A little "1968 IDEAL" update!!

Well, I felt it was time for a little update on the Trailer front.

  Most of the work has been mechanical but I was able to get a little cosmetics started.

This is a shot of the front window cover.

 I scrapped and scrubbed the dirt, tree sap and mold off until it was nice and clean.

(the tanks will be getting a new coat of paint come next spring.)

The roof got two brand new vent covers in order to prevent any further water damage.

With the weather being so nice I decided to apply some sealant to the seams along the roof of the trailer, just to be safe.

Yup that's me up on top, you'd never know I was afraid of heights!!!

On the inside we took down old lights.

Went to work on some water damage!!

Cleared out all the old and put in some new!!

Then the bathroom got some new floor covering.

(going to give it a nice coat of paint soon and a new shower pan)

Then it was time to start  on the ceiling!!!

I found this great textured paper that would cover up any damage, as well as give the ceiling 

a old tin tile look. 

It went up like a dream and gave me just the look I wanted.  I painted it in a cool white and then glazed over top with a nice gold.

I love it.

 Turned out just the way I hoped it would!!!

Next I started the walls!! 

 I wanted something different, so I went to my favorite fabric store and for $2.00 a yard, I found just the right fabric for my walls.

I have a nice brocade piping to put along the seam between the wall and the ceiling. 

 I'm still not sure I love the fabric so I may just have to put a nice coat of paint over the fabric.  I don't know for sure, my honey says let it sit for a while and see if it grows on me,  great advice for one very tired lady.

I tried to keep my colors soft and warm, I'm saving the brothel colors for the cushions and cabinets.  

I have some great lace in mind for the curtains, as well as some gold tassels I can't wait to put up.  

Well I tell ya I am exhausted as well is my honey.

This is truly a labor of love!!

I'm so glad I get to share my progress with friends.

I have a Christmas art show coming up in December on the 3rd & 4th, and although that seems like a ways off it can seek up real fast. 

 So it looks like I'm going to need to step away from the trailer repair for a while and get ready for the show.  

Thanks again for dropping by,

I'll keep you posted on any updates and of course the new art for the show!!

x0x0x0x

Introducing "Tootsies Painted Lady"

At this time I would like to introduce you to  

"Tootsies Painted Lady"

Well she's not painted yet but that is my goal!!

This cute little 18ft 1968 Ideal trailer has stolen my heart.

Don't ask what has come over me,  I just don't know yet, but I'm sure there's a scientific term.

Maybe it's called "Traileritis" or I've seen it called "Glamping disorder", what ever the case I have contracted it with a vengeance.

It's been five days since my Hansom Honey.

brought her home to me. 

Five days of non-stop work with no clear end in sight

 He picked her up for the great price of $400.00, the owner wanted $650.00 but after one text and a promise of $400.00 cash, we had a deal.

I tell you what, the minute he pulled her into the driveway it was love at first sight.

She's in great shape structurally and all her plumbing is in working order.

Let me give you an inside tour of her retro fashion.

Please do not adjust the color on your monitor, that is avocado green your looking at.

I love it!!

 I remember growing up as a kid with avocado green appliances, they were all the rage!!

She's quite shapely on the outside as well with no big dings.

Someone strapped her with a welded on bike rack that does nothing for her figure.

That will be one of her cosmetic surgeries to come.

For a Lady of 43 years she a beauty and like is stated earlier, fully functional.

We plugged her in and she hummed to life with light.

Her water tank is clean and perfect, yea!!

Hold up maybe I spoke to soon it appears that she has a little leak in her plumbing, but nothing a little fiberglass and my honey can't fix

But most importantly she has no bad water leeks. 

 It seems that gal's of this age and water don't get along to well.

So just what are my plans for this sweet gal? 

Well since she showed up I have been doing a bit of research on Vintage Trailers.  

And I got to tell you, I was WOW'd

Just take a look at this great blog I came across.

http://www.littlevintagetrailer.com/2011/05/vintage-trailers-as-mobile-business.html

and that's not all, check out this great group of gal's and there trailers!!

http://www.sistersonthefly.com/

Here's just a few of the Sisters trailers!

http://www.sistersonthefly.com/trailers.php

These are just a few, go check out the above mentioned link, there are hundred to drool over!!

