MOTORHOME MODIFICATIONS *C* Chaises and Chairs, Clock and Bucket

I am going to start off the new year with posting three of our motorhome modifications 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 C now!

MOTORHOME MODIFICATIONS 

STARTING WITH THE LETTER C

Chaises and Chairs for Camping:

Camping means relaxing.. and that is just what we do!  These zero gravity recliners are soooo comfortable, and we really like them enough to make space in our basement compartments to take them along.  They take up a LOT of room because they do not fold up very flat. But they are worth it for sure.

We bought them about 8 or 9 years ago when these style chairs were first coming out on the market. We got mine first and it was made with softly padded washable fabric.  There was only one left in the store, so we got a rain check for one for Steve. It took months before the store got them in again, and this time the material was a woven mesh kinda rubber coated and holds up well too.

We do not allow them near the campfire to avoid any flinging sparks or burn holes. We put them away every night, we never leave them out in the rain, and they are lasting a long time and wearing well.

We found these wonderful clamp on tables that swivel and move around for best positioning. The recessed cup holder can also fit the stem end of a wine glass!  The flat surface can hold a dinner plate, or scissors and thread and needles when working on my stuff.  The small clamping piece around the metal frame stays on the chair all the time, and the arm and tray both lift off and can be washed. The arm and tray can lay flat on the seat of the chair when folding it up and are ready for the next time it is set up. 

We do not let the grandkids sit in our chairs, or company if we can help it.  By just keeping them for us, they are kept in good shape and stored away when we leave so nobody ever walks off with them.

But we did find some nice sitting chairs for company and grandkids. They fold up really flat and we bought four of them at Walmart for about $8 each on clearance.  Works well and we have had them for about 4 years now and the grandkids all enjoy having chairs close to the campfire.

We watch out for sparks, but do have a few tiny holes in them from campfires.  At that price, we can replace them if need be down the road. But for the small space they take up in the compartment, we would replace them with exactly the same kind or find a way to sew new fabric onto the frames.

Speaking of frames... THESE are the favorite chairs for us to take along to other peoples campsites for a visit, or take to a parade or picnic or family gathering. They are more comfortable than the bag type chairs.  We bought the heavy duty, taller backed lawn chairs about 20 years ago. They had the wide flat plastic webbing on them.  I cut the webbing from the frames and wove on this pattern with macrame cord.

The pine tree pattern motif was inspired by the shutters we made for our last home, a log home on the banks of the Oconto River.

I stole that pine tree cut out pattern from a logging company in the UP of Michigan. It was cut into the boards on the front porch of their office. On a Sunday, I made my teenage daughter Heather hold up a large piece of cardboard while I traced the cutout design. She was mortified and embarrassed, but I was happy and got my pattern!  LOL

Yes, we take along 8 chairs in our motorhome when camping.  When camphosting or camping with family, we are usually full of company and visitors to our campsite. Having enough chairs along is a must for us.

Our frames have broken a few times over the years, but I have convinced Steve each time to let me unwind parts of the woven sections and let him repair the frames by sliding on new pipes over the old ones, or using new stronger bolts and nuts instead of the cheaper ones they came with. They are so comfortable and warmer than plastic webbing. The backs are taller than most lawn chairs and a bit wider for the butt too. LOL

Here is a link to my blog post about the fixing of the frame and re-weaving them to become useful again:

reweaving-woven-macrame-lawn-chair

These chairs are hard to do, and are a strain on my hands to keep doing them now as I age.  My sister and I have done a lot of them over the years....

Here are some links if you would like to make one yourself :

diynetwork Macrame Lawn Chair

deucecitieshenhouse.com Macrame Lawn Chair

and a You Tube for step by step instructions:

Clock for Retirement:

Our friend Seann has this clock for camping now that he got retired. I think we need one of these. Steve has started asking me what day is it.... he has lost track now of such things since being retired. 

Coffee table:
Steve made this sturdy little coffee table for our motorhome.  Having items to meet more than one need in an RV is a plus. Not only is it a great coffee table, but it is a multi use item because it is strong enough to be a bench to sit on if we need an extra spot at the table. 

Since this above photo was taken, we added rolling casters so I can set my table loom on it, clamp it tight and weave while sitting inside. Then if I want to get up, I can just roll it away from me to move around and pull it back up tight to the right position to weave again. 

Now that we put in the reclining loveseat, the casters let us push the table out of the way before putting up the footrests.

Easy Peasy! 

Collapsible bucket:
This is a handy item that we found in a camping store. It is wide enough to dip in our squeegee. It stores flat of course, but works well for quick wash that we try to do on the motorhome. Good for doing the front end windshield or back side from dirt and road grime.  I have seen some folks set them up as outdoor trash bins, and line it with a plastic bag.

Most campgrounds frown on washing your rig on your campsite, so we usually do it from our own water tank when in a parkinglot or wayside.

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It's frosty cold outside in Wisconsin today, but the sun is shining! It's only 6 degrees, but the wind chill is at 9 below. brrrr we might warm up by the weekend and get some SNOW!  YAYYYY

We are looking ahead to camping this upcoming summer and making some plans.

Mid summer we have toyed with the idea of going out west through to the Pacific ocean in Washington... and taking a big block of time off from Steve's part time county driving job.  I would also like to do Alaska, but for that we would want a whole summer and pick up an extra RV that is smaller to take up there. Maybe a small B or C or a pickup truck and camper on back. We could then resell it when we come back. We don't want to beat up our big diesel motorhome going that far on rugged road construction and gravel.  Maybe in 2019 or 2020.

Our friends Roz and Gary went to the local RV show in Green Bay last week.  They learned about a nice private campground up near Munising MI and we are making some reservations for this summer, perhaps even with a Pictured Rocks Boat Tour! We usually boondock or rustic camp, but they don't, so we will do the fancy route and have hookups!  LOL.  Plus we could leave the dogs inside of the rig safely while we do the boat trip, knowing they have AC and fans blowing while we are gone. The campground looks nice and has some great reviews.   http://jackpinelodgeup.com/

In October, we usually take two sites for our family at High Cliff State Park for the big Halloween celebration there. Sadly, this year, all of the sites are already taken. I sat online at 1 minute to midnight on the first day available to make those reservations. I sat with credit card at hand, with two devices open, ready to book.... but the sites all got snatched up before I could get any of them!   So plan B is to take two sites nearby at Calumet County Park   We can drive over to High Cliff with all of the grandkids in their costumes for the trick or treating. We will still have our family fun camping with all of the kids and grandkids, and celebrate my birthday as well.

We are also thinking of a couple longer trips... perhaps in spring a loop down to Tennessee to see friends, and then over to another friend in Missouri and loop back home. Maybe 2-3 weeks.

Then in the fall, we are thinking of a jaunt out through Minnesota and see how far we go west, and then turn around and come on back for a 2-3 week span.

In the meantime, I will snuggle up cozy warm in our sticks and bricks house, sewing and weaving and spinning and knitting..... and looking out at the frozen landscape of Wisconsin.

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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