Christmas is coming and maybe you’re still looking for a good present for yourself or someone else. Urban Decay has been featuring eyeshadow palettes for lower sale prices recently.
Some of the ones we’ve tried are Naked3, Naked Wild West and of course, Naked Honey. Different colors have been going on sale all month with Naked3, Naked Wild West and Naked Honey being discounted 50 percent right now. On Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022 Naked3 was $27 marked down from $54. Naked Wild West was $24.50 marked down $49. Naked Honey was $24.50 marked down from $49.
Images provided by Melinda Wilson and Sarah Hughes. Pictures of Urban Decay makeup and application inspiration. All rights reserved.
The Naked3 palette is good for work or subtle looks with neutral brown and nude colors. The Naked Honey or Naked Cherry are good for sparkly dramatic holiday looks. The Naked Wild West would look awesome in the summer or at a festival. All are fun for dabbling with and staging a photoshoot with your besties! Pictured are some ways to apply it. The palettes can be purchased at https://www.urbandecay.com/naked-palettes/?start=0&sz=18
Tiny homes have been an affordable alternative for housing in recent years. They provide an option for avoiding increasing rents, while providing a type of home ownership.
Yet prospective tiny home builders looking to build in Tenn. may need to familiarize themselves with legal concerns. Some local events provide some information for prospective builders.
“Tenn. does not have any state-wide laws pertaining to tiny homes, so whether or not you can build really depends on where you’re looking to live. Like many other states, the regulations surrounding tiny homes vary across different cities.”
“It’s not uncommon for homeowners to want to convert their sheds, or other additional dwelling units (ADUs), into tiny homes. But, this goes against Tenn. state law on ready removeables. This law states that you are only allowed to have electricity in a shed to operate tools and machinery—not to a power potential home.
Plus, it is illegal to sleep in a shed in Tenn. So, while a shed may be a tiny space, you’re not exactly allowed to turn it into a tiny home.”
“Tiny homes are also allowed in Nashville, but with much heavier restrictions. They are only allowed in zones behind an existing structure. If you have a lot of yard space and want to build a tiny home on your lot, you can do so in Nashville—a popular choice for those looking to make some extra cash with an AirBNB or guest home situation in the country music capital. ”
Image provided by Sarah Hughes. A vardo at the Hippie Living Fair Nashville 2021. All rights reserved.
While not a top spot for tiny home trends, Tiny home festivals have been coming to Tenn. including the Tenn. Tiny Home Music Festival and the Hippie Living Fair Nashville. Such festivals offer stylistic examples as well as information on building and legal concerns when building tiny. Smaller local festivals like the Clarksville Artsville Fest often include tiny home features.
Image provided by Sarah Hughes. Flower display at the Hippie Living Fair Nashville 2021. All rights reserved.Image provided by Sarah Hughes. A retrofitted RV shop at the Hippie Living Fair Nashville 2021. All rights reserved. Image provided by Sarah Hughes. Liveable van expos at the Hippie Living Fair Nashville 2021. All rights reserved. Image provided by Sarah Hughes. Vintage hardware at the Hippie Living Fair Nashville 2021. All rights reserved. Image provided by Sarah Hughes. A soap and incense shop at the Hippie Living Fair Nashville 2021. All rights reserved. Image provided by Sarah Hughes. Soaps and smudge sticks from the Hippie Living Fair Nashville 2021. All rights reserved.
Shows like Tiny House Nation explore the popularity of liveable structures that are typically less than 400 square feet. Tiny house communities have appeared in some places in the United States.
Image provided by Sarah Hughes. Live Van-Painting at the Clarksville Artsville Fest 2022. All rights reserved. Image provided by Sarah Hughes. Live Van-Painting at the Clarksville Artsville Fest 2022. All rights reserved.
“According to Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-126-303, ready-removable structures include, but are not limited to, stadium press boxes, guard shelters, or structures that contain only electrical, electronic, or mechanical equipment that are solely occupied for service or maintenance of such equipment.”
“It is against state law to modify ready-removable structures for use as residential, recreational, or emergency housing in Tennessee.”
Image provided by Sarah Hughes. A retrofitted RV at the Hippie Living Fair Nashville 2021. All rights reserved.
““Building codes are necessary life-safety measures, and ready–removable structures do not pass the code for sleeping spaces,” said Commerce & Insurance Deputy Commissioner Gary West. “The State Fire Marshal’s Office cannot issue certificates for electrical power to ready-removables that are used as housing.”
“Ready-removables with electrical wiring can be used for work spaces or storage, but must still meet applicable state and local electrical permitting requirements, local building permitting requirements, and have hardwired smoke alarms installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Ready-removables cannot have plumbing systems.”
Tiny builders may want to consider whether they are committed to tiny living for a long period of time. They may also not want to simply DIY a space without being aware of legalities.
Traveling in movable tiny homes, Recreational Vehicles (RVs) and trailers became more popular during quarantine. As populations increase due to people moving to states with lower costs of living, housing costs in those states increase. With this backdrop, tiny living can offer less debt than traditional housing and a place of one’s own as an alternative to shifting housing costs.
Image provided by Sarah Hughes. A retrofitted RV shop at the Clarksville Artsville Fest 2022. All rights reserved.
Tenn. Populations between 2018 and 2021
According to the United States Census Bureau, Tenn. had a population of 6.651 million in 2018. This increased to 6.709 million in 2019 and 6.772 million in 2020. The estimated population in 2021 was 6.975 million.
Image provided by Google. Tenn. Population by Year. All rights reserved.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Nashville, Tenn. had a population of 692,587 in 2018. According to the Census of 2020, the Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Government area had a population of 689,447. The estimated population for the Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Government area was 678,851 in 2021.
