TINY LIVING -The Tiny House & Green Living Inspiration Place

UN-TETHERED!

ISSN 2631-326X

JANUARY 2021

Tiny Living Magazine Follow us at

facebook.com/tinylivingmagazineuk instagram.com/tinylivingmaguk

01

JANUARY 2021

Send Us Your Photos!!

Are you living in a tiny house, a narrowboat, a studio or other small space? Your story can help inspire others to follow their dreams!

Email us at: info@tinylivingmagazine.co.uk

On the cover:

A classic tiny house built by Tiny Eco Homes UK.

Contents 03 12 13 A Caravan Named Boop … Page Fireflies … Page

Did You Know That... … Page

Published by: Tiny Living Productions Ltd Editor: Pamela Palongue Design by: Gilmour Graphics Email: info@tinylivingmagazine.co.uk

02

n a v a r A Ca Boop d e m a N

03

Caravanning is not just about a camping holiday.

It’s about family, friends, the outdoors and discovering new things about the world and yourself. With spring just a couple of months away, a trip to the country may be just the experience you’re needing.

If you don’t own a caravan, you might want to try renting one and see how you like it. But be warned!

It can be an addictive activity… And if you decide to buy your own caravan (which can be expensive) you may

want to do what the lady in our story today did… she recycled! Tracy took a vintage camper, and with some vision and creativity turned it into the beautiful home away from home that you see here.

Tracy and her husband, Wesley were childhood sweethearts. Besides loving each other, they also shared a love for the outdoors. As soon as they were able to get their drivers licences, they bought their first tent together.

04

As their passion for camping grew, Tracy sold her perfectly normal, working car for a campervan. It was a 1971 VW with a bay window, which they named ‘Colin’. (Note for the uninitiated: All VW vans must have a name).

Unfortunately, Colin proved to be an expensive acquaintance. The maintenance costs were high and the young couple couldn’t keep up with all of it.

Fortunately, Tracy’s dad bought him, and gave him a new lease on life.

05

After Colin, they bought Betty, a 1988 VW campervan.

Betty came from a good home and was already named, so they kept the moniker which they loved anyway.

Then finally they acquired Boop, a 1973 Alpine Sprite to go with Betty. Betty, Boop, Colin and another caravan named Derek sometimes go on holiday together.

Tracy says, “All the caravans certainly have a personality, and are a part of the family and loved by all of us.”

When it comes to selecting a caravan, Tracy definitely prefers vintage over new.

is actually quite luxurious compared to their early wild camping adventures.

“Old things just have so much more character and personality than new…The compact, curved design, with the retro features really appeals to us. New vehicles are obviously more luxurious. But when we go camping, we don’t want to sit and watch the television or have all the mod cons of home; we want to embrace family time and enjoy the outdoors.”

“Being back to the basics and close to nature is so good for the soul. It gives you a chance to reconnect and escape the stresses of everyday life.”

Recycling an old classic caravan, is great for the planet, and creates less waste – and less expense. The little Alpine Sprite is large enough for their family of four, but it has the added bonus of being light and easily towable with their Mini Cooper. They like to have as small of an impact on the environment as possible, and they soon hope to get solar panels fitted to the caravan so they can enjoy off-grid camping. And Boop

When it comes to choosing a site, they much prefer the quieter grass pitches to the commercialised sites with hard standing pitches and electric hook ups. And Boop stands out amongst her modern day counterparts with originality and beauty.

It’s amazing that this beautiful caravan which has served their family so well, was actually a “gift” of sorts.

When Tracy’s husband finished working on a client’s house, they gave the caravan to him on the promise that he would breathe new life back into it.

“ Being back to the basics and close to nature is so good for the soul”

06

“ All the caravans certainly have a personality, and are a part of the family and loved by all of us�

07

-New life indeed! Tracy used Tekaloid paint, which is a coach paint, normally used on busses and tractors.

It rolls on easily and is very effective. Tracy says that although it’s unlike any paint she has ever used before, it’s pretty easy to use once you practice a little.

The colour was a custom choice which was colour matched. She did the entire caravan herself, except for the roof which her husband helped to finish.

The exterior is lovely, but the inside is a work of art!

Although it’s very tastefully done with cheerful colours and lots of whimsy, Tracy insists she is not a trained interior decorator. She does complete lots of projects at home however. She tried to respect the original features as much as possible, but of course, all new cushions and curtains were in order. The cabinets were full of nutshells as if squirrels had been living in them, and she says there were more spiders than you could imagine. The caravan had to be completely stripped down and the damp corners were replaced along with the window capping. (Tracy recalls having bleeding knuckles from this part of the renovation)

Old caravans are known for having a brown and orange colour scheme, but Tracy wanted something bright and retro. So she chose a lovely yellow for its sunny feel, and wallpaper that was an update without being too far removed from the caravan style wallpaper.

The rest of the interior was very much an organic process which was dictated by the caravan itself.

