Tiny Living Magazine AUGUST by Tiny Living Magazine UK

AUGUST EDITION 2018

The Freedom of Living Simply

Tiny Living Magazine is available in PRINT for SCRAPBOOKING, VISION BOARDS and HOME JOURNALS. Our 32-page SUMMER edition has three of our online editions in print, for just Â£5, mailed right to your door. Our magazine is printed exclusively on recycled paper with vegetable oil-based inks. Visit www.tinylivingmagazine.co.uk and click SUBSCRIBE from the main menu.

AUGUST EDITION 2018

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Are you currently living in a small space and making it work? Are you working on a self-build tiny house, or narrowboat renovation? Your story can inspire others to follow their dreams. Write to us at: info@tinylivingmagazine.co.uk

Contents 3 5 09 11 More Moorings … Page

The Welsh Gatehouse … Page

Be Dazzled By Bees … Page

More Beach, Less Plastic … Page

Published by: Tiny Living Productions Ltd, Glasgow UK Editor: Pamela Palongue Design by: Gilmour Graphics Email: info@tinylivingmagazine.co.uk On the cover: Dog In Front Of Blue Door Photograph by Mauinow

More Moorings More Moorings If you’re considering making the move to live on a narrowboat, the first consideration may not be the boat, but the mooring. The most popular moorings, close to city centres and markets will book up first. Also, if you don’t work from home, you may need to be close to your work, your child’s school or a car park. It pays to see what locations are available before spending money on the actual boat. You have the option of cruising the canals, remaining in each for location for two weeks at a time. This may be fun if you’re on holiday. But if you need to be close to a particular area, having to move every fortnight can add to your stress. Having a permanent residential mooring is preferred for most boaters for a number of reasons. One important one is safety. If you remain in the same place, you will become familiar with your particular area. You will get to know your neighbours and they will get to know you. The boating

community is generally one of camaraderie and its members look out for each other. They are usually quick to lend a hand whenever mechanical failures happen, or advice from a more experienced live aboard is needed. To meet the demand for the increasing number of people wanting to live on water, moorings have been added, expanded or improved across the country, particularly in Scotland. Living On Water, owned by Scottish Canals, is developing residential moorings at key places along the canal network, which include locations in city-centres and more quiet, rural settings. Fortunately for Scotland, it’s largest cities are built on waterways, making it possible to live on the water and work in the desirable communities of Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness. If you want to be close to nature, and are looking for something out of the ordinary, the boating life may be for you.

Container City Tour A great way to see shipping container conversio ns in real use, is to plan a visit to Trinity Buoy Wha rf’s Container City. You’ll see container homes, office s, studios…and GREAT ART! The Street Art Trail through Container City is free and open daily from 7am to 9pm from the main entra nce to East India DLR. It contains art by Andrew Baldw in, Claire Morgan, Ben Wilson, Paul Don Smith, Anya Beaumont and Christiaan Nagel. The artworks inclu de recycled materials, life-size sculptural installatio ns, and paintings. Definitely worth a look!

trinitybuoywharf.com To plan your visit: www.

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he Welsh Gatehouse

n the beautiful countryside of Monmouthshire, a stunning example of tiny house architecture can be found…that’s over 700 years old! This Grade II listed building had sadly fallen into a state of disrepair, and did not even have running water when the current owners purchased it. But with some imagination and perseverance, they were able to not only restore it, but to create a well-designed space with modern conveniences. Accessed by a winding spiral staircase, the interior is an open floor plan with a loft space and a high-gabled ceiling, accentuated with cross timbers. Listed in the top 5.8% of UK buildings of historical significance, there were special challenges when renovation was undertaken. A Village Alive Trust Award was granted in 2009 for conservation of the gatehouse. As you might imagine, the planning regulations were highly restrictive. However, the owners managed to retain the original character of the structure while creating a comfortable dwelling for today. The building was constructed around 1270 A.D., and is rather late Norman/early English Gothic in style. The living area is couched between the two towers of the gatehouse, which originally would have had kept watch for approaching visitors. The diamond-paned, cottage style windows are framed with stone, and a cosy fireplace with an ancient mantle reminds you that you’re standing in a building over 700 years old! The owners believe that the house originally had a second floor, but they elected to build a loft space for the bedroom which is accessed with a ladder. By leaving it open, it seems much larger and brighter than the original design probably would have felt. The gatehouse has an abundance of interesting history, but one of the most intriguing stories involves a saint and King Arthur… Tewdric was a Celtic king of Glywysing, located in present-day Glamorganshire and southern Monmouthshire. He is also named in some books as the grandfather of legendary King Arthur.

