Recent Features Roundup
Occasionally we like to select a few features from the Cottage that were published by other outlets and share them via our own blog as well. Our latest roundup includes a video interview, tips for small space living, and our story of sheltering in under 400 sqft for nearly a year.
What's Your Story?: A live conversation in this time of global reckoning, revolution, and reinvention, with Rebecca Walker, Lily Diamond and Whitney Leigh Morris via Book Passage.
Video below, or click here to view via the Book Passage events channel replay page.
Basenotes by Vitruvi: Tips for Small Space Living from The Tiny Canal Cottage
Whitney Leigh Morris lives with her husband, her four-year-old son, and their two dogs, and has another baby on the way. Sounds pretty average, right? Until you factor in that she’s doing it all in less than 400 square-feet. Find out how she makes it work in her interview with Basenotes.
Domino Magazine: Small Space Quarantine Tips from Whitney Leigh Morris
(Note: This was published in December 2020, but was written at the start of the previous the Spring, when when we’d only sheltering in place for 2 months. Now, after nearly a year of staying home, most of our practices are still very much the same.)
We're Moving!
After a decade in our tiny canal cottage, we are moving. (And not to the French farmhouse quite yet.)
You see, we made the offer on the farmhouse the same week I conceived. Before discovering that I was pregnant, our plan was to travel to France (contingent upon COVID) in April to begin eight months of restoration work on the property. Naturally, our baby is expected to arrive in late April. (Ah, the universe!)
So we had a choice: Either stay in our beloved little LA cottage for the birth + fourth trimester (knowing that we’d have one foot out the door, plus zero help with the baby, West or my small business), or take the leap and uproot our company and home lives by my third trimester to be closer to family.
We chose family. Especially since, like so many other folks across the globe, we haven’t seen each other for a year or more.
After much deliberation, we’ve started planning an ~800 square-foot, sustainable cottage (classified as an ADU or “Accessory Dwelling Unit”) in a clearing on my parent’s property in Northern Florida.
The intention of this little space is for it to be a combined home/office/studio for my family and business when we’re not in France, and for it to be enjoyed by others when we’re away. Then, down the road, it can become a private residence to long-term care experts for my parents, should that become necessary.
Just like with the farmhouse, what drew me to this concept (beyond the proximity to family) is the idea of shared spaces and belongings. We’re excited to experience multigenerational living and support one another while sharing select amenities and goods.
Plus — with the arrival of the baby and some larger work projects unfolding behind-the-scenes — Adam and I could use some help in the months to come. And my folks, who are in their mid-70s, could use some help lately, too.
While we design and build our little ADU and await the right moment to begin our journey in France, we’ll be staying in my parents’ home. Initially, I dug my heels in about this, stubbornly repeating to Adam that I would not be turning 40 and having a baby in a home that’s not my own, thank-you-very-much. I paced the weathered floors of our beachside home while wondering out loud, on a relentless loop, just how on earth I could continue to nurture my interiors business while living for months out of a suitcase in the upstairs of the house in which I grew up.
After all, as someone who has carved out a career in the home space, and as someone who is the sole income earner for her immediate family, it is nerve-wracking from a business perspective to abruptly have no dedicated space in which to create for several months. But this move feels right.
We will actively be working on two entirely unique small spaces (the prairie cottage, and the 1800’s farmhouse), which we get to call home and share with others, both physically and digitally. We get to expand our son’s world and bring new life into it. Our adventure-loving pups will be able to run through a slice of paradise, no leashes required. And we can finally, FINALLY hug our wonderful parents.
The financial jump of going from renting in Venice to co-owning in France and building in Florida might seem extravagant, but it’s actually not. Our Venice cottage, although tiny, is located in a major, expensive city, and its proximity to the beach, marina and canals makes it a real estate goldmine. During our decade there, we invested as much in rent, updates, and the heightened cost of living than the farmhouse and ADU will cost us combined— especially since the farmhouse is shared between three parties.
To be able to introduce West to new natural splendors while welcoming his baby sibling into a home that’s overflowing with helping hands and unwavering love is such a privilege and gift.
We’ll have a live/work space of our own soon enough. For now, that love is all we need.
Thoughts on “Influence” and This Week's Events
For better and worse, what happens online matters. This week’s foul events in Washington D.C. are clear proof of this. There is immense influence online, and it manifests in endless ways.
In the context of the Cottage, influence is what sustains my small business and puts a roof over my family’s head.
In the non-profit world, influence has enabled a myriad of organizations to advance their efforts through means that weren’t available a decade ago.
In the sphere of community organizing, influence is arguably what mobilized the greatest voter turnout in an election in modern American history.
But, in this digitized political era in which we now find ourselves, online influence can fuel the myth of white supremacy, the rapid spread of baseless and even disproven conspiracy theories, dangerous disinformation, and the recent abhorrent rise in hate crimes.
“Racial history does not repeat harmlessly. Instead, its devastation multiplies when generation after generation repeat the same failed strategies and solutions and ideologies, rather than burying past failures in the caskets of past generations.” - Ibram X. Kendi
Pictured: Be Antiracist: A Journal for Awareness, Reflection and Action Book by Ibram X. Kendi
If your elected officials did not represent your values at the Capitol this week, you can tell them so. And remember that they work for your community, and YOU have the power to vote them out. Organizing and mobilizing is a year-round effort, not just something reserved for election years. (Click here to find your representative.)
Read: “The Whole Story in a Single Photo: An image from the Capitol captures the distance between who we purport to be and who we have actually been” by Clint Smith
Read: “White Entitlement on Parade” by Jamil Smith
A note to readers who think I should just “stick to home decor”:
The goal of this blog and my work is to help people feel comfortable, confident and content in their small spaces. But here in America, many Black citizens can’t even feel safe in and around their own homes due the extreme and unrelenting dangers and threats that accompany racism. (One of the most widely known examples of this is, of course, the deeply disturbing murder of Breonna Taylor.)
