Back to the beginning

I have hired an architect and have learnt that as much as I love my 3D model and my idea for small space living, I am not an architect. So back to the drawing board with the Ginger Shack plan.

The deck is out and a 10 X 10 concrete slab is in

The fireplace is out and a vented propane fireplace is in

The idea of not going over 14 feet is out and I am likely building a 18 foot tower and will be able to stretch out in any space I find myself in

My magical kitchen/stair area is out and I am awaiting to see the new option

The closet on the main floor is out

Here is to being flexible and to lucking out and finding a brilliant co-designer!!

Posted by Live Small Think Big

Folk artist. Lifelong cyclist. Plant based. Zero Waste. Environmentalist. Lover.

Realizing that I am small

and that my land is big and that Mother Nature even bigger.

The area in front of the tent is a complete mud pit with no hopes of drying up so 3 drains are going in, the ground has to be graded and 10 more large trees need to come down so more and more sunshine can pour in and the mosquitos breeding grounds can dry up.

The deck did not settle evenly and there is a 2 inch slope down to the one corner. If you ever drop anything at least you know where to start the searching. That will have to be fixed – thinking a car jack and a couple of patio slabs should do the trick but maybe not.

I won’t be building my little artist studio this year but I will be finishing one kick ass campground and starting the prep work for the Ginger Shack to be built the following summer.

After all these years I know that it is not about sticking to a time line but not losing sight of the end line.

Posted by Live Small Think Big

Folk artist. Lifelong cyclist. Plant based. Zero Waste. Environmentalist. Lover.

Persistence and Patience ….

Paid off!! I have landed my architect and could not have imagined one better!

He not only hit on my basic requirements; knowledgeable, interested in small space living, located in Canada, one I could afford, he is also politically and socially aware, a believer that moving towards renewable energy is the solution and loves cats (really loves them).

This bio on LinkedIn … Sole practitioner doing architectural design of various scales, as well as architectural renderings. No project too small or too weird.

This is one of his designs. I think we are going to have a good time building the Ginger Shack together.

My friend put me on to elance.com and I am so grateful he did!

I am over the moon. Thank you, thank you, thank you Universe and John!!

Posted by Live Small Think Big

Folk artist. Lifelong cyclist. Plant based. Zero Waste. Environmentalist. Lover.

Time to get 3D!

First there was the tape on the floor. I had to physically be in the space to have any idea of how to design the space. Once I felt like I had a grasp on the design I transferred everything over to grid paper and worked out the dimensions.

Final step – a 3D model!

As strange as this may sound this was the first time I realized how incredibly small my space is going to be. Once all the walls became real and had to attach to each other there was a ridiculously large closet on the main floor and an insanely big wood burning stove. I have taken a foot off the closest and have moved from the Grand Cook Stove to a much smaller wood burning stove.

View from the top … and space for Tigger!

Next step – will it stand the test of an architect/carpenter’s input…..

Posted by Live Small Think Big

Folk artist. Lifelong cyclist. Plant based. Zero Waste. Environmentalist. Lover.

May 2-4

I grew up in Manitoba and a couple hours North of my hometown is Riding Mountain National Park. A few friends have cabins up there and May Long weekend is the time open them up and mark the beginning of summer!

I spent May Long weekend opening up my tent and my land to sunshine and stars!

The tent stood the test of winter!

I cut down trees

Jeremy cut down bigger trees.

Mia worked the axe.

A decent wood pile is forming.

A bridge out to the car park is almost done.

Fence posts for the HillyBilly Hot Tub area have all been cut.

Looking really good after only 2 days up there!

Thanks, yet again, to some amazing help from some awesome friends!!

Summer is coming and Camp Just Broken In is getting ready for the season…

Posted by Live Small Think Big

Folk artist. Lifelong cyclist. Plant based. Zero Waste. Environmentalist. Lover.

