daniellemeilleur

[daniellemeilleur]

A pop of white for spring! 

I have been trying to brighten up my space for spring and making plans to further customise our home on wheels, even though our trailer is only 3 years old I am always thinking about new projects and ways to make our space more useful and enjoyable. I do not like to accumulate too many things so a great way to integrate new concepts in the space is to use what I already have. I love the concept of a clean, bright white interior. Adding white to this space helps accent the wood in the trailer, giving it a light modern look and also helps highlight our open concept living area. For the bigger cacti up top I used a white acrylic paint and painted an old terracotta pot, a simple and cheap solution! the paint cost only a couple dollars and I already had it left over from another project. The other pot i bought as is for $2 at a garden centre. I love how the white accents the green of the plants, these make great statement pieces and are also inexpensive! I would love to paint all the walls inside our trailer white but am hesitant as i know it will be hard to keep them clean, touch ups will be necessary/inevitable, but for the mean time what better way to brighten up the space than some white pots for my plants.

[daniellemeilleur]

Continuously customising our home on wheels! I love my bedroom on wheels and am slowly brightening it up. I removed the old head board above our bed (which was essentially a sheet of ply wood with ugly patterned material stapled to it) and replaced it with a d.i.y barn wood style head board. This was a simple project from start to end. 

D.I.Y head board details:

- Purchased ‘pine barn boards’ from home depot, different sizes/prices were available. They were already processed and painted to replicate weathered barn wood so all that needed to be done was to cut the boards to size, seal the pre finished boards with a clear coat of varnish, and then assemble as preferred.

- To hang the new head board we used a french cleat also purchased at home depot.

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Some of the campgrounds we have stayed at throughout western Canada:

Riding Mountain National Park - Wasagaming Campground (Manitoba): Nice treed in sites and a convenient location within walking distance to the town of Wasagaming. Fully serviced sites large enough for our 38 foot travel trailer but some sites are not the easiest to get into, depending on vacancy I recommend requesting a pull through site. We booked a site with a water and a 30 amp power hook up but not sewer since we were only staying a few nights. The sani-dump was easy to use on our way out.  

Willow Bend Campground - Maple Creek (Saskatchewan): We travel back and forth between Manitoba and British Columbia often and this is usually the half way point of our trip, one of our go to spots when stopping over night on the long haul. A short drive off the Transcanada, easily accessible wide pull through sites. Always a nice and quite location to stop and rest for the evening. 

Ross Creek RV Park - Medicine Hat (Alberta): This is the alternate location where we often end up at the half way point of our trip. Just a couple hours west of Maple Creek, this RV park in Medicine Hat is our other go to spot when stopping over night. Although we have not stayed in a pull through here, the sites we have stayed on have been easy enough to park a 38 foot trailer. Convenient location to stop as there are more choices in regards to food/restaurants in Medicine Hat compared to Maple Creek. We usually order Pizza 73 when we stop here and they deliver right to the campground (can also be vegan friendly if you order the traditional dough). Another nice spot to stop and rest for the night.

Banff National Park - Tunnel Mountain Village (Alberta): Very large camping area made up of 3 campgrounds combined. This campground was extremely busy! We stayed here in the Tunnel Mountain Trailer Court right next to Village 2, it was near the end of season in October, before the campground closed for winter and although we did not make a reservation we were still able to get a site for a few nights. Campground was easy enough to navigate with a big rig, we stayed on a pull through 30 amp site, we did not have sewer on site. Site was very small. The sani-dump was easy to access and use in Village 2 however since the campground was so busy there was a line up for the sani dump around check out time. Worth the stay if you would like to spend time visiting the town of Banff. If you are simply looking to stop for a night and do not care about hook ups there are alternative options along the Transcanada including other campgrounds throughout Banff and Yoho National Parks as well as free rest areas outside of the national parks where you are permitted to stop overnight. 

Whispering Spruce Camp Ground - Golden (British Columbia): Although there are a few different campgrounds in and around Golden there are actually only a couple of options when looking for fully serviced sites. This is by far the best out of all the options in and around Golden. Big rig friendly, easily accessible pull through sites covered with beautiful large trees. Laundry room at campground, sani-dump, heated bathrooms and hot showers. Fully serviced sites with 30 amp hook ups (no 50 amp anywhere in Golden) and the only campground in town with sewer hook ups on site. (campground is pictured above in bottom photo)

Knutsford Campground - Kamloops (British Columbia): This is a campground that is open year round, laundry room available at campground however the laundry room gets shut down for the winter as do the bathrooms and sani-dump. Fully serviced 30 amp sites available (no 50 amp). I do not believe there are any pull through sites available here but non the less sites were spacious and easy enough to park on.Very convenient location right on the outskirts of Kamloops. One of the nicest things about this park is that is it located outside the city, surrounded by ranch land but is only a few minutes drive to amenities like the Aberdeen Mall or Thompson Rivers University. 

