Our New Project! It’s Done!!

Not only is this project done, but now I have more exciting news!! My daughter, Haley, got engaged this past weekend!!! I’m so excited for her and my soon to be son-in-love! Now I get to help with the wedding planning! I’m not sure how much I will be able to blog about, but I will try to document some of it. But now on to the show!

If you didn’t see the first post of what the trailer originally looked like, you can click here. I will include some of the original pictures here too.

I went for the Bohemian look this time in the trailer. A lot of the pictures and things are from the old trailer and I found new places for them to go. As you walk in the door, you can see our Camping Rules. Most importantly, is Make Memories! You can see in this picture, we outlined the slide out with varnished wood. I love how it turned out! Looks so much better than the plastic pieces that were up there!

Just to the left as you enter the door are 2 swivel chairs by a big picture window. You can see here that all the brown is now painted white. I used Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee for all the paint in the trailer. I used the original handles, knobs and hinges and painted them all gold. I bought the blinds from Home Depot, and the fabric and pom-poms from the 99 Cent Store. The seat covers came from Amazon.

The little table was a t.v. stand and Steve reconfigured it to fit over some of the hose and electrical hoses and wires that are underneath. I painted it and decoupaged the top. I added some fun little decorations to the top and the shelves.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Straight in from the door is the couch. I covered it with an old chenille bedspread I already had and some fun pillows. I used the same blinds on the window and fabric for the curtains. I love that I could use all different colors and it all looked good together!

I recovered the cushions at the table. I used velcro on the back to hold them in place. You may have noticed, but we took down all the valances over and around the windows. We added our own curtain rods and the new woven blinds.

I also covered the table with a marble look contact paper from Amazon. I used a regular width paper and I probably should have used a wide width. It would have fit better. I used black spray paint on the poles that hold up the table. You can see one of them a couple pictures above.

This is my favorite picture!! I hung it in the little hallway that leads to the bedroom.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

It’s hard to believe this is even the same room!!! I absolutely love this bedroom! We removed the headboard and recovered it with a sheet. I also added the cute little chandelier above the bed. My good friend, Robin, made me the cute camping blanket at the end of the bed. Doesn’t it match perfectly?

I made this cute little Relax sign out of bits and pieces I had in my garage.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Isn’t it amazing how much of a difference paint can make?

Loving my flamingos!

There isn’t much storage in the bathroom, so I added this basket holder above the toilet to store a few things in. I found it at Home Goods, but I added the bits of material and pom-poms to give it the Boho look.

We have not changed out the floor yet, but it is something I hope to do in the future.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Doesn’t this look so much better?! Did you know that the pieces on the front of the fridge are just a thin piece of cardboard? I just slid them out and spray-painted them with chalkboard paint. Such a simple update!

I also used a peel and stick subway tile from Amazon behind the sink and up on the wall. I love how it turned out! It gives such a fresh and clean feel. I reused the blind on the kitchen window and used a bit of sheet to make the curtain.

We’ve collected magnets from all the different places we have visited. It’s fun to talk about the different places we have traveled to.

I would love to hear what you think! I had so much fun planning everything out and I really love how it turned out!

Now that the RV is done, it’s on to other projects!

Let Me Introduce You To My Town- Freddy the Fire Truck- Part 1

Good morning! How is your new year going? Pretty much the same as last year? 🙂 We are still plugging along over here!

I thought I would try something a little different for the blog. I am still going to do crafts and decorate, but last year, I found that Walmart was selling the game Hanfordopoly. It’s like Monopoly, but for my town. Well, I had to buy it! Then Lauren and I went around town and took pictures of each of the places on the game board. It was so much fun! I can’t wait to introduce you to our sweet little town and some of its history.

Freddie the Fire Truck

 I found this history from our local newspapers website:

“For nearly two decades, Freddie the Fire Truck has offered Hanford tourists the opportunity to explore the city in a historical way.

Originally built in the 1950s and used as a fully functional Studebaker fire truck within the city, Freddie was donated to the Hanford Conference and Visitor Agency in the early 1990s.

Before it started providing rides to people from all over the world, a canopy and seats were added to the back of the truck. The original Studebaker engine and transmission were also replaced with a Chevrolet engine.

