One of the issues most people run into when buying a vintage Airstream is there are likely to be several areas of exterior aluminum that need to be patched or replaced. Fortunately, Sweetie had no large areas of aluminum that needed replacing, but as we removed kitchen vents and gas lines, we created a few holes that needed patching. Most people patch small holes like this with aluminum tape for a quick temporary fix, then, when they have the time, they use a small square patch of exterior grade aluminum.

After giving Sweetie a good look-over, I measured out how much aluminum we would need to patch up all of the holes, and it ended up being quite a bit, which meant that I had to special order a roll of aluminum from an airplane parts store (my airplane-building uncle would be so proud!).

The poor UPS guy delivered this super-heavy package that had the huge roll of aluminum inside.

Once we unrolled the aluminum, I started cutting out the various sizes of patches that we would need.

Now, remember when I said “most people use small squares of patches”? Well, I am not most people, and squares are boring. So, I decided that Sweetie’s patches would be in the shape of a star.

After I cut out all the patches, we began to attach them to the exterior of the Airstream. We started by cleaning the area around the hole so that the adhesive would have a good surface to bond to.

Next, we filled the hole with insulation, to make sure that no warm air could leak out during our chilly winter months.

Then we used the same silicone sealer that we used on the windows to create a seal under the patch, near the outside edges.

Next, Davey drilled holes through the star and the already existing exterior aluminum.

Then, we inserted our rivets and used our riveting tool to squeeze them tight until they popped (which means they had completely sealed).

Since we couldn’t use flat head rivets — because we don’t have a rivet gun like Rosie the Riveter did — we had to come back with the dremel tool to cut off the remaining rivet rods.

And that’s all there was to it — for that one patch.

Now, repeat all those steps 18 times and you’d have some wicked sore biceps like we did!

Summer is slowly coming to an end here in the Northwest, so we needed to be sure Sweetie was sealed up real well before all the rain returns. After a few heavy rains in the Spring, it was quite obvious that Sweetie’s windows were leaking (i.e. puddles on the wall, just under the corners of the windows). So, we spent a lot of time making sure they were sealed properly, inside and out.

This 1966 Airstream has some very unique windows – they are called Jalousie windows. This type of window has slats of glass that, when closed, overlap one another to allow for the rain to drip off the bottom of the window. When the slats are opened, it allows for a nice breeze to flow in and even with the windows slightly open, rain cannot drip inside. These windows were very popular in Southern homes (especially Florida), because they could be open most of the time, allowing plenty of breeze to go through the house. Which really got me curious if Sweetie’s original owner was from a Southern state? The jalousie windows had to be custom ordered through Airstream, so we know for sure the original owner of Sweetie requested them to be put in as the Airstream was being built in the factory.

Here’s a quick rundown of how we sealed these unique windows:

First, we had to clean the windows. They had collected A LOT of dirt and grime over the years. Plus, we had to remove all the old sealant – which was silicone caulk, a big “no no” for Airstreams, because the silicone can corrode the aluminum (I’m guessing the previous owner who tried to reseal them didn’t know that).

You can really see in this photo how the rain was getting inside the Airstream.

With a little sudsy water, a bristly scrub brush and some elbow grease, we got the job done. Then we went back and resealed all the seams with polyurethane sealant – which is safe for aluminum.

Each window had to be sealed around the Jalousie frame, as well as the frame where the window is riveted to the Airstream walls. Eight seals per window + 8 windows on the Airstream = A ridiculous amount of scrubbing, chiseling away old caulk, and re-sealing.

As for sealing the interior part of the windows, well, it was a similar process, but with different tools. Not only did we have to scrub the windows clear of dirt and grime, but we also had to remove some old hardware (think, rusty screws with stripped heads) that the previous owner had used to hang blinds for the windows. Enter the mighty Dremel tool and let the sparks fly!

Because jalousie windows have slats of glass that open outward, the frame of the window is pretty thick (to me, this is the only downside of jalousie windows – they create an odd thickness not equal to the thickness of the wall). So, we used expanding foam to weatherproof and to help seal the interior of the windows. Eventually we’ll put some molding around the windows that will frame them out and cover up the foam. The expanding foam was pretty neat to use: it had the consistency of shaving cream at first, after a few days it felt like a nerf dart, and several weeks after it is nearly hard with just a little bit of flexibility.

Now, with the windows all sealed and ready for the rain, it’s time to make sure all our exterior holes get patched. Be sure to check back for the next Airstream update where I’ll share my “sparkly” idea for patching those holes

This video shares a few of updates we completed over the summer, some of which I’ll be sharing details of soon. So enjoy this little tour, my inability to pronounce “quintessential”, and the heat of working inside a tin can in 80 degree weather!

