I treated myself to a new book last week after seeing some of the pages reproduced in Coast magazine. I've always had a major passion for any type of thing that can be prettified and turned into a cute little homey hideaway, you know, sheds, summerhouses, beach huts, caravans, camper vans and the such like. Have never owned any of these things mind you (excepting a very small shed full of spiders and dirty underused garden tools), but ooooohhhh I've certainly dreamed long and hard about these sorts of places. I just love-love-love the whole idea of creating a Cosy Happy Place in which one can while away some hours and be surrounded by cosy cuteness. Comfy seats, cushions, blankets, dinky little curtains hanging at dinky little windows etc. And if this Cosy Happy Place happens to be on wheels and can take one away on holiday too, then woohoo so much the better. Yes, this is the Stuff Of My Dreams.
This book really is visually very lovely indeed. The blurb on the back tells you that the book contains "forty stylish caravans of all vintages from across the world. Packed with inspirational photography. Exploring how people refurbish and customise their caravans. A visual voyage into the unexpectedly stylish world of modern caravanning".
Ooooo Ok, so quite a quirky but very trendy-cool subject then. Cos it's all about style and vintage and being cool, obviously.
But you see, personally I'm not too fussed about the Vintage Credentials or about being Cool or Trendy or Stylish. No, just show me Interior Prettiness please. I want to see dinky curtains and brightly coloured melamine plates......
........pretty tins and lovely cutlery, and oh oh yes some bunting too, and if there could possibly be a blanket or two I would certainly be jigetty-jigging with the pleasure of it all.
Ah yes yes yes!!!! Page twenty and I see a crochet GRAnNy BlanKet and I'm oh so happy, doing a jigetty-jig!!!!
Aren't these images just adorable? Heart-skippingly lovely and sweet and the stuff that my Cosy Happy Place dreams are made of. For sure.
Would you like to know more about the delightful vintage caravan on these pages??
Here she is....she is called Constance, and is owned by a very nice lady called Lucy (haha, no not me, although I wish). Now Constance is no stranger to me as it happens, I have come across her before in fact, over in Flickrville.
Yes, I have drooooooled over the above image of Constance's interior more times than I can remember.
I have swooned over that blanket. And the cushions. Curtains too.
Oh and the bunting, the floor, the Greengate tins, the spotty tray. Yes I have swooned, admired, desired and been inspired by Constance for a long time now. She is the Stuff Of My Dreams.
I emailed Constance's owner last week and told her how much I was in love with her caravan, how the Granny Square blanket made me go weak at the knees. I asked her pretty-please could I share these pictures with you all, cos I wanted to show you the Stuff Of My Dreams. And she very kindly said that Yes I could most certainly bring Constance to Attic24 to show you all.
But that's not all.
No, there's more.
As well as the lovely Constance, Lucy also has a fleet of amazingly adorable VW camper vans that she hires out through her company Snailtrail. Oh my friends, you are going to LOVE these campers so much....take a look at some of the interiors....
First up we have Betty, doesn't she have the most beautiful interior?
This is Elsie......oh her blankie is so so so yummy in all it's grannified squariness!
And this is Flo...oooooooo spots and dots and great big granny squares and mugs of tea with jammy croissants!!!
How FAbUlOus!!!!
How beautiful and fun and inspiring and heart-skippy these pictures are!!!!!!!
OK, I shall stop exclaiming now, shall calm myself down and talk in a normal voice.
Now then....as you may or may not have guessed by now, this post does in fact have something more behind it other than me just hyperventilating over other peoples caravan/camper interiors.
I shall not beat about the bush....shall tell you without further ado that on the 1st of May we made a New Purchase for our little family here at number 24. Rather a big New Purchase.
Yes, we bought ourselves a Caravan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just an ordinary type of English caravan you understand, nothing cool or trendy or vintage.
But she is ours, all ours, and we are so so so so so so so so excited here at number 24!!!!!!!!!!
She's 18 years old and has been lovingly used by two families (brother and sister) and is now about to become the Stuff Of My Dreams.
You see at the moment she looks quite ordinary, a little shabby, a little tired.
Inside she has some rather dubious carpet and quite a lot of dusky pink and beige going on.
But in my Minds Eye I have already given her an Attic24 makeover, I can see her so clearly!! (remember The Chair, remember how clever my Minds Eye is??!) She is going to be made to look beautiful, colourful, cosy, happy, heart-skippy. Yes, I can assure you I've got it all worked out already. Can't wait to get started.
We're taking her out tomorrow, we are spending our first night caravanning at a local site in the woods near Bolton Abbey. I hope it's going to be the first of many, many happy days (and nights) spent holidaying with her, I really do.
Excited??
Ohhhhhhhhhh YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Fantastic
Posted by: Helen | May 11, 2010 at 07:54 AM
Fantastic.We have done exactly the same.New spotty pale blue curtains were the ticket in ours & a few blankets make a huge impact!
We have our first holiday in ours next week with a trip to Dorset.I just hope our 22yr van makes it!
http://happylovesrosie.blogspot.com/
Have a look at the above blog.You may like some of the ideas on there.She has a lovely little retro van as well.
Posted by: Lizzie | May 11, 2010 at 07:43 AM
ooh such a fun idea!
caravans are the best!
we bought one too a few months ago
and now we are transforming it into a little shop on wheels!
(it's not finished yet)
have a look at our pictures, if you like!
http://queennefertete.blogspot.com/search/label/CARAVAN
love luci x.
