Thursday, June 4, 2015

All Gussied Up - The Glamper Reveal!

Miss Gussie, the glamper, finally got all gussied up with a fresh coat of paint! I've had my 1959 Arrowhead camper a little over a year. I immediately decorated the inside, but I had been putting off painting the outside. I ask a few auto paint shops and they declined the job. The mister kept saying I could do it, but I just wasn't sure I could. Then one day, I finally decided, yes I could do it and dove right off in the middle of it all! 
 I started by scrubbing and washing her up. Now, by no means is she a perfect camper, just don't tell her that! I know my paint job is not professional, its perfectly imperfect and cost me less than $200 and I actually had a lot of fun painting her. I like her - She's cute, happy, fun, and if I decide I want another paint scheme later on, I'll paint again. I've heard some people say an estimate of $2000+ for a pro paint job, but let's be real, I don't know if she's worth that.
 When I started the job, I thought I would be happy and content just to get her painted a fresh white.
As I was priming her,  I got a vision! She was chippy, peely, distressed. If Miss Gussie was a dresser, chair or table, we would have all loved her vintage character and charm, so I decided I wanted to play to that idea. My paint job is by no means professional and who knows how long the paint will last (check back in a few years for a report on that.) So if she starts to have a little peeling and chipping in the future, maybe it'll look just right and it was meant to be. I decided she needed a lace stripe, like my burlap pillows and a frame and flowers like my business cards and logo. I use a heart with wing stamp on all my packages along with my cards, so a turquoise heart would fill the frame. She didn't come with wings, but by golly, she needed a set of wings!
 So I ordered a lace stencil on etsy and got started painting and then I wondered what the heck was I thinking??? A lace stencil on an uneven metal surface IS. NOT. EASY. But oh, it was worth it!

 Thank goodness for spray adhesive and like I said earlier she's perfectly imperfect and several touch ups were required!
 My favorite paint brushes will always be the cheapest, little ol' straw-like, bristle brushes. I found a small sponge roller for the stencil worked best for me though.
 I got the one side done and then it really started raining. I thought I would never get to finish the other three sides, then one day the sun unexpectedly came out and I jumped at the opportunity to get outdoors and finish her up.
Everything was free handed (except the lace stencil) and I didn't use any painters tape! The last person to paint didn't use any either, so I knew scraping the windows was already in my future.
 I had pondered and studied on what type of paint to get. I made my decision, and the company website said it was stocked in a local store. The rude salesman, finally ask if I needed help and then informed me they did not carry the paint I was in search of, that I should get auto body paint. Hmmmfff... I went to the local hardware store and told her my project and her immediate suggestion was BARN paint! Of course, she's basically a tin barn on wheels, so I got primer and a gallon of white barn paint to start my job, along with a few rollers and brushes.
 The door of the camper is covered in a turquoisy colored burlap fabric and I had ordered the Mason jar sign last year and I wanted my stripe to match both of them. I decided that Shining Sea by True Value was the closest match and got a quart of it and brown to do the detail work.
I lost a little patience with the lace stencil on the back side of the camper. I messed up a few times and just painted her solid. I knew I wanted to have an arrow somewhere, paying tribute to her brand and model, so I decided this is where it would go. 

Of course, my Sisters on the Fly number needed to be featured too! I haven't participated in any SOTF events, but my glamper is almost ready to hit the road! 
 Now the question everyone ask - "What are you going to do with her?"

Well, she's the GypsyFarmGirl World Headquarters! So she's kind of like my office of sorts, I head out here for photo shoots on a regular basis, sometimes I blog from the comfy bed, and Sunday naps are the best. 

 She's my girly "she shed" escape, instead of a man cave! I get to decorate her however I please and light my candles up.
 She also stores some extra shop inventory and my dress form, along with homemade curtains and tattered quilts.

 I would love to hit the road for a few camping trips and maybe a few vintage sales. Who knows where the road leads us? One things for sure  - I bet that guy who left a note in the mail box wanting to buy her, has changed his mind now that he sees her looking like this, because she's not a deer camp, camper anymore!




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6 comments:

  1. Love this!!!! You did such a great job;)

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  2. I love it too! You done good woman!! :) She cave...yay!

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  3. Awe Janice! You did an excellent job; a lot of work but she looks glorious and beautiful! I hope you do get to go on the road, or even take her to someplace that's not too far away that you can use her to sell "out of". Do you know what I mean? :)

    Love it!!!

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  4. How fun! I love that it is done just for you! You did a wonderful job!

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  5. She looks fantastic!! Can't wait to see where you ladies head out to!!
    hughugs

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  6. She is glampy-campy fun! Great job!

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