Tuesday, May 26, 2015

All Gussied Up

During my lifetime I have reinvented myself a number of times. 
 
Once again, I find myself adjusting the sails of life and moving forward in an altered direction.  When I first began full timing I started out in Lolita my vintage trailer.  I knew that it would not be a forever living situation, but I was not ready to make the change....so I just began.  I knew when the time was right I would make the change.  Circumstances with the back pain, have dictated  now is the time so ready or not....it is time to make the change.

 I found this hanging sign on our first outing in the RT

At different times in my adult life, I was a military wife, mother, childbirth instructor, foster parent and, single parent and for the last 28 years that I worked at a non-profit helping parents with children with disabilities learn about educational and legal rights within the educational and community systems.  At home, there was always a houseful of children and a barnyard full of animals. 

During each period of my life, changes needed to be made some complete transformations.  Some life modifications are easily made while others are met with fierce resistance.  Currently, I am certainly struggling with the implications of my spinal injuries and resulting limitations but it is what it is... so I have been moving forward with changes that will simply our travels and give me greater comfort to do the things I love......... Travel still calls to me.

Once I make a decision, I have always plunged ahead and begin the work needed to make the decision a reality.  While my heart still feels attachment and a sense of longing with the vintage trailers groups,  reality is pulling me another direction.    

While waiting for the weather to warm I have immersed myself in  some redecorating the RoadTrek and making it my own.  I have made curtains and sprinkled some dark red accents through out the RT.   There was nothing wrong with the curtains....except they were pink, dusty blue and minty green.  I am just not a pink kind of girl so the curtains became a neutral beige strip with red trim in the bedroom area.  The cushions are all in perfect condition and I want to keep it that way so I also made a cover for the bed cushions from a comforter that I cut to fit the odd shape of my bed area.                             
                         Before                                                                                              After
 
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                             
                                                                                               

I decided on using the U-shaped bed set up which gives more width at the shoulders and hips for the greatest comfort and the cutout allows greater access to the cupboards above the beds and the drawers below the beds.  The beds are actually wider than the picture shows as the cupboards block some of the sleeping space.  Elastic straps hold the cover in place, but it is a bit like wrestling an alligator to get it in place.


I made sleep sacks using two king sized fuzzy blankets, folded in half and stitched around the bottom and up to the knee area.  Each sack cost $20.00.  I carry an additional blanket for each bed and store them in the pillowshams.


From the back looking forward.

I think the curtains with the contrasting ruffle turned out nicely!

I store a folding captains chair at the foot of each bed with the sleepsack and blanket held firmly in place, still allowing for a place to lay down when needed.







In the bathroom/closet, I have mounted a small set of drawers to house the stuff that had no home..... The basin is used for a bathroom sink since this model of RT did not have a bathroom sink.




I am reusing many of the items and decor from Lolita which I love.




This pillow was the inspiration for Lolita and I am using it again in the RT.   It pulls all the colors together with the green without looking like Christmas!
                 "Cowgirls Just Want to Have Fun"       

 The "Lounge Area" up front

                        Before
 
                                                                                                                   









                                 After

 The drivers seat is so difficult to turn around and we don't really need the extra seat, so it will probably be used to store the outdoor captains chairs overnight.  Nothing else really needs to be moved overnight.


Everyone is staking out their territory and finding their own spot to call home
                             .............to be continued.


Making the changes in the Roadtrek are making it seem like MY cozy home.....
                                                          What do you think so far?



~ Happy Trails ~



10 comments:

  1. I think it looks fantastic and you are an amazingly creative and resilient woman. Your granddaughter is so lucky to have you as a role model for how to move through life. I wish I were as able to accept "it is what it is". I know it's true but being dependent on a hospital is so so limiting. Life is speeding by. I want to travel. You are an inspiration.

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  2. It looks great! So colorful yet cozy.

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  3. Very impressive! Particularly the colorful custom bed covers. So creative. I hope it's the perfect road trip machine for all of you.

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  4. What a change - so much nicer that the boring gray!

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  5. Wow, what a difference. I admire your creativity, and all the color is wonderful! I've done so little with The Palms. Good for you - you've made it YOUR traveling home. :)

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  6. I am so envious. You have earned this. I was amazed at how well and quickly you moved into this minimalist life once you decided. You are making it all yours.

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  7. I really like it. You brought life to the space. Love the colors great job

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  8. I think you have done an outstanding job. The colors just pop. I love it. Stay safe

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  9. Wow, you certainly have a knack for decorating - everything looks fantastic!

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