Another great blog you just have to take a look at is:

http://lipstick-gypsy.blogspot.com/2011/08/i-had-gypsy-dream.html

Well if all of those beauties were not enough to get your blood pumping just take a look at

 Magnolia Pearl's lovely Airstream!!

This amazing creature was featured on my sweet friends blog, take a peek you won't be sorry. 

http://bohemianvalhalla.blogspot.com/2011/02/magnolia-pearl-airstream-dream-machine.html

For even more information check out 

Magnolia Pearl herself,

http://www.magnoliapearl.com/

or

http://magnoliapearlblog.blogspot.com/

give it a minute to load you wont be disappointed!!

Well, I have sure enjoyed sharing my new passion with you.  

I will be keeping you up to date on the many face lifts and progress that is made on my Sweet Lady.

She is truly, 

I would like to leave you with this thought for now,

"I pray that you will listen to that still small voice that is calling you.

Calling you to your dreams,

to your talents and abilities,

to your Joy!!!

x0x0x

Sharing time and talent, love it!!!!

A while back I signed up of a soldering class and due to technical difficulties the class had to be rescheduled, so I waited eagerly for the new class date to arrive.

Well after checking my calendar daily marking off the days, it's now time!!!

I was so excited all day, I couldn't wait for 6:00 pm to roll around so I could finally learn how to solder. It has always been a dream of mine to learn soldering.
I put it on my goal list and now I can cheerfully check it off. 

 It was a blast!!!

The class included myself and four other artists and our teacher the ever lovely and talented

Lauri Grimshaw-Cox
http://epiphaniesofanartgirl.blogspot.com

It was so much fun meeting new artists and hearing there stories.

We all had such a great time learning and socializing.
 We all went home with a finished piece of Jewelry.

This is the piece that I made, it reads:

"lives her joy"

"so blessed"

This little saying captures all the emotions I feel about my art and the opportunities that I have to create!!

When class was over I had the privilege to take a fellow artist home.  Her name is Jenny and she is in town for her daughters wedding.  Jenny is from Tasmania, that's right the island.  She was such a joy to chat with and what an artist she is, her jewelry turned out amazing.  She showed us pictures of her daughter wedding dress it was so beautiful, oh did I mention she made the dress, the first week she was in town.  Wow what a gift she was able to give her daughter for that most important day.

So not only did I have a new piece of Jewelry that made me smile, I also have a new friend that also makes me smile.

Thanks Jenny, your the best!!
Have a safe trip home!!

I also wanted to share this lovely little lady I made at none other than Lauri's shop
http://epiphaniesofanartgirl.blogspot.com

This little beauty stands 28" high from base to tip top.  I decorated her with the words "seeker" and "searching for self" as well as the nickname my father gave me "tootsie".  I also added a heart and a little girl with butterfly wings, some flowers and of course "glitter", we all need glitter!!
This piece of art is an expression of me and how I feel.
I keep art in my heart and am always searching for more.
 I want to live my life in search of more glitter that will make me sparkle!!

Thank  you all for coming along on this journey with me, its so great not to be alone.
Now go out and find some beauty in your day and share it with the ones you love!!!
x0x0x

And the WINNER is.....

I'm so please to be able to say I have had my first giveaway!!! 

It was so much fun, I met new wonderfully talented Artists and got some great quotes to work with.

So with no further ado, the winner is ,

Diana 

of 

http://rockyroadcreations.blogspot.com/

She left a comment and a original quote, that I would just love to share with you!!

Hello there Debbie,I am a follower. My quote is, 

"It's not what happens to you,

 it's how you happen to it." 

I made that one up many years ago. 

BTW I love your painting with the little girl and frog. Sooo cute. I have one posted on my blog called
Delight.
Keep painting, I just love what you do.
Hugs,
Diana

I so excited to be able to meet Diana, and share in all her talents.  She states that she is new to blogging, well I tell ya by looking at her blog you wouldn't know it.

If any of you get a chance I suggest you drop by for a visit an say 

"Hello"

Here's just a taste of her work

Thanks to all who participated in the Giveaway.

I had so much fun with this, think I'm going to have a giveaway more often,  maybe with some original art work next time.

Here's just a few I recently finished up, hope they make you 

SMILE!!!

