HYD Blog
thoughts on dwelling
The Painted Perch & Company has over 30 vendors offering goods such as antiques, painted furniture, Haitian artwork and handmade pieces that all proceeds go back to Haiti, new and repurposed furniture, gourmet food, hand crafted textiles, gourmet pet items, boutique adult and children clothing and jewelry like Myra bags, Fusion paint, reclaimed wood pieces, gift items/baskets and so much more!
This week, Taryn stopped by one of our favorite local shops to get the scoop on their holiday collection. Jenny and her team at the Back Porch Mercantile have created an intentional and magical winter wonderland in the shop. The classic sentiment, “I’ll be home for Christmas” has never been more true. With less events and travel this year, people are focusing on creating a cozy and intentional place for family in their own homes.
One of the most interesting parts of our job is being invited into peoples homes to help them make sense of their belongings and their homes. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve been working with folks who have such a hard time with clutter and yet own just about every home organizing book that has come out in the past 5 years, a vast array of bins and baskets in every size, shape, and color, and have a thing for planners. It’s tempting to think that the next book or tv show or podcast will offer you a piece of advice that will change everything, but it’s just not the case— we’ve rounded up a few of the top selling organizing books that have come out in the past few years and given an honest review of them here for you.
While we’re all still at home a majority of our time, so we thought it could be fun to take a walk down memory lane and recap some of our favorite past home tours. We’ve been so honored to get to know the story of many Knoxvillian’s and their homes over the past 5 years. Enjoy a few memories from home tours throughout the years…
I was so excited when I heard that Knoxville has a new second hand outdoor gear shop! Outdoor Gear Revival is in Bearden in an unassuming shopping center near Sonic. How had I passed this countless times without knowing it was there? This kind of shop was one of my favorite places to visit when I lived briefly in Asheville, and when I worked for two summers in Vermont leading crews of young people building hiking and mountain biking trails.
My mom & my girls 2016
After leaving the home of a client who recently lost his mom, I’ve been a bit more reflective thinking of my own mama and my life as a mother. I am so very fortunate to still have my mom here and healthy. She is one of my biggest cheerleaders and supporters by encouraging me, toting my kids from here to there, attending all kinds of her grandkids’ games and performances, and mostly loving me well in all my ups and downs that motherhood, marriage, and owning a business can bring.
We’re 3 days away from Mother’s Day 2019 and I’ve been contemplating how do I really celebrate my mom, let her know how priceless she is to me, and create a memory that I can enjoy when she’s no longer here. As some of you who know my mom or may have read in previous posts, my mom is quite the collector of things. She’s got some mad skills when it comes to finding deals, personal shopping for family and friends, and creating an amazing storyboard of all her finds and family pieces in the place she and my dad call home. Having lived in the same old farmhouse for over 40 years allows one to create quite the collection. : )
I say all that to explain why giving my mom some of my time, a little muscle, and some serious purging encouragement would (wink, wink), by far, be the best gift I could give my mom this Mother’s Day. Now for you, your mom may be a natural born minimalist and giving your time in her home may not be the best help. My encouragement to anyone reading who has a mom that they’d like to love well this Mother’s Day is to take a minute now and think about her. What’s her season, her newest hobby, a restaurant she’s always wanted to try? There are lots of directions we could go here, but my hope for you is to be able to find one act of sacrifice on your part that would be life-giving to her. Below is a short list of ideas, and I would love to hear your ideas in the comments below!
Whatever you land on, I hope you get a chance to connect with your mom, be it in person, over many miles, or in your memories.
And to all you mamas out there, Happy Mother’s Day!