A note to readers who think the climate crisis and systemic racism are unrelated, and just want me to “stay in my lane” by simply sharing tips regarding what I’ve learned regarding lower waste living, remember this:
”… our racial inequality crisis is intertwined with our climate crisis. If we don’t work on both, we will succeed at neither.” - Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
A note to readers who are white:
It is our daily responsibility to dismantle the myth of white supremacy and the systems of oppression that continue to burden and even destroy the lives of those in marginalized communities.
We Bought a (Tiny!) Farmhouse!
On the last day of 2020, we bought a house.
A very old, very small farmhouse... in France.
I’ll turn 40 this year, and up until this point the biggest purchase I’d ever made was my plain little car that I bought in my 20s. Adam and I have been renting our tiny cottage here in Venice for ten years, and never truly allowed ourselves to even consider the vague possibility of homeownership until recently.
This acquisition didn’t happen easily, and took months.
Global lockdowns and the financial + emotional strain of the pandemic (both in general and within the bubble of our family and small business) impacted every step of the process. The undertaking would’ve been complicated enough to begin with, regardless of the mayhem of 2020. But, with a firm belief in our vision, along with the help of what feels like a thousand warm-hearted people, it’s finally official.
We first began speaking to a realtor about the property (which features an <800 sqft residence and additional outbuildings,) in May. In August, while the five of us were in the aforementioned car driving to/from Idaho, we decided to take a bold leap and make our offer on the farmhouse. (It turns out that this happened to be the same week I got pregnant, because that’s just how the universe works.)
Those days and the months that followed were a flurry of phone calls, Google spreadsheets and group text chains, as we planned on joint ownership with two other parties.
From the onset, we envisioned sharing the farmhouse with family and friends in one form or another. Not only are we accustomed to a co-living format when residing abroad, but sharing household assets is an important part of our lifestyle here at the Cottage in Venice. I’ve become a firm believer that we don’t all necessarily need one of everything to ourselves. We’ve shared utilities and spaces with our next door neighbors for ten years, and this has enhanced our sense of community while decreasing our expenses and consumption.
The farmhouse isn’t a timeshare property. Instead, it’s a residence that we can all enjoy together or separately at any time. The co-owners of the farmhouse are my life-long closest friends with whom I’ve lived, worked and traveled extensively in the past. One has purchased property as part of a partnership before, which has helped us chart the more formal aspects of this acquisition, and map out our internal legal agreements between us as part of our joint ownership.
Together, we will renovate and restore the farmhouse. We will also develop the barn into a shared living space. We made this purchase with the intention of the buildings and land being part of our families across generations.
One of our primary goals throughout this project is to be as sustainable in our repairs and design as possible, reusing whatever materials we can, and opting for vintage and second-hand over newly manufactured goods. So far we’re off to a promising start with this endeavor, as we inherited several pieces of furniture and accessories from the previous stewards of the property.
We’re not sure when we’ll get there, but the work starts now. I look forward to sharing our design and lifestyle journey with you, and hope that you fall in love with this tiny French farmhouse just as we have.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Here are answers to some of the top questions we’ve already been asked repeatedly, and/or expect to receive frequently:
Will we leave our Venice cottage?
Yes. Sob! (More on this topic very soon.)
Who will move into our Venice cottage when we’re gone?
The owner has a plan, and is not currently seeking applicants.
Will we change our company name?
No, not any time soon. We’ll remain The Tiny Canal Cottage, even after we’ve said goodbye to our beloved home of 10 years.
How big is the farmhouse?
The residence is a 2 bedroom with an interior that measures under 800 square feet. There are additional outbuildings and a utility shed.
What size is the plot of land?
Several acres.
Where is the farmhouse located?
In the Midi-Pyrénées region of France. We are not disclosing the specific town for privacy reasons.
Why France?
I’ve been visiting France since middle school -- first as part of my education, then as part of my business. I’ve lived/worked there for long stretches of time in the past, and have hoped to find a place there for over a decade.
When do we plan to start renovating and living in the French farmhouse?
The structural repairs on the farmhouse will begin immediately, even as we remain in the States until it’s safe and permissible to travel to Europe. We hope to visit in 2021, but time and circumstance will tell. We plan to make stylistic renovations while living there, so we can do much of it on our own and share the experience with this community.
What about StanLee & Sophee?
Stubs and Soph are our family. (And long-time readers know that StanLee is the love of my life.) There’s no decision that Adam and I make without the pups at the top of our minds. We have a visa agency that can get the dogs the documents and permits needed for overseas travel and living, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, as our longer-term stays in France are likely a couple of years away. (Note: I will never place our dogs in the cargo hold of a plane.) When we travel for shorter stays abroad, the pups will be well loved and cared for by our family, just as they have been in the past.
How old is the farmhouse?
To our knowledge, it was built in the 1860s.
Will the farmhouse be a vacation rental? Is it a timeshare?
The farmhouse is intended to be a long-term residence for our family and the other owners when the timing is suitable. It is not a timeshare, nor is it a rental property.
Will we permanently leave the USA?
Not at this point. We will still spend a portion of each year in the States with our families.
What about school for the little ones?
We are familiar with schools in this region, and are considering them for the future. We are also interested in homeschooling options.
Why did we buy this property with partners?
There are numerous reasons why we preferred the idea of shared ownership for this property. As none of us can initially be there full-time, the split nature of the investment means that the home and land will be better used between multiple parties. And the combined responsibilities help spread out the financial burden of purchasing, repairing and renovating. Beyond the financial implications, sharing belongings between one another within the house reduces the need for each party to have their own separate space with its own furnishings, appliances, etc., which helps us reduce our collective footprint. And, lastly, it’s simply more enjoyable this way, as our families are used to traveling and working together. A takeaway from our COVID-19 experience is the clear understanding that we want to be in close proximity to the ones we love for sizable stretches of time.
Who are the co-owners of the farmhouse?
We have two partners in this property. They are life-long friends with whom I’ve lived, worked and traveled in the past. One has purchased property with co-owners before, which has helped us chart the formal aspects of partnering for this acquisition.
