Monday, May 06, 2013

Home Improvement, "Caravan Style"

I took a day off from sorting family mementos and organizing things here at my mothers little home. Deciding I would play with fabric all day, found some of my fabric stash in my suitcase that was perfect for one part of the room.  Mother lives in a trailer, but in Australia it is called a caravan, which sounds a lot better to me. Who wants to say they live in a "trailer"?


The first thing I made was a no-sew curtain and valance, using office clips and clothespins I found around here.  I will be trying to disguise them all with fabric.



The window sill ruffle is made with needle and thread by hand, as is everything else.  I take good short cuts by using the selvedge of the fabric at the hem end.





The matching lawn chairs, four of them, were brand new, still in the bag. I spent one evening making a pillow to fill in the back, for better comfort.  I plan to add more of those torn muslin roses..




These place mats are supposed to look like daisies and were very much needed for hot plates of food.  I did not have a pattern so I guessed.




One lone yellow cup and a vase of potato vines seem to match the yellow of the fabric.



Have a look at the little bird on a swing.  I could not get it to balance on the stick facing forward so I had to put it sideways, which makes it a different sort of bird,  Mother had a collection of brass cats that sit on the sill. 
The tablecloth has a wide white muslin ruffle.



We enjoy the clear plastic over the table cloth.


A neighbor had pity on me and lent me her old sewing machine, so I might be able to fix up the rest of the caravan a little faster.<!--


In my bag I had packed some of those led tea-lights, so I used them to make a bigger candle by sewing containers, stuffing them with fiberfill, and nestling the led-light in the top.




Above, you see what the led-lights look like in the dark, inside those white muslin bags. They have a more impressive glow than the camera reveals.




This is what the battery tea light looks like sitting in the bottom of the muslin cylinder, without the filling, in day light. The tea lights costs a dollar for a package of one or two, at Dollar Tree. I enjoy putting them in clear glass goblets or crystal jars in my china cabinet.




whimsical teacups on the cup hooks.

 made with scraps of the daisy fabric





I was able to get closer to the rainbow lorikeet today because he was interested in a piece of food on the ground.



Mother got him to stay awhile by talking to him while I took pictures.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lillibeth...everything looks so lovely. I especially like the place mats ~ very ingenious! :D and you are right... caravan is much better.
m.

Mrs. B. said...

Wonderful! Your resourcefulness and creativity are inspiring! I appreciate the inspiration you share often. Thank you.

Lydia said...

I am sending my posts home by email and Lillibeth is posting them. I will be glad when I figure out how to publish via the Blogsy APP

Farrah said...

You've made your mothers caravan look lovely! What a blessing you are as a daughter to your mother.

Katrinka said...

You're such a good daughter! I have some daisy fabric very similar to yours that I used for back porch curtains. I also have it in a lime green, and have most of it left. Used some for tiebacks for a green, pink, yellow, and white store bought curtain set. It's slightly seersucker textured.

What a sweet little home your mother has and what beautiful country. Thank you for sharing so much of this fascinating life with us.

Simply Shelley said...

What a lovely spot your mom has....such pretty things you made her. That bird is so beautiful...none like that here in the states,that I know of! Blessings to you and mom

Yvette said...

Thank you for sharing. Everything looks so cozy & sweet. I absolutely love the fabric containers you made for the tea lights!

Yvette said...

Thank you for sharing. Everything looks so cozy & sweet. I absolutely love the fabric containers you made for the tea lights!

SharonR said...

This is very lovely. Thank you. Again.

Michelle said...

I love all you've done in your Mom's caravan. How lovely! You are so thoughtful and creative. I would not have thought to take fabric a long on my trip, but of course you knew that you would be helping your mother move. I love the daisy fabric. Enjoy your time with your mother.

Anonymous said...

I am so glad you are able to spend some time with your mother. It must be consoling for both of you, and your decorating a blessing.

Gayle said...

Her table looks so sweet and inviting, what a blessing you must be to her,making her cozy home more cheerful. Love the placemats,and everything else.Have really enjoyed your posts, they have all been so interesting.

Anonymous said...

I am in AWE of the creativity and ingenuity shown in this post. Such loveliness!

And I'm sure every time your mother sees these things she'll think of her loving daughter making them for her. :)

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness,you are so so so clever! Such charming changes to your mother's home...how good of you. And those tea cups of fabric are ingenious! You are a wonderful daughter for your mother.
LM

Anonymous said...

Lillibeth it is wonderful that you are getting your mother's photos and comments to us all...we miss her so as I know you do as well. She is in a beautiful spot there tho.
LM

Anonymous said...

Also...I love the new name for a trailor house...a caravan...this IS romantic.
LM

Elizabeth said...

I can't imagine how beautiful it must be to see those colorful lorikeets in the wild! The handmade pillows, cushions,cloths and curtains are priceless! I love the hominess they give the room.

Kimberline said...

I've been enjoying all the pictures you are sharing from your visit with your mother. I came back here to look at the charming things you did with this area of the caravan. You are making her home cozy and loved. I'm so glad you are there, but I know you are missed back here. Thanks for sharing all you are doing and I'm eagerly awaiting the reveal of the other areas of the caravan you have sewn for!

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing. Everything looks so cozy & sweet. I absolutely love the fabric containers you made for the tea lights! Painters