MOTORHOME MODIFICATIONS - *L* Light Fixture Fix and Rug and Little People

I am going to start off the new year with posting some of our motorhome modifications, a few at a time. I will post repairs, modifications, or neato things we have found for RVing.  I have lots of pics in my files so I will do them in alphabetical order.

Underneath that stuff, I will post my regular daily stuff..... kinda sorta fun, eh?

So here it goes, we are up to the letter L now!

MOTORHOME MODIFICATIONS 

STARTING WITH THE LETTER L

Light Fixture Fix:

That danged Steveio always finds more projects to work on in our motorhome. As soon as I think we are completely done with upgrades, he finds something else to do.  Steve decided to take some 12 volt fluorescent lights from in the bedroom area and adapt them into the large 120v AC household type fluorescent light fixture in the kitchen ceiling.

Because we rarely camp with electrical hookups, we don't use that kitchen 120v AC light fixture, so it just sits there, looking pretty.   But it IS in a great location and illuminates a large area if you are cooking or working on something at the table.

There is a lack of a decent 12 volt lighting over the kitchen stove area unless we have the inverter on to power up that fixture or the one under the convection/microwave in the stove hood.  Both of those are 120v AC only.  Seems crazy to start the inverter or generator to just have some light while cooking with propane?   There are only 2 smaller 12v DC fluorescent fixtures under the cabinets, along the sink and countertop by the fridge, but none over the stove.

Sooooo Steveio came up with this bright idea.  And just HAD to try it out------

Our bedroom has tons of light fixtures, both 120v AC and 12v DC.  Thirteen light bulbs in all!  Inside the valances on each of the windows are hidden 12 volt single tube fluorescent lights.  We NEVER use them in the bedroom because we have so many other lights, mainly within reach of the headboard of the bed.  To use the ones in the valances, you have to get up out of bed to turn on and off by the switch on the far end of the valance.   I think they have been used once or twice in the last ten years.

Soooooo Steveio took down the valances and removed the light fixtures.   Easy Peasy.  It was only two dry wall screws to take them down, remove the light, cap off the wires, and put the valance back up.

Next he went out in the kitchen, and he took down the reflective covering on the large 110 volt household fixture in the center of the ceiling. 

At first he tried adding the 12 volt lights to each side of the original fixture, (leaving the 120v one inside as well) but they didn't seem to reflect downwards enough. So he changed horses in midrace and removed the 120v AC light bulbs and fixture ends completely.

He accessed the 12 volt power by removing a speaker from the ceiling and reaching in and over to the wires by the Fantastic Fan nearby...  so he got a hot lead that way.   For the switch that originally controlled the 120v AC fixture, he created a loop using the same wires.  So nothing is changed on the wall, or trying to fish new lines, or any new switches needed.

Steveio respects electricity and double checks all lines with his Fluke meter. 

Plus.. he is tall enough to do the work without having to stand on a ladder!!!!

Here are the two 12v DC fluorescent fixtures mounted in the cavity space left by removing the 120v AC fixture.   They are a little shorter than the old one, but work just as well.

Also a while back, Steveio insulated the top layer of the cavity with pink rigid insulation.  Otherwise it was very cold to the touch in the winter, with nothing between it and the outside roof!   I am sure it helps on the heating and the air conditioning as well.   Just look at that happy man!

 Another Motorhome Modification project, well done by my Steveio! 

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Now that I finished that quilt I wrote about yesterday, I will get back to working on some of my first love: weaving!  I am working on a batch of rugs using alternating wefts, thick and thin.

I am using hunter green for the thicker rag weft, and then multicolored sewn thinner rags for the colorful opposite thinner weft.  Using two shuttles, alternating picks for each row, I get a thick and thin pattern.

By careful placement of the two shuttles at the fell line while weaving, alternating setting the thick shuttle closer and thin shuttle further away---  then on the other side the thin closer and thick further away, the edges all come out nicely with evenly alternating edges with no gaps.

I love how neat and orderly it looks. 

I made a bunch already using navy blue. 

Now it's time to use up some hunter green.

I have a straight twill threading on my four harness loom, but only weaving harnesses 1and2 against 3and4, Effectively it's a plain weave structure, but with a doubled warp thread effect. Perfectly aligned to create almost a basketweave feature.

I have two helpers in the Loom Room as I work on my rugs.  They keep up a watchful vigil as they are perched on their little sheepskin covered ottomans. Their job is watching out of the window for "Mail-Lady" or Burglurz" or if "Frank" the neighbor dog gets to come out in his backyard.

It is a damp dreary day today, so while Steve is off driving his Old Fart Party Bus, I am playing around in my Loom Room.  It's a good way to pass the day. Soft music, clanging of the harnesses as I drop them and the thump of the beater as I pack the weft into place.

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Today, after he was done with his last transport, we ran to the post office to ship out some products for my customers.  We stopped at the little thrift shop on the corner of Main and Madison. It is called The Shepherd's Attic and is part of the Good Shepherd church in town.  Never know what treasures you might find?  And a treasure to be found I did!


I found a bag of TWENTY more Little People!!!  Most of them are the older wooden ones -classics- and some are ones I have never seen before!  The red haired girl and the police officer in the back row.

The one that surprised me the most is a Grandma with an apron.... I think that is ME!   Also in the background is another lady like the two "yellow haired ladies" but this is a lady with WHITE hair??  I guess that can be the "Other Grandma" when the kids come to play.  hahahaha

See, I have the old Fisher Price Farm from my Grandma Kafehl's house.  In the 1960's we played with it when we were kids. Our kids played with it in the 80's when they came to visit my Grandma as well.  After Grandma left us in 1996, I was the lucky one to get the farm. Now MY grandkids play with it.  That would be her Great Great Grandchildren. I cherish it and make sure it is well taken care of and put away each time in it's special place.

It warms my heart to see them playing with  it over the years... 

 I am SURE she is smiling down from Heaven 

each and every time they take it out to play. 

Love you, Grandma Kafehl!