What about the carbon footprint of air travel?
This is one of the primary reasons we’re leaving our Venice cottage. Flying between our rental in California, the farmhouse in France, and our extended families in the States would be more non-essential air travel than we feel is responsible. (Less than 20% of the world’s population has ever been on a plane, yet the negative environmental impacts of air travel affect the entire planet.) In recent years (prior to the pandemic), we saved up most of our air miles to fly to/from our families. Now that we have the farmhouse, we will relocate our US residence to be closer to our loved ones, and reallocate our air miles to the trans-Atlantic flights.
Do we know people in the Midi-Pyrénées who helped in the purchase process?
Yes. Our friends in the region generously provided their time and energy, and acted as our surrogates on several occasions.
Where do we plan to have the baby?
The baby will be born in the States, though we plan to be out of the Cottage before then. (That’s another big blog post for later this month!)
Happy holidays from our (tiny) home to yours!
Happy holidays from our (tiny) home to yours!
On this Christmas day, I want to thank everyone in this community who has supported The RightWay Foundation throughout the season. Because of your love, more transition-age foster youth have their own apartments to call home, feel a decrease in social isolation, receive therapy to move through the trauma they’ve experienced, and are employed and reaching for their dreams.
On this day and every day, we are thankful for you.
Simplified Home Selling & Purchasing
Note: This post was sponsored by Flyhomes. The imagery and words are my own, with the exception of exact service descriptions. Any imagery that includes our little one and/or pups was captured organically as they interacted in their own, natural ways.
We’ve rented our tiny, beloved cottage for nearly 10 years now. In researching options for our future and upcoming relocation, we learned first-hand just how complicated the home buying process can be— especially if, like us, you’re new to the experience, and scouting within competitive markets.
Truth be told, Adam and I actually discovered and even visited some fixer-uppers we liked earlier this year. However, we gave up on our efforts in the early stages, as the hurdles felt insurmountable for us as both a family and a small business at the time. (Related post: What’s Next For Our Family?)
Thankfully we’re still very much in love with our little home and unique neighborhood. And while we’re taking (big!) strides towards our next adventure — which I’ll reveal soon — we’re also still firmly and happily planted in our life here by the canals.
We’re not approaching any season as though it’s our last one here. We’re managing to the vines in anticipation of springtime growth. We’re tending to our compost. We’re reusing and reinventing whatever we have around the house (per usual) to make the most of this festive season while on lockdown, and not cut back on making any magic for our four year old.
We’re also making plans for welcoming our second child into the cottage, while also remaining open to the idea that the baby might instead be born in the next town we call home…
For folks who find themselves in a situation similar to ours, and are attempting to navigate their entry into the world of home buying, the rest of this post is for you in particular.
Just as I prefer objects that multi-task, I’m inclined to favor services that offer more than one solution rolled up into one practical package. For this reason, and due to our recent (fairly negative) experiences in the home buying process, I partnered with Flyhomes to spread the word about their innovative, consolidated services that benefit both buyers and sellers.
Their goal is to take much of the stress out of the home search/buying process by offering multiple services rolled into one so that residents can focus on creating and enjoying their homes.
Flyhomes is currently operational in Seattle, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Orange County, Boston, Portland, and San Diego. They’re a brokerage, a mortgage lender, and a closing company under one roof, and offer guidance at every step of the process, helping clients skip hurdles and make confident and informed decisions. Their products include: Cash offers, guaranteed offers, prefunds, and a Trade Up program, all of which can be reviewed here.
To schedule a 15 minute call with a Flyhomes representative to learn more about their unique approaches and strategies to buying, selling, or their Trade Up program, click here.
Thank you to Flyhomes* for supporting our small business with this partnership, and for offering a service that can streamline this complicated process for folks who are attempting to move their family to a space of their own.
*California DRE#02012110
Journaling (not just for ourselves, but for a better world)
“Imagining ourselves as separate from — and having dominion over — nature, we forget that we, too, are animals. We forget that we live on land rich with history, pain, and beauty, deeply burdened by the weight of our presence. We forget that each of us is responsible for the legacy and survival of the earth.” - What’s Your Story?: A Journal For Everyday Evolution
Despite the fact that I’m constantly pouring my heart out on this blog and Instagram, I’ve never been one for journaling. But whenever I take the time to write out my thoughts for my own clarity, I inevitably feel better and more organized about the issue that’s weighing heavily on my mind.
In an attempt to sooth anxiety and embrace growth and evolution during what has been one of the most stressful times for our family (as it has been for countless others), I started making my way through the new book, What’s Your Story?: A Journal For Everyday Evolution, by Rebecca Walker and Lily Diamond.
What’s Your Story? is a beautifully designed, interactive journal that contains series of deeply personal writing prompts intended to excavate the stories that have shaped our pasts, while inspiring new, fulfilling narratives for our future.
Flipping through the book upon arrival, I landed on this prompt first: “How does it feel to consider yourself a part of, rather than separate from, the natural world? What keeps you from feeling this every day?”
I intend to sit on this for a while before inking my thoughts in the journal. What would you write?
Experiencing the Holidays with Folks from Around the World While Sheltering at Home
Note: This blog post was created in collaboration with Airbnb.
As we shelter at home this holiday season, want to learn how to make recycled puppets for the holidays? Or put down the phone and make creative collages the old fashioned way? So do I. And, thankfully, there’s a safe and accessible way to do so.
Since our family isn’t traveling this season in an effort to keep my pregnancy healthy and our friends / family / community members safer, we’re turning instead to holiday-themed and everyday online experiences with Airbnb. Not only are these courses a way to learn something new while connecting with folks from all over, but they’re also a way of supporting small businesses by supporting the hosts.
Towards the start of the pandemic, I taught a handful of Live small space living classes via video from the Cottage for Airbnb Experiences. (It’s something I would’ve happily continued to do if West attended school and if parts of our property weren’t shared with neighboring homes, but our situation made it a bit too tricky for me to sustain.) I learned just how much effort, energy and expertise goes into these online classes, and how magically they can connect people from around the globe as we shelter at home.