Image provided by Google. Nashville Population by Year. All rights reserved.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Montgomery County, Tenn. had a population of 196,387 in 2018. This increased to 200,180 in 2019 and 204,992 in 2020.
Image provided by Google. Clarksville Population by Year. All rights reserved.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Clarksville, Tenn. had a population of 150,602 in 2018. This increased to 152,934 in 2019 and 156,092 in 2020.
The 3rd Annual 2022 Tennessee Tiny Home Music Festival took place Saturday and Sunday Aug. 20 and 21st 10 AM to 5 PM at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, 625 Smith Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee 37203.
Image provided by https://unitedtinyhouse.com/2021-tennessee-tiny-house-festival/. A professional built tiny house. All rights reserved.
The festival provides a place for getting familiar with tiny house examples while enjoying some tunes. In addition to raising money for charity, the festival offers information on legal considerations and tips for building a tiny house.
Image provided by https://unitedtinyhouse.com/2021-tennessee-tiny-house-festival/. Weekends complete schedule. All rights reserved.
This is the United Tiny House Association’s 26th For-Charity Tiny House Festival.
“It will be a weekend full of all things “tiny“ & fun!” says https://unitedtinyhouse.ticketspice.com/tennessee-tiny-home-music-festival-3rd-annual “You will be able to tour and view all sorts of tiny structures from professional builders and private homeowners, learn and connect with people who live the tiny lifestyle, and interact with vendors from both the tiny living and local communities.”
Image provided by https://unitedtinyhouse.com/2021-tennessee-tiny-house-festival/. Tinies from HGTV and A&E. All rights reserved.
“Enjoy Talks and plenty of Workshops on subjects ranging from Building, Zoning, Downsizing, Off-Grid Applications, and other great topics presented by the celebrities and experts from the World tiny lifestyle community!”
Image provided by https://unitedtinyhouse.com/2021-tennessee-tiny-house-festival/. Vardo or Wagon by Scott Luce. All rights reserved.
Americans are gardening more in a post-pandemic world than in the year 2019.
Garden sales jumped from 13.8 billion in 2019 to 104 billion in 2020, according to nurserymag.com and statista.com.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of radishes in a container garden. All rights reserved.
The trend is expected to grow in 2021 based on projections, according to prnewswire.com.
It’s possible the change is due to people being home and wanting to look at something cheery, while adding curb appeal. According to Ferry-Morse, a popular seed company, ten times more people planted flower seeds than fruit or vegetable seeds, which is a reverse of last year.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of strawberry pot. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of raised bed container. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of mailbox garden bed. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a raised garden bed. All rights reserved.
Important Dates for Gardeners
Feb. 6 through June 4 – Last Frost date depending on hardiness planting zone
Apr. 14 – National Gardening Day
May 9 – Mother’s Day – A day that some people wait to plant till to avoid frosts, per folklore
Aug. 25 through Dec. 13 – First Frost date depending on hardiness planting zone
While retailers seem to be bustling, there is a growing trend to sell inventive one-stop bundled kits and better quality items. New plants are being released with novel features and enhancements aimed at making them easier to grow.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of bricks for a raised garden. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of a raised garden bed in progress. All rights reserved.
Photo provided by Sarah Hughes. Picture of young plants. All rights reserved.
New “plantlings” are one of many new options from Ferry-Morse. The product consists of partially grown young plants shipped directly to consumer’s doors.
Whether investing in time-honored gardening methods or newer products, the gardening trend is a great inspiration for expanding your garden.
Spring is here. Here is a way to get away from obnoxious pastel colors wrapped in plastic pink grass, but still have seasonal decorations.
Materials:
Fake paper or ceramic eggs (you could use real eggshells with the egg carefully blown out through small holes – don’t swallow. Or squeeze too hard for that matter).
Acrylic paint in desired colors (I prefer Americana brand and drew inspiration from 1960s knickknacks #hipster #didntsoundasannoyinginmyhead).
A variety of paintbrushes
Paint pens (which make details easier).
Water in a cup safe to clean brushes with.
Some drop cloths or old newspapers to protect your crafting surface.
Somewhere to allow eggs to dry that touches the freshly painted egg minimally. It could be an empty egg cartoon. A cut-up paper towel roll might work well too.
A cool vessel to put the eggs in when you’re done (Try a birdcage or a cool dish. Maybe fashion a nest – there’s a cool way to do it with papier-mâché materials and string).
A ruler or a stencil if you’d like it to be neat (#nope).
You can use masking or artist tape to tape out stripes (just don’t press it down to hard – the goal is for it to be removable later).
(Optional) a cute little clip-on creature – butterflies, birds, beetles.
How to:
Decide on a pattern. You can cut it out from a simple picture to make a stencil, or try to free hand. Visualize your pattern on the egg. If you want to do this fast, consider a more abstract or simple design like paint splatters, stripes or dipping/ rolling the paint on.
Apply base coat to the egg. Let it dry. If you are using the paper eggs this will go quickly (perhaps 20 minutes to dry). Check your egg carefully for wet spots.
Apply a second coat of the same color if the first coat looks sheer or uneven. Allow this to dry. It should take approximately the same amount of time as the first coat to dry.
Tape-off or measure out your design on the egg. Just make sure whatever you do is removable (pencil usually shows through paint and tape must be applied gently). In general, the more time you spend laying out or measuring for your pattern, the more professional the end result will look, but the more time it will take for the entire project.
Paint details in a noticeably different color. Allow to dry the same time as before.
Add details and outlines with a paint pen. Dry as before.
Arrange in container of choice. Add optional flying friends.
Add birds to your centerpiece to give more detail. Photo by Sarah Hughes
Now stand back and enjoy your grown-up seasonal centerpiece and stay tuned for more design ideas.
