Come on in and meet Doris...

So you know how I'm constantly saying I want a vintage camper? For the past couple of years I've bugged my family and friends to keep a look out for me. Of course I was hoping I'd be one of the lucky ones...that I might walk into a garage sale and see one with a free sign on it (a girl can dream can't she?). Well, on Tuesday I was checking craigslist on my lunch hour, and BAM, there she was!!! Yikes, for a great price too. So I shot off an email and the guy got right back to me. He told me another lady was coming to look at it on Wednesday and that he had several people interested in it! Another "yikes" escaped my lips! Holy cow! A quick phone call to my husband...who said "I don't care, sure, let's go look at it after work." (ya gotta love a guy who says that). So, I rush home and jump in the car...of course it's getting dark as we drive to Clinton, Wisconsin (20 minutes from my house). Now I need a flashlight to see inside it. So by now you've guessed right? Yep, we brought her home!

I'm in love. Well, as much as one junk hound can be with a hunk of 1967 metal including an avacado green refrigerator and stove! Without further ado, let me introduce you to Doris...

Now of course I could have spent a lot more and bought one that was already renovated. But where's the fun in that! This little baby...a 1967 Forester, who began her life in Forest City, Iowa, needs a little TLC, mostly in the home decor department. Structurally, she's in pretty good shape with a few blemishes--she really just needs some blush, eye shadow and mascara--and she'll be good as Doris Day!

Some of you might be wondering "why call her Doris" when your company is named "Nellie"? I'll tell you why...because Nellie is my maternal grandmother and Doris is my paternal grandmother! I wanted to pay homage to both of them. After all, without them you might be doing laundry right now instead of reading my blog! (That might be a stretch, but you get my drift--grandmothers rock)! With that said, you're probably feeling closer to Doris already, huh? So let's get started...she's a great gal.

Here's her kitchen...kickin' 60's avacado green hood, stove and fridge, speckled counter tops, and birch cupboards. And how 'bout that mirror right in the middle of the cabinets, huh? Bet you wish you had such a feature in your kitchen...so you can check out your reflection at 6am each morning as you drag yourself to the sink to make the coffee (sorry, I'm getting off subject)!

Looking to the left, is her bedroom. OK, it's not really a bedroom, but there is a bed. In these little babies you have to have a big imagination...and a privacy curtain! See the fuzzy white thing sitting there--well she follows me everywhere--heavens to Betsy she should miss out on the tour. She swooped in and jumped right up on the bed like she'd been there before! On the left is a closet with full length dressing mirror (because when you're camping you want to be sure you look good at the bonfire)!

On the other side of her kitchen, Doris can serve up her famous cookies at this lovely dining spot.

Doris has all her original light fixtures. The fixture in the middle directly above the table is an original "gas" light...sort of like an upside down lantern! The bedroom features two darling wall sconces in a lacy metal in each corner.

As much as I love the green and yellow floral cushions, I have to tell you I'm not a Packer fan so I'll be changing them out for something softer and homey.  To what, you might ask? I haven't quite decided yet. I've spent the past 24 hours going round and round with what type of decorating I should put in her. I've looked at tons of darling vintage campers on Pinterest which just makes my head spin. Here's some of the ones that other creative gals have glamed up that I absolutely adore...

From: home-sweet-motorhome.blogspot.com


From: tincantourists.com





From: ruffledblog.com



From: getcampie.com


No source:


From: thefancyfarmgirl.com




From: urbanfarmgirl.com


From: amysvintagecottage.blogspot.com


From: vintagecottagecamper.blogspot.com


So now you can see why I'm so torn...I love them all. But I'm leaning in one direction--and for now, I'm keeping it a secret. You'll have to come to Nellie's Barn Sale on June 15 & 16, 2012 to see Doris in all her glory!

And here's where you come in...I won't be using Doris for Glamping; she becoming a part of the Nellie's Barn Sale event weekend....everything that will be inside Doris will be for sale (sans the curtains, fixtures, cushions, and a few pieces that will be coming straight out of my house). But for the most part, I plan to fill her with kitchen goods, linens, cookbooks, dishes, pillows, wall prints and such that you can take home to feather your nest with!

Here's the real Doris...in the middle. My dad's sister Audrey on left and my mom on right.