Above: Teaching my Airbnb Experiences online class back in the summer of 2020.
Here are some of the classes I’ve added to our list— from creating recycled puppets for the holidays, singing holiday songs with a Broadway performer, Santa storytime with a children’s book author, and vegan holiday cooking, and more.
Holiday Sign Language Vocabulary (based in Athens)
Click to view
Description: Visit with Santa and let him know what you'd like for the holidays this year in Sign Language! After meeting with Santa, he'll lead you in a fun holidays themed vocabulary game! Get to learn phrases that you'll be using all holiday season long! We can also add Christmas carols to the fun as well! This is a safe environment for young adults, children, families, businesses, team building, and non-profits ages 8-100 to get an authentic experience from a Deaf professional.
Create Recycled Puppets for the Holidays (based in Berlin, hosted in English)
Click to view
Description: Together we are going to make holiday puppets from recycled materials. We will make special Christmas elves and Hanukkah puppets celebrating the festival of lights.
Santa Storytime with a Children’s Author (based in Atlanta)
Click to view
Description: Meet Santa and have an opportunity to introduce yourself. Then the host will share his journey from the world of sports to Silicon Valley to storytelling as a children's book author. Then, he’ll perform two storytime readings, cover-to-cover, of holiday classics. Afterwards, the group will explore some of the creative elements involved in bringing this book to life (world-building, color theme, character journey, mood arc, etc.) and share ways children's picture books go from idea to a finished book. Lastly, there’s an open discussion where kids and adults can ask questions about creating children's books.
Learn to Collage Holiday Edition (based in Barcelona, hosted in English & Spanish)
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Description: A fun session to learn about collage art, which is a great hobby for everyone and a fun way to explore your creativity. For 2020’s Holiday Season, the experience is adapted for making creations for friends and family.
Sing Songs with a Broadway Performer (based in NYC)
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Description: Learn a song and sing together— there’s no better way to feel connected and JOYFUL.
Vegan Holiday Baking (based in Slovenia, hosted in multiple languages including English)
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Description: Learn how to bake Almond Crescent Cookies and Fingerprint Cookies with Jam. (When you book the experience you will get full recipes with instructions in advance.)
Celebrating the Holidays While Staying "Safer at Home"
We’re missing our friends, family and community traditions as we stay “Safer at Home” here in Los Angeles for the holidays. But Adam and I are attempting to make magic within our bubble however we can for our four year old. Below are some of my favorite recent photos that capture the feelings and visuals that I hope he remembers from this strange season of life…
Los Angeles: Give the Gift of… Compost!
In recent years, we’ve been navigating the realities of composting while living in a small space within a major city. (The full blog post about our adventure can be found here.) At the start of the pandemic in this region, we began growing and preparing more food than ever here at the cottage, so we expanded our compost routine to include Compostable LA’s services.
Every week, Compostable drops off a used, clean bakery bucket to live out its new life as a short-term residential compost storage bin. The containers are exchanged weekly, and the food scraps are transported to Compostable’s nonprofit partner, LA Compost. Compost is then used in members’ gardens and sold to urban farmers.
When I first signed up for the service, I realized that looping our neighbor’s cottage into the service would be a great gift for the year. His weekly drop-off/pick up is simply looped in with our service at a small extra fee.
Now, folks in LA can help each other remove unnecessary waste while supporting a small business by gifting a subscription to Compostable LA. Gift cards for the service are available in options ranging from 1 month to a year.
“Landfills continue to be built in disenfranchised communities. Food deserts continue to be prevalent in disenfranchised communities. Climate change continues to be felt the most in disenfranchised communities. Taking ‘sustainable action’ means taking action to create a greener, cleaner world for everyone. Reducing food waste and regenerating soil are two of the best ways to help reverse climate change. Composting does both.” - Compostable LA
The Gift of Merry Making: Giving & Gathering Thoughtfully
Recycled glassware for a compact home bar.
Note: This blog post was sponsored by Pottery Barn. As always, the words (with the exception of exact product descriptions), opinions and imagery are my own. I want to thank the team at Pottery Barn for not only partnering with my small business for this post, but also for donating boxes of warm, non-toxic, Fair Trade Certified comforters to in-need, transition-age foster youth at The RightWay Foundation.
During the winter holidays, I’m usually one to bundle up zero waste presents such as food/beverage and passes for future adventures as gifts. However, months of physical distancing and cancelled travel plans have entirely reshaped our seasonal rituals this year, as they have for millions of other families.
This season calls for delicate navigation of the often-changing path of gathering and giving safely and wisely upon the persistent backdrop of the pandemic— especially here in a major city. Rather than meeting with family and friends, whether near or far, we’ve made the tough but necessary call to remain sheltered at home for the 9th+ month in order to better protect my “High Risk” pregnancy, and hopefully keep our at-risk loved ones and community members safer.
From time to time, we see our “pod,” which consists of our next door neighbors. When we do so, we meet out in our walkway garden with our masks on (including our 4 year old).
As such, I’ve recently found myself exploring unique items that help us create a special sense of occasion at home during this time— items that will also be perfect to gift for ongoing use once we’re all finally, gloriously reunited.
While I want to craft magical little environments that make everyone feel comfortable and festive, I’m also acknowledging and accepting the reality that I simply don’t have much energy to go all out as I have in years passed. A flexible and compact set-up that allows everyone to serve themselves and spread out has been best for everyone’s sense of ease (and for West’s delighted and highly energetic reaction to greeting rare guests).
For the art of tiny but mighty Merry Making, I’ve been using a drinkware + barware set that’s composed of handmade, recycled glassware, and stainless steel and aluminum accessories from Pottery Barn, and concocting a seasonal pear mocktail (and providing an optional carafe of an adult beverage for anyone who wants a dash of spirit to their drink).
Ingredients:
2 oz organic pear juice
rosemary-infused simple syrup
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1 slice of pear per glass
1 sprig of rosemary per glass
ice cubes
Instructions:
Combine juices and syrup in a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake. Strain into rocks glass. Add a dash of sparkling/soda water, and garnish with pear and/or rosemary to taste and aesthetic.
