'Gypsy Dreams' - My New Home.....

.... ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS "Believe" you can ..... 

I know... y'all are gonna think I'm crazy, and yeh, y'all are probably alittle bit right... but my NEW HOME is an 'Old World' style Bow-top Canvas Covered Gypsy Wagon.... and I named her; "Gypsy Dreams".

 Had Bobby Lee survived Chemo, We'd probably have named her "Destiny" or something like that, but I've given her a name that suits my future... which is definitely uncertain and most certainly going to be nomadic. My idyllic World with my Husband has been shattered forever... Replaced with one that instead of being predictable and comfortable, (Living no doubt in an overpriced, underperforming 55 and over retirement community!) is one that will be challenging (at best!)...  but also an opportunity for growth and re-awakening. (I mean, what 'choice' do I have?).... Since I don't have this incredible Man who made my Life complete, totally forever spoiled me and gave me endless Joy in my Life anymore, I have something I would never have imagined and entirely not forseen.... No, now, I just have 'me'.... beside myself with grief.... empty most days, sad.... scared sometimes, overwhelmed always... but determined to live the balance of my Life as fearlessly and wonderously as I can. I want to commune with Nature, be totally alone with God, and depend on no one but myself, (save for God).... 100 percent self sufficient. I can physically and financially accomplish this in my 'Gypsy Dreams' Wagon. 

This is what 'she' looked like the day she arrived.... Paint primed & ready to be transformed by whimsy mixed with blood, sweat & tears... (lots of tears). 

She's built on a 5x10 foot trailer... 8 feet wide at her widest and just alittle over 8 feet tall. 

The full-sized 'bed-to-be' is 37.8 inches high and 7 feet across. 

So, here she is as she stands today....  I've painted her and adorned her and yes, already slept in her... (multiple nights). A couple were two blanket nights... even here in Florida.

The stained glass window is aptly named, "Flaming Hearts".... I like to think it represents the Love that Bobby Lee and I shared through the years... 

Traditional Gypsy Wagons generally have 'benches' on both sides for seating.... 

I love this Mirror my Sister, JoAnn purchased for me.... It's the only Mirror I have in the Wagon so far... but who cares what you look like when you're a Nomad? 

Under the Bench storage crates.... I lifted the storage units up a few inches off the flooring so it wouldn't be tripping me, or others, up all of the time.

Lots of 'Pioneer' Woman items for my 'Kitchen'...... The bright floral patterns were a perfect compliment to the Stained Glass Window and overall Gypsy theme.

I re-purposed the Pioneer Woman 'Keurig K-cup drawer' into my silverware drawer, and the Napkin Holder for my small dishes.... They work perfect. The 'spice' box holds various spices and tea bags. The 'sugar bowl' holds packets of Organic Stevia.

I wanted my Bed to be 'magical' as well as comfortable..... it is. 

(Have I told you nightime is MAGICAL in this thing?)

Soft glow electric LED lights surround my front door... This is my main source of light in the evenings when I don't want to use the lights that run on Batteries.

I will continue to create my 'Gypsy' themed Journals in the near future... (Can't do them anytime soon as I've got a huge move planned and no permanent place to park my 'Buggy' yet). I'll let everyone know when I'm creating them again. 

This particular Gypsy themed one (below) is my personal favorite and the standard by which all of my Journals are created.

My 27 inch frige that goes nicely beneath my Bed..... It will hold more than enough. (Frost free as you suggested Jo-Jo.) :) 

God is in the details...... (And Bobby Lee's ashes are in that Crystal necklace... He will be with me always... in my Heart and over my Heart.)

What's a 'Gypsy Sheep Wagon' without a Sheep? (lol) - (No 'actual' animals were harmed during the decor process of this Wagon.)

Everything I 'need' is in here. Everything I did in my 'regular' home, I can do in here... it's just been extremely downsized and 'glamper-ized'.... From my 27 inch Refrigerater (Located beneath the Bed which is almost 38 inches high)... to my "Port-A-Loo" (Also located beneath the Bed. Yes, I have to do a LOT of crawling underneath that Bed to get to my Clothing and storage, but that'll keep me flexible and in shape. I really don't mind.

I even have a stained glass 'Rooster' to match the stained glass Window. (Thank-you Jody.) 

This Pink (Retro-style) micro-mini-Frige will keep my snacks and drinks cool... and yeh, I'll have to stock it daily (from the main 'under-the-bed' Frige)... but that's OK... for me.

