Crafty evenings in the caravan



There's not a lot of housework to do in the evenings in a caravan. We usually spend our evenings together here in the van or out under the annex mosquitos permitting.
So most nights in the week K "works" on his computer or puzzles over the latest thing he is bringing back to life.

I read lots, and lots and lots.

And when I'm not reading I crochet. I knit as well but I love to crochet.


Crochet Granny Squares surrounded by stretchy rib
 

One side of the wardrobe in the van is filled, not with clothes as was our plan when we bought this particular layout in our van, but with acrylic yarn I have bought or saved.

I was very wise, or something, to know that seven years later I would need a place to stash my yarn.




Shades of grey and green in a rectangle crochet pattern. This one is in the UK with K's aunt/

Why acrylic you ask? Because it washes and wears.

The finished products live under the bed until they are sold or given away to a good home.



Crocheted  tulip.
Painting with rows of dc *(sc in America)
Present for family member

 I love to play with colour and to create rather than follow a pattern so I research a stitch or series of stitches, grab some colour and play. Off the hook fall bedspreads, afghans or baby rugs.

Yarn scrap circles with black stretch rib
Still living under the caravan bed waiting for the right owner.

Mind you since I started blogging a bit less reading and crocheting is happening.

Cheers Sue

A Ferg on the Move


The Shed

My husband is known as Mr Fix It and makes his living in part by repairing all things mechanic and electrical. A handy man needs his shed. So the tray of the Ute is affectionately known as THE SHED.  One summer K and our oldest son built slide out boxes for the ute and in these are a full set of electric drills with batteries, chargers and attachments as well as containers of nuts, bolts and all the other mysterious things he magically pulls out to help out the latest person with a thingamyjig that does not work.

The ute storage "shed" in action. One of the two boxes pulled out to get to a filter.
Note the slot on the side for fuel cans. No wasted space here.

K is appalled by what people throw out. On his rounds of the caravan park he finds things to salvage; three electric kettles become one, two folding camp chairs merge to create one good one, a jump start unit thrown out because it got wet has been cleaned up and reused. There are always two or three projects sitting in bins in THE SHED or tucked into boxes under the annex. The staff here use rebuilt bikes courtesy of K to ride from their quarters into the bistro or to explore the area on their day off.

While regular culling of the bits and pieces of junk... oh excuse me ... incredibly useful important equipment.... is necessary,  I am amazed at what K can do with the contents of two pull out boxes in the car and one storage area under the caravan bench seat.


Cheers
Sue
A Ferg on the Move

Mr Fix It at work. THE SHED is in the ute canopy.


 

Food storage in a tiny space

I'm doing a 300 km round trip tomorrow to teach a half day, attend a PD and shop in the nearest larger town. A chance to stock up while resisting the urge to buy amounts I can't store in my tiny space.



I have to think about food storage in a different way now. I have a three rung pull out pantry drawer, two overhead lockers and a 10 litre bin under the sink. There is a bar size fridge with a tiny freezer as well as our camping 12volt fridge freezer that has the last of the farm grown lamb in it.

 Bulk buys are not practical in this size space so, with the exception of gluten free goods and coffee pods, which we can't get in our little town store, we just store small amounts. Everything has to be safe for travel, as light as we can manage and dry goods need to be airtight as the little ants get into everything.




Pull-out under sink tinned goods tub

 
The 10 litre tub has tinned goods under the sink so as to keep the heavy things at floor level.
 Baking goods, including gluten free flour and bread mix, live in air tight containers tucked up in the end of one overhead locker with more frequently used stock behind the lift up door.

Half the pantry with the baking goods hidden of the left

Small plastic take away food containers sans the lids hold packages of dried peas, gravy sachets and spices.

Spices within easy reach.

An old fashioned spice rack like mum used to have is attached to the wall in a corner. I make my own spice mixes free of salt so the rack has the everyday ones. K bolted this to the wall in an otherwise useless corner of the caravan kitchen. There is a safety rope of black elastic that is tightened around the bottles when we are on the move.





Recycled plastic storage

Half of the second locker has bulk gluten free cereal and nuts in air tight tubs. I use empty fruit containers as they stack in two rows. I usually soak the labels off but I was obviously "too busy" when I filled these ones. Fruit containers are just the right size to fit in the three rung pull put panty as well, a useful fact a fellow camper shared with me one morning over coffee.



Off to make a list so that's all for now.

Cheers Sue
A Ferg On The Move