The hammered texture of the glasses and their handblown craftsmanship make the recycled vessels (available as tumblers and stemless wine glasses) reflect the twinkle lights and candles outside our home, and look particularly festive.
The sustainably-sourced, Fair Trade Certified “Bleeker” bar set has multiple pieces from which to pick-and-chose, and the tools have their own slim stand for keeping each piece organized, making it a practical gift set:
When setting up a serve-yourself bar on our miniature stoop, I drop everything into a space-maximizing, hanging format with the help of a simple s-hook and petit basket:
Cheers to safely cherishing our moments together— even if we’re coming by those moments in a different way, for the time being. I’ll always raise my mocktail to celebrating love, and to wish for (and work towards) good health for all.
A note of thanks: Pottery Barn kindly gifted us several boxes of warm, non-toxic, Fair Trade Certified comforters to donate to The RightWay Foundation. This generous contribution gets us closer to achieving our goal of creating a safe, warm home for youth in need this holiday season and through the new year.
Repurposed Gift Wrap with a Story
We haven’t bought wrapping paper or gift bags in years. Even though we live in a small space and don’t have many spare supplies of any sort sitting around, it’s still surprisingly easy to shop our own home for items that can be repurposed as playful packaging.
While the end result is rarely perfect, there’s so much to love— it’s original, it’s free, and it generates less waste. (Related post: Playful Low Waste Gift Wrap)
These handmade bars of soap were wrapped with completed pages from one of West’s work booklets, and topped with salvaged ribbon and tree clippings.
What I enjoy just as much as the searching and wrapping is passing along the stories behind each repurposed ribbon, book jacket, muslin bag, or fabric scrap.
Dust jackets remain my go-to for wrapping presents for kids. (We store most of these paper covers beneath our mattress throughout the year to flatten out the lines, and then grab one whenever we need some colorful packaging.)
While the illustration art is the attraction for the recipient, there’s usually a tale behind the rest of the bundle for the parents / guardians to share.
This method of wrapping is also friendly for folks who aren’t hugely into DIYs (that’s me). Plus it’s also safer this year than going to the store, as we’re meant to shelter at home whenever possible.
Below are a few glimpses of this year’s very quickly completed wrappings, as well as cleverly designed bundles that needed no wrapping whatsoever.
Above: Brown paper biodegradable tape from Net Zero Co.
Almost everything used above has a story to tell— a ribbon that has been passed down through multiple generations and households. A remnant that once held a stone that traveled the country. A string that once wrapped the weighted blanket that helped improve my sleep habits. A spare/unused shoelace from a pair of sneakers designed by a well-known creative and dear friend.
(And, of course, customized boxes of dog treats that shows the sweet faces of our pups— why would we want to cover those up?!)
Housing Transition-Age Foster Youth in the New Year
Thank you to everyone who contributed to The RightWay Foundation’s 2020 holiday campaign! With your help, this marvelous non-profit reached their goal for the season, and even did so ahead of schedule. RightWay will now be able to safely house three additional transition-age foster youth at the start of the new year.
I want to say a special thank you to our friends at Vintner’s Daughter— especially founder, April Gargiulo, who made a particularly generous donation to advance RightWay’s efforts. (Vintner’s Daughter is my absolute personal favorite self care / skincare product, and their environmental + social impact philosophy and stats are very much worth exploring.) While the gift from Vintner’s Daughter helps RightWay in many capacities, it will be focused largely towards the non-profit’s expansion into a second, smaller office in LA that provides services for the survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
For readers of this blog who have the means and feel so inclined, please consider giving to help RightWay’s youth continue forward in the months ahead— particularly as this population has been hit hard by the impacts of the pandemic. Every dollar goes to ensuring each youth has food, mental health care, essential supplies, utilities, transportation, and shelter throughout the year.
Related: Franco Vega, Founder and Director of The RightWay Foundation, and Amber Baker, a long-term RightWay youth, were recently interviewed on “Our America” with Julián Castro. The episode is 25 minutes, and offers compelling stories and examples of why the tough work being tackled by this LA-based non-profit is so essential, and has ripple effects that impact generations.
Thank you, and RightWay wishes you warmth and safety for the holidays.
Learning about Regenerative Landscaping for the Home
Back in February, I wrote a post entitled Regenerative Small Space Living, in which I shared that I eagerly wanted to see what folks in small urban spaces such as ours can do to take less, give more, and create a future we choose.
At the same time, the pandemic began to spread across the globe, reaching the States just days later.
Above photo from the Cottage taken by Hilton Carter for WILD INTERIORS
In the entry, I shared the intended trajectory for our home and company: “I will continue to center my business upon sharing stories and solutions pertaining to living comfortably and contentedly in small spaces. After all, as humanity adapts to the necessary changes required to combat the climate crisis, we will need to learn how to better share, and live with less stuff (yet with no less abundance). Additionally, Adam and I are also diving headlong into learning about regenerative gardening and practices for small urban spaces. We want to be more than just a resource for comfortable and adaptable small space living. We’re also striving to be a resource for those who are interested in self-sufficient and restorative small space living, requiring less of the Earth, while also giving back to it.”
While we’ve certainly plunged ourselves into this work, the realities of the pandemic shuffled our plans for (re)educating ourselves, as well as our intentions to enroll our son in pre-school. As such, the back-to-school mentality that we’d embraced for all three of us went out the door, as we instead attempted to save whatever money possible, and explore the next steps we'll take as a family in terms of our living situation.
Related posts from 2020: Before & After: Turning our 8’ porch into a grow zone / Before & After: Creating an overhead canopy of vines
Of course as we scramble to reshape our lives (independently and collectively), the impacts of climate crisis remain, and the threats will only continue to increase exponentially in this crucial decade we’ve all now entered.
