Friday, September 13, 2013

Tent Living


For the last few weeks I have been really busy going through my household things trying to down-size, so that I can manage housework a lot quicker. I was going to have a shabby-sale outside in this hot, dry weather, so I began storing a lot of it in the gazebo-tent that was purchased from Cosco. I think my family thought it was time for me to progress from the primitive sheet tents I have been using, to more modern camping!
The tent windows make it nice and breezy and cool inside, so I decided to host the Ladies Bible Class in it for the next few weeks.

Pastries and sandwiches were served with two different flavored teas.
The sandwiches were delicious, made from fresh-off-the-vine tomatoes and cucumbers, as well as meat and cheese, on bread made with unbleached flour. I used the cardboard fruit baskets which I saved, for serving dishes.
Take a look at what was used for the individual plates to hold sandwiches and pastries: the little berry baskets from a farm fruit-stand.

The nice thing about led-lites is that they can be put inside of a jar on the table. The day began rather over-cast and dark, so I enjoyed these lights during the Ladies Bible Class.


Through the tent window you can see the maple leaves are drying and falling from the huge trees in the front yard. The weather is very hot and there has not been much rain.

The ladies enjoyed sitting in the tent "parlor"




Half of the tent is created into a bedroom, where anyone in the family can take a rest or even spend the night. The roof of the tent can be removed so that I can look at the stars at night. What an experience that is! At the foot of the cot is the shawl crocheted by a friend, Anita Crane, whom I met when i first began publishing on the web.



The picnic basket came from Target and has an insulated food section that serves as a cooler for the refrigerated food items.
What about these duct tape slippers? My grandchildren decided to make them with paper and duct tape to wear in the tent so they could leave their shoes outside.
Those are led-light lanterns on the tables, which provide very nice light in the evenings.

The garden provided some fresh flowers for the tables. I like these particularly because they grow roots in the water and can be re-planted and multiplied.

Notice the shawl on the back of the children's chair, made by one of my readers.
The rugs, old cups and worn household things were being stored in the tent for a future sale.
Another look at the led-light candle lantern.

There is a place to hook a lantern on the ceiling of the tent. I turned a led tea light upside down in this candle chandelier, to point the light into the room.
The chandelier hangs from a handy hook on the tent roof.
I am blogging from my new quarters in the tent. I feel like I have left home, but you can see how close I am to the front porch. That is how brave I am with my glamping.
Notice the electric chord coming from the front door...
....that is for the electric porcelin tea kettle, above, to heat water in. You cannot make tea in it because it is designed to heat water only, to pour over the tea bag in the tea pot.
Someone brought me this lovely lavender rose from her garden.
I said all that, to say this:
Getting these things out of the house has certainly created more space for me, and I am enjoying not walking through aisles of boxes and piles of things in the hall, but...all that shabby stuff looks so good in the tent. Forget the sale. I think I will just keep it.
I have seen magazines about coastal living, log-cabin living, apartment living, motor home and camper living. Maybe I will see one about tent-living.






18 comments:

Mary said...

You are just TOO creative, I LOVE this! If I were part of your church, I'd surely come to the bible study!

TheTayloress said...

I recognize the quilt! My sisters having matching ones on their twin beds at home!!
=)
How relaxing to have a get-away just outside your door. And what fun for hospitality!

Mary said...

I bet your grandchildren love to come visit. Such an inspirational post!

Tricia said...

How lovely and fun! What great memories your grandchildren will have of their grandma hosting Bible study in a tent!

Finding Joy said...

Very nice in your tent and it looks very upmarket - perhaps you could start a bed and breakfast serve!!

You must be getting some breeze through those windows in the tent to keep it cool as I know when it is very hot here I would need a fan.

Anonymous said...

That is so neat! :)

Anonymous said...

That is so neat! :)

Christine said...

You have inspired me, to do more and be creative with what I have.
Your tent living is magazine worthy!

anonymous said...

Lydia,
I so enjoyed reading your post today and seeing the creative things you have done with the "Glamp Tent".

The "safe" adventure aspect is fun too. We used to set up sheet and blanket tents in our bedrooms on rainy days as children to have adventures.
With our imaginations we were high in the Rocky Mountains, fishing and hunting grizzly bears.

I wonder if today children experience this fun or are they too distracted with electronic toys and tv?

Keep up the great posts.
Mrs. J.

Jan Hatchett said...

I enjoyed seeing your tent arrangements very much! Again, you have shown how anything can be made lovely with a little bit of care and love.

Unknown said...

Very beautiful!

fallenstar80 said...

That is my idea of camping! :D

Julian said...

Beautiful!
Christina

Susan said...

Absolutely lovely. I wish I could come to your Bible studies but I am at the other side of the continent! I learned the hard way never to get rid of wicker furniture. I gave some away when I moved because it was in need of being refurbished and I was worried about leaving it in storage too long. I now really wish I had it because it's so lightweight and easy to move around and it's versatile with new covers and pillows on it. It can be used indoors and outdoors. And now after seeing these pictures I really miss it! I think my next furniture purchase will be wicker and I think you should definitely keep yours. Thanks for the inspiring ideas.

Mama Said No said...

Seriously--you are amazing. You have inspired me so much since I found your blog a few years ago, when I was living in a 35 foot travel trailer with my family. I used the inspiration to make that space cozy, and now that I have a real house--I have gone wild with ideas to make it warm and inviting. I see now that next spring I will be setting up a 'tent retreat of my own in the back pasture. Thank you, and God Bless.

living from glory to glory said...

Dear Lydia,
I think the tent idea was a great hit! And I laughed when after using all the extra furniture in the tent the sale was off! LOL
I would also love to come to the Bible Study. I think your things look for like sweet treasures.
I say use them till the tent has to come down :)
PS. Those slippers were priceless.
Blessings, Roxy

Janet said...

What a wonderful idea and such a fun, relaxing, calm, peaceful atmosphere that creates! What a great inspiration!
Thank you for sharing all those pictures.

Anonymous said...

What a fun post! It all looks so inviting. You will be so pleased to remember your beautiful outdoor nest when snow is covering the ground in the coming winter!

LL, you are so very creative ~ your grandchildren must love coming to your house :)

When I camp, it doesn't look as pretty as this...lol...mind you, that is because I'm usually in a soggy field accompanied by English rain!
I still enjoy hearing the wind and the fresh morning air, however.

May your beautiful'outdoor season' last long!
Thank you for sharing it.