My Hobbit House Teardrop Trailer

It's up for sale, photos and details here.  My lead-in:

"Here’s a rig guaranteed to turn heads.  A diminuative 4’x6’ teardrop, the construction is simple but solid. Two large doors make it easier to get in and out, a step stool helps.  I’m an artist, not a carpenter, so everything you see inside can be removed if you choose to install your own cabinetry. Same is true for the kitchen. Built by a woman in the Dalles, OR, from solid wood with insulation, it's less than 500 pounds and can be towed by just about any vehicle.  Wired for lights and blinkers, she's ready to pull."

In 2020 I bought it empty and unpainted, intending to pick up my things in storage in 'Jersey, I've written about that. I figured BC and I could take our time crossing the country and sleep inside along the way, then tow it back to Oregon, sleeping in real motels.  Another adventure!

And then Covid hit.  I wasn't about to go anywhere, with places closing down indiscriminately, so I resigned myself to staying put, and started painting.

Beginning with the 'kitchen' area, I painted the ceiling to look like the sky, with a trellis of raspberry vines.  At least that's what was in my head.  Then came the 'view' looking towards the mountains.

I like painting 'views' and my last RV had an inside view looking out to the ocean, complete with a lighthouse.  I figured if I'm parked in a Walmart parking lot or Interstate Rest Area, at lease I can have a nice view INSIDE.

Water, mountain, I love both.  As I worked I began to incorporate bits and pieces from my life, no one will know by looking at it.  A fruit knife Mom gave me is on the shelf; parasailing with a friend; mountains from Dinosaur Nat'l Monument, my first attempt at camping.  

Scrounging around Goodwill gave me lots of miscellaneous things which I attached here and there, mostly storage; but which I could remove when the time came to get my stuff.

I decided to only paint the overly-large doors inside, and leave the pretty wood grain of the walls and ceiling alone.  The windows are small compared to the doors, so to open them visually and give me a feeling of expanse, I painted a 'view in a view' with a surround filled with, again, pieces of my life, including my Corona mask.

A friend gave me the idea and parts to create the small platform bed.  When I bought the trailer, the inside was all bed, but because it was just me, I cut apart the cushions.  Who likes to get dressed lying down; plus it would be nice to sit up.  If you're familiar with teardrops, you'll understand.

Constructed using a couple of Walmart shelves, they're super strong and easily hold a mattress.  It's perfect.  I cut the legs shorter because the interior height is only 45"; but it's enough to slip items underneath, like tent poles, a pop-up changing room, skis?  I thought it was ingenious, thanks Sally!

For addition security, I installed a decorative lock-chain door guard on both doors.  It's not unusual to be camping and have a knock at the door at some point; or else the door swings open on its own, it happens.  I also added that cool rope pull to help swing the door shut.  Lots of thought went into this project.

Year 2 of Covid I turned my attention to the outside.  I studied online photos of Painted Lady Victorians, English Cottages and Hobbit Houses, and this is the result.

When I bought my paint, I couldn't decide which color I preferred for the doors, so I chose BOTH.  The blue has the Hobbit House hardware style painted on, but the red is slightly distressed like an old barn.

I'd love to keep the USA map, tin, found in Michaels Craft Store (the states were already marked out), which I painted to cover some damage I'd inflicted on my former motorhome.  When I sold it I wanted the map for the teardrop, and lo and behold, I happened to find another tin map in Goodwill; except I didn't do the 50 states, just the topography.  I tried a half-dozen cockamamie things to attach the lightweight map, constantly failing (because of the painted surface); until I tried some Velcro from Hell.

If I pull hard enough the map can be removed, but that would leave the blue ocean background looking strange, not to mention I'd possibly damage the trailer and be PISSED!  Besides, how much can I fit in my coffin?  I'll have to tell the new owner that the map's included in a documentary (true).  For posterity.

When I was a kid, my favorite bedroom poster was of a long haired Hippie gal (it was the late 60's) sitting on a curb, facing away from the viewer, with a backpack.  The slogan went,

"I don't know where I'm going, but I'm on my way."

So when it came time to Slogan my teardrop, that was my first choice.  I thought it fitting, seeing's how it influenced my entire life. That's a svelte Me with BC; the hanging bag is supposed to be holding dried gourds from the gourd vine growing on the Red side (shown).

I added faux-windows on both side, and this cat is a combination of Abbie, a sweet cat belonging to my late nephew, Chris; and T-Ray, BC's pal.

BC patiently watched me paint and I couldn't wait until we could finally get started on our next trip.

But then my name came up on the Section 8 Housing List and I wasted 4 months on THAT B.S., I've written of that in depth.  Once that was finished, my landlords announced they were divorcing and I would have to move fairly quickly.

Except I didn't have anywhere to go and my old RV's engine wouldn't make it over any more mountains, but one thing led to another and I now have my nice, 2016 RV and am situated in a really nice resort.

Then BC died, it'll be one year come Monday the 10th.  I haven't had any desire to travel with the teardrop alone; I'm not really a camping gal, I just live in them 'cause it's cheap.  Now, if I'm going on vacation (alone) I'm flying and renting a car.

So someone else can enjoy my Corona-project, and I can have a little nest-egg.

Again, here's my ad on Craigslist Oregon Coast .  I'll even deliver it within a reasonable distance!