Tear Jerkers Snow Fest 2011

This past weekend the Tear Jerkers Liberty Bell chapter had a gathering in a cabin just outside of R.B. Winter State Park in Mifflinburg, PA. Jeremy and I went and had a great time.

The weekend was full of sleeping, eating, drinking, story telling, and more drinking. Oh yeah, and I can't forget snoring!















On Saturday night there was a great bonfire. It was nice to get out in the cold for a few hours.











Sunday morning was the SnowFest event at the state park. Here's the official press release from the park:

Break out of the winter doldrums and experience some winter “adventures” such as.
a snow shoeing hike, cross country skiing (fee for equipment required), ice skating (fee for equipment required) horse drawn wagon rides (fee for ride required) ice rescue demonstration, ice fishing skills, snow mobiling safety and rides for kids, , winter camping equipment and techniques, a food concession ,a silent auction to benefit future snow fests and park events, snow volleyball, broomball, an ice sculpture demonstration, winter search and rescue using dogs and special activities for children include winter story time, nature activities and crafts.

The weekend was great but I was happy to get home and take a nice hot shower! :)

OOOPS, Time to Back Up and Punt

We drug both sides outside when I finished finishing the second side, and crap if they didn't look totally different. Side one was a sickly yellow compared to the second, which was much closer to the color we were trying for.

We thrashed our hair and put on sack cloth, and finally decided to make side one again. So close to assembly, and now a major setback.

Now we are in superdrive to pump out another side. Thank God we had two more sheets of the oversized plywood. The deck and floor will have to be pieced together, but there are design benefits to be had by going in this direction. I will not have to creatively frame the floor to bridge the gap from the five foot wide plywood to the five and a half foot wide trailer.

To save time we will be building the floor at the same time we are finishing side one-number two. We started by stripping the trailer to its bare bones. I am going to be building a rack that will attach to the axle so we can flip the trailer over and back to prep both sides. We will also be using the bum side as a template to mock things up. Lots and lots to do.

Hustling buns now.

Now we are cooking with grease. The inside of all the parts are done and today I got the second of seven coats of varnish on the outside. The wave went on really well this time with just touchups around the edges. I still get a little heavy handed with the sander though, and got two thin spots on the white. I'll probably be the only one that ever notices.

I am doing a few things to speed up and improve the process on this side. I am finishing all three pieces at the same time, taping off the edges so there are virtually no drips, and vacuuming through the sander so there is much less dust and tack-ragging. All the varnish should be done by the weekend.

It has been so cold and wet here, but I got the garage hooked up with a little heater. A good hoodie and some tunes help too.

We are so excited to get to the assembly stage. I am going to start disassembling the trailer and shedding any thing not necessary. Dry fits, bed lining, electrical, spars, bulkheads, cabinetry, windows, skylights... woo hoo!!! It's about to get fun, and my new friend Todd has volunteered with some help. I am going to need it.

Another cross stitch...

... is finished!

This weekend I put the final stitches in my second cross stitch contribution to the teardrop. Check out my progress on the piece in my Flickr set.

What do you think? I think it will go great with the fabric we picked for the curtains and some other kitchen accents.

You've gotta love progress!

A Few Teardrop Holiday Picks

I hope everyone's holiday preparations are in full swing. In case you still need a gift for that special teardrop lover in your life, the following are a few suggestions. Enjoy!

Teardrops and Tiny Trailers by Douglas Keister.

Buckle up as Douglas Keister takes you for a decidedly retro ride in the world of diminutive travel trailers in Teardrops and Tiny Trailers. The demand for vintage trailers-the smaller the better-has risen dramatically in recent years, with the most in-demand trailers being "teardrops," first manufactured in the 1930s and containing just indoor sleeping space and an outdoor exterior kitchen. Also profiled in the book are "canned ham" trailers, whose shape resembles the profile of a can of ham; small-size examples of America's most beloved vintage trailer, the Airstream; miniscule gypsy caravans in Europe; and fiberglass trailers made in Canada. Two hundred color photographs showcase these trailers' sleek exteriors, retro-styled interiors, and, in many cases, the restored classic cars that tow them. Teardrops and Tiny Trailers includes a resource section chock-full of places to locate vintage trailers, clubs to join, and rallies to attend.

River's Edge 10-piece camper light set.

Woody and Teardrop salt and pepper shakers.

Happy Trails wall hooks.

Santa Travel Trailer Camping Christmas ornament.My House Has Wheels calendar from YeeHaw.

And in case you're feeling crafty, you can get this ribbon from J. Caroline Designs ribbon.