<![CDATA[She Plays with Mud - Tiny Home Blog]]>Tue, 11 Apr 2023 11:30:20 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Well, Hello Winter!]]>Mon, 17 Nov 2014 04:09:04 GMThttp://www.sheplayswithmud.com/tiny-home-blog/well-hello-winter
Winter has come on rather quickly in our part of the world.  Snow, ice and wind now rule the day (and night too). In addition, we've each had some non-tiny-house projects to take care of during the last couple weeks, so construction slowed down a bit. All that means I've lost my race with the weather, and tiny house living will have to wait for spring. Initially that was disappointing but I have to say, it's really taken some pressure off.

One of the really great things about the space that we're building inside (besides the fact that it's inside)
TURN ON IMAGES to see winter snow on picnic tables
The first snow of the season moves in .
is that we've had the use of big equipment when we needed to do things like work on the roof. Recently we put a membrane up over the ceiling and we were able to use a lift to supplement the scaffolding.  Positioned side by side, the scaffolding and lift allowed us to reach the entire long side of the house at once.  It made the process a whole lot easier and safer than it would have otherwise been.
Oh, and remember all that siding I stained? We've been putting up more of that. Next to the red trim it looks really warm and kind of Christmasy. After we finish a section, both of us will often pause and stand back from it, just to enjoy the effect.
TURN ON IMAGES to see tiny house with red trim and cedar siding
]]><![CDATA[Another Gorgeous Fall Day....]]>Wed, 29 Oct 2014 01:36:13 GMThttp://www.sheplayswithmud.com/tiny-home-blog/another-gorgeous-fall-day
What to do on a day when the weather is impossibly gorgeous, the leaves are turning and falling, and the whole thing is capped by a wonderfully blue sky?
Well, like a few other people around town, I spent a good chunk of the day painting!
I don't really care for the way the cedar stain/sealer smells, so I am happy to be able to do this job outside. The color,
though, the color I like. People say it reminds them of cabins at camp and that it looks "warm."  I like the way it looks against the red of the tiny house  trim. It fits right in with the colors of autumn.
]]><![CDATA[Closing in]]>Sat, 18 Oct 2014 17:14:11 GMThttp://www.sheplayswithmud.com/tiny-home-blog/closing-in
As autumn closes in, we're also closing in my tiny house--the ceiling is going up! Because it was designed to feature the beautiful curved rafters, the construction of the roof is sort of inside out or from the bottom up. 
With the rafters up, the ceiling can go on, and then the layers of waterproofing, insulation and roofing. The tongue and groove car siding we're using  for the ceiling should provide a nice firm surface for all that activity to take place and I'm looking forward to getting this baby ready for the weather. But in the meantime I'm also enjoying the view from inside--take a look!
TURN ON IMAGES to see curved ceiling of the tiny house.
A view from inside: The curved ceiling of the tiny house.
]]><![CDATA["You Nevah Write, You Nevah Call...."]]>Sun, 05 Oct 2014 05:00:51 GMThttp://www.sheplayswithmud.com/tiny-home-blog/you-nevah-write-you-nevah-callYes, it's true. I've been a bad communicator. It' not just the blog, it's also the coffee dates and the Skype dates--all have been neglected. Mostly that's because I've been busy working and building. But also there's the storytelling issue. I like a story that has a beginning, middle and end. You know, a conflict resolved, a problem dealt with. But right now this house-building is a story with multiple ongoing plot-lines, only a few of which have begun to show any signs of resolution.