I’m so glad to have Alejandra Vidal of Imaginale back as a guest blogger. She asked me what I’d like for her to share and I immediately knew what I wanted: platanos! I have seen Ale post and tweet about the amazing dinners that her and her husband, Jose, prepare, and usually they include something called “platanos”. I had absolutely no idea what they were, or how to even go about cooking some. Thankfully, Ale is sharing with you and I today how to prepare this delicious treat!

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Let’s just say it’s no surprise that if I am guest blogging – I’ll either be talking about photography or food.  Seriously.  Lucky for you my lovely In Sweet Violets readers, this one is a special treat!

I eat platanos like they’re going out of style.  And no my friends, I did not just misspell pineapple.   I am referring to plantains – brothers to bananas but much larger in size.

(Unfortunately I only had one, very ugly, banana to compare my plantain to.)

Platanos can be cooked green (will be starchy) or very ripe (will be deliciously sweet).

Step 1 // Picking Your Platano

In order to make the sweet plantains, you must pick them when they are tender to the touch, and the darker the peel is the sweeter the platano will be (i.e. more ripe).  Don’t let the black spots scare you!

Hold it up to your nose and smell the platano.  You should be able to smell the ripeness – which will pretty much smell like a ripe banana   *Quick tip: this works for picking the best pineapples – smell for ripeness!

There’s no need to smell it if the platano has black spots because clearly that means it’s ripe.  However, there are some grocery stores where most of their platanos will be on the greener side so I just pick one and let it sit on my counter until it’s ready.

Step 2 // Preparing Your Platano

Cut the ends first.

Cut your platano into 3 sections.

Slice the peel for easy removal.

Slice each section into 3 to 4 slices (depending on how thick your plantain is).
*** Shout out to my husband’s manly hands ***

Step 3 // Cooking Your Platano

Coat the bottom of a medium sized skillet with cooking oil – enough for the platanos to fry in but not necessarily swimming in (i.e. not submerged in oil).

Heat oil over medium heat.  You’ll know it’s ready if the platano lightly sizzles when you dip it in the oil (but don’t let it get too hot!).  Once you’ve added your platano slices, let them fry in the oil, checking the bottom constantly for a light brown color like you would for pancakes.  Once the bottoms have gotten a nice caramel color, flip each slice with a fork.

Keep in mind that some slices are thinner than others so they will have to be flipped earlier and removed from the heat earlier.  Have a small plate with a paper towel handy to place your platanos on.

YUMMM!!  These babies will be VERY soft so you might have a little difficulty at first handling them when they’re cooked.  The taste is basically like a delicately caramelized banana.  The sweetness pairs perfectly with a savory meat like pork chops or steak.

And that right there, my friends, is what I’m constantly obsessed over.  A staple in my house growing up and something we have regularly at the Vidal’s.  So when are you guys inviting me over for dinner?  Kristen??  Thank you guys for having me and I hope you give this dish a try!

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Thanks Ale for sharing your love and knowledge of our “banana brothers”. The only thing more delicious looking are your incredible photographs of food. I can’t stand it any longer, I’m going to my local market right now to pick up a few plantains for dinner tonight and making PLATANOS!! Yum!

Today’s guest post is from Jennifer Smith of Something Like That Designs. Jennifer and I met through our husbands (who went to college together), but our friendship grew through our shared love of all things crafty! She recently translated her interior design degree and love of good food into a new business called “Something Like That Designs”. She offers a variety of services and regularly post design tips and recipes on her blog.

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Hi! I’m Jennifer Smith. When Kristen contacted me about doing a guest post, I was happy to do it. But, when I found out she wanted me to create a moodboard for her Airstream, I was really excited. What a fun project! I’ve certainly never designed anything like it before. Even though this room was on wheels, I started my design where I always do…with inspiration.

I talked to Kristen about her favorite colors (muted shades, blues) and what she knew she wanted in the space (steel desk, white walls, white storage furniture). After a bit of internet browsing, I found my inspiration, the painting (#1) in the moodboard. It’s calming and has a great palate of colors to work with. From there, the rest of the design came together like patchwork.

1. I loved this painting. Since Kristen is so artsy, she can easily paint any artwork with similar colors and it would look fantastic in the space. This gives her a chance to really inject her personality into her studio.

2. Kristen specified that she needed new lighting in the space and had something similar to this picked out. Any lighting like this would do.

3. These curtains are a great way to divide the bathroom from the rest of the space. I wanted something light and bright, but they needed to be able to hide stains. I found the perfect mix in these panels. They also add a great texture to the space and will help to break up all the white walls.

4. Artists have lots of tools of the trade. Pens, pencils, rulers, markers.  What better way to organize them then with these adorable mason jar holders? Again, this is something Kristen could customize to her specific taste.

5. These woven shades would look perfect stretched across the top of the windows. They add lots of texture to the space without blocking too much light or having too bold of a pattern.

