False Spring?

It has been an unusually warm winter across much of this end of the country. Several days of 70s and this week looks especially nice. We are dog sitting for our granddog, Mouse. Makes me want to get the campers out! And camp! Or at least garden... but it's February!

The Livin Lite Quicksilver popup campers are not the easiest campers to modify since there is NO wood to paint,  there is NO roof, the bunk ends are also aluminum. .. even the bench seating is a molded composite (plastic). The intention is, of course, durability and light weight. On my QS8, I did put down a floating floor which probably added 60-80 pounds, but it looks lovely and is warmer. I could have saved weight by doing what I did in the QS5, which was to put down foam square padding (used to be under our exercise equipment) and then throw rugs.

I'm seriously thinking about going to pick up my QS8 (it is being stored at a friends) and playing with it to make into a craft caravan! Hmmm... stay tuned!

Polly's sister needs a name!

I have Polly's sister popped up. She needs a name. Is Poppy too redundant? In Victoria I visited a beautiful garden that grew BLUE poppies. They were really blue and amazing. I think Poppy would be a name, but a good name?

Anyway,  I bought a sweet purple rug and made some curtains and pillows today. I actually think she is done.  Less is more when kids are camping! I think I will go through the old toys.  We might need a few in the camper, maybe.

So, the kids side is bright and open. MY side has a curtain.  ☺

March Madness?

The big news is (drum roll, please) that I purchased another Livin Lite Quicksilver. The 8.0 has 2 bunkends and a drop down table to bed. The Quicksilver brand is all aluminum. They are trying to make them look a little warmer in the 2016 model with a vinyl wood look floor and champagne color walls but basically, the models are cold and stripped down. I have a sink and air conditioning though no propane. 

So, why buy a used stripped down aluminum camper for the same cost as a nice new pop up? One reason - weight. Base weight is 860, gvwr is 1400. Well within my Forester's 2400 lb rating. I am going to load it and take it to the county recycling center where there is a scale to get a good weight. I don't expect to need trailer brakes though. Secondary reason for a LL QS, and a good one, is that being all aluminum means no rot!

My new camper needs a name. The decor is going to be "cheerful" and she is designated to be fun for our grands.  

So, here she is! Polly Pop-up's big sister! (OH! I am keeping Polly! At least for now!)

New Rug!

I finally finished this little doily rug a few weeks ago for my camper. It is crocheted clotheslines and I wish I could tell you how many clotheslines I used, but I think it was 10-12... probably more. I saw it on Pinterest, I think, years ago and thought I would make a 4 foot doily for the porch. I settled for this 2' door mat. I can't imagine how much rope would go into a bigger rug. And it was getting heavy. And hard for old (old-ish!) fingers to work with. But I am happy that it's finished! 

Becoming adorable

The bed is becoming adorable! My little camp quilt is only twin size so I turned it sideways and put it over a white down comforter. Mom found the comforter at a yard sale or something and it is heavenly to sleep under.

I still need to work on the bench seating which is too narrow to be comfortable. I am going to put a board in and make the bench double wide, then add throw pillows. But it should probably all be slipcovered.

Canopy!

I adapted my custom made canopy to attach to the camper awning but I doubt that I will use it very often. When I camp alone, I don't need it. When someone is with me, it's usually 2 someone's and then we need a tent! But I DO think I need a sunshade  to attach to the awning. I found a white "dollar store" table cloth that might be perfect.

Pollyanna Doodle

Seriously? Is this what her name is to be? I don't know yet. But today I adapted the dining canopy I had made several years ago to attach  to her awning.

The campers awning zipper had to be reversed first. I did that earlier in the week. I knew from reading posts that the zippers were often backwards. It wasn't a big deal to rip it out and sew it back in correctly.

Today I put velcro  on 2 sides of the awning and on one side of my canopy.   The canopy can be attached to either side that way.

After messing around with it, the sun was setting and I found a bonus to the velcro! I could add a sunshade to the awning! So... I looked through my fabric - nothing. I needed a lace tablecloth...  or... curtains! I found the valances from when we bought the house.  I pinned  them up as a trial. Yep, I'm going to put velcro on them! 

Rain test and SHE HAS A NAME!

It is steadily raining and has been for a couple of hours (or more? I was sleeping) I checked on Polly... OMG! She has a name... I didn't name her exactly... I asked for suggestions and that was Michael's idea but I didn't dwell on any. I guess Polly Pocket it is. What I hear is "Polly wolly doodle all the day"!!! Even though a Zentangle is NOT a doodle!

Whoa, where was I? Oh yes, the rain. Inside the camper is very damp, but not wet. Sealing seams was a good idea, and since I didn't finish, I really know it was good. I ran a paper towel  along seams and those without ARE going to leak as they are damp now. If it rains hard they will give out.

The dampness is coming from the bed area. The canvas back there is only canvas. And since there is no hard top to divert the water, it just drips  down the canvas. I don't think it's a real problem, I mean, that's how a canvas tent responded to rain. But in this day of breathable nylon and rainflies, when I tent camp in the rain, I am DRY, and the only dampness comes in with me.

So, the question is "Can I/Should I try to waterproof the bunk end canvas?

Glamping at home

I will be working on making the camper adorable, but I also have sewing to do for everyone else this weekend. Not to mention wiring the rest of next weekends women's  retreat! Whew! Good thing our  family camp out was canceled, even though we are all sad. I will be camping with some of them in early June. I haven't seen my children or grandchildren since Thanksgiving!

