The Succulent Wife Since 2007: A Look Back

It was in 2007 when The Succulent Wives came to be a blog. Looking back we are amazed on the plethora of topics that we have written about over the years. Some were poignant, some funny and many we had completely forgotten about. As our blog has grown, so has our readership and because of that, we want to share the ones that, to this day, are still our favorites. The one below was originally posted last year but definitely worth repeating.

We would like to say that we coined the phrase ‘glamping’ but glamorized camping is for those who find roughing it a night at the Best Western. We love to do things in style and just because we find ourselves in the outdoors does not mean that we can’t be comfortable. The article below is the second of a two part series with the link to the first one attached.

Did you catch our first piece on glamping last week? That was our intro to the silver spoon type of camping, where we mentioned glamping locations and resources. Was that a little over the top? Maybe. But that’s part of the fun. If you don’t want to go all the way, but want to add a little glamour to your camping style, here are some product ideas to get you started on the DIY glamping trend. We are quite certain that your campsite neighbors will be envious beyond measure…

	Glamping Tents – Let’s start with the accommodations, shall we? The Suburban Camping Company that we mentioned in our last piece also sells “Glamping” tents. Big enough to hold a party! Similar tents are also sold at BoutiqueCamping.com. Or get this circus style striped tent at TheGlamCampingCompany.com.
	Faux Fur, Sheepskins & Rugs – Glamping is all about coziness, so it goes without saying that comfy, snuggly throws and rugs are de rigueur. How about this faux fur throw? Or if you need to be more authentic, go for the sheep skin. Or course, you will want to add loads of decorative pillows and rugs. Duh!
	Joi Ingenious Lighting - Good lighting is one of the most important components to create an inviting atmosphere. And this award-winning lamp will not only shed light on the situation, it will also get the conversation going. It doesn’t use batteries, solar or plug-in energy. It’s power source is a single 4-hour tea light candle which in turn provides 70+ lumens of light, i.e. it’s 18 times the light of that tea candle. Amazing. See the list of retailers here.
	Kelly Kettle – It’s definitely a classic. The Kelly Kettle was first brought to market in Ireland in the 1890′s. It’s the perfect kettle to boil water ultra fast in the outdoors. It uses natural fuel of the twigs, sticks and pine cone variety, basically the dry flammable material you would find in any campground. You can buy the Cookset along with Kelly Kettle which will allow you to cook with it, using the kettle’s fire as the heat source. Add a French press coffee maker and you’re in for a glorious morning. Buy here.
	Wine Carrousel – It’s very likely that wine is the beverage of choice for glampers. I’m guessing that true glampers even go as far as consuming the sparkling kind only. In either case, this wine carousel will safely keep your drinks from spilling on an otherwise unstable outdoor ground. The adjustable height of the carousel makes it easy to keep wine within easy reach whether by lounge chairs or table-side. Buy at Picnic-plus.com or Amazon.
	Stacked Wines – Glamping is also about being ingenious and creative. Sounds like this innovative and oh-so conveniently packaged wine fits right in. Stacked Wines offers a bottle of wine separated into four stemless wine (high quality, shatterproof) glasses. No glass bottle, glasses or corkscrew to worry about. Choose from Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio or Merlot. Shop here.
	Music Cooler – Love this double duty cooler. Cool up to 72 bottle or cans (plus ice) in this leak-proof insulated cooler AND listen to your music with the two built-in speakers at the same time. Folds in seconds to store in its travel bag. Buy on Amazon.
	JOOS Orange – So, how are you going to keep that music going out there in the wild? You need some juice! Or JOOS. Here’s a portable solar charger that can quickly recharge all your personal electronic devices. It’s waterproof too. Buy from SolarJOOS.com or on Amazon.
	Qdrinks Soda Mixers – Qdrinks makes sodas from the best ingredients they can find. Great on their own or to enhance your signature cocktails. Classic ginger ale, kola, club soda and tonic water. Sold at select grocery stores. If we’re going to be snobs about glamping, might as well be snobs right down to our sodas too. See the list of retailers here.
	Mexican Oilcloth – A prettily set table is key to setting the mood for the glamp dinner. Get some brightly patterned oilcloth (a vinyl product) to dress up your table by making tablecloths, placemats or if you are more adventurous, chair covers too. You can order Mexican oilcloth by emailing retail@oilcloth.com.
	Utensils Caddy- The devil is in the details indeed. Like in this patterned utensils caddy. You know you will use this again, also for all your holiday get-togethers, picnics and all. Several prints available. Buy here.
	Ice Cream Carrier – Ok, so an ice cream carrier is a definitely over the top, but so is glamping. If you’re going to do it, it’s gotta be all or nothing. So dress up, protect and insulate your ice cream, will ya? Great for concerts in the park too! Buy here.
	Portable Fire Pit – Camping = fire pit. So, depending on your destination, you might just need to bring your own. Conveniently, this fire pit folds up FLAT. It promises quick assembly and can safely burn a real log fire. Great for roasting those marshmallows and hot dogs (for which, you will need these). Buy the portable fire pit from BoutiqueCamping.com.
	Haul Couture Cargo Bag- And, to carry all your glamping necessities, you will want to do it in style. This is GLAMping after all. Beautifully and cleverly designed to “haul” large quantities of stuff, these oversized, insulated bags, these Haul Couture bags are up to the task. See the convincing video. Folds flat when you’re done. Shop here.