Mum of 3 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 So, we decided we needed to get the boys out into the 'great outdoors' more, and we don't have a garden, so what could we do?...Buy a 5metre (Count 'em...5!) bell tent to lounge around in and go camping all through the summer!! I've been to the big shop that sells all the Swedish stuff and got some fabby Solar Powered lights in the sale, and some dead cheap rugs to make it nice and cozy...Oh! and some fabby Kilim floor cushions I've wanted for ages reduced from £25 to £9.99!!! And today I got some fabric samples to make bunting with-about 25 squares for a pound!!! So, I'm getting really excited about going out into the great outdoors and communing with nature. (Only to begin with we're only going to camp on my Mum's field in case it all goes horribly wrong and we can slope off indoors and get into a nice warm bed ) Any tips anyone? How can I make it even more FUN and FUNKY? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted June 23, 2009 (edited) Ooooh, it sounds garjuss!! What about one of those chim-in-im-in-imer thingys for outside to sit round once it's dusk. I think you can cook on them too. With tea lights in painted glass holders (jam jars and glass paint...the kids could do 'em too!)... And those lovely Morrocan-esque tin lanterns that are about at the mo for outside too...you can buy metal 'shepherds crooks' to hang them on, stuck in the ground. And inside you could make 'multi-pockets' that hang up to put bits and bobs in like torches (my mum made one when we camped). And garjuss glass and metal wind chimes to hang at the entrance too... And, and, and, and... *calm* *calm* Boho Edited June 23, 2009 by bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NobbyNobbs Report post Posted June 23, 2009 you could really liven things up by pitching the tent on a hill. we made that mistake at glastonbury one year and every morning i woke up literally on top of my sister where we'd slid down the tent in out sleeping bags into a big heap at the 'down' end Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mum of 3 Report post Posted June 24, 2009 Ooooh, it sounds garjuss!! What about one of those chim-in-im-in-imer thingys for outside to sit round once it's dusk. I think you can cook on them too. With tea lights in painted glass holders (jam jars and glass paint...the kids could do 'em too!)... And those lovely Morrocan-esque tin lanterns that are about at the mo for outside too...you can buy metal 'shepherds crooks' to hang them on, stuck in the ground. And inside you could make 'multi-pockets' that hang up to put bits and bobs in like torches (my mum made one when we camped). And garjuss glass and metal wind chimes to hang at the entrance too... And, and, and, and... *calm* *calm* Boho Yes! Yes! Yes! Tea lights in painted jam jars...I Luuurve that! And I could use some of my new fabric bits to make a patchworky pocketty thing...Great tip! Can we make pretty wind chimes from anything I wonder??? Probably not if we want them to sound good!!! OOOh..Got some more rugs off t'internet for next to nowt...hope they're here by Friday And need to start collectinng great camping recipees. Mmmmm.... I Reeeelly want a little stove to go inside but boring hubby thinks it might be a fire hazard. Huh! He's making mild noises about needing a trailer to cart all my tent stuff around in, but I don't care...if there's no room for all the tent stuff in the car we'll take the kids out and make them run alongside!! No camping on a hillside for us... ...It's a round tent so we'd all roll into the next county!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted June 24, 2009 (edited) Yes! Yes! Yes! Tea lights in painted jam jars...I Luuurve that! And I could use some of my new fabric bits to make a patchworky pocketty thing...Great tip! Can we make pretty wind chimes from anything I wonder??? Probably not if we want them to sound good!!! OOOh..Got some more rugs off t'internet for next to nowt...hope they're here by Friday And need to start collectinng great camping recipees. Mmmmm.... I Reeeelly want a little stove to go inside but boring hubby thinks it might be a fire hazard. Huh! He's making mild noises about needing a trailer to cart all my tent stuff around in, but I don't care...if there's no room for all the tent stuff in the car we'll take the kids out and make them run alongside!! No camping on a hillside for us... ...It's a round tent so we'd all roll into the next county!!! Oooh, it all sounds lovely! When you say it's a bell tent, is it a modern nylon one...I can remember huge great big old canvas ones from when my mum was a Guider 35 plus