After Tewdric had stepped down from the throne in favour of his grown son Meurig, he was called upon to lead the Britons into battle against the invading Saxons. Though he was successful, Tewdric was severely injured when struck in the head with an axe. Knowing that his time was near, he asked his son to build a church on the spot where he died. On the way to Flat Holm Island, the entourage stopped at a well to bathe his wounds. This place is known as St. Tewdricâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Well, and the well is said to never run dry. It stands at the end of the drive path to the Welsh Gatehouse! True to his word, Meurig built a church to honour his slain father, which is still in existence today; nearby St. Tewdricâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church at Chepstow. If you would like to find out more information about this amazing place, visit the website at www.welshgatehouse. com, where you can even book a stay at this historic tiny house, and perhaps derive some inspiration for your own! Our thanks to the Welsh Gatehouse for photos and historical background.

The Malvern Caravan Show 5th October – 7th October

Insurance For Unusual Houses One major concern for tiny house dwellers, and those living in shipping container conversions, is insurance. The peace of mind that an affordable home brings can be counterbalanced by the concern of property loss. GoCompare.com is an online tool which helps individuals find insurance for “non-standard construction”. Based on your location and materials used, it will provide a list of insurance companies which will cover your particular home.

If you’ve never been to the Malvern area, this would be a great reason to go, and lots of inviting natural landscape to be enjoyed as well. This event is held at the Three Counties Showground, in Malvern, Worcestershire WR13 6N. There will be over 130 new touring caravans, with lots of accessories and inspiration for making small spaces work, and live entertainment. For more information visit: www.malverncaravanshow.co.uk

Incidentally, it’s not just tiny homes and shipping containers that are considered non-standard. Thatched cottages, or timber frame buildings can be considered non-standard, even though there are many of these homes across the UK! The link below will take you directly to the page for non-standard builds: www.gocompare.com/home-insurance/ non-standard-construction

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Be Dazzled By Bees

Honey is wonderful. In truth though, not all bees make honey. But honey is by no means the most important contribution by bees. They help produce about 30% of the world’s fruits and vegetables and about 90% of all wild plants through their cross-pollination services. You can quickly see why they are vital to our survival. Another surprising fact about these ancient creatures is that none of them are protected by law in the UK. Helping bees to flourish has to be an individual choice. One thing we can do to help is to avoid harming them if at all possible. Solitary bees, do not swarm and will generally fly away with little or no intervention. Bumble bees do not swarm either, but there may be several of them in a certain area if there is a nest close by. If one of these nests are preventing you from opening your windows, you can use a screen or netting to block them from coming into the house. Bumblebees have an annual life-cycle and so these nests die off naturally after a few months. Honeybees can swarm, numbering in the thousands at times. This can be intimidating, and they should not be disturbed as this can lead to a sting. Frequently, the swarm of bees will move within a day or two, to another location. But if the swarm is close to your house, or you have someone in your home who may be allergic to the stings, call a professional. There are ethical companies and official swarm collectors who provide non-lethal bee removal. They will remove the colony and rehome them safely in a hive.

Bees have been in decline for several years, due to the use of some pesticides, viruses, and loss of habitat. Traditional farms in times past included lots more hedges and trees bordering the fields, along with ponds or wildflower meadows. These features have disappeared in an attempt to produce as much crop as possible, eliminating valuable living space for bees. What can we do as individuals do to help the bees thrive, especially if we live in the city? Whether it’s just a small garden, or a few plants in a window box, they are a food supply for bees. Bee-friendly flowers are rich in pollen and nectar, and are easily accessible. In Autumn, some flowering plants that grow well in the shade and are good for bees are Catmint, Ground Ivy and Mahonia. For sunny areas, try Verbena, Sunflowers, Cosmos and Honeysuckle to feed your bee friends as the temperatures cool. Some species of bumblebees feed in the winter as well, and will appreciate Mahonia, Winter Heather, Winter-Flowering Honeysuckle, and Snowdrop Flowers. A complete garden planning guide for bees can be found at www.BumbleBeeConservation.org Be sure to not use pesticides on your plants, as these are harmful for them, and not particularly good for us. Soapy water in a spray bottle works well for most garden pests. You may also want to try placing a Solitary Bee Hotel in your garden. Or if you live in a flat and have ample space on your balcony, it can be placed there. (south facing works best) The Solitary Bees are not aggressive and as the name implies, do not swarm.

