Saturday, June 26

MICHELLE AND ASHLEY'S SHASTA JUST ROLLED IN!

Howdy Campers!

Let's welcome newcomers Michelle and Ashley Cox...they arrived at the Camporee in their 1950s Shasta...isn't it a dream? The little silver wings just KILL me! lol



Folks are just lining up for the afternoon/evening festivities! (see 'em up on the hillside there?) We will be enjoying a bluegrass music festival...cowboy roping (you can see Cowboy Dan is practicing here at the campsite) and a wagonwheel meal around the campfire later tonight! We might even persuade Webster our Mascot to do a few tricks for us!



...or NOT! Annnnnnyway...



Here's the story Michelle would like to share with us...it's she and her sister Ashley as wee fillys...along with their mom and dad in front of a Shasta camper, who's owner remains a mystery!



Goodness! We're going to be full to overflowin by the time everyone arrives! Ah well...lots of campgrounds for all...that's the way we like it!



I'll be makin rounds again later cowgirls...see ya then!

Your Campground Host,
Paula Clare

Friday, June 25

LINDA RUTHIE ARRIVES AT CAMPOREE!

Greetings dear readers!

Join me in giving our good friend Linda Ruthie a big camp HOWDY!



The little aqua teardrop is just adorable...look at the shiny chrome trim...the sewn "corrugated" sides!



And her swimsuited likeness welcoming us and inviting us in for a pitcher of cold lemonade!



Linda requested a shady spot...Webster the Wonder Dog is there to welcome her and point out her place under a big shade tree...

She also made this wonderful tea towel to commemorate the occasion.



Get settled in, Miss Linda! We'll see you at the cowboy campfire dinner later tonight!

More soon!
Paula Clare
Your Campground Host

MORE EXCITING NEWS!

Greetings, dear reader!

I wanted to give you all a bit more information about the book I hope to publish and the method by which I'm trying to do so.



ABOUT KICKSTART:

We're focused on creative projects.

We've got a pretty broad definition of creativity: art, music, design (fashion, product, game, app, etc), film/video, food, journalism, and other projects that spring from the imagination.

Learn more

Funding is always all-or-nothing.

A project must reach or exceed its funding goal or no money changes hands. Why? It's fun, dynamic, and really efficient. Learn more

Creators keep 100% ownership.

Kickstarter is a new form of commerce and patronage, not a place for investment or lending. Project creators inspire people to open their wallets by offering products, benefits and fun experiences.

Our fee is 5%.

Kickstarter collects 5% from the project creator if a project is successfully funded.

There you have it. This is, in a nutshell, the how, why, and when of my project. Won't you join us?

MORE CAMPGROUND NEWS later!

Hugs,
Paula Clare

Wednesday, June 23

CAMPGROUND FOOD COURT SHAPING UP NICELY

Greetings, dear readers!

As you all know, the Happy Camper Campground is filling fast and furious. Today our food vendors showed up with their adorable vintage campers. Cindy of Rick Rack n Gingham led the entourage...



Cindy writes of her childhood experience:









As you can see, I've declared myself "Quality Control" and am now in the throes of sampling the snow cones and caramel apples. Tickets to the campground music festival events can be purchased here too...oh the fun we're going to have!



More soon!
Your "sugar overloaded" Campground Host,
Paula Clare

Monday, June 21

WELCOME WAGON...AND A WINNER!

Greetings, dear readers!

The campground is all abuzz with activity today as we clean and prepare for the next round of campers rolling in to join our tag swap...



Finding parking spaces for everyone has proven to be quite problematic...but we at the Happy Camper Campground will not be daunted!

We'll "circle the wagons" (uh, campers) and be quite cozy if need be...all the better to get to know our neighbors!

AND, speaking of neighbors, one of you lucky gals will be the winner of the vintage tablecloth banner kit...I'm going to get Webster, our campground mascot to do the drawing for me...

(You can see he's thrilled with the prospect...)



