Pallet sign making DIY link love

My Captain has not brought home much in the pallet department of late. I prefer ones that do not need much sanding as well as longer planks. Being i have not made my pallet sign as planned, I thought I would share some FAB links to tutorials of various techniques for your choosing.

Lets start with HOW to get your lettering ON the wood.

Over at My *PINK* life, she has a tutorial for using carbon paper as well as prepping upcycled wood for your sign: http://aimee-weaver.blogspot.com/2011/06/sign-tutorial-how-to-make-wood-sign.html

Over at Jessica's projects, she uses a Mod Podge technique. Using your words printed from a laser jet printer {local copy places can do this for you if you do not have easy access to one-local price here is 50 cents per sheet} http://jezzicasprojects.com/2012/02/23/pallet-wood-signs/

Over at Come Together Kids, she shares how to do a transfer method of #2 pencil or graphite on the back of your paper: http://www.cometogetherkids.com/2011/05/how-to-do-custom-lettering-without.html

Now what about turning those pallets into a masterpiece sign? Here are some helpful links to get you going with various styles.

Lets start with one I feel rather quickly in love with. A twist to the whole pallet sign love:

http://www.loelaloep.nl/2012/03/21/diy-planter-from-reclaimed-pallet-wood-spring-summer-garden-projects/

It's not just a sign, but a PLANTER! The possibilities of filling it are numerous. Let your imagination roll with it. PLUS, in the tutorial on how to make the planter, a transfer technique is shared by pressing through the paper, making an indent of your lettering outline. 2 bangs for your click!

Over at Dreams Take Flight, she share a very well done Tut on this sign her Hunky hubby helped with:

http://www.nowitakeflight.com/2011/10/pinspired-pallet-wall-art.html

And not so much a tutorial but it is shared how they did it, over at Discovering my truth, they had this show stopper made from a store bought L, some leftover {or just buy some} trimming and pallet wood.

http://www.discoveringmytruth.com/1/post/2012/03/l-is-for.html

I don't know about you but I am in some MAJOR Pallet project envy right about now. My Captain really needs to hook me up on a Fix of Pallet wood or I fear I may start creeping the streets for a few here real soon.

Although, he has a point when he states I have been so enamored with my Vintage Camper project, I fear even the garden has been feeling slighted.

So get out there and find those pallets! I would LOVE to see your end results, so please come back & share so we might come for a visit to your site and be Pallet envious.

Now to time to get back to work before I hit Hay. Those Camper vents are not going to derust on their own.

Sweetest dreams,

~Tammie

Tn Can Camper had a secret!

Now that the Vintage Camper is gutted, I sorted through what was to be reused & what was to be sold off. I will not reuse the propane fed Princess brand Oven and range top. Instead it has been listed for sale being in great shape and I've had some interest but it's just too heavy for shipping cost efficiency. I am opting for a counter top range installation for those rainy camp times.

**Anyone interested in her purchase within a decent drive of Akron Ohio,  shoot me an email. She's listed at $70 which is a GREAT deal for her condition & use. I'm a cash in person kind a gal. I'm sure you understand.

When I began looking over her sink, trying to figure out how to remove it from the counter top {darn rivet screws!} I noticed a white stamp on the one side. It's a date stamp!

Now if you consider that the title & seller said it is a 1967 FAN camper in the equation, things began to peak my already gut feeling something was a-foul. I mean, even then, they would not have had an 8yr old sink sitting in the parts department for use in a new unit. For one, the company was already pumping out on avg. 2500 or more campers a year by 1960 until around 1973. They sold their company in 1980 to Coach company.

Once I did further research I confirmed that the body style, size, as well as the interior floor plan was NOT manufactured in the late 60's. The kitchen was placed on the back wall around 1962-63 and the body shape became less curvy. Not to mention, it's actual body length is 13ft with a 2ft length hitch hull.

The entire camper oozed 1950's.  I found this floor plan for a 1955 Fan Rambler that is exact to my so called 1967.

 

This FAN camper floor plan below is from 1957:
 ** click to your left the "Read More" text for this post in it's entirety
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Thank you wood chip mulch!

This heat wave would normally wreck havoc on my garden. Not this year! If it had not been mulched with those chips, all that green would not be so lush. . More proof that fresh wood chips DO work well in the garden. LOVING all that green. Can't wait to see the reds, yellows & oranges dopples in there too.

Oh, and those are the Telephone sweet peas on the bentwood trellis, browning to age seed pods for next years crop. They did not do so well with that early quick hit of heat this Spring.

 Remember, I only put down a 3inch layer and scooped a 2 inch wide circle away from all stems. Weeding has been a total of maybe 3 hours all summer. Most of which is in the mulch-less direct seed beds & the asparagus bed {speaking of which, needs another round of weeding...eeek!} Look away! Look Away!

Peter rabbit has a preference for Borlotti beans... I know this by the abundance of Pinto beans beans he would just trample through while taking down the tops of 15 borlotti plants, leaving me a mere 4! And a big bare patch of ground.

