At Home in "TinyLand"

As the leaves have left the trees, my thoughts have turned to dwelling in “tinyland” for our 3rd winter here.


I know there are a lot of us out there doing life in small spaces and I salute you.

For the past 2 ½ years we have been in between houses and are living in a two bedroom, 1 bath, about 800 sq. ft. abode.


Seriously, when we moved into this apartment, we thought with no doubt in our minds that we would be in a house by now.  We often, as we did this morning, look up and say "God, though we are grateful for this place, we wonder what our next steps should be.  Waiting on You, Lord"

So, I thought, if I'm to redeem the past few years of dwelling in a small apartment, I may need to take a look at the value attached to what I've learned since being here and living in a smaller space and under the limitations of a rental agreement.

 
* Furniture lessons:  The right size for the space is important and too much furniture can be a problem so we are looking for a new sofa.  A solid color sofa on the neutral side and punch of personality and color with pillows does wonders for a room. I'm saving for it so it will come when the money does.

*Accessory Lessons:  A shelf above that sofa sounds good because I love my accessories or I'm considering a gallery rail on which I can display a collection of photos or art.  It will allow for versatility without putting unlimited holes in those walls and it will assist in claiming the space as my own using my things is important to me. This will set me up to keep things fun and fresh.

*Studio Lessons:  Repurpose an old dresser, sideboard, or cabinet and put your paint, crafting, and art supplies in totes or baskets so they can be pulled out, used, and popped right back into their spots.

I literally pulled this wooden cupboard out of the neighbors garbage as they were moving out.  It is now tucked in the corner of my dining nook where our diningroom table doubles as a work table. 

Dual purposes: it's pretty when it's closed and it houses all my supplies. 

*Bathroom Lessons:  I found a mini bookcase in Amish Country that fits right in between toilet and tub and now is home for all the bathroom stuff.

If it doesn’t fit on that shelf, it goes. Discipline.


*Color Lessons:  I've learned to Embrace the white palette.

Paint all of your furnishings in one room white and then antique. It felt as though I added square footage when I did that.

*Charm Lessons: Bring architecture and charm in by using salvage pieces like an old fireplace mantle on one wall. Maybe columns propped in corners, vintage windows on the walls,

or corbels used as candle sconces. Let your imagination run wild in junk stores or even passing by treasure on garbage pick up day.

*Storage Lessons:  This cedar chest that I made in Industrial Arts class in high school along with 2 other large blanket chests are home to things like holiday decor, games, and other items such as seasonal clothing that just need to be stored and out of site when not in use.

This one came over with Teds grandmother from Scotland when she was just a girl.

Also, collecting vintage suitcases are great for more storage.  I'm currently working on a creative filing system for our bills and paperwork that we need to keep.  I'm thinking I don't like the metal file cabinet I've been using as it has to sit out and I don't like seeing it so much.

*So, the point is...

What seemed like limitation has turned into creative opportunity.

*Oh, and please, where ever you live, I know I've found comfort in putting together pieces of unique art that mean something personal to me. 

Like this ode to the moon wall in my bathroom.  My friend Vernita gave me the great frame and I had this reproduction of a vintage post card called "Lucky Moon" and found this metal cresent.  I smile when I look at it.  and makes "tinyland" feel a little more like Home.

As you leave a comment, please simply share one creative idea for small space living.  I'd appreciate that, especially if you can help me with my filing cabinet bill and paperwork problem.
***

Remember to sign up for the “Give Thanks” stitchery giveaway.
Just click on the link and fill out the form at the end of the Amish Country Living blog post.

The winner will be announced on November 10th on Amish Country Living.  1 week to go!!!

Until next time,
T

Busy, Fun Days!!

Give Thanks

Giveaway

Good Friday!

What an interesting and wonderful few days I've had.

I was in Ohio for the quickest trip ever.

LeeAnn Miller and I were up to AmishCountryLiving business and we took the opportunity to brainstorm and meet up with some fabulous, unique people.

Can I tell you that people and relationships is where it's at.  We, either are influencing or being influenced by other people and impacting or being impacted by those relationships.

I believe it for sure!

Case in point,

my new friend, Stefanie

Owner and Artistic soul

of

55 West and Co.

in

Millersburg, Ohio.