Dave Jones, former executive director with the Visitor Agency, said around 40 percent of Hanford tourists would use the antique fire truck while in town.

“I think it’s the most visual representation of how we’ve gone out of our way to save the historical things in Hanford,” Jones said. “It’s movable, it has people on it and it spreads a story… just like the carousel.” 

In 2012, financial issues and city contract problems forced the Visitor Agency to go on a hiatus. Rides on Freddie were also put on hold after increased insurance requirements were requested by the city. 

When the agency later closed its doors in 2013, Freddie was purchased by the Hanford Chamber of Commerce. Since then, Freddie has once again been able to provide visitors with a unique chance to tour Hanford.”

Freddie the Fire Truck

I’ve ridden on Freddie many times when I taught at the preschool. It was one of the field trips we would take every summer. You can also hear it unmistakable horn while Freddie toodles around town. Everyone love Freddie!

Hanford Carousel

I added the carousel with Freddie because they usually go together when people visit our town. The carousel is located in Civic Park and Freddie picks up riders at the park. I spent many times going round and round on this carousel. When my kids were small, before they were in school, you could ride the carousel for free every Friday morning. Needless to say, we were there a lot.

“HANFORD – Built in the 1930s, the Allan Herschell Carousel in Civic Center Park was originally located in Tulare County’s Mooney Grove Park for more than four decades. The wood and metal Art Deco-influenced design includes 30 jumping horses and two chariots. Although it has been used as a stationary feature, it was designed for disassembly and transport as a carnival ride.

The carousel was moved to Hanford in the mid-1980s as commercial developer Max Walden worked to restore of the Old Courthouse. At that time, the vintage attraction was already in disrepair. Several of the original horses were missing, as was the original serial number plate. Over the years the carousel has undergone numerous mechanical and cosmetic restorations to keep it looking and running in top condition.

Thanks to ongoing community support and donations, the decades-old carousel continues to serve thousands of riders every year, including school children from around the Valley.” Hanford Sentinel

I love that our little town works to preserve the past and its history! Does your town have any special history? Are you able to tour special places in your city? I would love to hear about it! Have a great week!

Santa’s Photo Scavenger Hunt

 

Good morning! Just a few more days until Christmas!! Are you ready!! I am all set to go! I am just waiting for family to come so we can spend some time together. Maybe you are looking for something special to do with the family you are with. Here is a game that is fun for all ages.

 

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 I played a game similar to this back when I was in high school, back in the stone ages, you know, before cell phones. :0  I think we used Polaroid cameras. I guess now that Polaroids are back again, you could still use them! This game will take a little planning ahead of time, but it’s not too difficult.

santas scavenger hunt

You will need:

  • a larger group of people
  • a list of items to find
  • a phone or camera

Before the party, you need to decide where your scavenger hunt will be. Will it be inside the house, around the neighborhood, at the mall? Once you decide where, you will need to walk around that space and make a list of the items you want found. This can be as easy or specific as you want. It could be a general item like an inflatable Santa to finding the house with 3 palm trees and a penguin. You will want a list between 10 -20 things depending on how long you want the game to go and the space you selected.

santas photo trees

Divide your large group into smaller groups, between 2 and 6 are probably the best. It can include any age groups too. If you have younger kids, you will probably want an adult as a chaperone and to help out when needed.

Each group will get the same list of items, but in a different order. That way they are going in different directions and won’t see where the other groups went. They will follow the list and take a picture of each item as they find it. They need to be back at a designated point within the allotted time with their pictures.

santa's scavenger hunt ornaments

Some things to decide and to explain before you start.

  • You will need to decide how picky you are about the pictures. Do you want exactly the object you are thinking of or just something similar?
  • Print out your lists.
  • Do you want pictures with participants in it?
  • Will there be prizes for just the winner or all players?
  • Also, be sure you players are respectful of other peoples property or other shoppers.

Now you are ready to start! Get your groups divided, explain how the game works and go! Once time is up, the teams should be back at a meeting point with their pictures.