I adore how the Pinto beans {half runners}are clinging to the bentwood mini fence.

Frog's flower garden took a hit from the birds & rabbits. I planted Teddy bear sunflowers in all the bare space you see in there... I replanted 3 times, using up most of the seed I saved from last years saved seed. Total de ja vue'. Every year I deal with sunflower thieves & eaters. Frog is just happy the rest of her flowers grew.

 Outside of the main garden, I am very happy to report this looks to be a good harvest of the apples year. Of course that means next year will be a bad one. We have come to the conclusion they give off a good harvest every other year. One can not expect too much when your fruit tree's are older then you are.

Another welcomed & joyous sight is the blackberry canes with their not there yet ripening jewels. I am saddened to say my blackberries took a hit when I cleaned out the old canes last year. Do all blackberries grow on old growth? I keep treating them like the raspberries. Maybe I should widen my berry cane knowledge before this years clean up. I am determined to go wild harvesting for more canes to plant in my berry patch. I already have a 20ft x 4ft section of black raspberries {of which I am not a fan but Mother Nature found it perfect}. I always harvest them to make seedless jelly for others. That leaves Frog & I free to keep all the blackberries to ourselves. 

Frog & I are all excited for some fresh Blackberry Jelly. We are very selfish when it comes to our Jelly. Very. Selfish.

 

Guess what this next beauty is made form?

PALLETS!

And guess who is going to try her hand at whipping a few over sized signs like this soon?

Yep. This Chick!

And guess who might get to have one of their own?

YOU do!

At least once I get a Tutorial made up later this Summer. Hey now! That would cost me far too much to ship one out when I'm making them super sized in a 4x3 size. At least it's almost free for you and I promise to make it as simple as possible and try to find the source blog I originally found it. {they also had a great tip for tracing your letters on without the hard work of making a stencil}

 I must apologize for not jotting down where I found this picture. If it's yours please do let me know so I may properly credit you.

 The heat hitting in the upper 90's has kept us home of late. I truly wish I could take the kids camping somewhere along a river but I refuse to go sleep in a tent when the nights are still in the 80's and it hits 90 by 9am. one word 2 thoughts. Mis-ra-bull.... Mom & kids.

Crossing fingers this heat lets up so we can actually enjoy some daytime summer fun soon.

Sweetest Dreams,

~Tammie

Duct Tape secured Rose colored glasses * Canned ham update

Sometimes the greatest adventure brings more then you anticipated. In this case, my canned ham has turned into a Can of worms...or in my case, Ants... But let's start from the beginning.

I traveled an hour to pick up my camper early. All by myself. How Independent of me, or so I intended.
That morning I grabbed some magnetic tail lights for it's towing as well as the hitch ball. You'd think I could just hitch what Panda has dubbed "The Baked Potato" to my truck & off we'd go. Nope. Let's just shorten this a bit to say the seller spent 5 HOURS trying to connect the wiring for the magnetic lights to The Captains truck being we discovered there was not a Plug set up for the job. 

{taken with a cell phone so it's great}

One thing lead to another and combined with being in 95 F degree sun on asphalt the entire time, I ended up calling The Captain to drive the hour out to follow me back home. Major NO NO but I could not leave the camper where it was due to being unsecured in a Reception Party hall parking lot.

 Instant flashes of drunk wedding reception guests getting the bright idea to 

1. Force their way inside to sleep off a night of celebration. {what a surprise that would have been for both parties if I came the next morn & just hooked her up & drove away... }

 2. decide how fun it would be to push her over the hill just off the parking lot& watch her crash

or 3. Hey look! Free camper! Help me hook it up to the car!

I was in tears when the Captain pulled in, apologizing in between deep breaths. Did I mention WE were to attend a wedding reception back home and were already 3 hours late? He was frustrated but ever so patient seeing how upset I was over the whole mess.I white knuckled the entire way home following close behind as he drove the truck towing the camper. Every tiny sway had visions of disaster popping in my head the entire hour. I did not feel relief until we were 15 minutes from home.

The next morning I inspected her more closely and found an invasion of ants. One thing led to another trying to find the nest for eradication & well.... she now looks like this after finding the rotten wood of their enjoyment:

We still have some pieces to remove as well as replace. I truly do not mind gutting her down to the floor and bones. It will ensure a much stronger restoration as well as giving the pleasure of rearranging for an ideal layout.

Oh my, what plans The Captain & I have been discussing! I even have Little brother Army involved {and his sweet offer of lending me his air gun nailer setup!}. So I have duct taped my rose colored glasses on should any doubts start creeping in as they had that first day. I can do this! WE can do this! With a little help from a connection of Panda's friends father whom is an electrician as well as The Captains friend who does Carpentry work,  It will be done right from the beginning. Plus, I'll learn some new skills along the way. What? Did you actually think I would just hire someone to do it and not be involved? I'll be there every step of the way. Even if it means just handing them wire cutters & connectors or lugging wood to the band saw.

A grand Adventure has begun.

 

Up next,  Garden update!

Rosy dreams,

~Tammie