And the winner is...



Because he appreciates someone who can "beg" effectively...

Congrats, Cindy! Please send me your snail mail addy so we can get your banner in the mail!

More later!

Hugs,
Paula Clare & Webster

HELLO...IT'S ME, WEBSTER!

Hello Dear Bloggers,


Mom's in the shower so I thought I would take time to get my paws on her computer...long enough to blog a hello to all my furry friends out in blogland!



It has been SO HOT here! It's all a dog can do to keep cool! Both air conditioners in both our cars are broken, so it's been all windows down and everybody sticking their heads out to stay cool!



Well, mom and dad don't stick their heads out very often...but it's really been hot! I try to find shade outside whenver I can...



And we've been sleeping in the "canned ham" because it gets so cool so fast. There's also a little more space for a dog to sleep...I'm glad for that!



Mom and I have had some long talks lately...just making plans for the summer and discussing how much and what kind of food she should buy me...important discussions!



So what are all of YOU doing for the summer? How are YOU staying cool?



OOPS! Mom's out of the shower...gotta go! Have a good summer! WOOF!
Webster the Wonder Dog

Saturday, June 19

OK, HERE'S THE REST OF THE STORY...

Greetings, dear friends! Thanks for hanging with me while I took time to get my wits about me...I wanted to be in tip top storytelling condition to share with you the most wonderful day I've had...


It started out not so great...raining, storming, awake since 3 a.m...undaunted, I still went for my 5K training at 6. I did feel better afterward...however...

On the way home I drove by a few neighborhood yard sales...and found a 2 piece DREAMY AQUA piece of furniture...(God thing #1)

Without stopping to give it a closer look, I headed IMMEDIATELY to the ATM and withdrew $100. (Hubby dear and I have an arrangement...any purchase less than $100 we do not have to discuss with one another). Okay...so I was prepared to pay $100 and no more. I'd haggle if I had to...(although doing so would have caused me something akin to a full blown anxiety attack) but I'd do it if necessary. I stiffened my resolve and and marched up to the "dream-come-true" piece and saw the price tag...$50! WOW...REALLY?!?! (God thing #2) I whipped out the cash and paid the matron in charge and told her I was going to take my dog home and then I'd be back to pick up and haul it home.

Meanwhile, when I got back, a woman had just gone up to the cabinet and saw that it had a sold sign on it...I got there just in time to hear her say, "Oh shoot. That is a beautiful cabinet...but I really don't know where I'd put it anyway..."

She asked how I was going to get it home and pointed to the PT Cruiser. I had the seats down, the windows open, and by golly I was going to get it home if I had to strap it on top of the car like a prize buck!

She said, "How far away are you?" I told her a block and she said, "Oh my goodness, just throw it in the back of my truck..." (God thing #3) I told her she was too kind and went to get the cabinet portion and haul it to the car...at which time the yard sale matron said, "Hey, don't lift that...I'll get my son and brother in law to put it in the truck..." (God thing #4) and so they did and the woman who volunteered her truck said she had just recently had back surgery, and would they mind riding along to unload it? AND SO THEY DID. (God thing #5)

WELL, once here, the two helpers scampered away as quickly as they could, so as not to get "shanghai'ed yet again. NOW,the "blue monstrosity" (as my two makeshift movers called it) was MY problem...

The microwave cart was fortunately on wheels, and so made its way out to the hot tub relatively quickly...(God thing #6) and the desk or bottom portion of the cabinet was not heavy and scooted nicely. OH NO! I hadn't even MEASURED to see if it would fit in the space! By faith I pushed it into the assigned spot and voila! 3 inches to spare! HOORAY! (God thing #7)

And now there's the troublesome task of getting that hutch on top of the cabinet...(Hubby dear was away today, and I wanted to do all the work myself, and surprise him when he gets home) so I just HAD to find a way to move it myself...don't you see that?!?

