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

Inspiring Individuality for over 25 years


*Our Caravans 1997-2022*	*Pricing and Building Options*	*Stained Glass Windows*	*Links to Other Builders*	*Vendor Wagons and Other Uses*

Contact: daphnelbertram@gmail.com or 519-986-3157

Looking for a second-hand caravan? Email me to see if I have any at the moment.

Want to build your own caravan? Get inspired by this website that outlines all the steps. It's a great "how-to".

https://timsprojects9.wordpress.com/2023/02/01/vardo/

2024

Spring 2024 is already set to be busy, with four 10' caravans planned. When they are completed, I will move to smaller 6' to 8' caravans.

If you are interested in a small vendor or camping caravan, please get in touch.

If you are looking for a 10', by all means get in touch with me, but I won't guarantee a 2024 delivery.

2023

A Spring of Caravans Leaving!

Winter came early in 2022, leaving me with several caravans to finish in spring 2023. After they were complete, the next was a 12' wagon for Pennsic 50.

SMALL VENDOR WAGONS

lightweight, easy to tow

I made 4 vendor wagons this season, 3 on 6' trailers and 1 on an 8' base. To keep down both costs and weight, I experimented with plywood for the 8'.

I was able to keep the cost of all 4 around $5500Cdn

2022

FORTUNE'S COOKIES Cleveland

10' Vendor wagon

fortunescookies.com

POLKADOT ENTERTAINMENT Omaha

Show wagon with special under-floor storage

9' vardo with a 2' porch

polkadotentertainment.com

12' TRAVEL CARAVAN St Louis

Mediaeval Cottage heading to Pennsic 2022

2021

Elliot's Gnome Home

5' high, 3'x5' base, now entirely a play space, but can have bunk beds added later when Elliot is older (he's only 2)

Other 2021 Projects

a 12' mobile health clinic,

an 11' library bookmobile,

and an 8' backyard retreat.

2019

Our 2019 Vendor Wagon at its first event:

Summer 2019: an onsite build,

COMPLETED in 9 days!

A 'homewagon' for the municipality of Neebing, Ontario. Based on the Journey's Middle series of children's books by Barbara Parent, it will be set up in the municipality's park.

Building started on Saturday August 17 in the Neebing municipal garage!

Saturday:

from an empty trailer to a floor and the start of the framing and back wall

Sunday:

lots of board sanding and painting by helpers Barb and Celeste, ledges complete, front wall framing

Monday:

Fantastic progress! Front wall, side frames, both curved ends, and lots more painting.

We stopped early for a trip to the Diamond Willow Amethyst Mine!

Tuesday:

roof beams and more painting and lots of visitors!

Wednesday:

lots of trim cut and ready, and the first two layers of the roof

Thursday:

over half the outside trim; windows installed; starting the interior

Friday:

more trim, installed the metal roof, and worked on the sliding door for the wall over the trailer hitch

Saturday:

Here's where I've been working all week - a 20 minute drive south of Thunder Bay!

Two big bays and great company:

Today's success: finished the (almost invisible) sliding door in the front wall, and installed the Dutch doors. Painted, painted and painted, and added more trim. Almost done!

Sunday:

FINISHED!

Thank you to my hardworking volunteers: Barb, Celeste, and Bob.

Barb, you kept the details in focus for me; Celeste, you sanded and painted like a pro; and Bob, you kept us smiling, while you got a lot of work done.

Without the three of you, the project would not have run so smoothly and so fast.

Other 2019 Projects

with two single beds instead of a double or queen, and outside trim to disguise the (boring) straight side walls

Lots of build-ins, but it still feels spacious

now at home in the woods by a river

heading to Pennsic, 2019

# 4

vendor wagon for chimney cakes, an Eastern European delight, situated in Pennsylvania

Next:

vendor wagon for Lailokens Awen incense, to be completed spring 2020

Other Delights:

Check out this great little market truck by Chris Stark:

https://www.instructables.com/id/Micro-Market-Truck/

June 2018: PAM'S NEW CARAVAN

Our #50 and the best yet!

Finished and delivered to NERO Canada site June 28

This is Pam's third caravan. (The others were built in 2000 and 2013)

A year in the making, it has every feature she could imagine!

The interior represents countless trips to flea markets and thrift stores.

The penny table took up space in our living room for weeks, and she filled the winter hours with creating the stained glass windows.

Now, she can enjoy it! Happy dreaming!

September 2018

August 2018

this is a vendor wagon, with selling space on three sides

Check out twofairiesandadwarf.com for pictures of the completed caravan in use (and to see their awesome goods for sale)

August 2018

July 2018

May 2018

June 2018

May 2018

2017 Projects:

ON SITE BUILD in Prince Edward County, Ontario

Day 1: start finish

Day 2: walls up ready to cut the 1st curve

Day 3: most of the roof, the bed

Day 4: finished the under-roof, started the windows

Day 5: the interior is starting to take shape

Day 6: half day of trim and windows, then home

Return trip: metal roof, front door, bay window. The finishing will happen after I leave.

Complete!

10' Sloped sided Caravan. Varnished pine with stained accents.

TWO caravans for Amherst Island, Lake Ontario

Mongolian Luggage Cart with collapsible ends for Pennsic 2017

Steampunk! I'm making it for myself 'just because', but if it interests you, get in touch!

Visiting Nancy's Brigadoon down the road. Still no door...

At Creemore Springs' Turas Mor and vintage festival:

Painted Cedar 11' Ledge Wagon for Pennsic

13' Straight sided Pennsic 2017

7' Ledge Caravan with an old, weather-worn look. It's an 1867 photographer's wagon.

Finish It Yourself!

This is as much as I am doing on this caravan. The owners will do all the finishing work and painting! The herring bone pattern took longer to do, but looks terrific!

Stained Glass Ideas

Plywood Option

Small plywood version of the cedar reading room but less than half the price

9' Ledge Wagon for Pennsic 2016

The tongue and groove pine siding was cut for us locally. The doors were made in the same shop.

8' Ledge with built-in crib for NERO Canada

11' x 6' straight sided full time living space

A fully-insulated chicken coop, on a simple 4'x5' trailer. `The girls` are happy in their new home and laying delicious country eggs in the spacious boxes.

After the first, I suddenly found myself building a second chicken coop, in a hurry, to be ready for the Georgian Homesteading and Survival Show. Building in modular pieces with plywood is certainly faster!