Drab to Fab

I talked Shelly into going to Franny's estate sale on Friday morning.  We haven't been junking much this summer.  I don't need anything but I hadn't seen Shelly in a long time so it was a good excuse. Once we got out and away from projectland (our homes) it seemed as though we couldn't stop.  We zipped to Everson (got skunked) and then back to Second Chance in Lynden.  

Shelly found four lamps for a dollar apiece and a huge warming tray for a buffet  (if we have a Mad Men party, it will be perfect) and she bought an iron.  I found three bar stools for six bucks each.  I've been looking for something to use with the tiki bar.  I told the thrift shop volunteers, Shirley and Doris Mae, that if I couldn't make the stools pretty by five o'clock I was donating them back.

I couldn't bear for Hubby to come home and see another half finished project.

Shelly brought me home, we dashed through my fabric stash and then dashed over to the farm to go through her stash.  Obviously, I didn't have time to go to a fabric store.  Initially my idea was to paint them including the vinyl but I decided I liked the brown with fabric.

 When Shelly was leaving my house it was about 12:30 and I told her to come back at five to see the finished project and enjoy a cocktail with me.  We laughed.

I don't have a lot of photos during the project, too busy.  I used the drill and took the stools apart into five pieces plus screws each.  Disclaimer: I am terrible with a drill.

 Peeling off the price tags didn't work so I left them.

 If someone had bought these to use as is they would have been pretty unhappy when they took off the price tag.  The vinyl was thin and came right off with the tape.

Now, a disclaimer, if I'd been doing this project with Gerrit or for a customer I would have removed all of the vinyl. These are for a tiki bar I take to trailer rallies and I only had several hours to complete the project.  Short cuts were taken.

I had just enough fabric for the front of the chair backs and just enough of another fabric for the back of the chair backs.  The seats took more than I thought.  I used painters drop cloth and I tore into some feed sacks that I had in my stash.

 I was just finishing when I saw one of those price tags through the fabric! Grrrrr I took it part and re did the front.

 It was a flurry of activity because when I decide I am going to get'er done that is what I do.

At one point I was bleeding and wrapped a scrap of fabric around the cut.  No time to get a band aid.

I took apart the first stool so fast that when I went to put it back I'd no clue how to get it back together. So, I took apart the second one and took note.  Deep breath.

 I pulled the tiki bar out of the garage, cleaned it, changed into a mumu and texted Shelly at 4:16 to give me five or ten minutes and then come on over.

 The snacks weren't gourmet, but the gin and tonics were icy cold and the new upholstered stools were pulled up to a staged bar.

 Shelly was surprised, dare I say, shocked.

Hubby came home and he was surprised too.

I love a project with a tight deadline and the constraint of using what I have in the house.

So, while Hubby and Shelly were surprised I was smug.  And tired.  And sweaty.

I'll see you at the Mt. Baker Trailer Rally.  The open house is on Saturday afternoon.

There is will be a food truck, a cupcake shop and a car show.

I'll be sitting at my tiki bar because my new bar stools are comfy and they spin!

Random Catch Up Today

On Saturday my family gathered at Greenwood Cemetery to remember my Aunt Shirley .  It was so good to see family and remember my aunt. 

After wards some of us went out for lunch.  My sweet Mom misses her sisters.

A Decor Project

Some of my readers remember that earlier this summer I was looking for old books with blue or green covers.  The local thrift store had their half price sale in August and I finished my project using a lot of 12 and 1/2 cent books.  I felt like it looked a bit dark so I bought a lamp for a dollar and installed it behind.  It gives off some pretty back light and makes the gold on the bindings pop.  Thank you to everyone that left books on my doorstep.  I loved the wood rounds that I had in the unused fireplace but I also knew that spiders were camping behind the wood and it was time for a change.

Of course, now Hubby want to read the book on the bottom.

Trailer Restoration

Oh Ava Jean! Hubby and I got home from camping and we felt a bit overwhelmed by Ava so we listed her on Craigslist.  We felt as though we should maybe step back from so many projects.

