Vintage Trailer Refurb--->The Dazey: Before & After

Everyone loves a good Before & After & believe me....our vintage trailer refurb of The Dazey will make you giggle....it's a totally different trailer!  For the outside...check out my blog post HERE.

Now, when I took the Before pictures, I wasn't even thinking we'd buy this trailer. So my objective was simply to remind myself what this trailer looked like...& some of my concerns.  But, the next thing I know we were driving away w/ her & I was knee deep in the refurb project...not even thinking about anymore Before pictures!

 The dinette needed help.  The whole thing was a bit broken, so Jeff ripped off the bottom & rebuilt the table...it has to fit perfectly since it folds right into the bed.  We left the original formica top, but ripped off the cracking green trim & put aluminum on it instead. Looks so cute.  *but I do love this cute retro tablecloth on it, too!**

OK>>>here's a bunch of my 'concerns' when I was taking pix...oy vey!

1. Before: the dark, dark wood! 

2. Before:the roof had a bit of water damage & it was obvious we'd need to replace it.

3.  Before:The inside of the fridge was in pretty good condish. 

4. Before:Some of the dark wood was trashed...It's a trailer! 

 5. Before:Gross mattress & 'bunk bed' rail needed to come down. NOT cute to me! & that green padded board? I immediately saw it polkadot! 

6. Before:See the floor? cleaned up it could have been cute, but that rust stain would NOT come off...so...my whole vision was about the checkerboard flooring.

 7. Before:The inside of the closet was the dark wood...I knew it would be so much cuter turquoise! 

8. Before:I ripped out the old stuff in the cabinets & lined it w/ black & white checkered contact paper...the drawers, too. So cute!

9. Before:The closet. 

10. After:

See the polka dots? Turquoise? It was all in my vision!

 11. Before: the Dinette was just dark & depressing to me...

12. After: bright & cheery w/ a coate of white paint on top, new curtains to let the light diffuse into the trailer, new ticking slipcovers & turquoise walls!

 13. Before: kitchen area.  That back splash formica was horrible. And so were all of the hangers! See the green edging on the counter?  

14. After: replaced w/ aluminum strips, painted turquoise, white laminate on the back splash...yea. MUCH bette!

 15. Before: Note the dark wood, fridge & floor? 

16: After: painted turquoise wood, chalkboard contact paper & liquid chalk along w/ the black & white vinyl tile flooring. 

 17. Before: Stove area. I left the green stove...I incorporated it in my curtains & pillows. Plus: it was in really good condition.  The fridge had some scratches on it, so 

18: After: it was easy to just apply the chalkboard contact paper & have fun with it! 

 19. Before: Gross slipcovers, dark wood & dark floral curtains. *our daughter actually liked the floral curtains...but, it reminded me of too many 90's bridesmaid dresses! LOL! 

20: After: New red & white ticking slipcovers, painted turquoise wood & white curtains that let diffused light in w/ cute ruffles. I love these curatins...so perfect for Dazey! and...accessories: pillows, buntings, globe, clocks, pictures.

 21. Before: Again. more dark wood, floral curtains & the light. * original & I like it, actually, but wanted to add some *bling* 

22. After: ainted white wood, white & ruffled curtains aaaand...the delightful 'removable' chandelier Jeff rigged up for me...THAT gives me my *bling* I was looking for! 

So, there you have it! Dazey's makeover! Lovely, isn't she? Thanks for visiting and remember to...

Think Pink.

I'm happy to be a part of my friend, Laura's Pink Cake Plate blog series this year: 31 Days Of Pink.

She's a total inspiration...each day she's invited friends to share what inspires them & how they can share the love & awareness of Breast Cancer.  As I reflected on my last year's entry.  It was all about ideas & inspiration....& this year as I thought about what I wanted to share, I had a lot of the same feelings, but...I want to take it in a bit of a different direction....taking ideas & inspiration & acting on them to uplift & inspire others.

These 4 simple words have made a very huge impact on me.

When Linda K. Burton shared this, it sunk deep in my soul. I listened to it w/ my heart & since then, I've been trying this. And guess what? It makes me happy! The experiences I had on my birthday were just one of the many experiments I've tried to act on these 4 words. I had the BEST birthday ever by first observing...sharing my art & asking others to do one act of kindness in return.  I did it, too. All day I looked for someone who I could help, make happy cheer up their day & basically I was crying all day out of sheer joy! LOL! But...

it made me think. If EVERYONE lived these 4 words & went around observing others & what you could do to help them...what an amazing impact we'd make in this wonderful world we live in! 