years ago! Please can we see some picccies when you're all set? As a complete digression, there's a company that hire out bedouin tents for parties...inside they are all eastern wall hangings and large floor cushions. I'm seeing your bell tent in a similar vein! Keep us posted Boho Oooh, another idea: you can get individual small 'squares' of decking. You could use a few put together either outside for a hard standing for a stove, etc, or even inside as an area around the central pole. Although I guess you would definitely need a trailer then! And if you can't make wind chimes, you could still make some dream catchers to hang up. I once made one for my girlies using a bendy twig, embroidery thread, odd beads and feathers found in the garden! Plus you can usually find inexpensive wind chimes in head shops... Edited June 24, 2009 by bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mum of 3 Report post Posted June 26, 2009 Oooh, it all sounds lovely! When you say it's a bell tent, is it a modern nylon one...I can remember huge great big old canvas ones from when my mum was a Guider 35 plus years ago! Please can we see some picccies when you're all set? As a complete digression, there's a company that hire out bedouin tents for parties...inside they are all eastern wall hangings and large floor cushions. I'm seeing your bell tent in a similar vein! Keep us posted Boho Oooh, another idea: you can get individual small 'squares' of decking. You could use a few put together either outside for a hard standing for a stove, etc, or even inside as an area around the central pole. Although I guess you would definitely need a trailer then! And if you can't make wind chimes, you could still make some dream catchers to hang up. I once made one for my girlies using a bendy twig, embroidery thread, odd beads and feathers found in the garden! Plus you can usually find inexpensive wind chimes in head shops... No, it's not nylon it's lovely cream canvas. We're having a trial run tomorrow to make sure everything works and we've not forgotten to get anything vital! I love the idea of making dream catchers...need to find my embroidery threads (see? vital supplies I nearly forgot right there!!!!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted June 27, 2009 (edited) No, it's not nylon it's lovely cream canvas. We're having a trial run tomorrow to make sure everything works and we've not forgotten to get anything vital! It sounds fabby...where did you get it from? I hate nylon-y things...I kept our old garden umbrella for years because it was cream canvas even though it was a bit frilly where it had been nibbled! I might even be tempted to camp again myself if it was a garjuss canvas tent... Can you post a piccie of your new abode in all it's glory? Boho Edited June 27, 2009 by bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mum of 3 Report post Posted June 29, 2009 Can you post a piccie of your new abode in all it's glory? Boho It was great...really huge, and airy with the sides rolled up to let the breeze in...BUT would you believe it, I forgot to take any photos!!!! I kept meaning to, then the kids wanted me, or DH did, or I couldn't find the camera...you know what it's like...but I did take a few of the kids playing inside and out, so I'll find a way of getting them up here, and you'll have to look beyond the kids and at the tent! Alternatively, it was so good we're planning to do it all again next week, so I'll be sure to do some then! I got it from a dutch company...obelink.co.uk...but we had to translate the site! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted June 29, 2009 Waaahhhh!! DH has vetoed the idea on the grounds that all I want to do is decorate it and make it garjuss inside (I suggested it could be an extra 'outdoor room' in the garden during the summer weeks...)... ...and DD#1 said she's rather get a Wii fit so she could do yoga!! Philistines!! Boho Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mum of 3 Report post Posted June 29, 2009 Waaahhhh!! DH has vetoed the idea on the grounds that all I want to do is decorate it and make it garjuss inside (I suggested it could be an extra 'outdoor room' in the garden during the summer weeks...)... ...and DD#1 said she's rather get a Wii fit so she could do yoga!! Philistines!! Boho Yes, And his point is?..... Tell DD1 that this is THE ultimate yoga hangout...get her a book of yoga poses and she can 'yog' in the tent to her heart's content! And as for making it all pretty...doesn't he know how happy this will make you?...and we all know a happy mummy makes a happy family! Don't give up!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
