MOTORHOME MODIFICATIONS *C* Cooking Stuff and MIrror Mirror OFF The Wall

HOLD ON - WE INTERRUPT OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED BLOG POST TO BRING YOU A BRAND NEW MODIFICATION THAT JUST HAPPENED TODAY.

Mirror Mirror OFF The Wall:
Things sometime just happen, one thing after another.

It all started when---

We have this big mirror on the back wall of our motorhome. It takes up the entire rear wall.  We are not fond of this mirror.  Over the years we decided to just mount this favorite framed print from brackets overhead and have it suspend down in front of the mirror.  Good enough.  For a while.

Well, Steve decided today that he was going to go out and fire up the generator to give it some exercise. We do that monthly.  He suggested we could go out there and put away a few things and try out our new quilt on the bed in the motorhome.  Remember a few blogs back I mentioned making a new quilt for it?    I wanted to measure the valances and lambrequins on the windows in the bedroom to cover them with matching fabric.

He went out there and as the rig was warming up, Steve decided to remove the headboard over the bed so I could recover that too.  He came back in the house and asked me to come out and take a look at it. The wall was all nice wood underneath the headboard, and only three screws held it into place and didn't make any real noticeable marks.

Hmmm maybe we wouldn't recover the headboard, maybe we would go without one?

That led to the next thing---  he noticed the clip on one side of that big ugly mirror was broke.  He pressed on the mirror and said ''Hey, I dont think this mirror is attached to wall any more!''

We unscrewed a few more of the clips and carefully let the mirror slide down to rest on the bedside tables.  Wow.. it was all loose from the adhesive.  We could take it out!

Gee whiz, that huge heavy mirror was only held up there by four little bottom clips and two clips on each side. It could have come crashing off when going over a bump!

Then the next question was if the wood continued up the whole wall behind the mirror??   We tilted the bottom of the mirror outwards and stuck my smart phone up behind to take a pic to see ....
Yup!  All wood! Aren't smart phone cameras great? You can see into places you normally cannot contort your body around to look up into.

We carefully removed one light fixture sconce on one side wall. Now we could ease the mirror down off the wall and laid it flat on the mattress.  On the back is a sticker that says it is safety glass, which is a good thing.  I took pics and measured it up and posted it on the local Buy Sell Trade page and on Craigslist for FREE, just if someone would come and carry it out and take it away.  It's all bevelled glass edges too. Hope someone wants it. It is 93 by 37.5 inches.

Okay.... now about the adhesive? 

Like I said, one thing leads to another... 

Since the generator was running, Steve brought in his heat gun.  I set it on low, then medium, to soften up the adhesive.  It worked!  Softening it up and then pulling away the gun, give it a chance to cool a tiny bit.  Then it rolls right off like old putty!  I did a small section just to see how it would work.

I think it will all come off, and if the finish still shows some of the rings, I can coat the entire back panel with a new coat of satin poly to even it out. I will wait till warmer spring weather to complete it, but for now it is satisfying to know it can be done easily enough.

We will mount the framed print back on the wall, but we may not even add that goofy headboard back onto the wall.  I could recover it with matching quilting fabric like the valances around the windows if I want. Maybe? Maybe not?

Anyhow, see how something simple like running the generator can lead to a complete overhaul of the entire back end of our bedroom?  LOL

Now... back to our regularly scheduled blog about

MOTORHOME MODIFICATIONS 

STARTING WITH THE LETTER C

Camping Outdoor Cooking and Grilling Stuff:

Yesterday's blog post dealt with outdoor cooking stuff.  This one will deal with inside items. Or items that can be used either or?

This first one is a REAL FAVORITE of mine!  See... our motorhome does not come with a propane oven under the stove. Nope. Just a microwave convection combo unit up overhead. I do NOT like it all. It never cooked evenly until just recently (we went over a big bump and now it suddenly works better)  Also we have to be either hooked up to shore power or else run the generator to bake anything. As most of you know, we love to boondock. So that is very inconvenient.

Enter... Karen's Easy Bake Oven!