Now, have fun and make some great family memories!!

sunshine-and-blessings-picmonkey

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Backyard Camping Crafts and Activities

Good morning everyone! I know I haven’t been posting as often, but I have been busy with stuff around the house. Most things have been simple projects, nothing really to blog about, but I think I will take some pictures, just to show you what I have been up to!
Today I have a special guest post for you all to enjoy! Back in February, we shared Gabrielle’s valentine printables. We have some new summer printables for you today. My family went camping a couple of weekends ago, and while I don’t have any little children, we still had fun with these!
Here’s Gabrielle:
Summer is finally here and backyard camping is super popular. You don’t have to leave the safety of your own yard to enjoy some camping-themed fun in the sun. Of course, no “camping trip” would be complete without plenty of activities. Below, check out some printable crafts and activities to get you started. You’ll be creating summer memories before you know it!
Creative Nature Collage Critters
Use natural materials found in your backyard to make creative critters. Collect flowers, twigs, leaves, and more to design unique-looking animals. All you need is some glue and imagination! You can download these printable animal faces here.
backyard-camping-printables-nature-collages-mockup.jpg
Campfire Story Activity
Have some laughs together by taking turns storytelling based on random story elements. All you need is a single die, the story creation sheet, and your creative mind. Each person rolls the die 5 times, circling whichever story elements correspond with the number rolled under each category. Download this printable story activity here.
backyard-camping-printable-storytime-activity
Sensory Scavenger Hunt
Discover the hidden wonders of your own backyard using your senses. Download this printable sensory scavenger hunt here.
backyard-camping-printable-scavenger-hunt-mockup
Constellation Connect-the-Dots
Connect the dots of some favorite constellations to prepare for stargazing. You can color in the constellations, making them as bright and elaborate as you would like. When the stars become visible at night, you can find the constellations together with your knowledge gained by drawing them. Download this connect-the-dots activity here.
backyard-camping-printable-star-constellations-mockup

Thank you so much Gabrielle! These are so cute and fun!

 

Okay, now I will show you our versions! My girls and I each created a collage critter. We gathered our supplies from around our campsite and then started gluing our pieces on. I love how different each one was!
 Next, we did the story time activity. Um, I found out we are NOT very good story tellers! Haha! We had a story about a Ship Captain and a Vampire struggling to rule the kingdom in the middle of the dessert, a Witch and a Detective battling to save the world, and lastly, a Werewolf and a Detective in an adventure to solve a mystery on the ocean!
camping story
Lastly, we did the scavenger hunt. We divided into two teams and set a timer for 5 minutes. We tried to find each thing on the list and take a picture of it. We got one point for each item, but if we had the same answer, neither one got a point. It was interesting to see what we each came up with for our answers!
IMG_0723
Can you guess which category each of these pictures went with? Scan over each picture to see the answer!

 This was so much fun to do together as a family! Thank you again Gabrielle for sharing these activities with all of us!
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Here are a few other posts you might be interested in!

ocean wooden buoys orange, turquoise, blue    Wander Supplies  rV cushion title

50 DIY Holiday Ideas For You!

Good morning! Lauren and I are so excited to join the 12 Days of Holiday Ideas Blog Hop! This is our first year joining in and we have been very busy! Do you need some holiday ideas? There are ideas for decorating, crafting, cooking, games, baking and the grand finale will be our Christmas Trees! We are hosting a BIG GIVEAWAY from our Sponsors this year! Be sure to scroll all the way down for more information and to enter to win!

It’s the fifth year of the Holiday Ideas Blog Hop! If you aren’t familiar with this annual blog hop, it’s a 4 week event where 50+ bloggers share Christmas ideas 3x a week. Scroll down to meet this year’s Holiday Ideas Team and grab the free printable event calendars! The official Holiday Ideas Blog Hop starts Monday, November 11, with all sorts of Gift Guides! In the mean time, enjoy this round-up of the Best DIY Holiday Ideas from this year’s hosts and get started on your DIY holiday projects!