"Continue to seek your dreams, they are closer than you imagined."

"Just a little, shy."

You can "Quote Me" on that!!!--Giveaway!!!

I have always consider myself a collector of words.  I have a special file where I keep all my favorite quotes.  Every where I go I look for quotes, little sayings or words of advise that inspire me.

My latest little painting was inspired by an altered quote, "If the shoe fits, then wear it", well I liked the idea that
 "if the wings fit, wear them".

Sweet sayings or quotes have been the starting point of many of my paintings.  I hear a quote and it inspires a vision in my head, that I just have to bring to life with paint.

I've found many quotes or saying in the strangest places, like a fortune cookie, I really liked this one!

One of the first paintings I ever did was based of a quote by Elenore Roosevelt.

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

another one of her quotes that I just adore is this one:
I once had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not pleased to read the description in the catalogue: no good in a bed, but fine up against a wall.
Eleanor Roosevelt
(I haven't been able to put that one on a canvas)

I just finished another painting, again with a small, but moving phrase.
"just breath"

I used old watch faces for my bubbles, it just felt right to me.



Thanks again,
x0x0x

My new Jewelry Studio!!!

Well some of you may remember awhile back when I was participating in "Where bloggers Create"

It was such a great experience and I had the opportunity to peek inside the creative spaces of so many wonderful artist.

During this time of blog hopping I expressed on my own blog just how much I would love to turn my small garden shed into a creative space.

Well with all of your encouragement and my sweet husbands helping hands, I did just that.  I haven't been able to work on my jewelry for sometime now because I had no place to safely set up my work station, until now that is.  I can't wait to get back to creating lovely wearable works for art.

Come on in and I'll give you a peek at what I had to work with and how it all turned out.  Keep in mind I started with a tight budget of no more than $100.00 from start to finish.  So with this budget and some creative thinking it all started to come together.

This is  what I had to work with, a great structure that just needed a little dolling up.

So once again after some sweet talking I got my husband to go and and buy some insulation for me and together we cut and stapled and got it insulated.

Oh just so I don't forget to mention there was already  power to the shed, again thanks to my wonderful Electrical Contractor husband.  But of course I would have to have him move the lighting and add a couple outlets.

So once the insulation, lighting and outlets were all in it was time to get down to decor.

I wanted sheet rock, wallpaper and paint but it was not in the budget.  So I had to get creative because I was not going be staring at insulation covered walls.

Again I wanted wallpaper but the budget thing got in the way so I had another idea, "FABRIC".  I have a great fabric store that I just love and it sells $2.00 a yard Home Fashion Fabrics.  So with $40.00 in my hot little had I headed out.

I was thrilled when I came across a great piece of fabric with a pattern that reminded me of vintage wallpaper, I also found a nice soft blue fabric for the ceiling.

I went straight home asked my husband to grab his staple gun and come running.

Together we  covered all the wall and ceiling!!

After putting up the fabric, I had my honey try to wire up an old vintage light fixture that I had, but the fixture was just to "vintage" and only half of it wanted to light up.  It was obvious that I needed a new light  fixture and it was not in the budget.  But then I remembered some Home Depot credit I had for some returns a while back, this was a nice little surprise.
With the credit I was able to purchase a sweet little fan light that gave off great light as well as a nice breeze.

With the lighting in place I was ready to accessorize, I dug into my extra furniture storage and came up with some great finds.
I added a nice vintage mirror, a wicker chair some tables and a couple of lamps, my favorite Robert Duncan painting, a shelf, a boom box/CD player, a space heater(for winter) and I was in business.
I also remembered some curtains that I had up in the linen closet and some old curtain hardware I was saving for a "just in case" moment like this.
All of the above things had been stored in my husbands garage, I can't tell you how many times I had to save them from the Good Will pile.
I'm always telling him, "there is a method to my madness, just watch and see".  Well he was more than impressed with my madness as well as happy to gain the extra space in his garage.

I can't even begin to tell you how thrilled I am to be able to unpack all my jewelry making tools, beads, wire and metal.
I hope to send may productive hours in my little sanctuary listening to all my favorite CD's and pounding out some great jewelry.
Thanks for coming by for a visit, feel free to drop by anytime!!
x0x0x