According to The Future We Choose, one of the steps we must take for survival is to create a greener planet in every space possible. Cities can become exceptional, with more trees, more parks for our children and wildlife, fewer cars, and plenty of urban agriculture. And every town -- no matter the size -- can look to Indigenous practices and wisdom, and embrace land care methods that give back to the Earth rather than poisoning and depleting it.
“Every vacant lot, every grimy unused alley, has been repurposed and turned into a shady grove. Every rooftop has been converted to either a vegetable or floral garden. Windowless buildings that were once scrawled with graffiti are instead carpeted with verdant vines… Things that used to be done individually are now done communally— growing vegetables, capturing rainwater, and composting… In community gardens, on rooftops, at schools, and even hanging from vertical gardens on balconies, food sometimes seems to be growing everywhere.” - The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis
As we’re still unable to visit our libraries here in Los Angeles and cannot go back to school as planned, and since we’re navigating the realities of being home together 24/7 for the even-longer run, we’re figuring out other ways to further our education.
Above photo from the Cottage by Lucia Doynel
Shades of Green Permaculture is opening up a new online masterclass that we aim to take in January. Shades of Green is a regenerative landscape design, build and education firm in Atlanta, GA, and is Woman-Owned, a Certified B Corporation and member of the Sustainable Sites Initiative. For over 10 years, Shades of Green has designed and installed regenerative outdoor spaces for commercial, residential and municipal clients that contribute to protecting biodiversity, growing food, medicine, and pollinator habitat, building soil, and restoring the water cycle.
The course, The Regenerative Backyard Blueprint, is a 13-week step-by-step guide to transform participants’ yard into an eco-friendly paradise. The course is designed for those with a residential urban or suburban outdoor space who are looking to gain practical skills in permaculture, resilience, nature connection, and ecology.
The course is intended for folks who:
live in an urban or suburban setting and want a sustainable outdoor space but aren't sure where to begin.
want to grow food, including fruit trees, berries, nut trees, vegetables, culinary and medicinal herbs.
want to help conserve and bolster our pollinator and songbird populations.
want their garden to contribute to the climate solution, and are ready for their landscape to reflect such values.
are ready to plan their outdoor space, no matter how small, so time in the garden can be enjoyed with the knowledge that it’s a healthy and organic environment.
are parents who want their children to know where their food comes from and feel connected to the environment.
are capable of doing some or all of the work, but need direction and help figuring out what actually applies to your a residential-scale project of their size.
Beginning January 4, 2021, participants can expect seven immersive course modules, how-to videos, construction diagrams, implementation tools, virtual site visits, and weekly live Q&As with Shades of Green Founder and Managing Director, Brandy Hall.
For those interested in learning more about the course prior to signing up, Shades of Green is releasing The 3 Pillars of a Regenerative Landscape, a free webinar series starting December 8th.
“Green space is beneficial for community health, happiness and overall success. However, there is significantly less public green space in low-income and BIPOC communities.” - @intersectionalenvironmentalist
I look forward to learning how to improve our own backyard, and I harbor the hope that one day — sooner than later — we’ll all better understand how to transform our towns into places where everyone has access to green spaces and green foods.
Give the Gift of Mental Health Support
Post Summary: This winter, be a part of giving transition-age foster youth a safe place to live, work, grow, and heal.
Unresolved trauma leaves former foster youth at a greater risk of experiencing substance abuse, unemployment, homelessness, incarceration, and poverty. For Giving Tuesday during this difficult year, please consider giving the gift of mental health support to help foster youth become the adults they deserve to be.
This week, I’m focusing on how contributions of varying sizes can give Youth from The RightWay Foundation the gift of access to professional mental health care.
Your donation of $35 can provide mental health care for one Youth for one day.
Your donation of $245 can provide mental health care for one Youth for one week.
Your donation of $980 can provide mental health care for one Youth for one month.
RightWay has been working towards securing safe, dedicated apartments for unhoused transition-age foster Youth in LA, while also providing them with mental health care, access to essential services, job placement, a supportive community, and trauma-informed training for employers.
Other giving options:
$32 provides one day of rent / $240 provides one week of rent / $960 provides one month of rent
$63 provides one week of food / $250 provides one month of food
$60 provides one month of Internet Connectivity
$50 provides one month of Health & Wellness Supplies
$200 provides one month of Home Essentials & Laundry
$100 provides one month of Heat, Gas, Water, and Electricity
$35 provides one day of mental health services / $195 provides one week of mental health services / $770 provides one month of mental health services
Pregnancy Month 5 / Sheltering at Home Month 9
As we close out November, I’m in month 5 of my pregnancy, and we’re nearly at month 9 of sheltering at home.
We’ve embraced the earlier nights, filling them with glittering lights and fragrant garlands and greenery throughout the Cottage.
Above: A curtain of twinkling lights. (Click here to shop the strands.)
We’ve slowly started decorating for the season. This year, it’s more for something joyful and different to do than anything else, I think…
Above: West wearing his new “Grow With Me” clothes (which last for years and through growth spurts) from Caribou Kids Clothing.
West has picked some of his own ornaments, like a little bird’s nest made of vines, and a bundle of acorns he keeps in an repurposed box on the vintage coffee table.
Our neighbors are still sharing their amazing food with us, while Adam bakes us all sourdough bread to share a few times per month.
This miraculous bump is growing, which is heartening and helps calm my nerves about my “high-risk” pregnancy.
Above: Much-appreciated maternity leggings from Boob Design.
I’m living almost entirely in leggings (pictured above), a loungewear set (pictured below), and a stretchy “Nap Dress” that I suspect will be particularly helpful when nursing in the months to come.
The baby’s first present arrived via a socially-distanced drop-off: a vintage set of handmade crochet booties. Holding them made me process the pregnancy in a way I realized I’d not yet permitted myself to experience.
Our son has grown substantially in recent months, so we ordered him a batch of long-lasting, “grow with me” bamboo clothes, including a holiday set that he’ll undoubtedly wear year-round. (His current grow with me clothes still fit, as they have for years. It’s everything else that he’s outgrown.)
Above: West’s height progression since COVID.