Holiday Ideas Blog Hop Kickoff

Intelligent Domestications  ~  My Pinterventures  ~  Chicken Scratch That Fit Fam
An Alli Event Domestically Creative  ~  Rosewood and Grace  ~
From House To Home  ~  Happily Ever After, Etc Across the Blvd  ~  Farm Girl Reformed
Creative Cynchronicity  ~  Country Hill Cottage  ~  My Humble Home and Garden
 PolkaDot Poplars  ~  Family Around the Table  ~  Domestic Deadline
Purple Hues and Me  ~  Glitter On A Dime  ~  Sparkle Living ~ Crafting Is My Therapy

As For Me and My Homestead  ~  Cookies, Coffee and Crafts  ~  The Aspiring Home
Practically Homemade  ~  The Fresh Cooky  ~  Simply Inspired Meals 
Love My Little Cottage  ~  Mom Home Guide   ~  Blogghetti
Nourish and Nestle  ~  My Family Thyme  ~  Simple Nature Decor
Interior Frugalista  ~  Elle Marie Home  ~  DIY Adulation  ~  Through My Front Porch
Weekend Craft Our Crafty Mom  ~  For the Love of Food  ~  Tikkido
Home on the Corner  ~  Adventures of a DIY Mom  ~  My Hubbard Home  ~  Hello Central Avenue
Harbour Breeze Home This Autoimmune Life  ~  Creative Ramblings
Radiant Pearl Living  ~  Super Mom – No Cape  ~  Little Vintage Cottage  ~  Christmas Tree Lane

Get the FREE November and December Holiday Ideas Blog Hop Calendar at the end of the post.

50+ Best DIY Holiday Ideas

Holiday Decor Projects

Holiday Signs

Best DIY Holiday Ideas - Rustic signs 1

Best DIY Holiday Ideas Signs 2

Misc. Holiday Decor

Best DIY Holiday Ideas Decor 1

Best DIY Holiday Ideas Decor 2

Holiday Wreaths & A Tree

Best DIY Holiday Ideas Wreaths

Best DIY Holiday Ideas - Wreaths 2

Best DIY Holiday Ideas Wreath 3

Crafts

Best DIY Holiday Ideas Crafts 1

Best DIY Holiday Ideas Crafts - Wood Christmas Tree Signs and rustic luminaries

Ornaments & Tree

Best DIY Holiday Ideas Ornaments 1

Best DIY Holiday Ideas Ornaments 2

Best DIY Holiday Ideas Ornaments 3

Best DIY Holiday Ideas Ornaments 4

Games

Best DIY Holiday Ideas Games

Gift Ideas

Best DIY Holiday Ideas Gifts 1

Best DIY Holiday Ideas Gifts 2

Recipes

Best DIY Holiday Ideas Recipes 1

Best DIY Holiday Ideas Cookies

Best DIY Holiday Ideas Recipes 3

Hope you enjoyed these holiday ideas. Remember to check back on November 11 for Gift Guides!

Printable Holiday Ideas Blog Hop Events Calendar

Print these Holiday Ideas Blog Hop Calendars and stick them on your fridge! It’s a great way to have all the holiday topics and post dates!

Just click on the image to view and print out the November and December Holiday Ideas Blog Hop Event Calendars.

November Holiday Ideas Blog Hop Calendar

December Holiday Ideas Blog Hop Calendar

 MEET OUR SPONSORS who have generously donated fabulous prizes for the Big Christmas Giveaway!

DecoArt  winner will receive a prize package valued at $100!

Dixie Crystals/Imperial Sugar winner will receive a Keurig Coffee Maker valued at $100!

Oriental Trading winner will receive an OrientalTrading.com gift card valued at $200!

Cabot Cheese winner will receive a gift basket of Cabot products valued at $75!

Burlap Fabric winner will receive a prize pack of products valued at $50!

Zulay Kitchens winner will receive one Milk Frother and a Lemon Squeezer valued at $21

It’s Home To You winner will receive one wooden Santa sign valued at $65

12 Days of Holiday Ideas Event Sponsors 2019

 

Giveaway begins Nov. 8, 2019 and ends Dec. 6, 2019. Winners will be notified by December 13, 2019. Sponsors will ship each prize to the winner. There will be a total of seven winners, one for each prize. Drawing is by random selection using the Rafflecopter widget. 

Must be 18 to win. Open to U.S. residents only. Terms and Conditions.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope you are all as excited as we are! I can’t wait to see all the different ideas these talented ladies come up with! See you on Monday!

sunshine-and-blessings-picmonkey  sparkle