It starts w/ us. 

We can first observe, then serve 

in our homes, 

our families, 

our friends, 

our neighbors, 

our communities...

& even those friends all over the world.  

In fact, it can even be people we don't know...total strangers...everyone can use a smile, or a compliment or a help to the car, or a door opened....just to let others know they are loved.

THIS inspiration will filter into our lives creatively, physically, spiritually & emotionally...I promise. I've done it! So...today, think of these 4 words & make it the BEST day ever!

huuuge hugs! Be uplifting & inspiring to all around you! & think pink!

cReative Team Tuesday: Halloween Gifts!

One of my favorite things is to see my cReative Team cReate amazing projects w/ my Rhonna Designs! And today you will LOVE what they have done...it's all about Halloween Gifts today!

Look at what our international crafter, Jing, has for us! A delightful Halloween CD gift- all created w/ Rhonna Designs SPOOKY & SPOOKY JUNQUE! She's quite the hostess!

Here's what Jing says:

"CD name/menu card – I used Herma CD stickers and spritzed it with Glimmer Mist – totally cool! But it didn’t capture in my photo. Plus another cool thing… I was in the mood to use my silhouette machine … I used the ribbon pattern with my silhouette – fast and easy! What I normally put in the CD? … our favorite music and sometimes photos depending on who are the guests."

Isn't that fantastic! Thanks so much, Jing...you always amaze!

Rosemary created this fabulous neighbor gift out of Rhonna Designs..I"m IN LOVE! 

I just adore this...so cute, so fun & so creative! Thanks, so much Rosemary...you are simply incredible!

And Amy's throwing a Halloween party for her daughter & created these fabulous little favors. She created them out of TP rolls, book paper- filled them w/ candy & topped off w/ doilies & Rhonna Designs. Oh my...in love w/ these, too!

Thanks girls for truly uplifting and inspiRing us all! Now...go, cReate your last goodies before Halloween tomorrow! Can you believe it's almost November? wow! 

P.S. a HUGE thanks & shout out to Home Goods!  & Nancy...for encouraging me to enter! 

If you are on Instagram, you might have seen their contest? Amy & my spark sister, Margie were both finalists & was totally surprised when they just informed me...I WON! I'm feeling very humbled & honored....& ...still surprised! I LOVE their store & am so thankful!  I'll be sure to share what I purchased there!!! so excited! Thanks, again, Home Goods!

Meet Dazey...our vintage trailer!

Well, I'm hooked on glamping in our vintage trailer, Dazey. We had a little adventure in Southern Utah & found ourselves in a HUGE flood storm during our Fall Break...But, guess what? Dazey kept us nice & warm & dry. In fact...during the HUGE storm, we cozied up & popped Jiffy Pop popcorn on the stove, played games by the light of the chandelier & LOVED every moment!  But..I realized that I showed you some fun pix from our glamping adventure HERE...but haven't posted any pix of the inside yet!

Our vintage trailer, the Dazey, has been so fun! Now...Let me tell you...this vintage trailer refub is an on-going adventure. We are learning as we go & we are finding out what works & doesn't work! To keep us from going crazy...we chanted our mantra, 'It's just a trailer'...whenever we were tempted to go all 'perfectionist'. LOL! So...while it's not perfect, it's a trailer. A cute, cozy vintage trailer w/ a lot of character.  Here she is....

Dazey is a 1974 15ft. Rancho El Rae Trailer.  When you walk in...off the right is the long sofa that pulls out to be a bed that sleeps 2.  We had custom slipcovers made HERE & covered the cushions w/ red & white ticking. I love it!

And I'm a decorative pillow fanatic, so I made sure I've got plenty on there to add comfy, cozy, colorful FUN!

That top part above the sofa bed pulls down to reveal a bunk bed that sleeps 2.  We put a futon up there that easily folds in w/ the bunk. PERFECT! 

I love the little shelf here that becomes a reading nook. That cute little frame displays a cReative quote, (created w/ Rhonna Designs, of course) the alarm clock is from Ikea & the little vintage globe is one of my fave 'accessories! And, don't you LOVE that green daisy tin tray? So retro. So fun. Found this at  Fleology & my dear friend, Anna, bought it for a 'trailer warming' gift...then, she was thrifting & found MORE...for .75! Needless to say..I'm stocked w/ these cute trays!

