It's a Vardo!

I know, I know, I barely got one project done and I'm starting on another one already... I can't help it. That's what I do. I make stuff.

I started out with a paper mock-up to see how it could fit together and went from there. I've been wanting to make one for a long time now but there's only one kit that I could find and it's way out of my price range.

I finally decided not to let that stop me so I'm designing my own. I have nearly a whole sheet of plywood and a new dremel scroll saw to break in.

I love the romance of a gypsy wagon and I prefer the kind with the raised skylight roof. It's called a mollicroft. I also like the little chicken cages on the side. I tried to put everything I like into this one wagon. I'm getting a sixties vibe on this one.

The roof is a little tricky and I can tell you that thin sheets of balsa and poster board work wonderful to bend it into shape. You hold the shape with rubber bands while the glue dries overnight between the layers. Then the mollicroft rectangle is cut out and built.

I had a little trouble with the wheels because I couldn't find spoke wheels locally. So I bought flat 2-1/2" wheels and 4" wooden rounds (could have cut them out myself), then decorated them with a foam core rim, skewers and chopsticks for spokes. It works for me and much cheaper.

I sketched an internal wall the way I want to make it. I will use it as a guide to make the wooden wall for the bed and under storage. I'm going to do mirrored panels that slide shut to close the bed off from the living area.

I also have some other little tricks up my sleeve for the wagon before I can start decorating.WHEW! This is going quick compared to the French Country house!