Lovely Living

I'm constantly searching for images that inspire my space. I'm dreaming of creating a perfect, peaceful, playful home to dwell in with my husband and littles. Some of my best finds this week

Source

Source

Source

Source

Source

Yay!

I Can't Believe I haven't already mentioned how excited I was to recieve a few of the coveted Penguin Hardcover Classics Illustrated by Coralee Bickford-Smith for Christmas!!!!

They do look so pretty on my bookshelf. Oh, and they're fun to read too!

Home Improvement

Mike put so much of his heart and soul into this little cabin that we live in, but it seems like the list of projects is never ending. I decided that there were some things that my mom and I could try to work on while she is staying here. She has a lot of expertise in home improvement, and is really creative.

There have been a few changes made to the layout of our house, and with the addition of stairs up to our deck this summer came a new entryway to our house. Now this little nook is our entryway, and it has been sitting unfinished. I finally came up with a plan, and began gathering materials months ago, but the project quickly fell by the wayside when the holidays arrived. Last week though, my mom had a few days off and asked me what I wanted to do, and I said I wanted to complete the floor. If it had been up to me to gather the rest of the materials and prepare to do the project, it wouldn't have gotten finished, but my mom is a machine. In one (exhausting) day we poured and pieced the floor together. Joel showed up about halfway through, and I'm glad he did because We would have been working well into the night if he hadn't been there to help.

 

(Before, just the plywood sub floor)

 (Supplies gathered)

 (I still have some scrubbing to do. Can you read that? It says Everett!)

 (Hazel's little footprint, and a 2011 penny next to it)

 

I really love how it turned out. I get so bored with cookie cutter houses, and I really enjoy it when I see something unique like this in someones home. I am also happy that I am able to add some of my own touches to our home that mike has done such a great job of putting together. There is still a bit of work to be done. Plans for a bench, some cubbies up high, some hooks, and possible a mirror are in the works. Can't wait to walk in my house, sit down on a bench to take my shoes off, and hang up my coat right here!

The Small House Movement

In my recent exploration of living more sustainably i have come across something called the "small house movement". People who downsize to homes that seem ridiculously small and inconvenient at first, but after really thinking about what we NEED to survive, and be happy, is it really all that ridiculous? I think not. Bigger isn't better, Less is more.

These tiny houses that go as small as 80 sq. ft. come equipped with kitchens, bathrooms, closets, a couch and a loft bed! Who needs more than that to survive? I don't, and after considering how much it would minimize a persons footprint, structural, as well as carbon, It seems like a great idea. Then add in the rising energy cost, and the mortgage crisis, and it just keeps sounding better and better. These homes cost less to purchase, maintain, and heat! One woman who built herself a 89 sq ft home in a friends backyard said that with rising enegery costs, her bill was a little more expensive lately. It has gone from $4 to $8 a month. How great does that sound?

Below are some Interesting ways that people have of living small, but still living comfortably and in style.

Jay Shafer has been living in houses smaller than some people’s closets since 1997. He now owns a company called Tumbleweed Tiny Houses.
Jay's tiny house tour:

For more on Tumbleweed Tiny Houses, Jay, and Living in tiny houses visit
http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/

Builder Brad Kittel makes these Texas "Tiny Houses" from 95% recycled materials. The only new elements of the home are electric systems, plumbing, and insulation. Unlike modern prefab mini-homes, each one is unique and reflects the style of its salvaged parts.

Based in Gonzales, Texas, Kittel's company specializes in scrap materials. The homes are built on pier-and-beam foundations, and they're portable. Porches are bolted on for fairly easy disassembly. Buyers can choose the components of their homes from Kittel's inventory of second-hand doors, windows, paneling, and trim. Prices range from $42,000 to $155,000 depending on size. To see the entire article click here

Photos: Sarah Wilson for This Old House


For a more modern, but more expensive way of living small:

The Loftcube takes advantage of unused space on high-rise rooftops: either the landlord can keep it there and rent it, or you can take it with you when you go. The pod-like exterior can be finished the way you want in combinations of glass and wood blinds, and the 36 square meter interior is customizable, too. Modular wall panels...

...separate the kitchen and bathroom, with the same tap used for both sinks (a bit like the swivel screen in the Sustainable Condo) to cut down on plumbing materials. The shower head can also water the plants, which is, if not terribly useful, sure to provide endless party entertainment.

While we love the idea of prefab housing that doesn't leave a footprint on undeveloped land, the Loftcube is heavy on wood and plastics, with no indication that they're sustainably forested or produced.

http://www.loftcube.net/

And Last but definitely not least:

Shipping Container Homes by PFNC Global Communities

Appalled, but also inspired by the poor living conditions of families in Juarez, Mexico, Brian McCarthy has begun a housing project worth paying attention to.

PFNC's container homes are 320 square feet on average, and they company aims to keep them around $8,000 each, to remain affordable for the average worker in manufacturing plants along the U.S. border.

For more Tiny Houses click below:
NY Times tiny homes
tinyhouseblog.com/
The small house Society
weehouse.com
greenaerie.blogspot.com/
tortoiseshellhome.com/
thecabinhouse.blogspot.com/
http://www.coyotecottage.com/index.htm
turnbulltinyhouse.blogspot.com/
blueskymod.com
sustain.ca/

When should you buy organic?

As an environmentalist, I am a big supporter of buying organic, but I often wonder what foods do i really need to worry about, and which foods are not worth the extra pennies it costs me to buy organic. Serously, with how many bananas my 7 room mates and i go through,
sometimes It is hard as college students to take the green route.
I was very interested to see a post on apartment therapy about this very thing.
(Bananas Aren't on the list, yay!)

Below are 12 fruits and veggies that the Department of Agriculture announced to have higher levels of pesticides, even after washing. The results are based on an analysis of government tests by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a research and advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C.

Here are the must-buy organic fruits:
Apples
Cherries
Grapes, imported
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Raspberries
Strawberries

Vegetables:
Bell peppers
Celery
Potatoes
Spinach/lettuce
Don't worry about going organic with these fruits:
Bananas
Kiwi
Mangos
Papaya
Pineapples

Vegetables:
Asparagus
Avocado
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Onions
These generally don't have pesticide residue.

Green Cleaning!

These are great, i just ordered some!

http://www.skoycloth.com/

They are Biodegradable cleaning cloths and just one cloth takes the place of 15 ROLLS, i repeat 15 ROLLS of paper towels! Sounds like a dream come true. These are so much better for the enviornment, and your wallet.

you can order 4 of them for about 5 dollars, or you can subscribe to them. They will send you 8 cloths every 3 months. They claim that if you use them right, you wont need more than that.

I will try them out and let you know