Walls with sticky, peeling paper had to be stripped and painted, and vinyl flooring was added. The original green plastic bathroom basin was toast, so Wesley was able to fashion a new basin from a bamboo bowl fitted onto a shelf, with a clever rechargeable tap.

There is also a “bee” theme which is a nod to their children’s names which both begin with a “B” as well as the family dog, Barney. Homemade pictures in frames, candles and books add to the cosy feel of the caravan, and there is a selection of reading materials on ‘hygge’, the Danish concept of experiential living, rather than having a lot of ‘things’.

08

“ Old things just have so much more character and personality than new…The compact, curved design, with the retro features really appeals to us”

09

The overall feeling of the caravan is fun! And it has a great retro theme, but with a very contemporary feel.

Wesley also helped a lot with the parts that you don’t see – the mechanics, the structure and chassis.

offer the ultimate Hygge experience…Candlelight, star gazing, good food (-and drink!), the rain on the roof in the night, sandy toes and relaxing together, contented and worn out by the fresh air and exercise of the day.”

The reno project was also very therapeutic for Tracy.

It helped to keep her sane during the summer lockdown period, where she would escape to work on the caravan.

After a while, her children knew exactly where to find her.

Tracy’s love of nature began at a very early age when her grandparents kept a caravan in a very remote part of the Peak District, alongside a river. The memories of her magical childhood and time spent with family members, some of whom are no longer here, has always inspired her to return to nature.

Besides being a fun project, the caravan is now a great place for making family memories. They spend days at the beach and in the country together. Wesley is a talented singer and storyteller and they spend many evenings around a campfire, listening to his stories and songs.

Besides caravans, Tracy is very much drawn to other small space living quarters as well. “I would love to build/transform a shepherds hut, and I am also very drawn to narrowboat life. So who knows what our next venture will be! But there’s certainly something about a simple, cosy way of life in a tiny house.”

“I think camping and caravanning, especially in Boop,

-We couldn’t agree more.

10

A Tiny Living Promotion

Home - /hōm/

1. A permanent place of residence.

As anyone who’s ever moved their place of residence can tell you, moving house is a time of uncertainty and major stress. Wouldn’t it be great to never have to move again, unless it was your choice? -To never have to face that time of confusion, trying to figure out where you will go next? -And that uneasy feeling after signing the lease when you wonder if you picked the right flat or chose the right neighbourhood? These major upheavals when you change your place of residence are a huge source of stress, and inevitably lead to at least a short period of feeling a little lost. It’s part of what makes home ownership so attractive. You never have to worry about someone raising your rent or keeping your expensive deposit.

If you own your home or have a really low mortgage payment, you can sail through rough financial times feeling more secure with a bit more control over your destiny.

11

A house truly becomes a ‘home’ when all the walls are painted your favourite shade, the plug-ins are in just the right spot, your familiar pictures are on the wall, and your favourite jeans are in the cupboard you designed. A customised home is truly yours in every way.

Tiny Eco Homes UK is not just building affordable houses, they’re creating homes – homes that are specially designed for the way that you want to live. You can choose to incorporate solar and wind power options for an economical source of energy, and a greener future for our planet. And if you need financing, they can help you to get the affordable loan you need. With prices starting at just £26,000, your mortgage may actually be less than the rent you’re paying now.

Visit their website and see what home is all about: www.tinyecohomesuk.com

The glow worm found in the UK is a type of firefly species belonging to the genus Lampyris.

These fascinating creatures can turn a woodland forest into a magical place at dusk!

If you’re lucky enough to spot one, please don’t catch it in a jar as my bad poetry from childhood above would suggest! The numbers of these special insects have been declining in recent years, due to the loss of habitat, and they are also being adversely affected by artificial light at night.

Besides being beautiful to look at, they have some unusual traits. Only the male of the species flies, and only the female produces the golden amber glow.

Her light attracts the male, and shortly after mating, her light ceases to glow. They are typically found on heaths and near hedgebanks, and favour areas with limestone soils.

There is a wonderful site with lots of interesting information and videos on Glow Worms in the UK at www.glowworms.org.uk

12

- a ccording to the Canal & River Trust, 26% of the UK’s 33,000 boats are used as primary residences?

- thousands of people in the UK are already embracing small-space living in studio flats, student accommodations, and small terraced houses?

- there are over 80 shepherd hut building companies in the UK? - prices for a well-designed tiny house fitted with kitchen and bath starts at ÂŁ26,000?

- according to Popular Science, human beings are hard-wired to like tiny things? www.popsci.com/why-do-we-think-tiny-things-are-cute

13

Well-read dogs agree: Tiny Living UK is fun and inspirational!

DISCLAIMER: The above survey was conducted by dachshunds

with questionable math skills and skewed scientific methods.

14

Follow us at

facebook.com/tinylivingmagazineuk instagram.com/tinylivingmaguk

Tiny Living Magazine Email: info@tinylivingmagazine.co.uk www.tinylivingmagazine.co.uk