(It occurred to me that I didn't measure the top part either...what if it's too tall? What if it's too wide? What if it won't...) I decided not to worry about that and instead to think of a way I could hoist the rather heavy top onto the base unit. Hmmmmm what was it that guy said, "Give me a lever and I'll move the world?" Okay...a lever. I went out to the garage and found 2 1x4s and tried several angles and configurations...and then...and THEN...I DID IT! IT FITS! IT FITS! (God thing #8) And what about the microwave?! ABSOLUTELY PERFECT FIT...(God thing #8)

A wonderful porcelain top with drawers and shapely legs...behold:





And the top to display all my red/aqua/retro goodies (can you hear angel choirs singing? I CAN!):





This will be the "holiday cubby". I will keep current crafts in this section...I made the pinwheels and the tall "Uncle Sam" hat. I simply taped striped paper around a tall thin glass, and then cut a circle out of starred paper for the "brim." I made 7 pinwheels in all...



And remember this chair?



Now it has a permanent home!











A drawer for my vintage linens!

Now I have my blinds, my vintage metal table and chairs, and now my hoosier-esque cabinet!





See the pinwheels with the vintage straws? The printed PDF came from Skip To My Lou! Aren't they great? I added a little daisy sticker in the middle to hide the brad. The darling salt and pepper birdies came from my kids for mother's day...they were black and white and just BEGGING to be painted red and aqua!

I suppose you could assume that all of today's happenings were lucky "happenstance", but I prefer to believe God knew I needed a little "pick me up" today, and went about orchestrating the universe to comply. With so many God things happening in one day...I'm feeling quite the spoiled little girl of the Daddy of the Universe!

Thanks for sharing in the joy! I couldn't WAIT to get it home to take pictures to show you!

Hugs and kisses,
Paula Clare

SOMETIMES YOU JUST KNOW...


That God's "got your back" so to speak.

I don't believe I'm being hyperspiritual when I say that I feel there are days that FEEL like God ordains every meeting...every word spoken, every kindness shared.

Details this evening! Here's a hint:



More later!
Hugs,
Paula Clare

Friday, June 18

JUNE'S "YOU INSPIRE ME" BLOG AWARD!

Greetings, dear friends!

It is time once again for the announcement of the June installment of the "You Inspire Me" blog award!

This time, the award goes to:



For YOU, Sandy! Your enthusiasm, fun and cheery blog, and your generosity continue to inspire me visit after visit!







Congrats, Sandy!



More tomorrow!
Peace in the Hood,
Paula Clare

Thursday, June 17

ROLLING INTO THE HAPPY CAMPER CAMPGROUND...WE WELCOME...

Sandy's 1952 Chesney Caravan!





Note the darling buttons used for both the wheel AND the hubcap! I love it!



And of course the colors are oh-so-Sandy! She also sent this little gal along as a Mascot...



Mama and babies are all huddled under the caravans to escape the midday heat!



And THIS amazing treasure...for no good reason! Just because she's an incredibly generous soul! I LOVE IT! Oh I can't WAIT to see what I put in it!

And Stevies OH SO VERY 50s 1957 Sprite Caravan:





The dreamy pink chiffon curtains kill me...and just look at that slice-o-cake she's using to lure us in!



Each little camper has some stitching on it! Incredible!

Also rolling in to the campground is this little fellow...



A little red bird on wheels! How adorable is that?!?

And only one of these little jewels rolled in today...and NOBODY is getting their "mitts" on it! It's camping in the spot right next to your (usually) Friendly Campground Host...(for safe keeping lol)

Barncat Lisa's incredible Serro Scotty camper:



Complete with lights and ready to PAR-TAY!




So far the happy caravan of vintage campers is shaping up to look like this! (My camper is the prototype so do not judge me for it's sloppy door and condition...it's been through a LOT! Trust me!)



Still awaiting Meri, Cindy, Linda Ruthie, Kari and Christine. We'll keep the light on for you!

More soon!
Paula clare