I will never forget my first visit with her and I will take every chance I can to get back there to simply hang out and soak up the atmosphere.

I felt so inspired  and blessed after being in that store and seriously didn't want to leave.

There is much more to come about this store and Artist

and I can't wait till November's blog giveaway on

AmishCountryLiving.com

to

feature this amazing place.

more to come!

*****************

These were discovered at Homespun Treasures

Walnut Creek, OH

www.homespunwalnutcreek.com

I actually saw something new that I believe was invented just for me!

Seriously, as much as I love naturals and light and twigs and stuff.

Yes, I love the combo of it all

This caught my eye.

Twig lights!!!

branches that are already installed with seed lights built right in!

Yes!!!

They will be mine!!!

Check them out at Homespun Treasures

Oh, and I'm so excited that they have agreed to sponsor a giveaway through my guest blogger spot on AmishCountryLiving  for December!

*******

Well, gang, I'm off to go pick up my car from the collision center

FINALLY!!

What was originally supposed to be an 8 day fix, has become a 4 week ordeal.

Blessings to you and if you are so inclined check out my store.

Plenty of pendant choices along with some artwork.

TinaLawverDesigns

***

I couldn't leave this post without showing you a picture of my favorite girl in the world in her Halloween Costume in honor of Papa's favorite movie.

Have a fabulous weekend!!!

Give Thanks...tutorial AND give away

Give Thanks

A great thing to remember for anytime, but this time of year...

well, it seems to be on the hearts of many.

Fall is when the harvest happens and people give thanks for the abundance that God has provided.

The gift of color of the changing leaves and this amazing season.

*

In that spirit, I've created an easy project and a tutorial for you to enjoy.

1. Gather your supplies

*Muslin or another inexpensive fabric...non stretchy is best

(for this project, I used scraps from an old curtain panel that I aquired..

who knows where all these scraps come from, but they sure come in handy)

*Embroidery hoop

*Assorted embroidery floss

*Embroidery needle

*Picture Frame

*Instant Coffee Crystals (any brand and cheap is good)

*Inspiration piece, in this case, a printed Fall paper napkin

2. Transfer image to fabric.

*now you can use graphite paper on top of the fabric and lay an image over the graphite paper and trace over the image. I like a pencil for this because a pen would just tear the napkin.

OR

*you can be bold and draw an image of your own

The image transfers easily and the graphite transfer paper did the trick!

I added the words...GIVE THANKS...with a pencil

Write it in your own handwriting.

It makes it personal.

3. Place your fabric with the image ready to go in your hoop

4. Separate your strand of embroidery floss into two strands.

*There should be 3 threads in each strand

*Thread your needle

5. The whole project is done with a backstitch. If you've never done it before, don't stress, it's easy. If you have done a backstitch, feel free to skip this part:)

*push the needle through from back of hoop to the front

*hold the end of the thread on the back with your finger to keep it from coming up through as you pull the needle and thread through

*follow your image line that you transferred by reinserting the needle back in from the top and pull through the underside

*Come back up through leaving a space (make sure the loop catches the loose

thread on the underside so it is now secure and you don't have to hold it anymore.

*Then reinsert the needle in the top, backstitching to fill in the space.

*Repeat this technique the whole way through the project.

(below)

Securing the loose thread in the back so you don't have to knot it. This way it will lay flat in a frame.

(Below)

Backstitching to fill in the space and make a clean line.
(Below)

When you fill in a letter, make sure you end it by tying it off in the back,

this helps with not seeing loose threads through your fabric.

Your finished letters should look something like this.

Continuing on...

6. Choose Fall colors for the leaf

Repeat the same stitching technique as above to finish the leaf.

And finished...

***

That fabric is a little too white for a Fall project so...

Let's make it darker...nothing says age like accumulated dust and dirt and to make it look authentic,
Coffee dying works great.

***

1. In your kitchen sink or container

*sprinkle some instant coffee crystals...as much as you think...I never measure:)

2. Add enough hot water to make a strong dark mixture.

(here's a tip, if you intent to use your stitchery to make a pillow or have it out, you can add some vanilla extract, cinnamon, or pumpkin spice to the mixture to add a nice scent.