We’ve been attempting our first gingerbread man (borderline inedible) and gingerbread houses (which collapsed within minutes) with West. The excitement of the activity itself is what our four year old clearly relishes the most.
We’re still attempting to be as low waste as possible, using items such as our water carbonator 5-6 times per day, and relying exclusively on things like our bidet attachment. (We’ve bought just one 4-pack of toilet paper in 2020.) I
It’s admittedly more challenging to stay low waste at the grocery store since reusables aren’t permitted in Los Angeles during the pandemic. But we’re still sticking to all the reusables we can, such as our washable face masks and washable un-paper towels, cotton wipes, and so forth.
Above: A face mask made with deadstock fabric from SUAY. This mask is a buy-1-donate-1, with the donations going directly from the maker to Indigenous youth, and the leftover dollars going Seeding Sovereignty.
It’s still a rocky season of life for us, as it is for most. But I’m filled with gratitude for our health and home, and for all the medical and essential workers out there who’ve been working relentlessly in order to keep us all safer.
Low Waste, Small Space Holiday Wall Decor
Not enough room for a tree in your small space? (Same here, although our 4 year old might wear me down with his requests to get a tabletop version this year.) Either way, here’s one easy way to use fresh greenery to create space savvy holiday decor for a small home. (View the 30-second video here.)
List of supplies:
Live branches
A bit of rope
A nail or damage-free Command strip
Battery-operated twinkle lights (we use rechargables)
A zip tie (to attach the battery pack to the back of the branch)
Clippers
I simply wrapped the twinkle lights around the branch, tied the rope to either end, suspended the entire piece from a sturdy wall hook, and then added small florals and twigs throughout the branch for a pop of color and variation in texture. I carefully spritz the branch with a bit of water every few days, and replace the bright floral clippings as needed after they’ve fully dried up.
The final result is simple yet striking. And, best of all, at the end of the season the rope, hook and twinkle lights can be reused, and the greenery can go in the compost.
P.S. Here’s an alternative for folks who prefer an artificial, ready-made version.
A List of What I’m Gifting (and Why) - 2020 Edition
Post Summary: My 2020 personal gift guide featuring low waste goods and/or products from independent makers. (Note: None of the items on this list are sponsored, though I have worked with some of these products or brands in the past. This is my own roundup. )
The following is what we’re considering gifting to our close family and friends. Some of these items overlap with my 2019 gifting list, because the point isn’t finding the best “new” thing— it’s finding goods that serve a practical purpose with unique style while bringing joy.
Reusable Ear Swabs
Because LastSwab replaces up to 1000 single-use cotton swabs. Their standard swab and their makeup swab both have a soft-feel tip and are easy to clean.
Click here (and get 10% off with the code: tinycanalcottage)
Herbs for Home & Healing in the Anthropocene
Because our bodies and this one shared planet are our true homes, so we need to listen to and care for them. And I have personally come to regularly rely on these Earth Star Herbals by Alyson Morgan.
Click here
Water Carbonator
Because bottle waste — yes, even glass bottles — must become a thing of the past. These Aarke water carbonators are slim and stylish. Our helps us save between 4-6 bottles of bubbly water per day.
Click here
Children’s Audio App Subscription
Because Pinna Audio has been the single most used tool in our bag while sheltering at home with a four year old. This app / audio subscription service has a diverse selection of programming for kids of all ages.
Click here (and use the promo code PINNA3MONTHS for a free 3-month trial)
Plant Keeper Apron
Because I got Adam this apron for his birthday, and he uses it constantly. Designed by the brilliant stylist, author, designer, photographer, and plant-expert Hilton Carter, this unique apron is a valuable accessory for Spring and Summer gardening in particular.
Click here
All of Us Skin Tone Crayons
Handcrafted in the USA without any paraffin or fillers, these crayons are crafted with beeswax, carnauba wax and earth pigments.
Click here
The Naked Stone
Because these low waste moisturizing stones are for the whole body, and are a made-from-scratch revolution against plastics, pumps, and chemicals, and come in a refillable bamboo canister.
Click here
Extra Bright Portable Projector
Because we don’t have a TV or large monitor in our home, but we can watch movies and shows in an oversized format projected on our walls and slanted ceiling thanks to our little Cinemood. (Their newest model is extra bright, which is even better for daytime viewing.) We discovered first-hand what a great gift this is for parents of little ones— particularly during the isolation of the pandemic.
Click here
Planetbox
Because this stainless steel lunchbox (which comes in a few sizes/styles) is one of the most-used items in our home, and eliminates the need for baggies and multiple containers for meals on-the-go. (Our 4 year old enjoys using his daily for meals and picnics at home, too.)
Click here
Hidden Pictures Sticker Booklets (ages 3-6)
Because my 4 year old has been obsessed with these books for an entire year and is still excited to do one or two pages per day.
Click here
Safety Razor
Because we can prevent millions of plastic, disposable razors and razor heads from entering landfills and oceans with safety razors. Oui the People makes beautiful safety razors to last a lifetime, and also sells blade refills.
Click here
Steamline Luggage
Because even though we're not traveling this holiday season, these bags, which have been favorites of mine for years, are so stylish that they can be reused for a myriad of purposes and for storage around the home.
Click here (use the promo code HOLIDAY25 for 25% off* through December 31st, 2020. *Promo can't be combined with any other sales and excludes the Mini.
2021 Smells Better Candle
Because this handmade, 100% soy wax candle makes me laugh every time I see it, and it was created by a female owned small business based here in Venice, CA.
Click here
Toothpaste Bits
Because the hardest part about changing a habit is taking that first step, and 1 billion toothpaste tubes are thrown away every year. Bite bottles are refillable, and make great stocking stuffers.
Click here
Handmade Mixed-Media Mask Holder
Because this 4-in-1 handcrafted mask holder / necklace / bracelet is ever-useful as we keep our communities safer by masking up. The holders are made with repurposed/reclaimed brass and silk by Maddalena Bearzi, an Italian jewelry artist, marine biologist and writer.
