Hey ya’ll, we’re on Apartment Therapy today showing some of the glamour shots of our little Airstream. I am super pumped! If you are a newbie and you’re interested in checking out more about our home, you can click on the “Our Home” tab above my header, or check out these posts:
Thanks for all your support and encouragement!
love,
melanie
So maybe Airstream Week has ended up being Airstream two weeks. Or week and a half. Oh well. Ya’ll aren’t sick of it yet, are you? I got a lot of questions about the Airstream and our life and I wanted to answer some of them here. So here goes.
1. Do you really live in the Airstream… like all the time?
Yep! We live in the Airstream in the stifling heat of summer and the bone chilling cold of winter. In case of an emergency (like a hurricane), we’ll go to a relative’s house nearby. But other than that, we’re in it the whole time!
2. Are you parked or do you travel?
Right now we are parked in order to save money. We would love to travel with the Airstream one day.
3. Where are you parked?
We are parked on land owned by my husband’s family. It is a beautiful farmed and wooded plot. We stay on the land in exchange for chores.
4. Where do you do laundry?
We have very gracious relatives who let us do laundry at their house in exchange for chores around the house.
5. How much did your Airstream cost?
Our Airstream was $5,000 and we spent about $1,000 on fixing her up. Read more about our buying story here.
6. How long did it take you to fix up the Airstream?
It took about 2 months of intense work.
7. How can I live this life?
This life isn’t for the faint of heart. It isn’t easy, but it is rewarding. 90 percent of living this way is deciding that you want it and sticking with it.
What questions have you been dying to ask? Ask me in the comments!
love,
melanie
These pictures didn’t make it to Airstream week, but alas, here they are. Better late than never, I suppose. I’m working on that whole trying-not-to-be-a-perfectionist-thing and trying not beat myself up about it. Anyway, George and I decided to take a few family photos with our new dog, Bambi to use for various things. Maybe a new Christmas card?! And maybe for other blogs.
Also, can we talk about how hard it is to take a photo with a dog? Bambi hated it. I’m surprised we even got one usable picture. Even though it’s not perfect, I still love the photo above.
Annoyingly happy Christmas cards, here we come!
love,
melanie
I’ll be the first to admit that we didn’t do much to the outside of our Airstream. We washed it, polished it and put it in it’s permanent home. We didn’t feel the need to acid-wash it and make it super shiny. It just didn’t fit our style.
We did put a lot of work into the land that the Airstream is parked on. We had to clear brush, lots of poison ivy (George got so sick!) and even cut down a few trees.
The second-most frequently asked question I get is: “Do we own the land we’re parked on?” Kind of. We live on land that has been in my husband’s family for over 80 years. Part of the land is wooded and part is farmed. We earn our keep by helping out around the property– chopping firewood, cleaning the barn and feeding the animals.
The first-most asked question I get asked is: “Do you actually live there?” Yes! We live here full-time. In the event of an emergency, like a hurricane, we have relatives we can visit nearby, but we’re in the Airstream during the heat of summer and the cold of winter.
Anyway, since the Airstream is so small, we’ve tried to make the exterior equally as nice as the interior. George surprised me one day by laying the rock path to the house. He also built a natural rock fire pit from rocks on the property after I talked about our friends’ fire pit for 2 weeks. I think he did it just to shut me up. 🙂
When it’s nice outside, George and I like to break out the lawn chairs and a few beers. We’ll often cook dinner on the fire and eat in the outdoors. It sounds corny, but living this way has really made me appreciate nature.
Thanks for touring my humble abode this week. And Happy Friday! This weekend I plan on doing what I do best, just hanging out around the ol’ Airstream.
Got any weekend plans? Let me know about ’em in the comments!
love,
melanie
Yesterday I showed you all the before and after shots of the Airstream, well, today I want to show you a few glamour shots. We live in the Airstream full-time, so not only did I want the Airstream remodel to be functional, but I also wanted it to feel warm and cozy. (Even in the winter, when it isn’t so warm!) We had a tight budget, so we built most of our furniture. We bought very little for the Airstream, instead we used the things that we already owned.
In the shots above you can see our copious amount of handmade pillows. One of my favorite things to do in the Airstream is curl up in the queen-size bed and watch a movie.
George does all of his art work from the trailer, so we knew it was important for him to have his own space to work and conduct all his business.
Although the kitchen is small, I’ve managed to squeeze out some killer meals in there. Sometimes when the space is feeling too cramped or hot to cook, we’ll go outside and cook right over the fire— camp style.
There for a while, the bench was something we didn’t use much. But since George built me a mini-desk, I’ve been sitting (and napping!) on it constantly. Again, it’s got plenty of homemade pillows and we covered the bench cushion in vintage fabric.