Actually it is a Coleman Instastart Oven that runs off propane. It can run off the small 1 pound cylinders, or with a hose it can attach to a tank. If you have an onboard propane hookup for grills or accessories it can hook to those too.

I see the newest version from Coleman has two additional stove top burners added to the top surface. That is kinda cool too!

It can bake things inside the motorhome or outside on the picnic table. Very versatile. It has insulated walls so it is not very hot underneath when setting on a table. I do slide a cookie sheet underneath it to protect the varnish of our inside table just in case.

It can be used out on the picnic table to help keep the heat out of the motorhome on hot days. I like using it for toast when we have extra family members along. It can toast up 12 pieces of bread at one time, instead of 2 slices in a pop up toaster. Fresh baked cinnamon rolls are easy to watch out on the picnic table when coffee clutching with neighbors under the awning.  Not having to dash in and out and in and out to check on rolls in the oven inside is a nice plus.  I really like using it. Heating up frozen Hilde's Deli Chicken Pot Pies is a quick vacation meal on the run when we are travelling and stop for the night. Easy and fast supper.

It is slightly smaller than my largest 9x13 cookie sheets, 

but my 8x11 size fit. Roasting pans with tinfoil tops work if the whole lid doesn't fit.

It is even big enough for this turkey breast roast. Yummmm

I know I mentioned cast iron yesterday. 

I keep a small 6 inch skillet 

and whip up a little blue box of 

Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix. 

Mouthwatering baked golden Johnny Cake 

from my Instastart Easy Bake Oven! 

Another ''over the fire'' staple are Pudgey Pies!  We buy only the Minnetonka Toaster cast iron ones (not the alumiunum ones, they stick)  Good for pie filling, pizza filling, or cheese and ham etc. The sky is the limit! 

Doesn't this make your mouth water? 

Every camper of course needs some campfire roasting sticks. Hot dogs and yes, Some Mores! We buy the telescoping ones with wooden handles for the grankids to use. But we make sure the tips of the metal cool off and nobody tries to eat it right off the roaster.

My sister and her husband bought this for us...  can you believe it? It is a waffle iron for over the campfire!! It works wonderfully, but be sure to spray with non-stick cooking spray between each batch.

Yes, we picked fresh wild Michigan Blueberries. 

What a treat!!!

There is ONE camp cooking item we tried 

and it does NOT work well. 

Do not get me wrong, I love Coleman products. But this one is a flop.  I bought it, and was excited to use it. It is a slow cooker that runs on propane. Touted great for picnics, camping or tailgating. Neato, eh?  Well, even on the lowest low, it is still bubbling and boiling too high.  It burns chili, it scalds soup, and it boils over anything else you put in it.

I wrote to the company with my complaint, and they thought perhaps it was defective. They sent me a new burner control knob.  Nope, same thing. They suggested peeling back the little sticker on the control knob and adjusting the built-in regulator set screw. Nope, same thing.   I gave up and returned it for a refund. 

I will stick with my old $8 Proctor Silex crock pot and run the inverter on our battery pack to use it on household 120vAC current.

I should mention Steves favorite cooking utensil.  Bet you have seen these in the old days, eh? He loves his popcorn and makes it over the propane stove. The local Fleet Farm store still sells these.  He has worn a few out over the years. I think one of our kids gave him this current red one for his birthday. Good thinking.

My favorite utensil inside is my vintage Pyrex Flamethrower Coffee Pot! 

It brings back fond memories of my childhood. We always had this one going at home. Early mornings in the darkened kitchen when my mom would start this up. The blue flames of the propane stove licking up around the edges of the glass pot. The first few burps of water bubbles up the clear glass stem as it came to a boil. The caramel colored swirls that come drifting down into the clear water underneath the basket.  ahhhhhhh

We perk the coffee in the glass pot and then transfer it to an insulated carafe to bring out under the awning and sip our morning cup outdoors. I can start up a second pot on the stove while still sharing this carafe with coffee clutching neighbors. Bring out a basket of muffins and they all wander over to our campsite with a coffee cup in hand. 