Big love,
taryn
IDEAS FOR MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS
Technology teaching session // Help her get up to date on the technology she needs to stay connected either with giving her your time, the time of your teenage kiddo, or professional help from a local techie like Neighborhood Nerds or Happy Mac
Take her out to brunch or lunch // Some great spots in Knoxville are: The Plaid Apron, Olibea, Holly’s Gourmets Market, Wild Love Bakehouse, Farmacy, Cazzy’s Corner Grill, Jackie’s Dream Cafe
Make an appointment for the both of you to get a mani/pedi instead of just a gift card for her // Natural Alternatives, Lox Salon, Moda Nail Spa
Offer to assist in getting her photos printed and make a photo book or maybe just get some recent one in frames around her home
Schedule a photo session with your mom and extended family with a professional photographer
And our favorite… give her a Help You Dwell gift card! Our Mother’s Day Special is available until Saturday night at midnight & you get a whole hour for FREE!!
Image Texture Photo
We’re excited to share a guest post from our friend, Sarah of The Happy Envelope. She & her husband, Ty, have been creating beautiful paper products here in Knoxville for over a decade. Read & enjoy her words…
“The only difference between a mob and a trained army is organization.” –Calvin Coolidge
A friend once said told me about her mantra to make choices that would be “kind to her future self.” When taking off your jacket, for example, you can hang the jacket on the hanger in the closet, or on the hook by the door. You can also just throw that jacket over the arm of the chair as you walk into your home, or set it down across the kitchen table. You can wear it up to your bedroom and crumple it onto the chair there, or hang it up in your bedroom closet. Which decision is kind to your future self? Placing your jacket where you know to look for it when you need it next: that’s kind to your future self. It may take five seconds more energy now—from your present self—but it will potentially save many minutes of wandering around the house asking aloud, “Has anyone seen my jacket?” as everyone in your family is becomes more and more annoyed with how late we’ll all be because Mom can’t find her daggum jacket. (Perhaps this scenario has happened before… with jacket, keys, sunglasses, regular glasses, a purse, diaper bag? Maybe it’s just an example: you decide.)
Creative people are often stereotyped as disorganized, harried, and discombobulated. I wish that I could defy the stereotype, but unfortunately, I elevate it. I don’t like to be surrounded by chaos, and I actually love when everything is clean and peaceful and beautiful. I’m visual and I care about aesthetics. I’m just not kind to my future self, and things can get out of control quickly. And within just a day or so, even putting the clothes away is no longer a one-basket job, but now a three-basket job and I begin to feel overwhelmed.
At home, I can get away with this. It’s not like we live in a pigsty; it’s just not as organized and tidy as I’d like, and it’s my own fault. But translate this character flaw to work and it’s an entirely different matter. Clients depend on me. Organization of proofs, time-frames, delivery dates, checklists… these things are crucial to timely deliveries and happy customers. Organization is actually critical for business success.
This past year at the studio, we’ve implemented a few wonderful tools that help us all stay more organized and on-track together as a team. We’re working on a Training Manual. We’ve started using Adobe Sign for all proof approval contracts. We’re trying to clean up our Dropbox. But my favorite is Basecamp, a project management online software. While each project used to feel like herding cats, now the entire project scope from start to finished is filled with checklists, due dates, people held accountable, job tracking, and even file organization. It really has been a game-changer for our entire staff. So, I’m growing. Baby steps.
We’re getting ready to move our studio again, sort of quickly. As I look around my desk area and bookshelves, I’m already starting to feel the dread. The temptation for me is always going to take the easy, kind-to-present-self way: literally throw everything into one big box, label it, “Sarah’s desk” and tape it up. Out of sight, out of mind! But how will my future self feel later this summer when she’s trying to get her new studio set up and she’s opening up disorganized piles of junk thrown into boxes any old way? I’ll tell you: Future Sarah is gonna be overwhelmed and stressed and she’s gonna cry a lot. I don’t want that for her.
Instead, I’m planning to actually make decisions as I go: do I really need this book of paper samples from 2004? No? Then it doesn’t come with me. Hopefully, when all of our construction and build-out is finished later this summer, Future Sarah will open up a few clearly labeled, simply organized boxes and get her desk set up with a smile on her face.
