VW Van conversion to Camper

In the process of converting my VW Van to a Surf Camper, I got the idea after watching the made for TV movie Beautiful Wave.  I will be using the Camper as a prop in my 1/6th scale Graphic Novel and eventually stop motion show/movies.

I took all the back seats out and will be making a custom bench seat that pulls out to a bed, also I will be building a sink, and  small fridge.  I am still debating having a grill or permanent stove for the van.

http://imgkid.com/volkswagen-camper-van-interior.shtml

For the top of the van I have looked at various different VW Van conversions and decided on the top that lefts up and creates a sleeping area up top.   I think I am going with the orange roof.

http://www.rodauthority.com/news/panoramic-view-beautiful-64-vw-13-window-bus-with-dormobile-top/

I am currently trying to find small VW emblems to put on the bus, I will also be adding chrome and reflectors to the bus.

Barbie & the Rockers

Barbie Cottage Re-purposed to a Surfboard Shaper Hut

I made the surfboard holder out of Popsicle sticks, still need to weight it down in the middle.  I plan on adding shelving units and several surf board racks. 

Update on Star Traveler Renovation

I have several projects going on at the same time, this is my Star Traveler Remodel:

 Added storage underneath the roof piece, perfect place to slide all those surf boards. 

Adding overhead storage, that can be opened and closed.  The white piece is actual a corner piece used in drywall.  I originally purchased it as a possible architectural improvement to my A frame Surf House. 

Adding console in the front to hold 8 track and radio.

Still playing around with the exterior, my plan is to keep the body color Yellow, I will be spraying it a gloss yellow later. My vision is a Woody style exterior from the Golden Age of surfing. 

 I used balsa wood from a dollar tree place mat, and wood grain contact paper.  (NO Glue involved).  By doing this way I can easily change the look later if I choose to.

Christmas comes early

I guess lack of cable in the 1980's and 90's mean I am not exactly the MTV (X) generation.  Majority of my toys were hand me downs, Christmas and birthday were the only times one got a brand new toy, I remember fighting over the Sears and JcPenny Catalog to make lists of those toys.  I have to admit I didn't have a real interest in my early years with barbie, at the time I was still playing with fisher price little people and GI Joe 3 3/4 action figures. Then I got the Glamour girl mall and the 4" Glamour Dolls or as we saw it girlfriends for the Joes, from Kerr Drug Store.   The majority of our toys came from Kerr Drugs, Roses and the Family Dollar, for those young folks Family Dollar was the Big Lots of the 80's, outdated toys went there and sometimes Kerr Drugs.  Basically allot of my toys came from Family Dollar, hand me downs and yard sales. The two new expensive dolls we got were from Sears Craig and myself Lindsey when I was around 5.  I also remember saving up money to purchase a set of dishes for my tree house from the JcPenny catlog


That would be the only two "new dolls" we would get, the next doll I got was at 8 when I found barbie for $.10 at a yard sale in her red heart dress around 1986 about 3 years after she came out

Still no real interest until one summer I was roaming the toy department in Brendals one of only a few stores in my small town when I came to an abrupt stop at some blue boxes.  My eyes got big as sacucers and I was proably drooling it was the Heart Family.

Barbie collecting was the only girly thing I was still interested in by the young age of 11, at 6 dresses went out the window and my baby dolls sat lonely in the crib in my tree house.  I did still take dance but sports was more my speed, barbie and cooking where the two girly things my mom and I shared.  In reality she actually purchased more dolls then I are taste were different at that time.

I wanted everything on the pamphlet that came in the box, the house, the car and furniture, sadly I never did get that from Santa.  I did however get the HO train set I asked for, along with the my little pony with carriage, and a Red wagon.  My sister go a 13" tv and an Atari that Christmas as well, and that would be all we got, which would come to a shock for kids these days.

Using the inflation calculator our parents spent alot of money for the few gifts we got, but we were grateful for what we got it, unlike most kids today.

The A frame house was another item I wanted but it had been long out of production, then I wanted the 4 ft Dream House with the elevator that Jenny and Avy got one Christmas, along with the boutique shop Rene got, then there was the Rockers and there van and Jem.  Sadly it wouldn't be until decades later I would attain some of the items.

Googling one day to find things to do when I traveled multiple times a month to the Cancer Hospital I stumbled upon a Vintage Brick and Mortar Barbie Store in 2011.  My sister and I stopped by I walked in there was the biggest Barbie RV ever, it wasn't the Rockers Tour Bus it was the original yellow Star Traveller. Naturally being my birthday was coming up my sister paid the $50 for the bus, it was more than that until the shop owner learned I was a cancer patient.  His partner had just finished chemo himself so I got a discount.  I also picked up two gallon bags of clothes from the bins. They also had the A Frame house for $100, it was the Pink one for Christmas.   That summer I also hit the  mother-load at the flea market picking up lots of vintage furniture, a few vehicles, and various dolls.

This past month I was finally able to find the 1st A frame House that I longed for along with the Cottage, so I have 2 A frames, a cottage and the Heart Family home.  I plan on turning the Heart Family Home into a two story Store/Mini Mall.

Malibu Beach House Renovation Project

Here is pictures of the first section of the house, still need to so some touch up painting on the roof and side.  In addition to the touch up I still need to pain the two roof connectors and the sleeves. I hope to have this one completed by the end of the weekend if I can stay up long enough, my body is still trying to adjust to the latest addition of yet another pill to battle the ache and pains caused by my cancer and Sjogren's.

I have slept most of the month away would be the whole month if not for my kitten.  First she starts out be pawing at my legs, then works her way up to my head, nothing like a little cold paw pressing on your check and nose. Once I open my eyes I see Riley less then an inch from my face like you going to get up anytime soon?   I get up make some food play with the kitty, and as soon as I start eating she crawls up in my bed and goes back to sleep.

I made the side wall out of Science Project Board I picked up from the dollar store.  It took several measurements before I finally got the right dimensions.  I still haven't decided on the exterior look of the stucco, slanted wood, clapboard, ugh decision, decisions. 

Your Bicycle Missing a Pedal?

So somehow that pesky pedal on your bike has Disappeared what to do?............Lego's to the Rescue

A and B are Pedals taken off a newer and older model bicycle, C is a Lego that can be purchased at Lego.com or in a Lego store, online you will find the individual pieces under Customized items Pick a Brick.under the Wheel Base section it is the Bearing Element 2 X 2, there is also I few more that might work as well found here:  http://shop.lego.com/en-US/Pick-A-Brick-11998?fromListing=listing

The lego wheel base fits perfectly....................and look more realistically like an actual bike pedal.

I have a possible solution if you are missing the peg/arm that holds the petal too, I just have to rummage through my Lego's to see if the piece will actually work.