 Apple Valley Orchard & RV Park - Kelowna (British Columbia): Good location right in the north east section of the city, not far from Hwy 97, this park is in an area surrounded by orchards and homes. Very short drive to downtown Kelowna and many other amenities like Orchard Park Mall and Costco. Great place to stay and experience the city of Kelowna. In the summer fresh fruit is delivered to your door and there is a market open as well. Campground is very appealing, nice and clean, extremely well managed and maintained. Campground is open year round, laundry and bathroom facilities open as well. Fully serviced 30 amp & 50 amp sites available, pull through sites also available. In winter there is an extra charge for metered power if you are staying long term but it is worth the extra money in my opinion. If you are staying here in winter this is one of the only parks in Kelowna that allows skirting. This was a good safe spot to stay, managers live on site and campground is always being monitored. Awesome spot to stay in the city of Kelowna. (campground pictured above in top photo) 

[daniellemeilleur]

One of the most important factors for living in a travel trailer full time is learning to live a minimalistic lifestlye. When it comes to any small space too much stuff creates clutter and can be overwhelming. I feel most at ease when my space is clean and organized, having less things makes this much easier and allows me to focus on more important aspects of life and live in the moment. Living in a travel trailer I still like to decorate my space and find a happy balance between minimalism and a home-like appeal.

Plants are a great way to decorate but remain minimal. Plants not only look nice but they also clean the air - this is very important to me living in a new rv, the building matierals (as with many home building marerials) can contain chemicals such as formaldehyde, another issue in a small space is moisture and condensation. Plants like succulents, cacti, and orchids require minimal water and can help remove toxins as well as moisture/condesation from the air.

Two of my favorite pieces in my living room area are an old bench and and a chest, both found in an out building on my boyfriends historic family farm. The trunk is a great statement piece as it can be used as a coffee table but also has function and allows for extra storage which is very important when traveling in your home.

When it comes to the throw pillows and blankets pictured above each pillow was $15.00 or less, accumulated over a periode of time. The wolf pillow inparticular I had seen for $30.00 at one store and I almost bought it, by chance I ended up finding the same pillow at 'The Bargain Shop' for $15.00. The blanket which is a beautiful faux fur throw is from Super Store and cost only $30.00 in comparasement to a similar throw I found at a higher-end store for over $200.00.

One more thing I will mention is the lovely buddah head currently on my coffee table, this was given to me as a gift from my dad, it was purchased at a small shop in Stonewall, MB called Global Garage and Art House that suppports individuals living with disabilities.

[daniellemeilleur]

D.I.Y custom sink in our RV bathroom

Sink vessel converted out of a Mahogany Teakwood bowl from Kicking Horse Interiors in Golden, BC

Counter top made from a bamboo slab purchased at Rona, which we then cut to size using a cordless skill saw with finishing blade - bottom cabinet already in place from RV manufacturer.

Brushed Nickle faucet/drain set from Rona - cutouts made for faucet and drain through counter top, as well as a drain cut out through the bowl using a hole saw and cordless drill.

Bowl and counter top coated with a waterproof seal

Designed by me, made and installed by Nick Speer

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Follow my adventures on instagram! @daniellemeilleur

🌲🌿 walking through old-growth rain forests in glacier national park (at Hemlock Grove)

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One of my favorite arrangments that I made last year! Found this old pan in an outbuilding on Nicks farm and turned it into a vintage dish style planter, perfect for succulents and cacti! Nick drilled holes in the bottom of the dish for extra drainage (important for avoiding root rot!) Most of the plants in the arrangment were purchased at Shelmerdines Garden Center in Winnipeg, MB.

[daniellemeilleur]

Chamomile infusion:

Simple coconut oil infusion with dried chamomile.

-Completely cover chamomile with coconut oil - heated to liquid form for best results.

-Place air tight sealed lid on mason jar and let the jar sit somewhere warm for 2-3 weeks.

-After sitting period, reheat oil and simply strain with a coffee filter (removing all flower material) into another glass jar.

-Let cool, coconut oil should solidify at room temperature. This infusion may be done with any oil of choice, I prefer coconut oil. I like to use this infusion on my face and hair. It is also pet friendly. I use it on my dog, good for healing pads of paws (its antibacterial) or other dry areas. Given oraly it can help to freshen your dogs breath.

Works great as a moisturizer for both skin and hair, can be used to remove eye makeup. It can be taken orally and helps digestion. Chamomile can be soothing for an upset stomach. Chamomile is anti-inflammatory as well as anti-aging. Chamomile also promotes quicker healing internally and externally.

[daniellemeilleur]

A couple of my favorites by SBT Seabuckthorn, a company based out of British Columbia, Canada. I never go anywhere without my soothing salve, it’s great for any dry or chapped skin. It heals chapped lips almost instantly. Out of all the products I have tried it works the best on my eczema during the dry winters.

[daniellemeilleur]