So, it is supposed to rain tomorrow, big test for the camper tent. I sealed some of the seams but not all and I noticed some small holes in the canvas. Oh boy. 

Glampsite table... usually I prefer to use plates like melmac or whatever, not paper. I have this tablecloth that is washable and sheds spills. I use acrylic glasses. I like every meal to feel special.

Blue Moves Glamp site

Blue Moves, yes, I love Sir Elton.

This is how I actually  set up my Glamp site, more or less. Soft and summery. The bunting is usually outside. I actually have a matching  canopy that I made of fabric and lace and reclaimed aluminum poles.

A couple glamping tips

I added a small rug to the Victorian  set. Rugs serve several purposes. The first being visual interest. The most important reasons though would be to a) protect your tent floor and b) give insulation when camping the fringes of the season.

The tent floor is sometimes similar to a tarp type of fabric. (My Coleman tents havethat) This Alps Mountaineering tent is nylon, treated nylon, durable but thin.  Always try to put a ground cloth down before pitching your tent. Fold the edges in so that none of your ground cloth extends beyond your tent. Nothing screams "idiot" to me louder than seeing a tarp sticking  out a foot beyond the tent.  Of course it is going to rain. You are camping. It's  like some rule of nature that if you are out, it's going  to rain. The  extended tarp collects that rain and deposits it right under your tent. Even if the tent doesn't let the water in, you will have a mess to clean up. Just fold the tarp a little  and avoid the mess.

Even with a ground cloth you need to protect  your tent floor from the  inside. For protection against puppy toes, children and clutzes, I use those weight room floor mat pieces that go together like a puzzle. They are super insulating, too. I camp in November  and can comfortably sit on the floor. For summer, I have a rug that is woven from some plastic/nylon stuff. It doesn't take as much room to pack so I use it. I also have some nice rag rugs that work great by themselves  or over the mats.

Moral of the story:  Adding layers to your floor is more comfortable and will help your tent too!

I also added some personal photos. It's nice to have personal touches of loved ones with you. I like to camp alone. Photos give me a focus for meditation and contemplation.

Glamping - Victorian

I might do another version of this romantic Victorian theme tent tomorrow because I love it so much. I covered the white down comforter with an off white. I made tapestry pillows and a small table cloth years ago that went nicely into this space.

Instead of a bunting, I used the magnets to hang a piece of vintage  lace. I also hung a wreath of lavender using the same method but with a little bit stronger magnet. Magnets work great when decorating your tent. Just be very careful to use lightweight decor!

The leather ottoman is an Amazon  purchase but I saw them at Home  Depot recently. It folds flat for travel and is strong enough to sit on when assembled. It's really convenient to have the storage in the tent.

To add to the mood I brought in my tea pot/cup, battery powered candle, a wool sweater...

Glamping - Girly Girl

This tent decor is inspired by me for my granddaughter. I don't  know for sure if she would like it but I think she would. Bright, happy pastels that I found in this thrift store rug inspired the tent. The comforter was a Walmart purchase.

My granddaughter and I made the candle jars last summer with salsa jars, Mod Podge, and tissue paper.

I found the crocheted afghan at a thrift store.

The light strand was upcycled using some "rescued" silk flowers and  leaves. I opened the flowers and hot glued them to each bulb base.

I used the magnet technique to hang a festive bunting of vintage handkerchiefs. (See previous post)

Glamping - Romantic Red

Ooh la la! Next up is a LOVE inspired tent theme. I have a white down comforter that is so yummy to sleep  with that the dogs are always trying to sleep on it. I started with that and added a fluffy soft red pillow that I made with some leftover fabric. I covered the floor with a bed sheet in a red print (over a rag rug for added protection and warmth). The bunting is simply a ribbon strung across the tent and I draped vintage handkerchiefs on it. A bud vase of red roses, red rose petals, and a battery powered candle set the mood for romance!

Tip: To hang the bunting, I tied metal washers to the ends of the ribbon and put a magnet outside the tent that caught the washer. Purchase magnets at the hardware store for much less than the craft store!

Tent Glamping - Vintage

It's extremely cold outside, so I played inside today. I decorated my tent in themes! First up is a Vintage theme. I used a vintage Coleman sleeping bag, Coleman chair, Oil lamp with no oil in it, an old picnic basket...  If it wasn't so cold I would have gone out to get a decorative vintage lantern which would be too adorable! Things I would add: pine cones, plaids, canteen, fishing equipment, boots...

A little  about this tent.  It is my spring and fall tent. An Alps  Mountaineering 4 man tent. It's incredibly light for its size. The design is wonderful. I can stand up in the front, the back is lower. It has a full rain fly which keeps it warmer in the early and late season. I don't use it in the summer but if I did I would take the rain fly off when possible. I bet it would be pretty warm in summer. It has a large back window that fully opens as a back door, if needed. It is incredibly durable, breathes well, and is totally waterproof.

Back to the Glamp Camp

It's winter and I am dreaming of tents, campfires, and walks in the woods. I  now have  about  all the equipment  a girl could ever need  for tent camping . I even considered moving back into a pop up or even a teardrop  but my reasons for tent camping remain. I don't want a new tow vehicle , I love the fresh air, I cannot  justify the cost,  and I don't want the upkeep. So, what can I "plan", since that's what I love most this time of year.

I'm  thinking about taking one of my Goodwill tents and PAINTING it! In fact, I have a rather large tent that needs to be water proofed any way. Simple Zentangle? Florals? Hmmm...