Xoxo,
Sarah
PS- We’re moving to 5605 Kingston Pike right around the corner in Bearden. We’ll be nestled in between Grow Salon and Firestone Tires. Please come pop in to our much bigger space once it’s finished later this summer… you can watch the presses in action through windows, just like the taffy-makers in Gatlinburg! In the meantime, find us online and at the Market Square Saturday Farmer’s markets, Talahi Plant Sale (this Saturday at Lakeshore!), and Retropolitan Craft Fair.
We love this time of year. Watching everything come back to life after the long (wet) and dark winter is so refreshing. The change of season can bring shift in our perspective and revival to our spirits. With the start of spring comes excitement and ample opportunities to enjoy beautiful east Tennessee.
Image from Visit Knoxville.
Here are a few ways we encourage you to get outside & welcome the new season…
Explore Knoxville’s tree-based adventure park, Navitat, at Ijams Nature Center, or take a hike on one of the Center’s trails.
Pack a picnic lunch and bring a blanket for a sunny feast at Sequoyah Hills Park.
Sweep off porch and patio areas. Make them more inviting with a new welcome mat or strand of lights.
Enjoy a beer with a friend at the Bearden Beer Market to support Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful.
Celebrate EarthFest’s 20th year anniversary at SoKno Taco Cantina.
Image from Outdoor Knoxville.
Enjoy a Signature Spring Wildflower Hike at Norris Dam State Park.
Participate or cheer on participants downtown for the Covenant Health 5K & kids run.
Instead of going to the gym, head to Lakeshore Park and traverse the loop at any pace you please.
Begin preparing your gardens and attend Easy Vegetable Gardening seminar at Stanley’s Greenhouse.
Make a bonfire & invite new neighbors to enjoy it with you.
Fall is here! The weather is finally getting cooler and the leaves are starting to turn and now is the perfect time to do a house purge. While that may sound intimidating, it doesn’t have to be. Turn on some music, grab a hot tea and take a walk around your house. Walk through each room and take the time to notice what’s around you. Look at the items hanging on the walls, the lamps, the items sitting on surfaces, the furniture, and the rugs. Take the time to open cabinets and drawers and just take a peak at what you’ve got. Often life is so hectic that we stop noticing what’s around us and don’t even remember what we have. We have two tips to help you make decisions about what to keep and what to let go of.
Ask yourself, “Do I love this item?” If not, is it at least serving a practical purpose? If you don’t love it and you don’t “need” it, let it go.
The most helpful question for me is “If you saw this in a store today, would you purchase it?” Often times, it’s hard for me to decide whether or not I love an item but much easier for me to know whether or not I’d pay money for it. Sometimes, we hold onto things because we’ve had them forever and don’t even see them anymore or because someone gave them to us and we feel guilty getting rid of them. These are not valid reasons to give an item valuable real estate in your home.
Here’s the best part, once you’ve done your house purge (don’t forget to check closets and attic/basement and garage spaces— these typical storage spots are house purge jackpots) sign up for Pineapple Consignment and make some money on all those items that you are letting go of.
What is Pineapple Consignment?
Pineapple is a weekend long (October 26th-28th) consignment shop where you can earn up to 75% commission, and consignors get to shop early. The pictures above are just a few of the items that will be for sale! Want an even better deal? Shop the half off portion of the sale on Sunday the 28th from 8-12.
You set your own prices, and Pineapple’s online system makes tagging and managing your inventory super easy. At the end of each sale day, you can check earnings, and they’ll pay you via PayPal within 10 days. For more information on signing up as a consignor or to see what items they accept, check out the participation page. Sign up now because registration (and the ability to enter inventory into the system) ends on October 21st!
Here is your opportunity to make some easy money on your home decor items without putting the time and energy into a garage sale or making a million online postings.
Megan & Austin Church.
Who started Pineapple Consignment?
The lovely Megan Church! Want to know more about her and where the idea for Pineapple came from?
Here’s what she has to say…
Nice to meet you (virtually at least)! I grew up in Virginia and Indiana, but Knoxville has become my forever home. I’m wife to one, mom to three, and stylist to many. Life is full to bursting right now, so the only logical thing to do is start a business, right?!?!
