Welcome To Our Little Cottage In The Woods
(Alternatively titled “A Week In The Life Of My Family”)
Yay!! I’ve been so looking forward to sharing the images of our new cottage with the world! My partner Graham built it himself this autumn, and it is on the property of a friend of ours. It is less that 300 square feet- one larger room that serves as living, dining, and bedroom, and one smaller bathroom containing a clawfoot bathtub, laundry baskets and clothing, and a composting toilet. Aside from the toilet and the lack of an internet connection or cell phone reception we have all the luxuries of modern living- hot water, electricity, etc.
It is a few minutes outside of Nevada City, California. We have been living in it for about a month now and are just thrilled with it. As this article points out, living in a small space, even with a young child, is very do-able and has many benefits!
First off, let me introduce you to Speckles. Speckles spends most of her time on a manzanita branch perch a few feet from the window by our bed. The rest of her time she spends flying directly into said window. She probably is just confused by the reflection, but sometimes I feel as if she has an urgent message for us, or that she is an omen of some sort.
Now this is a funny little story that could have had a disastrous ending but, thank you stars, didn’t. Graham went to our storage unit to get all of our daughter Mycelia Violet’s children’s books out. There are a lot of them. I read voraciously and am of the mind that you can never have too many books around, so she has hundreds (like me). Now it was late when Graham got home so he left the books in their boxes in the back of our truck overnight. And it rained. But somehow the damage was minimal. We spread all the books out over the floor, turned both space heaters on, and left for a few hours.
Here we are in the garden of the family from which grew the beautiful musician Mariee Sioux. Graham and Mycelia played outside while Mariee’s equally beautiful mother Felicia and I went through her vintage collection. To die for! (A few pieces will be coming into the shop in January).
Here is some “sugar smoke” from when Graham baked up some *delicious* bay leaf and lemon shortbread yummies for a cookie exchange and clothing swap I attended a few nights ago (where I scored mightily for myself and the shop).
Bathroom coziness.
And here’s my favorite little corner of the cottage- the clothes rack.
And the little sprite herself, wearing her favorite vintage shawl.
The outside is still donning Tyvek Home Wrap and is therefore very un-photogenic at this moment :-)
But you can see the surrounding landscape in many of the photos that are in the shop right now. Just look for green grass and manzanita trees.
Hope you’re all as warm and bundled as we are this Winter Solstice!
lovely shots, my hubby andi live in 600 sq feet, so not quite that small but was still an adjustment. now that I am used to the space and have everything organzied (and don’t buy anything new without getting rid of something) it fits us just right. :)
ooh, i was wondering what your little cottage looked like–so thanks for sharing the pics. so very sweet, and inspiring, too. take care.
ooh amber, truly nice and lovely! i love spreckles, i love the laying about of books, books and more books too! you can never have enough books! i adore the photos of little mycie as well. everything just seems so enchanting here, you are very blessed.
good tidings to you and yours my friend <3
Congrats on your sweet and cozy new space! You can’t beat such a beautiful location and that’s so cool that Graham built it himself. I’m really happy for you guys and hope you have a beautiful Christmas, enJOY!
By the way, I love your new blog format (updating my reader with it now) and I’ve been enjoying your tumblr too :)
p.s. I want to steal your clothes rack ;) Oh, and you’re probably the only person I would think to share this with but Clover is laying on top of me nursing and I just typed this whole long-ass comment using only my left hand… I am right-handed, haha, take care Amber!
Very cool! I have been dreaming about converting a barn into a living space and it seems you’re one step ahead of that. Everything is so gorgeous and earthy, as it should be.
looks lovely! what a beautiful lil space you guys have!! I hope to see it in person sometime! happy holidayz!
Oh, I’m so jealous of your very own tiny cottage.
I too dream of living in a one room cottage, with maybe a shop for hubby and a tent or tiipii for me to work in. A yurt would be nice too. Space is such a relative thing really. Sometimes I feel that our one bedroom home is too big almost. We really only sleep in the one room.
Many happy returns and bright blessings to your new home.
So cozy and sweet, I can smell the lavendar and feel the love. Love you all! Give Graham a super high five from me. My goal is to build a livable tree house up in the woods. Way to go!!
Looks like a house filled with love.
I hope running the space heaters aren’t too expensive.
The cottage looks lovely, though. Well done!
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love the pics
Dave Manning´s last blog ..lala