3. Insert your finished stitchery

and let it soak till it gets as dark as you are happy with.

4. Remove the piece from the coffee mixture

5. Lay the stitchery flat in a pan and place in a 250 degree oven to dry

By allowing it to dry in the oven, it gives you darker and lighter spots and really ages it well.

6. Keep checking on it every 10 minutes or so to make sure it doesn't over-dry.

This process usually takes about 20-30 minutes.

7. At this point, you can decide if you want it darker and, if you do, you can repeat the process by soaking it again or spraying it with the coffee mixture and bake it again.

8. Cut the finished stitchery to size and put into a frame.

GIVE AWAY!!!

************************************************

If you take a trip over to

Amish Country Living

you can sign up at the end of my blog post to win

this framed stitchery that was created for this tutorial.

You can begin signing up October 27th and the winner will be announced on November 10th

The hand crafted stitchery will be shipped to the winner within 3 days of the winner being chosen.

Thanks for supporting me and Amish Country Living

I Give Thanks for all of you.

T

A Little "Link Love"

Allow me to share a little "Link Love" with you today.

This is my friend and fellow blogger

She is known as Junkbabe on Amish Country Living and she wrote the most wonderful post on there called

"The Junk Truck"

Go there to check it out.

You'll be blessed

I promise

T

Ohio trip and a project

I had a wonderful time last week in Ohio

Celebrated our Grand daughter's 5th birthday,

Visited friends and family and did a little work while I was there.

*

Of course, we stayed with our friends Vernita and Tom, who are more like family than simply our friends. They are so gracious and beyond friends.

Vernita decorates her ferns on her porch for Fall. They are still so green and full.

I thought this was such a cute idea.

*

I just had to snap some pics.

*

It was so beautiful and this is the welcoming entrance to

The Miller Haus,

A bed and breakfast in Walnut Creek, Ohio

***

Upcoming on Amish Country Living is a tutorial and giveaway that will happen on Tuesday, October 27th

Here's a little hint at what I've been preparing for it.

***
I've been going through my pictures since I've been home and I loved this one of my girl with her camera.

I covet her camera. Awesome!

She got some great shots of Savannah on her birthday.

*

Our family, all of us, are photography buffs.

We love it.

********

I've been working on a project for a while now and I'm so pleased with how it turned out.

Even more pleased that the client liked it and will be giving it as a gift to a friend of his who is opening a winery.

This painting was created on the lid of a wine barrel.

I will have more news of this in the months to come, but I was thrilled to work on this project.

I can't wait to see it in place!

Well, I'm off for now

Dinner with my husband and a friend,

and it's FRIDAY!!

I hope you all have a really blessed weekend and thanks for dropping by.

Blessings

T

Good Morning from OHIO!

Good Morning,

Just a quick post to say hi! I'm in Ohio right now enjoying family and friends and getting some work done here and there. I'll be heading back in a little while to WV.

I had a great meeting with LeeAnn Miller from Amish Country Living. What a blessings she is to me and we are getting involved in wonderful adventures together through the web site and it looks like there will be more to come. Very exciting and a stretch right outta my comfy zone for sure.

My latest blog post will be on Amish Country Living (the website) this morning with a few ideas for pumpkin seeds and, because they insisted, yes....the segment from last weeks Fox 11 Pumpkin Carving Demo will be on the main page. Oh Lord! Seriously! As I said, not my comfy zone.

Well, I'm off to have a cup of Caramel Drizzle coffee prepared for me by my good friend, Vernita, and hopeful for what today will have in store.

Have a fabulous day yourself.

Be back soon,

T

"A Moonlit Gathering" .....story

On a crisp, cool October night, 3 sisters bound by the heart

were drawn by the rising moon---full and glowing.

Bringing magical light to places normally too dark to venture into

Lets bring our caged spirits and set them free, take advantage of open doors of soaring possibility.

Lets invite others to join us with full acceptance and bless her with what we know.


We are all joined at the heart, created by the same creator, to be encouragers to eachother to be set free in HIM and feeling deeply

that the time is

now.

***

"A Moonlit Gathering"

final ebay auction ends this Sunday night