This Pineapple dream started earlier this year. I was selling an ottoman on Facebook, and six or seven people said they wanted it. “Awesome!” I thought. I scheduled a time to meet the lady who had responded first. Later, I packed up all three kids and drove to the rendezvous point. The lady stood me up. In fact, I got stood up FOUR TIMES IN A ROW, and I vowed, “NEVER AGAIN.” So here we are!
I happen to be one of those crazy people who loves consignment sales, and over the years I’ve saved a ton of money by up-cycling my clothes, as well as my kids’. Ever since I had my first baby and quit my day job, I have been needing a creative outlet. Hospitality is really important to me, and I’m passionate about bringing women together.
So, now you see how this whole thing got started, the Pineapple seeds. Pineapple Consignment combines many of my favorite things: styling events and creativity, secondhand shopping and bypassing Facebook/Craigslist weirdness, and of course hospitality and making my family’s home beautiful and comfortable.
I certainly hope you love being a part of Pineapple Consignment! If you have any questions abut consigning, volunteering, or shopping, drop me a line at megan@pineappleconsignment.com.”
If you don’t have items to sell, you can still shop!
Want a shot at first dibs on an item? You are in luck, the sip n see is Wednesday (Oct 24th) evening from 6-9pm. For just $5, you will be entered into the raffle to reserve an item and get to join in on a fun evening with friends. Come for a drink and be one of the first to see the items for sale. Along with shopping some pretty amazing previously owned home decor and furniture items, Pineapple will have several local artists and makers selling their creations at the sale.
Announced Vendors Include:
Alex Jaynes: custom furniture
Rob Scott: art
Matthew Peters: furniture maker
Sarah Moore: art
Spencer Ratliff: furniture maker
Knox Wood creations: frames featuring prints from Native Maps & Paris Woodhull
For more information and to stay up to date on the details and announcements, follow @pineappleconsignment on Instagram, RSVP to the event, and like Pineapple on facebook.
Earlier this week, we took an unofficial tour of one of Knoxville's newest businesses. Back Roads Market is more than just a store, it's a destination. Kerry and Craig Myers have poured tons of time and love into this beautiful space and have truly created something unique. For before and after pictures of the space, check out their latest blog entry!
The Myers' original vision was to create space for community. In our opinion, they have certainly executed that vision. They hope you find a fun item to purchase, but more than that, they hope you have a welcoming experience. Part coffee shop, part flower market, part consignment, part new furniture and decor, part custom furniture, part local goods, they have it all.
On Saturdays, you can come build your own bouquet. Rather than purchasing a ready made floral arrangement, you get to pick each type of flower and you can make it work on any budget.
If you are interested in consigning with them, you can check out their consigners agreement here.
The in house carpenter, Danny, builds custom farmhouse tables and bed swings like the one below!
Check back in with them regularly as they get new items in each week. With a mix of consignment, new items, and hand picked items from all over East Tennessee and North Carolina, you are sure to find something you can't live without.
You can follow them on instagram @backroads_market
Caroline, BackRoads Market owner Kerry Myers, and Katie
Mother's Day is Sunday, May 8 this year. For those of us lucky enough to get to celebrate our moms, HYD wanted to make your search for just the right thing a little bit easier. As a mom myself, I've learned a lot about what it takes to do it well and how easy it is to do it terribly. It's an around-the-clock job that I wouldn't trade for the world. Lord knows I do it terribly plenty of the time, but those times I get it a little bit right are some of the most satisfying moments of my life.
I also get to be one of the lucky ones who has a mama close by, who's full of life, and more than willing to offer a helping hand anytime she's able. If you have that kind of mom, you know there is no gift we can give that will ever say "Thank you" the way our moms deserve it. But the older my kids get, the more I cherish the unsolicited hug, the homemade card, and when they're able, a thoughtful gift that they know will make my days a little easier or a little more fun.
