Was it worth it?

Well, You are probably thinking we are crazy for selling the antique dining room set to buy an old overhead camper.  Well, due to the fact that funds are tight, (my hubby went back to shool full time), we wanted a couple of fun weekends for the kids.  The first time we used the camper we went to my parents - in the country - to do some work on the camper.  My Father has an awesome garage with ALL the tools any man would dream of, (that is the garage in the background directly behind the camper - 2 stories!) and a huge air compressor.  I love how the brown on the old camper brings out the rust on the old truck.  lol

The next day we went to my brother's camp (thats Northern Ontario slang for cottage) and parked in his yard for the weekend.  It was Canada Day weekend.  It was really nice to have our own space and not impose on them too much.

It was a really nice relaxing weekend.  We had our own fireworks, which were awesome, and a bonfire with hotdogs and marshmallows!

Complete with mosquito netting for some! - Not me...I am tougher than them bugs!  lol  This is whom we refer to now as "Netchick", or several in a group are called "Netchix".

My Brother's "camp"

This camp is not on waterfront, but in fact it is an acre of my Grandparents homestead, where the schoolhouse used to be.  But he does have this:

There isn't any running water at his place, so he pays the volunteer fire team to bring the pumper truck over and they suck water out of the creek to fill his pool.  As you can see by the photo, the water is brown and murky for a week or 2 before the filter has cleaned it enough to be clear.  Here it will be a few more days till it is clear, but honestly, we used to swim in the creek!  It is a great way to enjoy the camp, without driving 15 minutes to the beach.  The kids love it!

All in all, so far the camper was worth trading the diningroom set for!

More summer adventures to come!

Overhead camper

Well, it is ours now! The previous post has photos of the overhead camper we now own. - It was pretty good deal, asking $1000, paid $600, and the PO was the one who went down in price! We didn't even have to talk him down.

I sold a walnut diningroom set last week for $580, and that pretty much covered the price of the camper.

The dining set was probably worth a few hundred more than i got for it, but it was big and bulky, without much storage in the buffet.

I expect the memories and adventures with this camper will be far greater than the ones a table brings.

However, now that I think about it, many family meals were enjoyed around that table! Christmases, Thanksgivings, Birthdays....From the time I was a kid when my Mother owned the set. It was given to me when we bought our first house, we got married, our kids were born and raised with it. Their first meals, and first Birthdays, Christmases...OKOK, maybe that table had its own memories! In fact, I may now have some regrets!!! But, time for new memories!

Goodbye walnut dining set: Hello camper.

Tired of looking...ugh

You know.....it was supposed to be fun! I didnt think we were asking for too much. I really thought it would be a lot easier. We have been looking for over a year now, with no luck. Missed out on a couple of good deals, by hesitating. Thought we learned from those experiences....but I guess not. We are about to embark upon an adventure in camping....without sleeping quarters! YIKES! August is only 1 month away! We need to get something before the first weekend in August! We don't even own a tent anymore. I supopose we could borrow one.

Well we have decided that we might pick up an overhead camper....nothing special....because we have discovered that the older ones go pretty cheap!

This is the one we like at the moment. asking $1000 - pretty nice if you ask me! I was very pleasantly suprised!

We have a 3/4 ton, so it can handle a good size one. The good thing about having one, is in a couple of years when we do find our nice little vintage trailer, we can keep the camper for the boys when they go on fishing trips.

We are going to look at one tomorrow for only $500 - so we will see!

Dreamin'

Well, we went to the mall the other day...and look what we saw:

There were hundreds of them!  It was an invasion!  So, we did what any loyal vintage lover would do...we passed them by and continued on our way  we took a look!  It is amazing what they do to these things!  But, really, who needs all of those luxuries?  Who needs a gas fireplace when you are camping?

Who needs pop-outs?

Who needs a separate bedroom?

Who needs electronics....while camping?

I mean afterall, isn't this why we go camping?  To get away from it all!  To enjoy the outdoors!  If i had these luxuries, I would never get my kids outside! I am a simple girl...with simple dreams....here is my dream

Does anyone know what this trailer is?  It is in very rough shape, no windows, sunk into the ground, black electrical tape holding it together.  What would you pay?  Is it worth the effort?

Hunting Continues..................

