My new awning was shipped today and it is GORGEOUS!!!

New awnings ordered, Woohoo

Right now I'm so excited I can't hardly stand myself. The other day a member of the USA Vintage Trailer Network generously offered to pass along a deal she had received on a bulk purchase of awning poles. Who would have thought these would go for as much as $27.00 each? After a bit of research we quickly found they do so I jumped on the offer that Marti had made.

During the completion of our transaction I asked if she knew of a good source for online outdoor fabric samples. She hooked me up and I fell hook, line and sinker! Actually I was looking for design inspiration for the Shasta rebuild we are getting ready to start on. I was amazed to find a fabric that will go perfectly with our 1400. Right now we are using a canvas tarp and I've been perfectly happy with it. After discussing it with the husband I found out he's not and that in his mind it was only a temporary fix :) Could this have worked out any better? So I contacted Marti again to see what the price would be for a new awning and rock guard cover in the fabric I had found. What a deal! I can't buy the fabric retail for what she's charging me. This lady rocks and I'm adding her awning blog to my list.

The awning has all the colors in my new cushion material, white, aqua, brown and the best part is silver. You can bet that I'll be posting pics just as soon as it comes in.

Sneak peak of the finished interior

End of winter update, first camping trip in 3 weeks!

Once again it's time for an update. There have been several questions about pictures of the quilts and bags I've made. The fact is I don't have any. At the time I made them I had no idea there would so much interest in them and I was rushed to get them finished. Since that time I decided to take time and make something for myself. This past week I finished a king size quilt for our bedroom. All the sewing is done but I still need to clip the seams then find a washing machine large enough to start the fraying. Once that's done I'll take some pics of it and post them. Maybe we'll have our master bedroom redo done and be able to show a completed project that my husband and I have been talking about doing for the past 4 years.

Actually I have some fantastic news. Our Shasta is almost 100% complete. The galley is finished and all the plumbing is done. After finishing the kitchen I finally confessed to the hubby that I wasn't happy with the cushion covers. Once again he surprised me saying he knew I wasn't and to find something I liked. It didn't take too many minutes for me to find some fabric I love and have it headed to my house. It being on sale for $5.00 a yard helped ease my sense of guilt and yesterday I finished the new covers. They are gorgeous. After I sewed the first set I told myself that if I ever changed them I pay for someone else to make them. Well that didn't happen and this set was much easier and I'm so much happier with the out come. New curtains are next and I'll get started on them in the next few days.

The hubby told me today that I have 3 weeks to get the curtains done. Guess that means our first camping trip is scheduled for then. We have a vintage trailer rally coming up in May and he wants to take the trailer out, test all the plumbing, holding tank, etc. before we head out of state with it. This must also mean that he has 3 weeks to get the screen door built. Once the door is built and the new curtains are up it will be complete. We sent off our door handle for the closet/porti potty room to have it rechromed today and it should be back in 2 weeks. There have been times when I've wondered if this project would ever be finished but we are finally there. It has turned out better than either of us expected and we couldn't be happier with the out come. New pictures have been added to the photobucket album, all you have to do is click on the small pic to the left and you can see how it's turned out.

Thank goodness it's a New Year!

Can I say how thankful I am that 2008 is over? It isn't that there hasn't been good points because there has been but unfortunately the bad has over shadowed them. Mark lost his Dad in May, I lost my Dad in October and my son washed his hands of me in December. Gosh, did I mess up there. Having too high of expectations for the holidays led to disaster. For the time being it's best that we stay away from each other. There is just too many hurts and errors on both sides right now. We need the space and time to ease our wounds before we attempt a reconciliation.

On the bright side I've found a new path that I will be following. Ironically it started with my Shasta. I was searching the net looking for quilt patterns for a new quilt that I wanted to make for the trailer. While searching I came across a rag quilt pattern which I thought was really cute. Well, after 7 quilts and 11 handbags I think I have found a new homebased business opportunity. Since giving the quilts and bags as Christmas gifts I have had all kinds of feedback from people that I gave them too. My daughter had 6 people stop her at Walmart and ask her where she got the quilt I made for my grandbaby. I made the bags for my nieces and now all their friends want one. Soooo, I'm going to work on my inventory, try ebay, a booth at one of the local antique stores and maybe a few festivals and see what happens. Won't know unless I try and goodness knows I need something to keep me busy.

Here's to hoping that 2009 is a healthy, happy and successful New Year!

Fall Camping

Guess I need to add an update. Mark and I left on our camping trip the day after my father's funeral. At first we were going to cancel but then decided that we wouldn't be solving anything if we did. My family that came in for the funeral left the day after. My step mom's daughter planned on staying with her so there was no reason for us not to go.

Our new favorite camp spot is only 30 minutes from our house so if I was needed I could be back under an hour. It turned out to be a good plan. All the family came out two days after we setup camp and we had a cookout and it was nice to be able to spend time with each other without having others watching to see 'how we were doing'. During the following week I realized that I should have went ahead and gone home after the weekend. We wound up staying 11 days and Mark drove to work from the lake. I found that the longer I stayed the more difficulty I had facing going home. A date was set as to when we would head home and we stuck to it.

So...now I'm home and undecided on what I'm going to do now. So many decisions during the past years was based on the health of Mark and I's fathers that now they are both gone it's as if I don't have a focus. Right now the pressure of making a decision is more than I can deal with. Therefore I won't.

The pictures our from our trip, can't wait for the next one. For now I'm going to head to another favorite little lake of mine that's within about 20 minutes just because I can. No camping this time but maybe I'll find some serenity.

In Loving Memory....

Always has been and always will be my hero.

June 17, 1926 - October 13, 2008