I am also a pressure cooking person.  We have a vintage metal stove top one we keep in the rig for making quick meals, tender ribs, or wonderful beef roasts.  It is a great way to cook on the stove top instead of firing up the generator to run the convection or even haul out the Easy Bake Oven. It sure is handy.

But in keeping up with modern times. we just recently started using an electric pressure cooker in the house. We like it so much we bought a bigger electric one for the house, an 11 quart size, and we moved the 8 quart electric one to the motorhome.

Yes, we just brought it out there today when we just innocently went out to exercise the generator and lay the new quilt on the bed. Look where that got us!  LOL LOL

Everything OLD is NEW again

On a lovely Sunday morning, I was going through some of my photo files and realized that I could post about some of the old stuff we found in our house ... old things that we made new again!

When we looked at the house back in October, I saw a little rickety three legged table laying out under the back steps, destined to be tossed out.   Oh my.  I set it in the garage and hoped it would still be there when we closed on the house.

Prior to the closing, we had written a letter to the sellers, asking them to leave anything behind that they didn't want.  We would take care of reusing, recycling, repurposing or tossing anything out.   The table was still there after closing!   Wheeeeee I wiped it off and brought it in and set it in the front foyer.  It was cute with a little lamp on it, just enough light when going up and down the staircase without turning on the larger foyer light.  The more I looked at it, the more I liked it.  Last week I took it down to my workroom, glued and screwed and clamped it.  Then I stained and polyurathaned it.  Ahhhh that's much better!

Another thing we saw in the house was a set of three large glass light shades that were in the basement on a shelf.  There was a fourth shade already up in the room I was going to use for fiber storage.  With glee, we saw all four of the old glass shades left behind after the closing too!  

We bought new base fixtures to adhere to the ceilings in our hallways and in our master walk-in closet.  This way we had new wires and grounded base units, but we tossed the new shades that came with the bases into the Goodwill box.  We cleaned up the old glass shades, hung them from the bases, and put in large round clear vanity bulbs.  Voila.... a glittering light fixture with that 100 year old feel.

When one of the previous owner's daughters came over to visit, she mentioned she had a mirror that we might like to purchase.  She even delivered it to us!   It was very heavy and solid and it has a nice Craftsman/Mission theme.

I added a coat of colored polyurethane (LOVE that stuff!)  and made it match our woodwork in the house.  At first we thought we wanted it over the dining buffet, but changed our minds.  It is now securely hung over the fireplace.  We rotated it for the base detail to be at the top  (later we are going to replace the faux fireplace with a gas log one)

Around the house, some of the light switches had these old Bakelite surrounds.  We found 5 or 6 more out in the garage on the bench.  Cleaned them up and I put them around each switch as the guys rewired and put in new switches. I think they look really cool.... my daughter Erin thinks they look dumb.   I win.  Well----  It's my house, afterall.  LOL

But my daughter Erin did do something really nice...  when she bought her old house, there was a painted tin sign in her kitchen.  I loved it.  All these years later, she dug it out and brought it to me as a housewarming present!  Here it is hung over my coffee station--- oh, and notice my newly painted old swivel towel rack from my last blog.  It was fake gold brass looking before.  It is adorned with two handwoven towels from two of my best buddies, Rosie and Linda.

The sign says: 

GRANDMA'S BABYSITTING SERVICE

LITTLE PEOPLE ALWAYS WELCOME

SERVICES INCLUDE: 

MEALS, LESSONS, ENTERTAINMENT

AND LOTS OF HUGS

TENDER LOVING CARE FOR YOUR 

MOST PRECIOUS POSSESSIONS

During the Week Projects

We are trying to do the "BIG STUFF" on the weekends around the house.. but during the week I am tackling a lot of the "small stuff" I want done to our new home.

First off, Sunday evening, Steve had gotten up the drywall around the kitchen 3 walls that needed to be installed up to 5ft high.  He did the cutting and I did the adhesive and holding into place while he added drywall screws.  We only had a few seams to tape and mud up, and later tonight I should be painting that part to match.  I will take pics after that portion is done.  For now, you can feast your eyes on my Drywall Man and his first few pieces!