When we first designed our the Airstream, I had grand dreams of open shelving. We had open shelving for a few months until I just couldn’t stand the clutter anymore! I’m a minimalist and I love a clean space, but George is an artist and needs a lot of stuff for his business, so we decided to compromise and build drawers from reclaimed barn wood to hide our junk.
I like to think that I’m not prissy, but I couldn’t live with a composting or camper-style toilet. Just couldn’t do it. That’s where I draw the line. But since we are parked and hooked up to a septic system, a real toilet wasn’t a problem. Thank god.
What do you think of our little home? Let me know in the comments!
love,
melanie
Can you believe it?! Can you believe it?! George and I have been living in the Airstream for a whole year. It’s almost unbelievable how much life can change in a year. One minute you’re living in an overpriced apartment and the next minute you’re living in an ’78 Airstream Land Yacht. We’ve gone through some hard times and some good times in the old girl. But the good has definitely outweighed the bad.
We originally moved in the Airstream so George could work on his art and we could save money. George has been able to really work on his business this past year and I am so, so proud of him. He’s been doing artwork for some major companies and he’s been taking on a lot more commissions.
We’ve saved quite a bit of money too. Not as much as we could have, because we’ve also traveled a lot, but I don’t regret our wanderlust. We’ve been able to travel to Austin, Memphis, take a Florida road trip and all kinds of little trips in between. I am so thankful for the opportunity to travel with my favorite dude.
But most of all I’m thankful for the lessons the Airstream has taught me. Living in less than 200 square feet has taught me that I don’t need a lot of stuff to be happy. I have food in my belly, a roof over my head and people who love me. That’s all I need.
Although it can be tiresome, the Airstream has also taught me to be more responsible. I’m more responsible with my chores because if I don’t say, put the laundry away, it’s right in the middle of the floor staring me in the face. It’s taught me to be more responsible with the things I bring into my life too. I’m constantly thinking “Do I have enough room for this?” and “Do I really need this?”
The Airstream has also given me peace of mind. I still worry about money. I probably always will. But I’ve now been able to open up an IRA and start truly saving for a (small) home one day. I don’t want to moan about how my generation has had it rough, but a year ago I was feeling very behind on life. I thought I may never be able to achieve some of my dreams because it took George and myself so long to find a job after college.
The Airstream has given me confidence too. Before we fixed up our old girl, I was nervous about renovation projects. I’m not an old pro, but I now feel confident about painting a wall, cutting a board and hammering those nails.
I am so thankful for our time in the Airstream. I can’t believe it has been a year. We’ve no concrete plans to move out anytime soon either, but I know when it is time to move on I’ll look back on this time of our lives as one of the best.
If you’re debating a nutty way to change your life, like living in an Airstream, I’d like to encourage you to go for it. What’s the worst that could happen? “Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.” (Helen Keller)
love,
melanie
In honor of our one year anniversary of living in the Airstream, I’ve planned a full week of content revolving around the beloved Airstream! Normal content will take a backseat this week, but never fear because the before and after pictures are totally worth it. Make sure you check back several times this week because there’s going to be all kinds of fun going on ’round these parts!
Let’s party!
love,
melanie
Did you know that beeswax candles are honey hole full of benefits? Ok, that pun was forced. But seriously, beeswax candles can help with allergies, have calming benefits and burn slower and cleaner than paraffin candles. I’ve even heard that beeswax candles give off negative ions that actually purify the air. I also love the scent of beeswax candles.
In elementary school we went to visit the town of Old Salem, a living history town that depict Moravian life in the 18th and 19th century. Well, one guy, dressed in his period-correct finery, was pouring candles. Even as an elementary schooler, I thought that was pretty cool and I bought one. My parents didn’t let me play with matches, so I ended up just smelling the unlit candle like a weirdo. But I’m still obsessed with the natural scent of beeswax candles.
Anyway, I know that beeswax candles are one of those things that I can make cheaper than I can buy. So I did just that. It took me a couple of tries to perfect the process, but here’s how to make beeswax candles.
Supplies
Glue your wicks to the bottom of the jars. The glue helps the wick to stay in place during the pouring process. Let dry, then trim the wicks to slightly longer than the desired length. (I didn’t do that and regretted it later.) Pour your pellets and coconut oil into the pitcher. 1/2 pound of pellets makes about a 1 pint jar candle. Fill large pot of water 1/4 of the way full of water.
Put the candle making pitcher in the water. It might float a bit. That’s ok. Stir until the wax is melted.
As the wax is melting either heat up your oven on low or prepare a bowl of warm water and put your jars in it to cool the candles. I did both and both methods worked. The addition of coconut oil and the intricate cooling process ensures that the candles don’t crack. The coconut oil also gives the candles a lovely baby yellow hue.
When wax is fully melted pour carefully into jars to not disturb the wick.
If using the water cooling method, cover in candles in tinfoil. If using the oven method, turn the oven off and let the candles cool inside.
We just made beeswax candles! All my childhood dreams are coming true! Also, wouldn’t these make great gifts?!