Here's one: it's the story of the interior walls that were going up at a great pace  until  I ran out of wool and had to decide whether to order more and have extra, or try to sub in something else. 
I ordered more and waited for it to arrive. True, there was plenty to do while I waited for it to arrive, but I was still annoyed
by the "not quite done" appearance  of those walls, taunting me while I did other things.
Oregon Shepherd got the wool out quickly, I went to work on installing the paneling, insulating behind it as I went, and then--sand, and brush, brush and sand--today I put on the last coat of finish, Yay!
There's also the story of  rafter construction, an involved process, described here and revisited repeatedly throughout the build. Each one had to be constructed individually, concurrent with our other tasks.  Then sanded, finished, notched to fit on top the walls, checked,  adjusted and installed--phew!
Yesterday we installed the last one! 
A friend had stopped by to see how the build was going and I got a picture of her looking up as a very satisfied builder looked down from said rafters. 
So those are two  things that are showing some level of completion, but really, until those two things happened, I felt adrift in a sea of ongoing sanding and finishing and painting and discussing and decision making.
TURN ON IMAGES to see builder and friend admiring curved rafters
Last rafter in-- Jim breathes a sigh of relief!
Each day we arrive at the house and one of us will say, "What do you want to work on today?" And then we're  busy all afternoon, sometimes together, sometimes separately, chipping away at whatever's next.
The lack of landmarks at this point in the process, the sheer number of individual tasks, and the onset of cooler weather,  have combined to give me occasional fits of anxiety. But then  friends will come by and comment on the progress that has been made, or someone will text to say they're proud of what I'm doing. That helps. 
So does standing back and seeing the rafters all in place, like a set of giant, prehistoric ribs. When you stand under them they define a space that is both archetypal and uplifting.
I like to watch visitors as they step carefully into the house, survey the interior space, and then look up. Most stand there for a moment, eyes tracing the contours of the barely defined overhead space, and then try to put words on what they see and feel.  Very often it's a simple, "Wow! I like the curves!" Although things will naturally be more closed in when the floor is raised and the ceiling is up, the curved rafters will still be visible and  I'm sure that some of that feeling will remain.
]]><![CDATA["Mama Said There'll Be Days Like This"]]>Mon, 29 Sep 2014 03:30:15 GMThttp://www.sheplayswithmud.com/tiny-home-blog/mama-said-thered-be-days-like-these
Just after I began to build tiny, I came across an interview with Gabriella Morrison that really resonated for me and I saved it. You can read it here. The part that struck me was where she talks about the doubts that she and her husband experienced while coming to the decision to build their tiny home. Family and friends doubted them and they doubted themselves.
Now, of course, they are very happy in their tiny home and can hardly remember the difficulties they faced earlier. It's been rather encouraging for me to re-read that section of the interview a few times.  It's a topic that doesn't often make its way into the inspiring articles and adorable images that populate the tiny house world. 

So, although I'm not a public complainer and although I do know how lucky I am, to be able to build my little gypsy house, I thought I'd go ahead and mention the doubts I've had and the doubts I've encountered from others. Maybe it will help the next person, the way Gabriella's comments helped me.

In the past couple of weeks. I've had a doubt outbreak of global proportions. I've doubted and second-guessed each of the decisions I've made--everything from flooring to floor plans, from trailer to roof. And while I've been dealing with my own doubts (and generally coming to the conclusion that I stand by my decisions) I've also had to explain my plans and desires to the doubting, quizzical faces of a number of contractors and acquaintances.  The process has been a little wearing.

So now, to all those doubters out there, I would just like to say:
  • unconventional does not mean wrong, 
  • my lifestyle is not a threat to your lifestyle, and 
  • deviating from the US standard of living does not automatically doom a person to misery and squalor.
There, I've vented. Now maybe it's time I take a break and address the most pressing doubt of all: Is there or is there not enough chocolate in the nearby grocery store to get me through this process?
]]><![CDATA[Odds and Ends of Tiny House Progress]]>Fri, 12 Sep 2014 03:51:29 GMThttp://www.sheplayswithmud.com/tiny-home-blog/odds-and-ends-of-progress
The walls keep going up! The insides are made of "V joint" tongue and groove paneling and I really like seeing all the color variations in the wood. As I was painting finish on them today, it occurred to me that I haven't mentioned why it is that the interior walls are going up already, when there is nary a trace of plumbing or wiring in place behind them.

