Daphne's Caravans ::: Magical Retreats :::

Inspiring Individuality

New Book : for my birthday, my daughter Hilary gave me The Girl in the Painted Caravan: Memories of a Romany Childhood, by Eva Petulengro. Check it out! Published by Pan Books, 2011. ISBN 978-0-330-51999-1

Completed Caravans:

Rae:

In the fall of

2005, Rae came to the farm to build a new caravan to replace one she'd made several years earlier for her SCA character. She tells the story of building her caravans on her website:

Rae's First Wagon Rae's New Vardo Rae's Bowtop

Check Rae's Links for many more amazing caravans.

Kevin:

Have a look at this awesome new life for a classic 1938 truck!

Kevin's Gypsy Wagon

Linda:

Here's a new caravan, spring 2009. Linda built it herself, and is already making improvements. (that's what we do.... over and over and over) I love the door on the side - it must change the feeling of the inside space amazingly!

"The 'van is essentially finished except for the interior finish work, which I expect to chip away at over the next few months. I pulled it up to Medford OR two weeks ago and went camping with my son and granddaughters. The 'van was easy to tow, although my gas mileage was AWFUL. We stayed quite cozy in it, and though it rained every day we were there, not a drop got inside. The girls loved it.

Coming home, I discovered the canvas roof was beginning to ripple and flap. By the time I got home, there were a couple of tears in it. So, I am building an entirely new roof, designed to be more aerodynamic (better gas mileage???), and plan to be much more aggressive gluing down the canvas. I also found some 1" wide aluminum strips in the flooring department at Home Depot, and I will lay them front to back over the canvas, about 12" apart. With the heftier adhesive job and the screwed on metal, I hope the roof will be as good as the rest of the van."

Lars:

Check out Lars' portfolio to see more pictures of this vardo and all the Renfaire buildings he has made!

Works in Progress:

Catherine:

Started July 2007 on a buggy frame......

this will become a Screened-In Chaise Lounge to follow the sun and the breeze on Catherine's country property

Kent:

Summer 2008: From this humble beginning......

......will rise The Majestic!

June 30: My first lesson................on these old running gear the lug nuts on one side were sometimes reverse threaded. As a mechanical novice I initially sailed through removing the wheels marveling at how easy it was to accomplish this on 50 year old equipment which had lived outdoors its entire life. Then, wham.....along came the nuts that wouldn't budge no matter what I did. A huge dose of WD40 had no impact, a blow torch wouldn't loosen them, and finally the desperate act of driving them off with the bite from a cold chisel would have to work; but no. Late that night I thought to ask an old country-boy friend who had the advantage of a practical on-the-farm education. Sure enough, I had been blind. Be alert for an L on bolt ends. These are not threaded the way god intended.

Other Caravan Builders

If you have built a caravan and would like to show it here, please get in touch!