Have you ever tried candle making? Let me know in the comments!
love,
melanie
Trying to keep the day we purchased the Airstream in my mind.
It’s been about nine months living in the Airstream full-time. I love our little tin can, but I have to admit there are days when it is really, really hard. I’m under quite a bit of stress at work to finish up projects before the summer and it’s easy to bring that stress home with me.
A small space gets more cluttered more quickly and the cooking area just never seems big enough. George has been working super hard to take on more commissions and I am super proud of him. But that also means that he has less time to help out around the ol’ Stream. I have so many dreams and goals for this blog, the Airstream and my life, but sometimes they seem too far out of my reach.
I know things will look up. It’s almost the summer time, my work will lighten up, there will be beach trips and time to get organized. There will be time to live those dreams, to grow something with my own hands, to grow this blog and to spend time with the people I love.
I don’t regret one minute of our journey in the Airstream, it’s just a rough patch. I still love the ol’ girl and I know we’ll get through this together.
love,
melanie
The old me used to eat out every couple of days and think nothing of it. “Oh piddle dee dee, I thought, I spend a lot of money on dining out. But it’s just a fact of life, I suppose!” In my head, I’m apparently an old British woman. But then I moved to a tiny town and the dining options were few and far between. We ate out less because there were less choices. I unintentionally saved money on food, I unintentionally learned how to cook more meals, and I unintentionally got into the habit of eating at home. It was an unintentional blessing.
Here’s how I’ve learned how to eat more meals at home.
1. Cut back on your eating out gradually
If you are eating out every day, you won’t go from being besties with the cashier at Chipotle to becoming Julia Child. You have to work your way up to it. Set a realistic goal for the week and work towards it. Your goal could be to learn one new dish or only eat out every other day. Set a reachable goal and give yourself a small treat when you reach your goal. Giving yourself small rewards creates habits.
2. If you are a beginner, learn the basics
One of the hardest parts of just starting out in the kitchen is starting out. Learn how to do simple things like sautéing vegetables, scrambling an egg and boiling rice. Once you learn those things, you’ll have the base for all kinds of meals!
3. If you are an intermediate cook, expand your repertoire
Cooking can get tiresome. Cooking is a project with no end because we need to eat every day. The way I fight the cooking drudgery is expanding my repertoire. I love perusing Pinterest recipes that make me excited to cook again. Just check out my recipe board for proof!
4. Make meals in advance
We are all stupid-busy. We don’t always have time to cook up a four course meal. Let’s be honest, I never have time to cook up a four course meal. I make most of my meals in advance. I’ll cook up a big batch of crustless quiche on Sunday night and crank up my slow cooker.
5. Automate your meals
I’d love all my food to be interesting and beautiful, but that’s just not a priority. Getting something warm and filling in my belly is a priority. My weekday meals are on auto-pilot. For breakfast I have eggs, my lunch is leftovers and dinner is usually something from the crock pot. Not always super exciting, but I can live up my culinary fantasies on the weekend when I have more time.
6. Put your slow cooker to work!
I love my slow cooker. I don’t know how I ever cooked without her. Her name is Sue, btw. Slow cooking is so easy. You can crank it on low, throw just about any meat and veggie in there with a little salt and pepper and you have a meal when you get home from work or when you wake up in the morning!
7. Leftovers are your friend
If you are going go through all the effort to cook, you might as well make enough for yourself and a small army. There’s so many ways to use up leftovers. For tips on reusing leftovers click here!
8. Cook with a buddy
Cooking all alone can be a lonely job. Enlist your husband or wife and kids to help out in the kitchen. Or at least sit with you and keep you company in the kitchen. You could also invite friends over for a freezer meal cooking spree. Sounds like a good time to me.
9. Make it enjoyable
Cooking can be stressful. Turn on some tunes, pour yourself a glass of wine and slow down. Dinner isn’t a life or death experience. It’s just dinner. Enjoy it.
10. Use paper plates
One of the worst parts of cooking is the clean up. Sometimes I’d go out to eat just so I wouldn’t have to do the dishes. To curtail this thinking, I mostly use paper plates and minimize my clean up. Worried about the environmental impact? Me too. That’s why I use compostable plates.
11. Host a dinner party
Hate cooking for one? Need to spice things up a bit? Dying for the company of a restaurant? Host a dinner party! Dinner parties don’t have to be a one woman (or man) show. Ask your friends to bring a dish and serve it up family style!
12. Keep frozen foods on hand
And if all else fails, keep food in the freezer for those times when you are too tired or hungry or just plain don’t want to cook. Frozen leftovers are culinary gold. But a couple of chicken breasts, a bag of frozen veggies and some soy sauce will do just fine in a pinch. Instant stir fry. Instant dinner.
What tricks do you have for eating more meals at home? Let me know in the comments!
love,
melanie