In recent years, many community gardens are adding an apiary to their community projects, which helps the bees, and in turn helps with pollination of their vegetable garden. If you live in the London area, Urban Bees maintains hives around the city, and offers classes in beekeeping at www.beeurban.org.uk You may also want to check the British Beekeepers Association site to see if there is a community hive project near you at www.bbka.org.uk It probably goes without saying, but using products such as honey, beeswax, and bee pollen helps to encourage the commercial keeping of bees. And finally, volunteering for BeeWalk, the Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s citizen science monitoring project helps scientists to learn more about bees and how to help them. Of the original 27 species of Bumble Bee native to the UK, three have sadly become extinct in the last 80 years. Volunteering for BeeWalk can help keep track of bumblebees and identify endangered species, their location and habitat. www.BumblebeeConservation.org offers special classes in identification. They are particularly in need of volunteers for this in northern Scotland. The British Black Bee Project is trying to restore the native Black Bee after a devastating virus decimated their numbers. They seek to build breeding centres for the Black Bee. You can read more about their work here www.biobees.com/blackbees.php If we take care of the bees, they will take care of us.

More Beach, Less Plastic By Pamela Palongue

We’ve all seen the disturbing images of fish, birds and animals harmed by plastic. But short of going down to the seashore, climbing into your boat and paddling out to fish the plastic from the sea – what can you do as just one person to change this situation? -Actually quite a bit. One excellent way to help, is to use less plastic in the first place. When shopping for food and other items, if there is an item that’s available packaged in plastic, but is also available in paper or cardboard, why not choose the paper or cardboard item? It shows the manufacturer or producer that you appreciate their efforts to provide biodegradable packaging. The paper items can be recycled, or at worst case scenario, will break down much more readily than the plastic. And trees are a renewable resource, a crop which is harvested every 14 to 16 years. In those 14 to 16 years, they provide habitat for birds, food for animals, such as deer and squirrels, and produce oxygen - always a good thing if you plan on breathing indefinitely. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) makes it easy for consumers to identify paper products that come from well-managed forests, by displaying a tick-tree symbol on the product. What about those plastic storage containers for popping last night’s spaghetti into the chiller? Glass containers are great for keeping food, and can usually be placed right into the oven or microwave. If you use the plastic containers, make sure they get recycled. Tired of forgetting those reusable shopping bags before going to the market? Try purchasing a really large handbag, which can double as your purse and your shopping bag. Sure, the store security guard will look at you as if you’re prepared to nick something – just be sure to keep the receipt.

Many people recommend using tap water, rather than the plastic, bottled water. As someone who drinks one particular brand of water exclusively, it’s understandable why people are concerned about water quality. And tonnes of other drinks (not available from your tap) are also sold in them. Recycling facilities tend to accept plastic bottles more readily than other types of plastic, making them highly recyclable. Local councils across the UK are required to provide recycling programmes. What’s not required is the participation of residents in most cases. To recycle or to not recycle…it’s is an individual choice. Local collection right from your home, makes it an easy choice. Bin bags are another major source of plastic use. Compostable bin bags that break down, are preferable to plastic, and surprisingly affordable. The problem is that in order for them to break down, they need sunlight and air - both in short supply in a landfill. If you don’t have a compost heap out by the barn, then you will be tossing them into the bin where they will most likely wind up… in a landfill. Once again, your local council may be of some help. Many city councils offer a composting programme for food waste and they will collect your bag and transport it to an area where it can break down. Check your council website for what’s available in your area. When purchasing the bags, make sure they have the seedling logo which ensures that they are truly suitable for composting. There are exciting new developments in eco-friendly materials on the horizon. A London-based company called Skipping Rocks Lab is creating food packaging out of seaweed! The wrapper can be eaten, which is nutritious, or if thrown away, it easily biodegrades in six weeks. Besides being readily available, seaweed can grow up to three metres per day, making it highly sustainable. The company has also created an edible water bottle from brown seaweed. To have a look at their creations visit www.skippingrockslab.com Plastic is not the enemy. But our misuse of it and lack of recycling is. Maybe we can all do a better job of taking care of our planet, which starts with our very own neighbourhood. Because it’s not just about the house in which we live, it’s about the community and the animals beyond our front door. To locate recycling opportunities throughout the UK, including Northern Ireland, visit Recycle Now.com, and enter your local post code. www.recyclenow.com For more information on recycling in Scotland, visit Zero Waste Scotland at www.zerowastescotland.org.uk

Big Facts About Small Spaces The average size of a home in the UK is 76 square meters, which is the smallest national average in Europe Over 15,000 people in the UK live on the water on narrowboats and canal boats, with several thousand in London alone A shipping container home can be converted into a permanent dwelling with building regulation compliance for around ÂŁ15,000 + VAT There are now over 80 companies building shepherd huts in the UK, with an increasing number of them used as granny (or grandpa) annexes for aging parents According to the British Property Federation, a record 8,000 â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;micro homesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; were built in the UK in 2017 13

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