Well, I've chosen to put both plumbing and wiring inside the living space, rather than hiding them inside the walls as is usually done. Some people (not mentioning any names!) have told me this is an odd decision.  Oh well. Some would say a tiny house is an odd decision too, so I suppose I am  irredeemably odd.
TURN ON IMAGES to see interior pine paneling wall.
Interior corner wall.
Here's a few reasons why I've planned to keep plumbing and wiring out of my exterior walls:
  • Stuff breaks. And I'd rather not have it dripping  or smoldering  unseen when it does. 
  • Things change. And I may change my power or water system or I may change my mind about where a switch/plug/faucet should be.
  • Pipes freeze. But that's less likely to happen if they are inside the living space, rather than running through an outside wall. (You may have noticed there's only about one half of an inside wall in this house. It will have a bit of plumbing in it.)

And one benefit that I didn't foresee is that I'm getting to see the finished walls that much quicker, which is of course, really fun.

A few people have generously loaned us a couple extra pairs of saw horses and a band saw, and both are really helping with this stage of building--thank you! 

We've been sanding and finishing the curved rafters and they rest quite nicely between 2 sawhorses.  I really  get a kick out of carrying those rafters around--
TURN ON IMAGES to see curved rafters for the tiny house.
Curved rafters, sanded finished and drying.
TURN ON IMAGES to see window for the tiny house being painted.
The dining room window being painted.
TURN ON IMAGES to see kindling in a box.
Wood scraps, saved for kindling.
they feel full and alive, like the ribs of a boat or maybe a whale. Yes, somehow there's something rather sea-faring about those long, gentle curves....

Anyway,  the sawhorses have been useful for supporting the rafters as well as the window frames. And before too much longer, we'll also be finishing the wood  for the ceiling and the outside siding, so those sawhorses are really gonna get some use!
]]><![CDATA[Visualizing the Space]]>Sun, 07 Sep 2014 17:43:32 GMThttp://www.sheplayswithmud.com/tiny-home-blog/visualizing-the-space
We've started to accumulate a lot of junk inside the tiny house--odds and ends and important boxes of stuff that we don't want to leave strewn around the warehouse space where we are guests.
The other day, just for fun, I arranged some of that junk to approximate the projected layout of my caravan. That empty space against the far wall is  
where my bed will go. (It won't be a loft, but will be up high enough for me to store things underneath.) On the left side a box of insulation and a piece of plywood approximate my flip down table and the chair behind it represents one of two or three storage benches that will serve for seating.  On the right, the boxes represent the kitchen counter area. (The bathroom is behind me.)
My builder friend hung up two pieces of cardboard so I could sketch out ideas for the partial wall that will separate my bed from the rest of the house. If you zoom in, you might be able to make out the pencil markings.  Most of the walls are still open on the inside and scrawled all over them are lots of marks where I think shelves and counters will go.
Speaking of walls, did you notice we've started putting up the inside walls?! That's very satisfying for me because it's something I can do a lot of on my own. Of course they are a long way from done, but I just love seeing them transform as the wood goes up. 
]]><![CDATA[Pardon Me While I Wax Philosophical]]>Wed, 03 Sep 2014 17:02:36 GMThttp://www.sheplayswithmud.com/tiny-home-blog/pardon-me-while-i-wax-philosophical
Although it was offered at my junior high, I never took shop. In fact, I probably never considered the possibility of taking shop for more than 30 seconds. I was only dimly aware of it at the time, but there was an unspoken assumption that kids with an aptitude for academics didn't take shop unless they were really slacking off. Shop was for boys who
would never take physics, or maybe the occasional girl who chewed tobacco.
It's a shame really, because understanding how things work contributes a lot to my sense of ease in the world, and I'm not talking about how to balance a chemical equation or even a checkbook (though those can be useful skills too). I'm talking about primal needs like food, water and shelter. I sometimes wonder how much the dim and ever-present awareness of how little we understand about the systems that sustain us contributes to the undercurrent of malaise and dis-ease endemic in modern society.