6. A simple steel desk, like Kristen envisioned, will help keep the space clean and (air)streamlined. (Pun intended.)

7. Cork flooring.

8. Pillows on the daybed are the best way to bring color and pattern into the space. Again, with Kristen being so crafty, I thought hand-stamped pillows would be a fun way to personalize the space. She can mix the colors and patterns she likes in order to create one-of-a-kind pillows. By mixing them with a few printed pattern pillows like the small one in the moodboard, it will create a custom look for less!

There you have it, an Airstream worthy of crafty Kristen. That kind of has a ring to it, don’t you think? I think I have just discovered a new nickname. Crafty Kristen. Yep, I like it.

I hope you enjoyed reading about this project as much as I enjoyed designing it!

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Thanks Jennifer for adding your creative touch to Sweetie. Sometimes its hard for designers to design for themselves, so I’m so grateful to have creative friends to help me make design decisions. I can’t wait to implement some of Jenns suggestions into the Airstream! If you need help with an interior design project, Jenn offers custom design services, including In-home consultations and e-boards for those farther away. She also shares some drool-worthy recipes that are simple and delicious. Be sure to check out all her creative endeavors over at www.SomethingLikeThatDesigns.com!

It’s a special treat to have Mary Luther, of Mary and Michael, back to guest blog. She previously shared a few of her crafty creations, and she’s back with an adorable invitation tutorial. I love seeing someone take a theme and run with it, especially when the final pieces can be made on a tight budget!

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I am often asked to create invitations for friends and family events. It’s fairly easy when you are crafty and already own most of the tools. The trick seems to be in keeping them simple! I have often thought of great ideas that end up being very time consuming. When you are a friend volunteering to help out I think it’s important to create something fantastic AND manageable for your time.

This is an invite I recently created for a first birthday party. The theme is based on the book, “Where the Wild Things Are,” by Maurice Sendak. The theme could easily be swapped out with other images or colors for infinite options.

I started out by going to my local discount used book store. In the children’s section I found several old copies of the book for a few dollars apiece (some complete with small tears and scribbles). I decided I wanted to make envelope liners using the wonderful images in the book (also illustrated by Maurice Sendak).

I decided to create small invitations at the A2 size. This was a great choice for a few reasons. Firstly, A2s are exactly ¼ the size of an 8 ½ x 11 piece of paper. This is helpful when printing and doesn’t waste paper. You can print 4 invites per page and then cut them down. Secondly, the dimensions of the book and illustrations can easily accommodate A2 sized liners. Any larger of a size may have been a bit harder to fit.

I began with the envelopes. I cut 30 liners from various pages of the second hand books. I used my handy envelope liners sold at Paper Source stores. There is a handy video tutorial on their website as well. You can also make a liner template buy tracing the opened envelope and then cropping off about ¼ inch from the bottom and sides. This is a little trickier but works really well once you get the size and space correct. Once the liners were cut I simply inserted them into the envelopes and secured the top edge with a few pieces of double stick tape. A few pieces at the top are all you need to secure the liner in place.

The invitations themselves were fairly easy. The most difficult part for most people is laying out the text and printing the invitations. I am a graphic designer so I like to work in super expensive programs like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. The good news is that this project is simple enough that you can easily lay it out in Word or Publisher. You will need to set up the document so that you will print 4 invites per page at the A2 size (4.25×5.5 inches). The image I used was obtained from a scanned copy of the book page. I could have just as easily used more cut-outs from the book and skipped the scanning all together. This step can be difficult depending on your level of computer savvy. Don’t forget that you can always ask a friend for help! Keep in mind that your printer will invariably run out of ink at a crucial moment. So be sure to stock up!

Once the invites were printed I decided to back them with cardstock. This isn’t a necessary step but it is a quick and easy way to enhance the overall project. Using my paper guillotine paper-cutter (which I HIGHLY recommend investing in) I cut the backing cards to 4.25×5.5 inches (exactly 4 per sheet). Then I cut down the printed invites to 3.75×5. Once backed, the backing card creates a nice ¼ inch border around the invitation.

I used more double stick tape to attach the invites to the backing cards. I also decided to add a ribbon while I was at it. Including the ribbon adds a lot of detail and a nice hand-made look that you just can’t get with store bought invitations. The best part is that it’s super fast to do since you just tape it to the back of the invite before sticking the entire thing to the backing card.

Repeat 30 more times… and that’s it! They’re done and my friend couldn’t have been happier or more impressed! I didn’t even have to spend my entire weekend making them either. It was win-win. In the end the project ended up costing about $1.50 per invite. However, I think if you have the time to shop sales they could be done for a lot less. My two favorite places to save are
1. At a good Paper Zone sale (In the Seattle area-sign up to get e-mail alerts)
and
2.  Michael’s sales receipts. Seriously, if you go to Michael’s and buy 50 cents of scrapbook paper you can get a coupon good for the following week! I have saved SO much money with those terrific coupons .