This one is a '70's Glendale 20ft.  The outside is pretty good for its age,

but the inside needs work.  (Which really, is what we are looking for)

Nice Chandilier!!!   lol

Negatives:

• leak in the roof (they all do at this age)
• ceiling caving in (and someone started to fix it, but thankfully stopped - not pretty!
• dirty
• floor in front of the door is rotten
• step needs welding
• top bunk is on an angle - needs re braced
• 1 known leaky window

Positives: 

• good name
• double axle and seems to sit nice & high
• larger than we had hoped
• outside in decent shape
• leaks can be fixed
• we can clean and even paint or reface
• sleeps 6
• FULL BATHROOM!
• lots of storage
• takes full size car tires
• fibreglass corner moldings on the exterior
• has awning - did not see the canvas opened, but the mechanism seemed good

FULL BATHROOM!!!!!!!!Shower / tub to the right - Comes complete with a fly strip at no extra cost!!

Hmmm, it wasn't jumping out at me, but now that I have the pros & cons sorted...it may not be a bad deal for $800...hmmmmm

I think in my brain, I was really hoping for a "cutsie" canned ham, or even a toaster!  We will see.

Check it out!

This is more what I expect for my price...under $1000...bah-hah-hahhhhhh!

Photos borrowed from:  vintageairstream.com

I love this!  Hard to believe it is an Airstream travel trailer.  This would be so nice for a guest room, or a man cave!  No kitchen though.  Still pretty cool!

Adventures of the Wild Trailer Hunter!

Well, we are on the hunt for a vintage trailer again.  (or at least retro)  We have a very small budget, which has been making it very challenging.  Here is one we looked at, which read "Ready to roll",
http://www.usedsoo.com/classified-ad/16-ft--camper-trailerall-set-upready-to-camp-or-live-innice-for-the-price_14505105 and "ready to camp or live in"  which made me believe it was decent.  Well, it wasn't.  No tires, so it couldn't exactly roll, and it had sunk into the ground.  The skin was held together with black electrical tape.  All of the windows were broken.  Good news is he lowered his price since we looked at it!  *yikes*  and he also said it was a '70's trailer....wrong...try mid 60's.  My husband was working, so I had my dear SIL's BF go with me, and he has not released the photos for publishing yet.  (he took them on his phone)

Stay tuned....The adventure will continue!

Things will be changing.

I have a new blog!

The new blog is
http://junquenmytrunk.blogspot.com
This blog (Restoration Ramblings) will be converted into my vintage trailer blog.  Follow my journey, from the very beginning, to find the perfect vintage trailer for us.  My other blog will have all of my Furniture Restorations, Junkin' & Yard Salin' experiences, as well as Crafts and Cooking.  Anything that will fit in my trunk really!  (even my derriere!)

Tool Tip #1: PAINTBRUSH PRESERVATION

I have a secret.  My last paintbrush was 9 years old!  The only reason I had to replace it was because I loaned it to my parents when they were painting my brothers house, and it was not cleaned properly.  I figure a tutorial on my technique is pretty important because good brushes can be expensive.  First, the secret to successful restoring, are good paint brushes.  Inexpensive brushes tend to leave those nasty bristles behind in the fresh paint...ugh...I hate those.  So get good brushes, and make them last.  It is an investment.
Step #1:
Rinse the paintbrush with water until the water runs relativley clear, and most of the pigment is rinsed off of the brush.  Be gentle on the bristles throughout this whole process.  I drag the brush back & forth on the bottom of the sink very gently.

Step #2: 
Put a couple of drops of soap - I use Murphys oil soap, or in a pinch I use a good dish soap - on the brush, and lather on your hand gently. 

Drag the brush back & forth on your hand gently.  You will notice the lather will have some color to it from the paint left in the brush.  Keep lathering up on your hand.  Rinse thoroughly, and repeat the lather up step until the lather seems clean.

Step #3:  Rinse the brush thoroughly, until there is no more soap in the brush. 

Step #4:  Gently dry your brush on a clean, lint free cloth.

It will still be damp, and that is OK

Step#5:  If you are not going to be using your brush for several days or more, this step is for you only.  Just take a bit of the soap, pure, put it on the brush, and shape it so the bristles are perfectly in place.  Leave the soap in the bristles until your next use.  Keep your brushes wrapped in a clean cloth, or in the original package so it will not get full of sawdust.  Just remember to rinse the soap out of your brush before you use it the next time.

If you follow these steps, your brushes will last a really long time.

Slow start

Sorry about the slow start here folks...I have come down with the flu and couldn't even lift my arms to the keyboard for a couple of days...I will get to it this week!

Pantry re-do

Here is an old melamine pantry unit I made a little prettier.

BEFORE

We use it for clothes

DURING - but I must take it 1 step over the top!

And the after!  I am not sure if Black Glazing was the perfect choice, but it is growing on me.  (And it is still much better than the before pictures!