New Table: Part I

The motorhome did not come with a dining area or table or any kind of useful surface. That really left it up to our imagination as to what we wanted for our family. I went through dozens of ideas of my own as well as pouring over photos of other table remodels people have done before we decided on a winner.

Before: No table behind passenger chair, just carpet. Fridge is on right reflecting old sofa-bed behind driver's chair.

My dad pulled out the old hardwood floor that was in the kitchen area and built a half wall that will help support the table. I took inspiration from this family's website who needed to be able to seat 6 at their table. We're using unfinished upper cabinets, that will be painted to match, as the seating bench. The table is built much like the bed/sofa frame but with a decoupaged map on the top. I had been trying to decide where to incorporate the map feature and thoughts of putting it on the wall in the bathroom flitted in and out of my head, but I think the table is a better place.

 I took a few liberties with the world in order to have everything fit nicely on the table top, but I kept the latitude lines so if someone wants to get picky they can re-align the latitudes and figure out where Australia really is.
Decoupaging this baby was a nightmare! I wouldn't recommend it. In theory it seems easy...until you apply the glue. At which point the whole map stretches, in all directions. Gah! I even cut the thing in half at the last minute so it wasn't so unwieldy. Then it bubbles, a lot. After you've smooshed down all the bubbles with pins and spoons (great burnishing tool!) and you apply the first coat of poly, it bubbles up all over again! This is SO not cool. I don't know how people decoupage an entire wall!

 

Wretched bubbles!

To be continued...

Labor Day

There aren't too many kids in the neighborhood. Actually, I haven't seen any. But the neighbors have grandkids who stay with them occasionally so we arranged to have the kids meet. They met first a couple of weeks ago and seemed to get along well, so this time we invited them over for swimming, homemade pizza and a movie. Jitterbug is 10 and full of energy; she got along well with both Mr. S and  Divagirl. Coolcat is 13 and pretty quiet; he and Mr. T got along well.

The 3 youngers watched the movie E.T. while the oldest boys played xbox. It worked out quite well. And when the movie was finished, Jitterbug made Divagirl her pet cat and Divagirl couldn't have been more thrilled! She finally had someone who would play imaginatively with her.

We definitely need to do this again. :)