exterior

running total: $1207 + $25 = $1232

so.. yeah. i don't know what i was thinking but the exterior is pressed flake boards. it's practically cardboard. i was planning on staining it and rubbing some deck oil on it.

i painted it with a couple coats of beige and some poly.

i'm going to decorate it later. i'm thinking pinstripes. i'm not sure.

for now, i just want to get it road ready for our trip to show low for steven's cousins wedding next weekend.

beds

definitely not smiling at all.

laid out and ready for sleeping.

all packed up.

thrift store shelf + table

was this:

is this:

i wanted to do a fold down table but it didn't work out. this is a lot easier and works just as well.

front door

running total: $1132 + $75 = $1207

i had it painted all nice. until noah decided he needed to help.

shelves

running total: $1120 + $12 = $1132

made some shelves today. i really like the way they turned out.

noah likes them too.

close up of the painting

started the lower bed too. there are 6- 13"x 47"x 3/4" slats. they have 2"x 2"x 43" screwed to the bottom to keep them from bowing. the slats sit on 2"x2"s that are screwed to the ledges. noah is testing out their durability.

kitchen

running total: $920 + $100 = $1120

counter and beginning of shelves

cabinets and counter

we got 2 3/4" sheets of ply for the beds. the counter was from the left over.

i wasn't sure what i was going to do for the cabinets. i tried cubby holes and i like it!

it needs a couple more shelves under the counter still.

ledges

running total -> $920

i used some left over hardwood flooring from the bus for the ledges.

i totally cheated and colored the edges with sharpie instead of properly finishing it. it actually doesn't look SO bad.

interior walls and thrift store finds

running total: $900 + $20 = $920

interior walls up!

thrift store side table -> $10

thrift store shelf -> $10

we have a building!

so i had all the walls built individually and had to figure out how to get them up onto to the trailer. i had a couple of road blocks. 1.) the driveway is on a hill so finding plum would be difficult. 2.) i can't build in our driveway anyway because we live in a condo with crazy HOA rules. 3.) i could theoretically build in the street and tow it up to the trailer parking place around the block but i want to be able to work on it when i feel like it and in the shade (and i don't know how to tow a trailer yet. ahem..)

i decided on building the structure in the garage and lifting it on to the trailer later. steven's not sure about my plan (but when is he ever?) i'm going to build the whole thing inside and out but i'm not going to screw down any shelves or anything so that it will be lighter when it's time to lift.

walls and trusses ready for assembly

2 walls!

3 walls!

couple of boys in some windows

styrofoam insulation

noody noah figuring out how the utility knife works

more walls

running total: $830 - $70 = $900


so far, i've done all the walls except for the upper wall on the shelf side. i did the front, back, bed side wall and trusses for the shelf side.

i'm going to build the last one today and hopefully figure out why the lights on the trailer aren't working properly so i can go get it registered. for whatever reason, when i turn on the turn signal, both lights flash. no idea why.

steven's dad gave me a stack of styrofoam insulation. not exactly ideal, but it was free so it will have to do.

so all i have to do is finish the last wall portion and get registered, then i can start real vardo assembly! woot!

i'm still not sure how i'm going to do the ceiling/roof. i guess i'll figure it out as a go along.

off to a good start!

running total: $480 + $450 = $830

saturday steven's dad went up to havasu with me to help me pick up some supplies.

i got 18 wall panels, 3 bundles of 2x2's and some hinges for the porch bench.

turns out i need way more than 3 bundles :P i used almost all of them and i only did 2 walls.

the front walls with a space for the door.

ledge and trusses
upper bedside wall with a window
all of them are framed and skinned on the exterior. i need to get some foam board (?) insulation and skin the interior.

my dirty little help at the end of the day

porch bench seat

running total: $480 + $0 = $480

so the guy was supposed to come to fix the a/c today.

last night, steven was messing with the phones/cable so only the bedroom phone is working today.

i guess they called this morning to tell me that they couldn't come until sunday. and here i was specifically NOT going in the bedroom so i didn't miss the doorbell. oi.

so i missed steven's grandparent's yard sale this morning to get rid of all that stuff in the garage and i wasn't able to go get the materials i needed for the ledge.

i did have enough 1/2" ply to build the bench seat for the porch though.

to paint, i watered down some green craft paint and a coat of deck sealer i had lying around. it still need some hinges but that's not a big deal.

the boys painted too.
then turned their stuff into an axe and bow. naturally.

diagrams

meal time overhead

bedtime overhead

all packed up overhead

"passenger's side" (for lack of a better term)

driver's side

porch

installing the sub-floor

running total: $400 + $80 = $480

i got a jack and lights for the trailer this morning. apparently the jack didn't have all the part. we are going to ask steven's brother for help.

the instructions for the lights are impossible for me to read. i don't have the right size drill bit right now either. steven's going to help me with it.

i screwed the sub-floor down this morning. then i realized that i made it so that the porch was near the tow bar. awesome. i had to take it all up and move it. it turned out to be less of a big deal than i thought it was going to be.

i also masking taped a floor plan.

let's get started!! woot!

running total: $400

so i'm taking a hiatus from busing to build a vardo.

i found a 4'x13' trailer on craigslist the other day for $399 in yuma. steven's dad went down with me because steven didn't want me going down alone. (pshaw.)


we parked it up the hill from our house for the night then i cleaned out the garage enough to where it juuuuuust fits.


i have a pile for a yard sale so getting rid of that stuff will make more room.

the finished product will be a 10'x6' vardo with a 3' porch.

it's going to have a 4'x6' bed for the boys, a queen size bed for steven and me, a 2'x3'4" table, tons of shelving and a kitchen with a stove and ice box.