Holly Goes Lightly

Anyone else would be happy; ecstatic even, at the idea of having a boutique and living in the flat above it…adding at tea party space would have been icing on an already moist, and exploding with flavor, cake.

BUT…I wanted just a little bit more.

Her name was Holly; I dreamed of her while designing an idea for a craft fair I had coming up. My plan was to close the boutique early and take it on the road to participate in this event just one town over, stepping out and getting a bit of exposure for my Simply Lyla’s boutique. (Lylas by the way is not a family member but means Love Ya Like a Sister…something I had started at our church in Michigan and kinda something I loved when moving to Oklahoma too)

I decided to look on Craigslist one night for a mobile boutique option; hubby was open to the idea when I suggested it, so I had to look quickly…while he was still in the mood…kinda like a wife may bring up the idea of another baby BUT absolutely nothing like that at the same time!

GUESS WHAT?!?!

I found one…the very first search. It wasn’t in the Tulsa area but in a random, small town, 4 hours north of us in Kansas. It was a Friday night and the seller had just posted a few hours before; I had heard that this was the best way to find these vintage campers since the “glamping” trend became a very real thing. (Thank you Pinterest) People were now finding these vintage campers, redecorating them and playing “glamorous camping trips” in them. Not going to lie, the idea of chandeliers, blinged out cannisters, new flatware and whimsical zebra pillows did cross my mind; even lingered a little while.

I sent an email to the seller expressing my dying need for this camper and waited. He didn’t respond until MONDAY MORNING which was the absolute biggest test in patience…EVER. I was the first one to inquire on her and he said that he would hold her until the weekend when we could get there to pick her up. The rest, as they say…is history.

Look at the pictures below to see a bit of her transformation; it was a doozy AND what started my love affair with vintage campers…I just had no idea how much until a year later. You’ll hear all about that too; I pinky promise.

The interior; from left to right. You could literally only stand up in the middle 2 feet

The demolition. EEK! Lots of water damage and we had to start from scratch

Outside gets some love

Interior gets LOTS of love

Parked in front of my boutique before her big reveal

Her rear end

Her first craft faire

Her first night on the town

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