Hubby was working so I took care of the ad. Please, please, please, for pete's sake, the next time I want to place an ad on Craigslist remind me NOT to do it. If I ever want to sell something, please  remind me to put it at the end of the driveway with a free sign or bring it to Goodwill or something. Actually, anything but Craigslist.  

Oh, I've bought things on Craigslist but selling is different.

When I put in the ad that the trailer needs a total restoration and needs to be rewired, I am not kidding.  You cannot buy it and live in it tomorrow if it is a gutted trailer.

I had so many emails, calls, offers of hundreds of dollars more than the asking price if they could just come right now with cash in hand, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Long story short, though it may be too late for that as I have rambled on here.  We are keeping Ava Jean and plan to restore her. I still love her and my design for her.  Hubby is still good with restoring her, we were just temporarily overwhelmed.  The three days she was listed on Craigslist are three days of my life that I will never get back.

Pioneer Woman and Kassie

Kassie and I have our tickets to meet Ree Drummond in Seattle. I think Kassie is Ree's mini me.  A gorgeous red head moves from the city to the country because she is in love with a rancher/farmer.  Yep, same song, second verse.  This trip to meet Ree is just the beginning because Kassie and I are going to Oklahoma to The Mercantile someday.

Oh Bo, I love you. Yes, the ring did end up in his mouth. It was retrieved and I hope Max doesn't try that trick again.

I love this picture, it was just after Max got the ring back.

Back to School

School starts for me tomorrow. Or not. Since I substitute teach I have no idea what day will be my first day.  I bought some new back to school clothes and my bag is loaded.

I'm ready!

That's all for now, and honestly, that's enough.  Enjoy your day!

Camp-Heep-A-Big-Fun

The Nile Valley Rally is the highlight of our summer.  We love the rally, the location and most of all the tribe that makes it all happen. Hubby and I stopped at The Brick in Roslyn for lunch. It's the oldest watering hole in Washington, it's been open since 1895. We met the Pendleton Whisky reps and had a nice visit with them.

Camp counselors, Rita and Denise had a summer camp theme this year. I cannot stress enough what a great job these two women and their families do every year to put together this rally.  Different themes and so much fun planned for us makes it my favorite rally.

 The Camp Store had postcards, candy including candy cigarettes, chick-0-stix, and other childhood favorites, badges, and banners.

They had many opportunities for the campers to earn badges including building bird houses, ax throwing, knot tying, wood burning, paint by number, flamingo floating and getting toasted.

I loved getting my wood burning badge and now I have an album to keep my memories.

There were rubber duck races and just sitting at the river and my favorite activity, floating in the river.

World problems were solved, thanks guys!

We parked Huaka'i Annie in a pretty spot in a good neighborhood.

Yep, those are hubby's boxers with his name sewn in, just for camp, hanging on the door.

I love Wendy's Aloha.

Ed and Kathy's new to them 1962 Aloha made her debut camping trip.

The public could tour on Saturday morning.  I did some touring too.

Twin bed envy.

I could have laid down and took a nap in Bev's cozy trailer.

Don't mind me I'm just snoozing in your trailer.

Saturday afternoon was the flamingo float on the river.

Saturday evening we had dinner and then closing ceremonies. Badges were awarded and the flag ceremony took place.

On Sunday morning our hosts fed us a sweet cream pancake breakfast benefiting the local fire hall. It was time to hit the trail and we said our good byes and gave our thanks for another fantastic rally.

Hubby and I had reservations at Rimrock Lake Silver Beach Resort.  Jeremy and Rene decided to join us.  It's so fun when you leave camp to go camp s'more and then your peeps get to join you.

It turned out to be a great spot to watch the solar eclipse.

The mountains and lake back drop were perfect.

Annie had a waterfront site at Rimrock Lake.

It was so good to see our vintage trailer tribe, enjoy the mountains, the river and the lake and relax.
O-WA-KI-YA