With gifts in mind, HYD spent a bit of time finding just the right way to show her how much you appreciate her, think of her, and want your mama to feel remembered. Some moms just need the phone call or a card in the mail. But if you're wanting to do a step further this year, take a peak at our list below and please add any more unique ideas you may have in the comment section below....
Ok, so we had to start with this one because it reeeeeally is a great gift for any mama! Think of the joy she would experience if she knew that every month for a year, she'd have at least 2 hours of organizing help anywhere in her house, office, garage, or attic?? Details here.
2. Take Mom on a Date
Carving out time, having her served a meal, and listening to what's going on in her world may be the greatest gift she could receive. If you're in Knoxville, some restaurant/bakery ideas are OliBea, The Plaid Apron, Nama, Babalu Tacos & Tapas, Wild Love Bakehouse, The French Market Creperie, Savelli's Italian, or The Holy Land.
Locally made here in Knoxville, these individually crafted, hand-finished in silver or gold prints of a mother's children's prints are such a treasure for her to have a lifetime. I have them for each of my children and LOVE them! Check out Precious Metal Prints for more details.
Mom's are always on call and often times, her phone is the place where the calendar is, the notes about the PTA mtg are, and her grocery list that needs to be added to when she thinks of that odd thing she always forgets. This cute little number gives her a place to rest her phone at night under the shade of her favorite flower.
Let her fill these pages with your family's favorites to be passed down, added to, and treasured for years to come. This great little book has room for up to 80 recipes, photo galleries, tips for beginner cooks, and conversion tables.
6. Plant a Shrub or Tree in Mom's Honor
Think of her favorite color or season and decide what would bring her joy each time the plant of your choice blooms. For the Knoxville dwellers, HYD recommends Stanley's Greenhouse for a fantastic selection and knowledgable staff to help you choose just the right one.
7. A Bouquet from The Katelier
So lovely, so unique, and just the thing to let her know you remembered. And she's local!
Contact: Katie Roach--thekatelier@gmail.com or call 901.870.2531
On June 21, we celebrate the dads in our lives. HYD's gift guide gives you a head start on your hunt for the perfect thing. Some finds are local, some regional, others just straight from the heart. Let us know if you've got any to add to our list!
“A dad is someone who wants to catch you before you fall but instead picks you up, brushes you off, and lets you try again”
1. The Traveler Mug by Go Forth Goods is one of our favorite handmade gifts for dad this year. Great for a mason jar full of coffee or sweet tea on the go!
2. A vintage-inspired, super soft T-shirt from Nothing Too Fancy located near Knoxville's Market Square on Union Ave. They have an amazing selection of T-shirts with all kind of Tennessee goodness.
3. Give dad a basket full of his favorite treats while you let him eat it guilt-free! HYD recommends checking out Mast General Store on Gay St. for a selection that never ends.
4. My husband's favorite accessory, his Patagonia Tech Web Belt. This guy is multi-purpose keeping dad looking handsome, his pants up and opening a bottle if the need arises. Find it in Knoxville at River Sports Outfitters or Uncle Lem's Outfitters.
5. Wildsam Field Guides not only navigate you through a city but tell the story of the place as well. Part documentary, part map, part oral history, these guides give the dad in your life just the adventure he's been looking for.
6. A gift card to one of these fine coffee establishments is great way to thank dad & to get his engine revving in the morning. Find them at Old City Java, KBrew, or Remedy Coffee.
7. If none of those strike your fancy, give dad a gift he will always cherish. A photo of the people that gave him his title. (Choosing a pic that includes the time he caught that really big fish is just a suggestion.)
Help You Dwell sat down with Ashley Addair this week to talk about simple living. Ashley is an established artist living in Knoxville with her husband, two children, the occasional dog, and sporadic out of town guests. To give you a bit of background, Ashley and family have spent the last year or so living a bit nomadic-ally while her husband gutted and rebuilt their home. (Which incidentally used to be a neighborhood grocery store) Their newly finished home is truly a work of art in itself. Ashley is a wonderful thinker and writer and one of her recent blog entries about her entry way inspired us to ask her about her approach to her home and lifestyle.
