count on it!

Can't. Contain. The. Cute. Ness!

Oh my stars in the morning!  Have you seen the cuteness Madame Samm is up to??  Here's something to make you go- oh my stars too:

A fluffy, puffy, gussety coin purse hop!  In November!  Now to be patient enough for November!!  This may be hard!  EEEKKKKK!

End of Summer Heaven

At least once every summer, I treat myself.  To what you may ask??  Well, the answer may seem silly, but it's been part of my summer as long as I can remember!  I grew up in the South, the Deep South, where tomatoes are deep red, juicy, all the way down your chin, and you eat them like apples!  Ahhh, the good ole days :)  Now I live in the West, the dry, not "Southern" tomato West.  Yes, they grow tomatoes here, but they are NOT the same.  Every once in a blue moon though, I find a dear someone who grows tomatoes CLOSE to the ones like home :).  I found that this week, and this was my treat...

Bread.

Mayo, just a titch.

Salt, a titch and a bit.

Pepper, load it on, baby!

And,,,,

big, huge, gigantic slices (as in, at least an inch wide) of 

TOMATOES!!  (as close to "southern" as you can find)!

Serious heaven, I tell ya!  Doesn't get any better- see, half the sandwich is already gone before I could even snap the photo :)  YUMMY!  That's good eatin'---  hmmm, maybe I can eat an early lunch today ;)