Posted by: queen nefertete | May 11, 2010 at 07:04 AM
Very cool and vintage...we love Vintage!
Posted by: arthur cohen | May 11, 2010 at 04:33 AM
Inspiring! Will try to remember this when we finely take off for our dreamed long trip to Australia. Thanks!
Posted by: Orit | May 11, 2010 at 04:03 AM
How cool! I can only imagine what heights of glory you are going to take her to :-) I know it will be an amazing transformation.
Posted by: Becky | May 11, 2010 at 03:51 AM
Oh how very sweet. I know you will do fabulous things with this new fun. We have a pop-up trailer that we have thoroughly enjoyed with our sons for the past 4 years. You will have many good memories of your family outings I'm sure. Blessings,
D
Posted by: Debbie | May 10, 2010 at 11:50 PM
oh big congrats! this is the stuff of my dreams as well... both the already cheerified ones and your "blank slate." enjoy!
Posted by: Elissa | May 10, 2010 at 09:23 PM
Very nice!! We have one too. except over here in america, we call them "campers"
Posted by: melissa | May 10, 2010 at 09:17 PM
Oh, Lucy! How fun! I absolutely can't wait to see what you do with your caravan. It will look so fantastic after it's been "Lucified"!
Posted by: Jen | May 10, 2010 at 09:11 PM
Oooh all my favourite things in one blog post! I have serious caravan envy going on now - I spent my holidays as a child in one and would dearly love to have my own. I cannot wait to see what you do to your caravan!
Posted by: Ruth | May 10, 2010 at 09:03 PM
Congratulations!
I think she will be adorable, when she`s finished.
have a good time with her!
greetings from germany
mnh
Posted by: fabrik-BILDschön | May 10, 2010 at 08:46 PM
i cannot wait to see the amazing things you'll do with this camper! how exciting!
Posted by: allison | May 10, 2010 at 08:32 PM
Well, I guess i find the same inspiration in your blog. I have written about your blog in my blog, and I lent some of your pictures. Hope that is okey.
Ellen :)
Posted by: Ellen | May 10, 2010 at 08:26 PM
How lovely Lucy! Can't wait to hear about all your adventures together. Lots of love, Amanda xxx
Posted by: amanda makes | May 10, 2010 at 08:12 PM
SO jealous!! would love a caravan.....can't wait to see what you do with it!
Posted by: Libby | May 10, 2010 at 07:05 PM
aaah, so happy for you and totally jealous! i love visiting my parents when they pop off in the caravan, it's so fun, like playing house, everything you need, everything you want all in a tiny little box of your own, and you open the door, and you're in the great outdoors. it's home sweet home, but home wherever you want, by the sea, in the country, even in the city!
i love, love, love caravans, but i'm not allowed one, aparently i'm not old enough yet - pah!
I look forward to seeing how you cozify and prettify and hookify your little home on wheels.
have fun!
Cate, x
Posted by: Whimsycate | May 10, 2010 at 06:35 PM
Wow, wonderful!! Congrats, I could tell this was a happy post from the start :) I can already see the caravan being redecorated attic24 style, all colors and warm and lived in. Look forward to you sharing every little piece of crochet you make for this dream!
Posted by: Lourdes | May 10, 2010 at 06:31 PM
congratulations !!! i'm very happy & excited for you !! no doubt you will turn it into a lovely colorful haven :)
i'm absolutely in love with all this greengate display !
Posted by: Valerie | May 10, 2010 at 06:23 PM
OH! my my my! What a lucky family you are. I know you are excited as I would be. Such a fantastic looking caravan you have purchased! Lucy, the chair you made over>>>>> ... this will be faBuLOUS girl. It's really in very good shape for being 18 years old. And....yes, she needs a spectacular NAME! when your done dressing her up! That's when you will know what her name will be :) Attic24 will hit the road in classic, comfy, colorful style! So happy for you, Lucy! I'm jumping up and down for you dear :)))))))) What lovely sites you will see and share with us :) Happy trails to you and yours !!!!
Posted by: Ellen Delcambre | May 10, 2010 at 05:51 PM
I ADORE this post..infact I'll be looking at it again and again!Lucky,lucky you to own a caravan...and I can see, in no time at all, it's going to look as scrumptious(if not more so)than Constance!
You are going to have soooo much fun and adventures with her.What are you going to call her I wonder?
Bellaboo :0)
Posted by: Bellaboo | May 10, 2010 at 05:08 PM
I am so with you on this! I adore little comfy places. You must check out this book: http://tinyurl.com/23zqepo
These are the things of my dreams. I can hardly wait to see what you do with yours!
Posted by: susan | May 10, 2010 at 04:16 PM
Oooh, I have caravan envy here. Lucky you. Looking forward to seeing the makeover, best wishes, Pj x
Posted by: Pj | May 10, 2010 at 04:01 PM
This makes me soooo happy! You all will have tons of fun doing this. I'm from Kansas City, Missouri and we have a local vendor that works out of a vintage caravan that I DROOL over (both her caravan and her delicious products). You can see a photo and read about her yummy, homemade snowcones here http://fresherthanfreshsnowcones.blogspot.com/2009/06/in-press-organic-gardening-magazine.html
Posted by: Cara | May 10, 2010 at 03:51 PM
Lucy, I know you know what I mean but others might not LOL
Bet it will look scrumtious how exciting for you and your family
Posted by: Jillyuk | May 10, 2010 at 02:36 PM