Uh-oh! Deek's buyin' up lanterns n' funky art....NEW CABIN on the way?

Quick Announcements: Only TWO slots left at our Wilmington, NC HANDS-ON Tiny House Building Workshop- April 26th-28th..... Also, for those who missed the announcement, our NEW facebook page TINY HOUSE HUB is now up and running....www.facebook.com/tinyhousehub. Thanks! We have another AWESOME giveaway coming tonight or tomorrow too- so check back!

FUNKY ART in FUNKY SHACKS

Artwork by Keemo- probably soon to be seen in one of my NEW CABINS! 

   Yup, anytime I start hitting flea markets, yard sales, or buying funky art off local or underground artists, it usually means I'm starting to stock up on decor items for an impending new cabin project, and in this case, its beyond true, as I'm working on THREE cabin prototypes right now! 
     One is a collaborative effort, as I've previously mentioned, with DAVID STILES from NYC- his architectural work is FANTASTIC, as is his sketching (and books!), and I've designed a transforming A-frame Cabin (a damn affordable one) that he'll be drafting out full plans for. I can't wait to show you guys! The interior, and exterior will have a 60s/70s look to it, with a twist of bizarre-modern, so it'll certainly be unique! The design is inspired in a few ways, by the work of Lester Walker, and Jeff Milstein, if I had to pick two names in the tiny house and design field. 

Bear on a framed Birch Ply panel- high quality! by Keemo

 Thankfully, here in New England the snow is finally going away and its getting a little warmer so that I can get some work done, so soonish, you'll be seeing and reading more about these projects.

Anyway, in particular, I've REALLY been loving the artwork and paintings from this guy who goes by "Keemo"- his art is wildly fun and colorful, and damn reasonable too....

He's a cottage industry, diy guy, with a family to feed, so give him a look, or some support- www.KeemoGallery.com

I bought four REALLY cool pieces off him recently.....(the bear above is one of 'em)

Lantern above: This I found at a Barn/Weekend Flea Market in Douglas, MA- such a nice little New England town, and the flea market owners were VERY NICE!- all based in a GREAT looking, vaulted roof barn too- I'll be back! You can find more on them at...www.DouglasFleas.com (Bosma's Douglas Flea Market is the name). 

One of my in-the-works cabins- a reading/writing/napping art studio of sorts....video to come (when its done!)

Simple micro paintings on scrap wood that I recently did (in my home).

So UGLY that I LOVE it! A painting I picked up at a thrift shop a ways back....

Another cool/weird painting from KEEMO below....

More Cheap/Free n' Funky Decor for YOUR HOUSE- Part 3

Decorating for a Dime- LITERALLY....

(PS- our North Caroline Tiny House Building Workshop (April 26th-28th, 2013)  is almost SOLD OUT- so get movin' if you want a slot!)

 Shelves sagging under the weight of your insanely huge tiny house book and architectural-tome collection? Have no fear, "Super Thrifty Rustic Man" is here! No, I'm not cheap, I actually blow lots of money on eating out, travel, and many stupid things (bedazzled shoe horns, remote control whoopee cushions, snuggies), but I do LOVE creating things....even when its something as simple as THIS FIX....which is a great project with young kids too, as its so incredibly easy, and teaches them the value of recycling and, well, not being a lazy tub of goo.

RUSTIC STORM WOOD SHELF SUPPORTS

To do this properly, you want to have a stock of "squaw wood" (wrist thick, or so, limbs) that have been previously selected, and stored/dryed. Better yet, if they're stored indoors, they've already acclimated to the climate of your home in terms of expansion and contraction. It shouldn't matter TOO much if you don't do this ahead of time, but you run the risk of the wood expanding, or shrinking, by as much as 1/4" afterwards if you don't. That's up to you, especially if you're building something that needs to be "K.T.T" as I call it- "Kitchen Cabinet Tight". Also, drying and storing the wood gives it a chance to shed itself of the boring insects that already might be inherent in the wood when it was living.

Note: These branches are among many I saved and shaved/skinned from a large limb that fell in a storm about two years ago. I keep using these things for a variety of projects...BIRCH WORKS and LOOKS great too, but from a blight, we don't have many of them around here, so I usually spare those that I could have harvested.
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Step 1: Carefully measure the lengths you need, and make 'em a hair longer....you want these to tightly fit into place so that they could almost be left in place on a gravity/pressure-fitting alone.

Step 2: I gave them a quick coat of Minwax Polyurethane- if there are any bugs within, this might kill them, or at least won't make them so happy. If stored/dryed properly, there should not be any powder post beetles, or anything in these though....be sure to look them over before using them. I've done this so many times and have never had a problem.

Step 3: Jam 'em into place and secure them with a mere brad from above, and a toe-nailed brad from below. Again, a tight fit should do most of the work for you, even without this tiny nail. You can use a dab of construction adhesive too, if you'd like.

Step 4: Never have to worry about your sagging shelf again. Commence reading and hoarding books.....

This tip is pretty unprofound, but I have many, many, many like it (but a bit more inventive/funky) in my book "Humble Homes, Simple Shacks"....if you might be lookin' for more!

 -Derek "Deek" Diedricksen