Click here
Collapsible Water Bottle
Because reusable bottles have never been easier to tote. These collapsible, pocket-sized Stojo bottles even loop over a bike/stroller handlebar or around a backpack with ease.
Click here
Homemade Grape Jam & Bread
Because it’s a delicious, homemade, zero waste treat made right here by our extraordinary next door neighbors and by Adam.
Rechargeable Lighter
Because there are more than 300 uses per charge in this stylish lighter, and it’s rechargeable, eliminating the need for refills or disposables. Plus it has a safety mechanism for homes with little ones.
Click here
Plant-Based Milk Maker
Because the Almond Cow turns any nut, seed, or grain into homemade plant-based milk in moments. We use ours multiple times per week, and haven’t purchased substitute-milk in over a year.
Click here
Vintner's Daughter
Because this company’s skincare philosophy centers on offering multi-correctional performance and the belief that if one product delivers a myriad of benefits, fewer products are needed, fewer are produced, and less natural resources are utilized. Even better, the ingredients are sourced from responsible producers, many of which have used the same sustainable, organic farming practices for generations. It’s not cheap, but for the quality and all the products it replaces, Active Botanical Serum is totally worth it, in my opinion. (This company is also a generous donor to The RightWay Foundation.)
Click here
Play Silks
Because Sarah’s Silks is a family owned company specializing in Waldorf inspired sustainable toys for children. Their silks are simple and versatile, and dyed with non-toxic, eco-friendly dyes.
Click here
Braiding Sweetgrass
Because everyone could do with putting down the phone and picking up a book. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer shows that, “the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world.”
Click here
Eco-Friendly Weighted Blanket
Because many of us could use some help with anxiety and sleep these days. These Bearaby weighted blankets use zero plastic in composition and packaging. They’re GOTS, BCI, OEKO-Tex 100 and Fair Trade-certified, made of organic cotton that’s naturally breathable, 100% biodegradable, and uses 85% less water than conventional farming methods, while being free from harmful chemicals, pesticides, synthetics, or artificial softeners.
Click here
OddBird Robes
Sustainably robes made in small-batches, using 100% natural fibers and woven by artisans on century-old semi-automatic looms.
Click here
Late Sunday Afternoon Ascots
Because these responsibly-made ascots can be worn in a myriad of ways— around your neck, on your wrist, in your hair, on your bag/pack/basket, and around the brim of your hat. Our friends at Late Sunday Afternoon use locally sourced deadstock fabrics to create their ascots in-house. Any scraps are used to stuff handmade dog beds that they then donate to animal shelters.
Click here
Give a Gift to Help Address Internet Access Inequality
Post Summary: GIVE A GIFT THAT HELPS ADDRESS INTERNET INEQUALITY
Countless Americans, particularly underserved and underrepresented populations, are facing substantial educational, professional and social barriers because of their limited access to the internet and technology during the COVID crisis.
This week, I’m focusing on how contributions of varying sizes can go directly towards providing internet connectivity (assisting with online education, communication and a decrease of social isolation) to the Youth at The RightWay Foundation.
$2 provides 1 day of connectivity
$14 provides 1 week of connectivity
$60 provides 1 month of connectivity
For those who are newer here, RightWay has been working towards securing safe, dedicated apartments for unhoused transition-age foster Youth in LA, while also providing them with mental health care, access to essential services, job placement, a supportive community, and trauma-informed training for employers.
For anyone wanting to make a contribution of ANY amount, a donation link is in here via the RightWay website. THANK YOU.
An Earth-Minded Weighted Blanket for Anxiety & Sleep Troubles
Post Summary: Using eco-friendly, anxiety-soothing weighted blankets in three different environments around the Cottage.
I’ve grappled with anxiety and sleep for years. In February, I unexpectedly had a breakthrough with both struggles and enjoyed a blissful month or so of healthier sleep and manageable stress. But shortly thereafter came the global and national upheavals that our society continues to navigate together (albeit disturbingly divided), and my short-lived nightly progress evaporated. (I should note here that I’m not complaining— merely sharing. There are countless front-line and essential workers who are feeling depleted, and most families are beyond the point of exhaustion as we roll through months 8-9 of this pandemic.)
I’m back to being up most of the night, wading through individual and worldly issues in my mind. But now I’m also trying to be mindful of the sleep positions recommended during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy. To keep a baby safer in the womb, it’s advised that the mother sleep on her left side as much as possible. Unfortunately, due to some long-standing injuries, I can’t quite hold that position for too long, which then sparks my concern for the wellbeing of my baby.
One soothing technique I’d never tried until recently was using a weighted blanket. Weighted blankets have been medically proven to aid naturally deeper sleep cycles, as the blanket’s evenly-dispersed weight over the body stimulates the production of serotonin, reduces cortisol, and increases melatonin. All of this can help with falling asleep, and staying asleep. (The falling asleep is no problem for me— it’s the staying asleep that’s the real hurdle.)
We try to be mindful of everything we bring into our home, so I was pleased to discover these “Nappers,” which use zero plastic in composition and packaging. They’re GOTS, BCI, OEKO-Tex 100 and Fair Trade-certified, made of organic cotton that’s naturally breathable, 100% biodegradable, and uses 85% less water than conventional farming methods, while being free from harmful chemicals, pesticides, synthetics, or artificial softeners.
The Nappers live up to their name, as they’ve certainly helped me catch up on sleep for an hour here and there throughout the day. At night, Sophee somehow manages to drag the blanket off of me so she can cocoon herself within it— an impressive feat, as it’s 15 pounds.
We’ve yet to experience any snagging or warping of the hand-knitted material, which doesn’t seem to cling to dog hair the way many other fibers do. (I’ve noticed the same thing with my clothing made of TENCEL. While it doesn’t entirely repel pet hair, it is much more forgiving.)
More photos are below.
To the readers who are wrestling with anxiety and sleep, I hope this helps!
Note: This post was not sponsored, but the two blankets pictured were gifted as part of a paid IGTV collaboration with Bearaby.