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Welcome to the Cottage.

The Tiny Canal Cottage is a resource for helping folks mindfully conceptualize, decorate and enjoy versatile + smaller home spaces. Founded by designer, consultant, stylist, creative director and author, Whitney Leigh Morris, this family-owned small business recently finished the construction of a new, compact cottage and greenhouse-office in the southeastern US, and are also restoring a little 1800s French farmhouse and its outbuildings with co-stewards. Morris’ focus is crafting flexible, sustainable, and more community-focused home spaces. Explore Whitney’s book, blog, and social channels for years of tips and tales from living and working in — and with — a smaller footprint.

Garden Aprons for the Family

Garden Aprons for the Family

One of the ways we’ve tried to reduce our negative impact on this planet is to not only be mindful of what we’re bringing into our own home, but to also be mindful of what we’re asking others to invite into their homes. This means that we gift rarely and cautiously, and that gift-giving often doesn’t align with a special occasion. Instead, we’ll usually give a present whenever we discover that perfect idea or item. (In other words, we’re fairly disappointing friends/family members sometimes...)

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When it comes to gifting to one another as a couple, Adam and I are tricky. He’s one of those people who requires very little, and is content to use whatever he has until it falls apart. And while I’m the buyer for our family and will certainly go after the things we need or really want, I’m certainly not eager to acquire new belongings beyond those.  

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Back in the spring, Adam let it slip that he liked a garden apron by our friend Hilton Carter. After all, Adam has been spending most of quarantine focused on keeping our plants thriving, and teaching West how to tend to the greenery scattered around our porch, interior and yard.

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Our anniversary and Adam’s birthday were coming up (to be followed shortly by Father’s Day), so I nabbed an apron, knowing it would enjoy daily use, and that it was designed by someone we love and admire. (Note: At the time of publishing this post, the aprons are sold out, but they’re due to be restocked before the end of the month.)

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Personally I’m into aprons. I’m no cook, but I use mine (an Etsy find) around the house and neighborhood quote a lot.

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We always seem to need cloth wipes, hair ties, dog bags, cell phones and doodads on-hand, so an apron with ample pockets is ever-useful for me.

Organic brown linen dress by Eileen Fisher

Organic brown linen dress by Eileen Fisher

Even West has an apron, which he uses at his muck table and while watering the interior/exterior plants. 

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Adam’s apron arrived in mid-May, prior to our anniversary and well before his birthday.

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He guessed what I got him right off the bat, so he ended up opening the Things by HC package early. (I saw no need to make him wait. Again, I’m bad at gifting ON specific occasions.) It’s a beautifully designed accessory, with removable leather straps, a ring for a towel or mister, a pen slip, and leather pockets suitable for heavy (and pointy) handheld gardening tools.

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In true tiny house fashion, each apron lives in a different place based on how we use it. Adam’s dangles from a point on the porch, mine lives in one of the first drawers I open every morning in the kitchen, and West’s is fastened to the fridge via a magnetic hook for easy access.

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For those interested in bringing the outdoors in, here is a roundup of our favorite aprons:

StanLee, Our Adopted Senior Beagle, Turns 14

StanLee, Our Adopted Senior Beagle, Turns 14

Small Space Gardening to Manage Anxiety (and How to Donate Fresh Produce in Los Angeles)

Small Space Gardening to Manage Anxiety (and How to Donate Fresh Produce in Los Angeles)

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