Tell me a little bit about what simple living means to you.
A: In this season I'm learning a lot about letting things be as they are. I'm trying to live out the tension of facilitating change and evolving but at the same time, accepting things as they are; not fighting the chaos of life. I'm trying to posture myself in a way that allows for finding beauty in that chaos and letting that be enough.
That is such a refreshing answer. On a practical level, do you have any habits or routines that help you accomplish and maintain that simple posture?
A: I recently read a haiku that said "To make a home, start in one corner- Make that yours. Work outwards, slowly." I'm trying to take that and practice "looking smaller". I'm picking little things, small corners that I can work on and letting the rest go. I'm endeavoring to let things evolve without me and it's helping me notice natural rhythms and the beauty of observing from a distance. Basically, I'm working on becoming increasingly slow: on letting life wash over me and recognizing that slow is the gift of this season. I'm becoming more okay with embracing limitations. In a very literal sense, I've picked one corner of the yard and one corner of the kitchen to focus on and I'm venturing to let the rest go.
One of the hardest parts of simplifying is letting go of all the "stuff". You seem to have a really healthy detachment to "things". Tell me about that.
A: I have moved around a lot over the course of my life. I've found that there is a gift in traveling light. Honestly, at this point having kids has forced me to recon with the fact that things will get messed up and broken. In general, I try to let things be meaningful without being attached to them.
You can meet Ashley and purchase her art at our pop up market on May 3rd from 11-6. We hope to see you there!
Caroline & Taryn
Thank you all for participating in our Spring giveaway. We are excited to announce that our winner is Terri L.
A big thank you to Stanley's Greenhouse for sponsoring this giveaway. If you have never been to Stanleys, you are truly missing out. It is a locally and family owned and operated greenhouse and plant farm in South Knoxville. For the Spring season they also run a "Secret Garden located in West Knoxville right off of Kingston Pike at Northshore. Check out their website and stop by the store or the garden to see what they have in stock.
The weekly planner featured in our giveaway is from Rala which is an awesome shop right off of Market Square on Union Avenue. They have a great selection of local and regional art and hand made goods along with Knoxville's best selection of cards for any occasion you could think of. Check out their blog or their facebook page and stop by the store if you are looking for a gift or just need a pick me up.
Ashley Addair
Mary Ann Watkins
Rob Laliberte
Jordan Wright
Daniel Aisenbry
KBrew Coffee Shop
Let us introduce you to Ashley Addair and Mary Ann Watkins who are collaborating on a project of art and hand lettered words. Ashley and Mary Ann are both moms of two boys and have been part of our church community for several years. They are both extremely talented and we are loving their collaborations which celebrate some traditionally southern phrases and figures of speech. Here is a link to Ashley's blog entry including their artist statements and pictures of some of their work.
Next, we are proud to introduce a good friend of ours Rob Laliberte who owns WDWRK Co and does beautiful woodwork in Knoxville, TN. We have collaborated with Rob in various ways and love his passion for community development and encouraging artists in our city. We share a booth at Nostalgia on McCalla with Rob and he also has a booth at the Market Square Farmers Market.
Jordan Wright has been blowing us away with his awesome new lighting business; Wright Mason Co. Currently his lights are for sale at Remedy Coffee shop and Blue Mason Coffee Shop in Knoxville TN. He uses vintage mason jars and repurposes them in one of the coolest ways we have seen yet. We are so jazzed that he will be selling his lights in our market.
We have known Daniel for several years through our church as well and have been drooling over his coffee tables ever since he started making them. Daniel owns and runs Knox Urban Homesteads and does everything from helping people start urban gardens to building chicken coops. Daniel does great work and we can't wait to share his furnishings with you all.
Finally, we are proud to announce that KBrew Coffee shop is sponsoring this event by providing coffee for all of you lucky patrons. They will also have tshirts and mugs for sale as well.
Next Thursdays blog will introduce our final four vendors.
We are only a few weeks away! Please share our flyer on your facebook page and invite your friends on November 8th.
HYD
