Friday, September 18, 2009

Nuts Over the Squirrel

I'll call this your formal introduction to the Squirrel. I know I've touched on it here and there, but you've never seen the inside. It's difficult to take inside pictures, cause it's so dad gum small. Then there is the lighting issue....I've not figured out how to adjust the balance of light...so, hope you can see these ok.

This is the dining area. It folds down to sleep two like crayons in a box, or one comfortably.

This is on the way out of the camper, on the right is a storage closet that we have a microwave in, and store the food. The couch area that you see there actually pops up to bunk beds. Primordial dwarfs would be comfortable. Aaron does ok.



This is what you see when you first walk in the camper. It's a work in progress. I named the camper "The Happy Squirrel" after finding that picture of the squirrel drinking a cup of coffee online. The squirrel looked so happy, and I don't know, it was just one of those things that can't be explained why we named the camper 'The Squirrel". It gives me a good theme though. The name of the paint I used was called Seasoned Acorn. I think it was providential.


Here's another pic of the same area, you can see the floor and the fridge a little better. I wanted to be comfortable and have the conveniences of a fridge, microwave and toaster oven. I can crank out some tasty meals here between that and the grill.


I force The Squirrel on friends and family. I make people go in it even if they don't want to~ It's my playhouse. I honestly wouldn't care if we ever really took it anywhere or not. It's a lawn ornament!

Here another dark photo...it's of Aaron and his Math Tutor. Holly Keithley. She is an absolute gem. She is actually the one we bought the camper from! She was so excited to see how we'd fixed it up. Aaron and I often have school out in the camper. Friends come over and we sit and have a glass of wine. We call it Squirrel Therapy.


Here's a nifty little thing you can make for camping. Fire starters. I love these for so many reasons. The main reason is that they WORK. So easy to make a fire with these. The second reason is that they are made from garbage. The frugality of that really excites me!

You'll need:

Empty paper egg cartons, left over candle stubs and dryer lint.


Carefully melt the candle stubs on low heat while you divide your dryer lint equally.

After the wax is melted, pour a generous portion into each section.

Now just let that dry completely. Tear them apart. (sorry, no pic of that!). You just light the paper and boy does it take off. I keep mine in a Ziploc bag in my camping tote. They work so well! I'm going to make a few little flannel drawstring bags and put about 8 in each, and give them as little gifts to all my camping friends.


Til tomorrow....


17 comments:

  1. First of all, that is the cutest camper I've ever seen. And I want you to come and reupholster NellieBelle's cushions! Seconds ... Squirrel Therapy?! I want to do that. You have the best ideas! Now ... the firestarters. Do you know how much I spend on firestarters? Lots. Those dumb little brick thingies. And here I could have been composting dryer lint ... loads and loads and loads of it.
    Thanks! Some time I'm going to come sit in The Squirrel and sip wine. And you can come over and cook with my family. It will be delightful :)

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  2. Your little squirrel is so cute. Makes me want to have one of my own...

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  3. Where would they go to the potty? Why, you'd build a shower house, of course! :) Like they have at the camp grounds, with a bathroom and shower. :) I so love the Squirrel! And I have made those types of fire startes too and they work great!I have a couple of other ones I have done too...wax & woodchips in wax paper works well. So does dryer lint and vaseline in a pinch...but it is messy!! :)

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  4. Wow! I am just lovin the happy squirrel! How could anyone not be happy in such an adorable place? Thanks for sharing the pics and for the great firestarter idea. I will definitely make some of those.Byeeeeeeee

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  5. I want to have a squirrel. Precious! What fun for Aaron to do his school work there. So, is it your guest cottage? Wow, fun.

    Love the fire starters made with lint and old candles.

    Have a fun weekend. Dogwood

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  6. Can I come live in your camper? Too cute! Not that I really want to move away from my sweet family, but just a little vacation maybe? For about three months? Will you cook for me? Is that asking too much? :)

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  7. Oh! She was my math tutor, too, way back when I was in high school. I could not have passed Geometry without her help.

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  8. Dryer lint? Amazing. And here I've been wasting my money on Fritos. On a whitewater rafting trip I took in WV, the guide had a trashbag full of Fritos at the campsite - we started eating them and he made us stop, telling us they were for starting fires, not for eating. He was right, they're great firestarters - although once you know that, you kinda don't want to eat 'em anymore.....:(

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  9. I want one too! What's the manufacturer? And I LOVE the firestarters for our firepit!

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  10. Jennifer...that sounds absolutely wonderful to me! You do know that you are welcome any time right? We need to have our very own blog convention and get everyone together for Squirrel Therapy.

    Anke...every girl needs a playhouse. :-)

    Capt. Wife Jennifer....a showerhouse?? LOL I was thinking of a hole in the ground and a hose nailed to the side of the chicken coop. :-)

    Mama Hen....you are more than welcome. I will cook for you.

    Erin..how funny, such a small world. I just love that lady.

    Sparky...Frito fire starters? LOL I don't know that I'll be eating them anytime soon.

    Joycee, it's a 1971 Sprite camper. I would love to have a few more of these little things, but what would I do with them??

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  11. I am totally and utterly in love with the squirrel. What a great hideout!

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  12. If it ever quits raining I'll try out the new fire starters that I made using your instructions. They smell good..I used a pumpkin spice candle.

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  13. This is too cool. When I was a little girl, my favorite picture book was a story about a kid who lived in a teeny tiny camper. The scale and portability appealed to me, I think. Sign me up for squirrel therapy :)

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  14. Brilliant fire starters! Love the Squirrel.

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  15. Oh what a cute camper. We have a Casita, our "albino mouse turd"
    Patti

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