Painting the "Company Car"

Since our bucket bike is our primary mode of transportation (as both a business and a family), we decided it’s finally time to spruce up our “company car” before 2020 rolls in. (Read my recent posts about our bikes, here.)

We’ll be working with local artist Brittney Banks to create custom designs for the exterior or the bucket. (I’m looking forward to finally removing the bland text-only decal from the side.)

Fun fact: Brittney created the cards we gave to all the guests who attending our home-wedding. I appreciate her playful style, and the ways in which she manages to capture Venice with her brush. 

These are very quick prelim designs she made after we rolled the bike into our garden and chatted about the direction we wanted to take with the art. We’ve since modified the concepts somewhat, but the vibe will be the same, and the scenes will be tailored to our funny lil’ live/work world here by the Canals. 

After Brittney left, West said he wanted to practice painting in the bike.

The front bench was still in place from his cousins’ recent visit, and it served as an ideal surface for a bit of water painting for the afternoon. 

I’ll be sharing the customization process as it progresses. More soon!

Our Youngest Resident Turns 2

And just like that, the youngest resident of the Cottage turned 2.

As with every major celebration here at home, we tried to center the events around each other and our shared experience, rather than tilting the focus towards “stuff.” However, a few days before West’s birthday, we received a beautiful, handmade, folding (and thus space-savvy) climbing ladder and board from Wiwiurka Toys, and it rightfully (and delightfully) stole the show.

Other than enjoying the new climbing gym, we spent most of the day slowly rolling the cargo bike through the nearby, annual Abbot Kinney Festival, reading “new” library books, and paddling down the canals during sunset.

Instead of buying new books for West and wrapping them in disposable paper, I decided to borrow a stack of books from the county library, and bundle them up in one of my scarves. This gift didn’t cost a penny, it produced no waste, and was every bit as fun for West to unwrap, discover, and dive into as a pricey gift in specialty wrappings. (And the books will spark happiness for weeks.)

West was also given some musical greeting cards from our family members. We love these because they keep our squirmy son entertained during diaper changes.

Our sunset paddle was a particularly gorgeous one— the sky was thick with layered gold and pink clouds. After floating home, West ate a slice of pumpkin pie (in lieu of a birthday cake), and he blew out a candle for the first time.

Happy birthday, lil’ West. Our love for you is beyond anything I could’ve ever possibly imagined.