Then we will put a plate rail at the point of transition 5 ft up (the rest of the wall above is good and smooth already).  I got the painting done on the upper portions yesterday.  I decided against the pale yellow I had bought.  I went with all cream paint on the walls and the ceiling.

I am thinking that with the added grey flagstone patterned flooring, it might be too many colors in the room if I added yellow to the walls.  The faux mortar between the flagstones is kind of cream too.  Plus with all the reddish brown cabinets and woodwork, that is going to be enough colors without adding yellow to the mix.  I want cobalt blue as accents, such as my coffee carafe, some vases, a big crockery bowl, and salt and pepper shakers on the stove.  I have a slew of dishtowels too in cobalt.  Now to make up some hot pads!

On Monday, we stopped by an antique shop in Waupaca, Wi after lunch out with Steve's dad.  I spotted this oil painting that was nicely framed.  I had to have it for my Loom Room!  $25 later, it was safely wrapped in a blanket in the trunk of our car.  It's called "The Little Shepherd".

I googled the artist, Minnie E. Janda and found out she is a resident in a nursing home in Medford, WI.  I wrote to the director to ask if she would let Ms. Janda know her work was being enjoyed and purchased in an antique shop.  The director informed me that Minnie would be delighted to hear that news, and she also has some work on display in the nursing home, and also the director has one of her pieces of art in her own home!   

This was a nursing home newsletter writeup about the artist.  I am going to print this out and attach it to the back of the painting for provenance: 

(you can right click on this to enlarge it in a separate window) 

Next on my list of projects was a mirror that we bought from the sellers of our house.  At first we thought we wanted to put it over our buffet in the diningroom, but now we are thinking it would go even better over our fireplace in the livingroom.  It's very heavy and has a lovely Mission pattern.  We are going to reverse it around to hang it with the detailed edge to the top of the mirror.

  

 The wood was a bit more brownish and not red enough to match our woodwork... soooooooooo out came my can of Polyshades (a stain and polyurethane all in one that lets you cover already stained wood with another color)    Now.. it's the right color!

Next up on the list was another item from the sellers of our house.  Paula had this heavy white metal chair that had been on the front porch when the house was first listed.  We bartered a handwoven rug for it, and she so kindly brought it back to the house for me!

This morning, I touched up the heavy metal frame with Rustoleum spray paint... and then re-covered the cushion with some fabric that was leftover from covering the cushions on our wicker furniture.  There....

And here it is all dry and complete!  

(I have to iron out some of the folds in the fabric yet)

I put it right back in the corner of the front porch where it had been before.

I think I need a little side table now to set my coffee cup, huh?

Our front porch is going to be a nice place to hang out once it gets a little warmer.  It faces east, so the morning sun comes streaming in through all the windows.

Here is the wicker furniture we bought from Craigslist for the porch.  I think we need a wicker coffee table in front of the settee, and I will weave up some rugs to match.

Daughter Erin keeps making fun of my silk cane plant, because she thinks it's tacky or something.  Well, can't have any LIVE green plants on the porch in the winter, so this is the next best thing, right?  The little plant on the far right was in the kitchen of the house when we bought it.  That could go on a little metal stand in the corner too.  Guess I gotta hit a few more resale shops, antique places or St. Vinnies!   The far end windows are facing the north... and yes, it's snowing out there!

Here is the porch view taken from the other end, facing to the south.  

My newly re-done chair sure fits right back in where it belongs!

Oh, this is our front door... welcoming our visitors! 

The lace curtain was left in the house on another window.

The wreath is left-over from the holidays, but too pretty to put away.

The snowman sign is from Steve's brother Mark and his wife Shirley

and the tiny knit hat and scarf were on a bottle of whiskey from Erin and Mark....

 Soo come on over, 

give my silly doorbell a twist 

and perhaps sit down with a cup of coffee?

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