Brian Long Workshop - In 2008 I took a class with Brian Long to make his Gypsy wagon. I had wanted a wagon for so long and as my first attempt at trying to make one failed horribly (you can see that attempt on another page) so I was very pleased to have a wagon that looks just how I pictured it, properly authentic. I still have lots more to do in here, wire it properly, sew bedding and cushions, china and glass on the shelves, and paint and age the outside properly

The table folds in and slides under the bed - brilliant !

I would like to find a better place for display, not with the kids dragons and horses

 

the plan is to give the chicken some bedding

I plan to paint the spindles

It will look cozy in here when it is finished

this is Brian's display model, hopefully mine will look this good

the red version, you can see what you can do to make them look really authentic

 

My friend Amanda also did the workshop with me, this is hers, she has got further along with it than me , lovely isn't it ?

My self and my sister took a trip to the Gypsy Museum in Spalding and I took lots of pictures for inspiration for when I get round to finishing mine off. Please be patient there are many pictures of real gypsy vans, I hope they may be of inspiration to some. You can see how highly decorated they were. My sister has done some research on our family history and apparently we have gypsy's and horse thieves! in our background, I think my sister feels more akin to it than me, she has dealt with horses all her life and leads a very nomadic lifestyle. She doesn't nick horses though !

carpet on the roof, for warmth

lovely old wood burning stove

The old guy who runs the museum, is Romany and he and his wife use this van to travel the country. You will often see them at the Appleby fair

my sis