Monday, March 18, 2013

Progress

Progress on the crafting trailer was halted for a couple of weeks thanks to Winter Storm Q. We couldn't get to the trailer without tromping through a foot of snow. The kids ending up having 4 snow days. A 6 day weekend! That's pretty much unheard of in Kansas.


Before the snowstorm hit, I did get a start on a big project. We're creating a reading nook in the back end of the trailer, and I wanted to do a special treatment to the wall and ceiling back there. I love looking at the fabric in vintage patchwork quilts. Real patchwork quilts. The kind that weren't all matchy-matchy, because they used whatever scraps were laying around to make them. I thought I'd create something similar on my walls using old book pages. Roger reminded me that I had a set of 1974 Wold Book Encyclopedias in storage. I think we paid 50 cents for them at an auction last summer. Perfect decoupage material!

I razored out a bunch of encyclopedia pages and got to work with my sponge brush and Mod Podge.


I started at one edge and followed the curve of the wall up to the center of the ceiling. Then I went to the other side of the trailer and did the same until they met.


Here's what I had at the end of the first day. You can see that there were a number of odd textures and patches and holes that needed to be covered. The thing I love about this treatment is that it really hides all those flaws.


Finally got in there about a week ago and was able to finish it up. I am absolutely thrilled with how this turned out. I was afraid it might be too stripey or too messy or too something, but it's perfect. However, I do still plan to add a few spots of color to it.


These are a few of my options. I'm picturing them randomly placed over the black and white pages to add little pops of vintage color.


Roger managed to get a little painting done, too. The ceiling and front wall are now this pretty shade of aqua. I love this color. I hate picking paint, because all you get to see is that little tiny square of color, and I can't ever imagine it enlarged onto an entire wall. When picking this one, I controlled my usual impulse to go too dark, and I'm very happy with the results.

Wiring is the next step. Our completely awesome, sort of retired electrician has been helping us out. I'm excited, because once all that boring wiring is done, the walls start going up. And then I'll feel like I'm really seeing results!