I Live in Montana Now

You heard right!  The state besides Oregon that's burning to the ground? Yes I live there now.

I left the concrete jungle after two years of city living and crossed over a heap 'o mountains to a new home.

I'm beyond thankful for my time in Seattle and the amount of growth it afforded me.

There is a part of me that's going to stay there for good...

I made this!

BUT, life carries on and my heart belongs a bit nearer to mountains, lakes, and oodles of trees!

The few weeks I've lived here have felt more like home than anywhere I've been in a long, long time.  The peace I feel in the quiet is magical.  

And the traffic?  Hah! My "commute" to work takes 5 minutes by car if one of the 3 traffic lights is red.  A far cry from the madness that has become Seattle commuter traffic.  There was a reason I took the bus everywhere!

My job is at a unique coffee shop run by intentional people and a staff I'm proud to be a part of.  In the short time I've been there, each person has taken time to invest in me and help me be a successful barista and team member.  The change in pace is wonderful.  

All I can say is I'm full of happy and excitement and calm...and that is a good place to be.

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I do want to ask for your prayers for my new state.  The fires have been devastating here and have gotten no coverage nationally.  We've just passed 1 million acres of burned land and there is no end in sight right now.  We've been living indoors for weeks as the smoke is so thick it's truly hard to breathe.  As someone who's been out on the line fighting those fires I know that when it's horribly smoky in town, it's 1,000x worse for the men and women working tirelessly to contain the fires and protect the land and homes.  If you feel led to contribute financially here are a few resources for you

Donate for the fires closest to Whitefish

Donate for the families of Western Montana

Donate to aid firefighter's and their families

Home Tour: Seattle Micro Apartment

Welp I learned during this move that I did not own any adult furniture.  I have always lived in and rented places that were furnished.  College apartments contained beds and tables and a couch and chairs and desks.  I've since then rented from people who already have their houses set-up and I simply lived in a bedroom and borrowed the rest of the house.  

That era has ended.  Hurray!  Not that I fail to appreciate how kind people have been to me...but I've longed to sit in MY chair by MY table in the home for which I've paid and chosen all the accoutrements for.

Well I didn't have a table, or a chair, but I paid for a key and a door to lock behind me.  My own home.

These photos are the start....

A bare room with my possessions scattered about.  Target bags and Ikea instructions littering the floor.  A solo heater in the corner because snow.

After a great deal of shuffling and organizational elbow grease my home is happily livable! Not just livable though, cozy and sweet and full of details that bring me joy.

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The Finished Product

After a trip to my parents to pick up all the plates, cups, bowls, whisks, and Pampered Chef items I have been storing for years waiting for this moment...I finally had all the amenities to make my wee apartment a home for one.

I have had to learn how to live small (which I love) and to practice my generally minimalist philosophies.  

Not easy but quite simple :) I keep what I use, need, and find value in.

The backsplash is one of my favorite things, that subway tile tho :) Also the awesome giant cutting board from IKEA fits across my sink to give me more counter space for food prep.  

The string lights are one of my favorite ways to light a room.  So soft and bright!  My chairs have been acquired over the last month to my pleasure.  The wooden chair was my great grandmother's which I was gifted over Christmas, and the bamboo chair was a consignment store sale find.  The mismatched charachter and charm makes my space feel lived in and on-purpose.

My essential oils case is so pretty I leave it out :) 

Storage is a trick in a tiny space.  This little cart from IKEA is my pantry and tea/coffee station.

My clothing collection stays well curated since it's totally visible at all times!

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These are just the little bits that bring me joy.

 I'm still fine tuning my home

but realistically, who isn't?

I Moved!

...and not to Canada, silly. 

Nope I now live in Seattle proper!  Or I will by tonight.  

Today is moving day!

For the last year I've been in the burbs living with a family member and enjoying cheap rent.

But there is a time when one needs ones own space and one must also stand on one's own feet entirely.

I'm one.

Actually I'm 26.  

But you get the idea.

Pictures to follow soon of the mayhem that is my wee apartment and my challenge to truly live that minimalist lifestyle I find so wildly attractive!  

Ok enough of this sitting in Starbucks, I have to go pay for my rental insurance and pick up my keys and start creating...

MY OWN HOME!

Curtain Ties

I do live in the city now. That's not a whole life choice, it's simply where I'm at now because I have a good job and a place to live. Of course I miss the country life and all things rustic so I decided to bring a little of my roots into my Seattle sleek home. 

An ode to Burlap

Burlap thou golden hued rough wonder! How dost thine folds transform mere tables to homespun banquet halls? Slender scratchy ribbons agains the impossibly smooth chiffon create an ease for my eyes and a balm for my soul. Oh burlap! Marry me!

Sooooo yes I do like me some burlap. It will always be part of my life no matter where I live!