My one-gallon beverage dispenser for my daily water needs.... I'll store 'back-up' water beneath my bed..... 

There's a 'place for everything' and 'everything is in it's place'.... a nice 'change' for me. 
I'm selling most of everythiing I own to live this way... but 'stuff' had been taking over my Life for years.... so now I'm learning 'how to let go' of everything... I had to let go of the 'one thing' that I couldn't, (Bobby Lee... the love of my Life and for all of eternity)...  to many things that simply don't matter anymore. It's all just 'stuff'.... except for the many items he created for me.... those are treasures I can't part with.

A tea Kettle and a single burner stovetop...  perfect. I don't cook much anyway, (I prefer whole fresh foods), so this will brew the water for my Teas and Organic (decaf) instant Coffee. Simple and uncomplicated. This will be 'some' of the aspects of my new Life that I truly look forward to. 'Things' never mattered as much as People to me anyway.... the 'loss' of People throughout my Life has helped me to understand that we acquire 'stuff' to compensate for the 'loss'. It doesn't work. The 'stuff' complicates and constricts. People can do that as well, but in a way that comforts. Oh what I wouldn't give for the 'complications' many People who are now gone gave me. I relish the thought. 

In the above Photo, is the 'Countertop' that I re-purposed out of an item I purchased on sale at Beall's Outlet Store.... The fold-down countertop surface is made out of galvanized metal with wooden 'edges'.... (to prevent cups or plates from sliding off the edge)..... I added three bronze hinges along the backside and attached them to one of the slats of wood that support the Wagon's bows.... when there's no one visiting I leave it 'up'... when someone visits, it folds down completely out of the way so the person (or persons) seated on the bench beneath are completely comfortable. 

I have 'multiple' lighting sources inside my Bowtop Gypsy Wagon.... Battery powered Edison Lights, Solar powered Hummingbird Lamps, and soft-glow (warm) electric LED lights.... 

Solar powered Hummingbird Lamps.... I have to 'charge' them by day in the Sun to enjoy them all night long.

"When Pigs Fly" decorative wall hook..... had to have it because the 'blue' needed some 'red' in order to 'pop' because it's one of my 'laws' as an Artist. It's also what I would have said a few years ago had someone told me my future would end up with me living in a Gypsy Wagon.... (lol). Had to insert some brevity here. 

"Believe" is there because I will always believe there is order in the World even amidst upheaval and chaos.There has to be a meaning to things.... to loss. Out of utter despair there must be hope... Like a Phoenix rising up from the ashes. (This is not a metaphor representing me as the Phoenix.... I'm referencing an actual Phoenix... lol. I aspire to be a Phoenix, but I feel more like a migrant Bird with broken wings. I'm not looking for sympathy or pity... just stating how things are for me right now. Will I ever get over it? I don't know.... I'm supposed to everyone says. 

I want to add more decorative embellishments to Gypsy Dream's exterior in the future, but what I've painted so far will do for now. I've got a huge move ahead of me and just can't find the time to to do it all.

More photos will be added as my Journey to "I don't know' continues... This is a very cathartic process for me. 

*(Update as of 11-4-2018)

Since nothing is ever carved in stone when you're designing the Abode you'll reside in; "Gypsy Dreams" keeps changing in ever so subtle, (and some not so subtle) ways. The original White Shabby Chic Coffee Table has been replaced with one that affords more floor space for me. The single original Silk Scarf has been replaced with many that now drape from a curtain rod that I installed to allow me easier access to the underbed storage area... and lends more 'color' and 'whimsy' I think. As I practice 'living' in this space, it helps me to determine what I actually 'need' as opposed to what I thought I actually needed. (Big difference.) 

'Gypsy Dreams' was built by an amazing Mother and Daugter-in-Law Team out of Houston, Arkansas..... Their names are Barbara and Cathy..... if you're interested in a 'painted' Wagon or an 'unpainted' Wagon (like mine was), they are the Gals to contact. My Wagon was under $4,000 and even my little Chevy HHR can tow her. So if anyone is interested in obtaining their own Bowtop Gypsy Wagaon like my 'Gypsy Dreams', I recommend you head over to Barb and Cathy's website and do some shopping. They'll work with you to make your 'Gypsy Dreams' come true.

Here's that Link - http://gypsywagonbuilder.godaddysites.com/