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Thanks to Mary for sharing how to make these easy invitations! I love them because, as she mentioned, they can be easily adapted to all sorts of party themes. I’d love to see a super-hero themed invitation with superheros flying out of the envelope liners made out of old comic books or a classy book-swap party, with the liners made out of old dictionary pages — the possibilities are endless! Be sure to check out Mary’s Etsy shop (she’s currently on vacation, but will be back real soon!) to see all her crafty creations!

Today’s the day! We’re leaving on a jet plane, headed to Alaska!

[image found here]

I also just found out there may be a good chance we get to see the Northern Lights while we’re there! I’m so excited!

[image found here]

While I’m layering on the clothes and fighting off giant mosquitos all next week, I hope you’ll enjoy some guest bloggers who have graciously given their time to keep you entertained while I’m away. I won’t give everything away, but lets just say there’s something a little “wild”, something “Sweet”, and something “yummy” !

There have been several mystery items appear in the Airstream as we’ve been renovating. For example, I have found 5 sewing needles in various crevices – does this mean the previous owner was a seamstress? I have also found 3 paper clips and an ink pen refill. I’m starting to think Sweetie was meant to be an office/studio from the very beginning.

One mystery, however, was a little tougher to solve. Above the old fridge area, there was a large brown metal patch on the ceiling. This is the only photo that I have of it (suprisingly, because it’s so odd that it’s there):

It looked like it would be used to protect the wall from smoke coming out of the stove, but here’s the thing — the stove was on the complete opposite side of the Airstream! So there’s a big metal patch, riveted into the wall, on the outside of the cabinets, above what was a simple countertop. Still totally visible, the previous owner made no attempt to camoflauge it into the wall.

I posted on the Airstream Forums (where I’ve been getting a lot of helpful information on what materials to use as I renovate certain things), asking if anyone knew what this metal plate could be. I didn’t want to remove it, thinking there may be important wires, a giant hole, or something else creepy hidden behind it. But, as time went on, this metal plate really started getting on my nerves. We’ve been getting closer and closer to painting and I thought, will I just have to paint over this stupid thing and hope no one notices? Because I’ll notice it every time I come in the studio – I mean, its right there, in your face as you walk through the door.

So, Dave and I decided to remove it. Hoping for the best, we drilled out the rivets holding the metal plate in place and guess what we found? No, seriously, guess…

WAS IT:

A: A hole in the wall full of old pirate treasure!

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B: A ceiling full of cuddly kittens!

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C: A hideous stain, that looks an awful lot like Ronald McDonald!

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D: Absolutely nothing.

If you answered B, I love you, because that would have seriously been awesome! But, if you answered D, then you are correct. There was absolutely NOTHING behind the plate, except the cleanest area of wall I’ve seen yet.

I’ll keep you posted if anyone on the Airstream Forums figures out what that metal patch was really for, because now I’m really curious. But until then, I’ll just keep dreaming about finding a secret hole full of cuddly kittens .

I went to the Bellevue Arts Festival this past weekend, where 200 regional artists gathered to show off their creativity. I have a weakness for great arts festivals, and Bellevue always delivers. There was such a diverse group of artists spanning over 12 types of mediums, including acrylic/oil painting, jewelry, ceramics, glass, photography, and sculpture.

One of my favorites is a local sculptor, Jason Napier. I had seen his work at Cougar Mountain Zoo this past spring and thought his natural, yet abstract depictions of the large cats were incredibly beautiful.

He only had a couple of large sculptures with him at the festival, but he had several small, desktop sized sculptures that were just as beautiful. His bronze castings are detailed, but not overly so and the colors were very bright and bold in the sunlight.

I wanted to take several of his pieces home with me, but especially this one:

I love the playfulness of these creatures, and the juxtaposition of the figures as they mirror one another.

There’s a great visual description of the bronze casting process on the artist’s website. Its a fascinating – and grueling – process. I took a plaster casting class in college, which mimics the process of bronze casting – so I speak from experience when I say its messy, heart-wrenching (one air bubble can ruin months of work), and great fun at the same time. I highly recommend taking a peek at some of Jason Napier’s other sculptures on his website – there are so many great creatures captured by this amazing artist.

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I just discovered an incredible photography blog called Dear Photograph. Its a collection of old photos taken in new photos in the same location. I love the contrast of the old photographs, some black and white, some poorly developed, against the bright newness of the present day photos.

I could scroll through these all day.
The messages are fun to read as well, a few of them had me tearing up a bit.

Next time I make a visit back East, I’ll have to remember to take a few of these “Dear Photograph” pictures myself. Do you have a great “Dear Photograph”? If you submit one, let me know, I’d love to see it!