So, right when you walk in, you look straight at the Kitchen nook. Dazey has a little sink, stove, oven & fridge. I love it!  The vintage accessories are too much fun! The fan, ruler & 'Coca-Cola' bottle opener are all from our old Minnesota home. **Full story is on my Instagram Feed...why we named her Dazey...I'll have to share it here sometime!**

The collander was a gift from my sweet sister, Amy...& I found the vintage picnic basket online.  I love the little pom-pom garland I made w/ the tiny bits of scrap fabric from the pillows & curtains.  **when you are decorating a trailer, you gotta think of things that will be hanging & how they will 'travel'...this is perfect!  The fridge is on that same wall & then the back has a little storage/potty closet w/ that mirror. It's a great little space to store things, hang clothes, towels, & even put the porta-potty in there IF we want...so far...we haven't wanted. *wink*

One of my fave things is the fridge. What a lifesaver! And, I wanted to put a chalkboard finish on it, so I used the chalkboard contact paper. Um....one word: it's difficult to chalk. It was GREAT putting right over the enamel appliance, but the surface has no tooth..so...like my 6 Chalkboards Tips talked about...I resorted to the Liquid Chalk Pens...perfect! The quote:

'A traveler without observation is a bird without wings.' 

perfect.

Off to the left of the trailer is the dinette.  It's so cute now...I just love it! **Note: That cute little 'The Dazey' decal is one of the inkjet window decals I just printed off. & below you can see the 'Dazey' decal on the mirror. I love it!**

So, this table flips down to make a bed that sleeps one. So...total: 5. Perfect for our family.

I am in LOVE with this vintage tablecloth I got at Fleology & the cute teapot & melmac dishware came in the vintage picnic basket...so perfect for Dazey!

Now...the chandelier was a MUST for me, but we had to try to figure out HOW we could hang one, have it work AND have it travel...

so: Jeff -my hero- rigged it so it just wires right on the original light fixture & we can bend the wires down to take it off whilst traveling.  Put it up when we are *glamping* & I'm a happy camper! *grin*

Closer look at JUST the chandy! Not too shabby, huh? I think he did a great job! I got this chandy from Ikea a few years ago & sadly, they don't make them anymore...it's so fab for Dazey!

I a.DORE these vintage letters my sweet friend & cReative Team member, Nancy, sent me a while back.  LOVE letters are perfect for Dazey.  I've got them in the window here, but when we take them w/ us...it's so fun to hang them in the trees as shown on THIS *glamping* trip!

And, with *glamping*...it's all about the details, right?

I'm not a seamstress, so I used my NO-SEW Ruffle technique shown HERE to create my curtains & pillows! 

I just took the hot-glued ruffles & added them to the bottom of the curtains & then glued them onto the pillows....seriously...so easy. So fast. So fab. I also did a little DIY w/ this cute yarn wreath. I wanted a bright, simply & cute wreath to hang on the wall or take down & hang in trees, our chalkboard door or wherever I find that inspires me whilst *glamping*! 

I simply wrapped a styrofoam wreath w/ the yellow yard, then the turquoise yarn.  Topped it off w/ a huge bow created from the same polka dot fabric used in my No-sew Buntings & the polka dot edge shown above.  LOVE the stripes, chevron, floral, ticking & polka dots all mixed & matched in the pillows, curtains, bunting & slipcovers...eclectic. and fun.

The No-Sew Buntings are created w/ Fabric Glue & bias tape. Super easy. Love hanging these inside Dazey, but then out in the trees on our adventures!

Now...a word about our flooring. The BEFORE wasn't that bad..I actually liked the tile, but it had a huge rust stain on it & I knew I could just put in the super cheap self-adhesive tile pretty easily.

It's not a perfect tile job...But, I think it turned out pretty good...after all...'It's just a trailer."

So...that's Dazey's inside...ain't she purdy? I just love her. And now...I am actually excited to go camping w the glam! *glamping all the way, baby!*

So...I'll have a Before /After share on Wednesday...tomorrow is our last Creative Team Tuesday before Halloween & we've got some fun things cooked up!

So now...go! cReate something today!