I've managed to learn a couple of things since junior high, things like growing vegetables, keeping chickens and bees, and building with mud and straw. And those things have brought me a lot of happiness. Building the tiny house is giving me the opportunity to learn a lot more. 

I may not be as brave as some tiny housers, like those who decide to jump in with no prior building experience and build the whole thing themselves. After all, I hired my wood-worker friend and we consult with plumbers and roofers and electricians. But I'm in there every step of the way, sometimes helping out, other times slowing things down, and I'm finding it tremendously fulfilling. I love the idea that when this little house is done, I will really know it, inside and out.
 
Not long ago I came across an interesting piece. It was from the OnBeing.org  blog and titled "The Work We Value, The Intelligence We Ignore: Is the Work that Made America Great Valued Any Longer?"  In it the author, Trent Gilliss, talks about his grandfather who was one of those people who just knew how things worked and could fix or build anything. For most of his life, he writes, his grandfather "woke up clean and came home dirty." And "in between, he accomplished things that were nothing short of miraculous." Things like repairing plumbing lines or shingling roofs.

Well, I don't claim to be accomplishing miracles or making America great, but I am waking up clean and coming home dirty. And as my skills increase a little and the list of things that need to be done moves toward things I can do on my own, I find I'm coming home later, dirtier, and yes-- happier.
]]><![CDATA["Be the Water"]]>Thu, 28 Aug 2014 04:30:52 GMThttp://www.sheplayswithmud.com/tiny-home-blog/be-the-waterAdventures in Wrapping and Flashing
There's nothing like a steady string of summer storms to make me glad we're building under cover. The storms also made me obsess on wrapping and flashing. A friend came over to the build site to help us maneuver the 9 foot roll of house wrap around the house.  (Thank you, Brigitte!) Although I prefer the look of wood to house wrap, it was still pretty satisfying to see it go around the entire structure. 
Then of course it rained again and I obsessed over every nail nick and staple hole and had to tape over each one, giving my house what looked like nothing so much as a raging case of measles!
After that my attention turned to flashing and  I discovered that because I have windows in various shapes and  of various types they each have to be flashed in a slightly different way.
Inspired by yet another torrential downpour, I got some of this and some of that and spent a bit of time with the DuPont website and YouTube, trying to get this part of the process right.  It all made more sense when I took the advice to "be the water," to feel how it would find a way in and to figure out how to guide it away.  Also, although I've never made a sill pan or flashed a curved window by any other method,  I've gotta say, that stretchy stuff is pretty cool. (Just watch that you don't let it stick to itself, because if you do,  it will never, ever let  go.)
]]><![CDATA[One Week, Two Landmarks]]>Thu, 21 Aug 2014 04:15:12 GMThttp://www.sheplayswithmud.com/tiny-home-blog/one-week-two-landmarks
tiny house, walls, plywood sheathing, vardo, curved roof, gypsy caravan, shepherd's hut
Plywood sheathing pretty much complete!
Last week we reached two landmarks--
#1 - we got all the plywood sheathing on the house, and 
#2- we threw away our first garbage can full of waste.

(Before you get too impressed about there being only one can of waste so far, I should acknowledge that there are
Picture
One can of waste so far. Trying to be careful in that department!
a few bits of wood we're hanging on to in the hopes that they might "come in useful" at a later stage of the project and in all honesty, they may eventually be deemed waste.)

One thing I like about having the plywood in place is that, many of the sheets overlap the entire depth of the floor box and are glued and screwed into place so they should provide a nice strong link from the walls to  floor. I remember hearing someone (I think it was Dee Williams) say that you have to build a tiny house to withstand an earthquake and a hurricane simultaneously because that is basically the kind of stress it will endure when you transport it. 

I suspect that's a good way to think about it, and it does give one pause!
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