Happy Mother’s Day

I have a great mom. She is amazing. She had a great mom. My grandmother was amazing too. The really great thing about good parenting is that you create really great offspring.

Today I would like to thank my Mom for giving me my childhood and one super cool sister to grow up with.

Check this out ….. Congratulations to Nicki Bruce for winning the #AssiniboineCUcares Winnipeg Folk Fest Earth Day Photo Contest!

For more cool up cycled ideas check her and her partner out on Instagram @Eddie_And_Inas_Vintage

Posted by Live Small Think Big

Folk artist. Lifelong cyclist. Plant based. Zero Waste. Environmentalist. Lover.

Reaching out

The layout is done and the tape has come off the floor. Next step, creating the blueprint to build off of.

From the beginning of this process I have never wanted to be the Building Foreman but I had to be the Architect! I love organizing space and making it work for me so this part of the journey had to be mine and mine alone. Originally I had a friend on board who was going to take over the construction side of things once I had the floor plan in place but life happened and that has changed. Thankfully there are hundreds of Tiny Home people out there so now I am on the search for my BluePrint person!

I have emailed these two guys …. so here’s hoping

Tiny Home Customs

Rocky Mountain Tiny Houses

Posted by Live Small Think Big

Folk artist. Lifelong cyclist. Plant based. Zero Waste. Environmentalist. Lover.

4 walls completed. 1 step closer.

First there was the tape on the floor. I needed to sit in my space to be able to come up with the floor plan. This helped a lot and I think I will be able to move about with a fair amount of grace in my 130 square feet.

The second step was to figure out what the actual measurements were going to be. I now have my rough outline completed, Thank You! grid paper.

The first page is the wall to your right once you have walk through the front door after that you are turning in a clockwise circle.

Welcome to The Ginger Shack

3D model coming next …

Posted by Live Small Think Big

Folk artist. Lifelong cyclist. Plant based. Zero Waste. Environmentalist. Lover.

Time to slow down

I was born in Brandon, Manitoba and spent the first 20 years of my life in the same house living with the same people.

At 20 I left my home town and moved to Calgary. I lived there for 4 years and in that time I had 3 addresses and in those homes had 7 living situations. I had two different jobs and finished a degree in Environmental Science.

After feeling like I got what I needed from Calgary, I left to go travel for a year and spent some time in S.E. Asia (Thailand, Viet Nam, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore) and then headed to Australia to work and travel. I lived in Melbourne for a 3 months, travelled for a month and then crashed on the floor of an Irishman’s bachelor pad in Sydney for a month so I would have enough money to get back to Canada.

I moved to Toronto at 25 with $300.00 and no idea how much harder living in a big city was. I stayed until I was 29. In those 4 years, I had 6 living situations and worked for 1 company but within that company I was employed at 4 different stores and had 3 different roles.

Once again, I felt fulfilled so I decided to leave and this time it was all travel and no work. I went to Europe, Morocco, India and back to S.E. Asia (Thailand, Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia).

At 30, I returned to Toronto where I have been living ever since. In the last 9 years I have had 5 living situations (slowing down a bit). I have always worked for the same company and this time upon my return I have worked at 4 different locations and within those 4 locations I have had 7 roles.

Believe it or not, I am actually a good roommate and reliable employee. Life in my 20s moved at a crazy, fun speed. Life in my 30s has presented some interesting moments and some solid challenges.

Until now I have never know where I wanted to be, which I think might be evident of what you just read. When I found my land, I found a lot of calm and the place I cannot wait to be.

This blog has been a number of different things for me. Right now, it is the journey of a woman who has decided to give herself the best 40th birthday gift ever – space to sit, breath and take in all of what just happened over the last 20 years.

I am slowly packing up my life in Toronto and heading “up North” to build a 100 square foot home. I have no idea what I am doing but everything will work out just fine because I feel like I am going home.

Posted by Live Small Think Big

Folk artist. Lifelong cyclist. Plant based. Zero Waste. Environmentalist. Lover.

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