Rustic Fence Gate From Wood Scraps

For the love of mah DOnkee - the fence is going up and I made sure there were three spots with gates for me to get in the domesticated animal ring! I decided to get artsy with my smaller fence gates which will be next to my house and behind the pond, by using whole hardwood tree branches & scrap wood that was piled up on my porch from all the other projects going on.

The basic premise I followed to make the small gates were alot like making a frame to stretch canvas over for paintings. Even though I was using raw materials, like branches I created a square/rectangle/box shape following my measurements (approx. 4 feet high and 36 inches wide).

And to support the box, it needed corner braces...

There may be better ways to do this, but I was using mostly hand tools and winging the design(as always I am open to suggestions, and ways to make things easier too!). I was careful to put in extra screws to increase it's durability.

As a finishing rustic look, i took other twisted branches and screwed them to the front of the gate-! Pretty cool huh? Now Jus' two more to go & I am picking up mah DOnkee this weekend.....

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(Helpful Hint::: If you wanna make something like this make sure to pre-drill holes and use really long screws!)

NEW BONUS PIC :::::: (Here is the second gate on the right I built today, July 29th!)
xoxoxo

Sketching A Sustainable Dream

There are some adventures which are just still a dream, but the only way to make that dream happen is to clarify your intentions and follow every avenue of possibility towards making it happen. I make creative lists, and now I make drawings of what I want too! Right now I am looking for land to purchase (with or without a structure already on it) so that I can begin where I left off a long time ago, in building my own eco & sustainable homestead to live out a peaceful and natural life on. The above pic is my drawing of what I want to happen, I got the idea of drawing when a old neighbor from back in Marshall NC told me once she looked for her farm for almost a year and couldnt find anything she liked, she finally sat down one day and drew an exact picture of what this dream farm would look like - she drew in small details like spring fed concrete watering hole for her horses and hills rolling a certain way, barns in a specific place. After she made the drawing it was in almost no time she pulled up to her future farm, which was an exact replica of every detail of her drawing.
Another thing I am loving to do, is take the online photos of all the places that woo me on the TInY HOuSes BlOg, and save them in a folder for inspiration! Below are some of my most favorites I wanted to share with ya'll... to see tons more like these, go here.
I am attracted to natural wood, whether it's flat, round, logs, cordwood, or a shack - if it's made with wood in a natural rustic way I fall in love. Being in a forest setting, these structures make more sense- they blend in better and hopefully attract wildlife. :)
On the TiNy HOuSes BlOg, there are so many hand built homes that are on trucks or made from horse trailors and other wild imaginative objects. This one below is an antique/vintage photo which is why it holds that true gypsy style and energy.
And of course- here is my dream hobbit cabin, which looks not only like heaven to me but also not too hard to construct.
Now we get to interiors of tiny eco homes- which make good use of natural materials, space, and re-use.
In the pic above I love the wooden counter top, I built an exact counter top like this in my favorite house I ever bought - and would love to do it again! The bedroom pic below gets me because of the feeling of a loft, yet full private room to sleep in- it is very well designed.
Now, the cob house kitchen below freaking rocks, basically cause a real tree with bits of branches in tack was used to hang things off of and i lovvvvvve the micro sized kitchen! I am not into cabinets, everything I have is useful most days and i like having little open shelves like in this micro kitchen.
And last... quirky construction, so quirky I don't even comprehend - but all those warm looking wood slats on the walls, floor and ceiling. Mmmmmm, COmE On DReAM HoME, I am ready for you!!!!
XoXo

Green Building: 4 Types Of Healthy Insulation

Typical house insulation is made of fiber glass and is unfortunately treated with hazardous fire retardant chemicals that can outgas up to 7 years. The fiber glass material itself can irritate skin and damage your lungs if breathed in, plus the formaldehyde can cause allergic reactions such as skin rashes, nausea, burning, and coughing - (not to mention it gave laboratory rats cancer). There weren't too many other choices of effective insulation on the market for quite a while, but (finally) now you can keep your home properly insulated with materials that are not only healthier for you but also much more gentle on the planet!

Here's some options:

1. Thermo Hemp - I really love the idea of hemp insulation knowing hemp is naturally mold resistant, super strong, bug resistant, and a swatch of hemp fabric is the oldest piece of textile ever found by archaeologists! Here is some more info: "Provides effective vapour permeability giving you a naturally healthy indoor living atmosphere. Because Thermo-Hemp has naturally excellent diffusion properties, the automatic regulation of moisture can be achieved. This in turn provides the occupant with a naturally healthy indoor living atmosphere. As the fibres in Thermo-Hemp do not contain protein there is no requirement for the treatment of the insulation material for moths or beetles. Oppressive warmth entering the internal structure by summer sunshine is stored by Thermo-Hemp so that it can be given off again when external conditions become cooler. Only a sufficient amount of heat is allowed to pass through to the internal structure ensuring a comfortable internal living atmosphere."

2. Recycled Denim - A super low impact way to insulate any space that won't be getting too much moisture. Instead of using the usual fire prevention chemical they saturate the denim in borates. Here some info: "UltraTouch (denim insulation) is manufactured using post-industrial denim and cotton fibers that we source from denim manufacturing facilities. UltraTouch contains over 85% recycled denim and cotton fibers. UltraTouch does not itch, is easy to handle and requires no protective clothing to install. UltraTouch is manufactured to breathe or accept and release the moisture it receives in a timely manner. UltraTouch also acts as an excellent pest, mold, and mildew inhibitor."

3. Icynene - This is the foamy stuff that is blown into the walls or ceiling and expands into the space. It is a single cell foam, but Icynene is not like the stuff you get from Home Depot or Lowes , those contain harsh chemicals that can cause allergies for most people. Here is some info: "Icynene manufactures its products with three objectives in mind – to create Healthier, Quieter, More Energy Efficient® indoor environments. Icynene's products are suitable for steel- or wood- framed residential or commercial construction. No project is too small or too big, and no area or shape is too difficult to insulate. Every Icynene product is created so that trade professionals and homeowners can reap the benefits of a comfortable, energy efficient and healthier indoor environment."

4. Formaldyhde Free Fiber Glass - If you are on a budget and green building materials are just way out of your price range, yet you are in need of insulation that doesn't contain harmful chems, you can special order formaldehyde free insulation through your local building supply distributor. It barely costs but a few cents more per piece and won't be out gassing into your home for years. It still requires care when installing because the fiber glass is dangerous to breathe and touch.
I have used this type of insulation before in a home I renovated and found that it worked awesome. It comes in lots of levels of thickness, including higher then the standard R 14.

If I was building my very own eco hut right now, I think my first choice would be the hemp insulation. Have you used any of these low impact choices before?