Welcome to my new creative home on Substack! I am excited to have a space tailor-made for me to focus on my writing, enhance it with videos, and share it with you all in one place (without a culture of ‘likes’ or the need to monetize my creativity). I am hopeful instead of scrolling this year (and beyond), you will take the time to do some reading and get a little deeper than the surface ~ hopefully that is why you are here!
What is this space about?…
In December 2021 we purchased 10 acres of land in Northern Wisconsin with a plan to build a Cabin/Part-Time Home. When it is at a stage we can move in, we will be splitting our time between The City, and Far, Far, Out of The City. We have learned A LOT during this adventure. A lot more than we ever expected to. Our first year was full of twists (sometimes in our stomachs) and turns (good ones we call ‘Cabin Miracles’). I am excited to bring you along on the journey!
If you love home shows, want to know more about what it is like to build in a rural area, love the North Woods, are curious about being your own GC, want to know more about SIP Panel building, are interested in what it is like to work with an architect, love the process of designing, like small space design, like cycling (because that is why we are building this place after all) and all things related (eating, training, aging, travel), and like to hear the truth (even when it is difficult and emotional), and more ~ this is the space for you! We are not experts, this is not instructive, this is simply a space about sharing our stories and experience in hopes of inspiring, motivating, and educating.
I am first and foremost best at writing. That’s why I am here. But, I thought it would be fun to try my hand at making some videos too. Over the last two years I have developed an appreciation for people who are creating ‘slow living’ videos on YouTube that have helped me relax and de-stress. People like Jonna Jinton, Gorogoro Kitchen, Becki and Chris, Dani Connor Wild, Wild Rosie, and Hige and Me, so I thought I would expand my skillset and grow my creativity into video to compliment my writing and bring it a bit to life.
This is the first video in a series I am calling Spider Lake Crash Pad; that is the working name our architect gave to our new build and it stuck. In the Prologue I am hoping you get a sense of what the early phase of our build last Summer was like.
In the next post (technically the ‘first’ post), I will be explaining more of our ‘why’ for the Spider Lake Crash Pad. I am currently starting to write that post and edit that video with plans to release it in January.
We have literally had people drive up/ride up our driveway asking about our build process. And we have had the help of SO many people without whom the Spider Lake Crash Pad would not currently be standing (yes, there is a building now…). Because you are there wondering, or because you shared your resources with me ~ I (actually we; Kurt my husband too) want to share details on our partners, resources, materials, etc. [Don’t worry, no content is ‘sponsored’ by anyone but me. :)].
You can subscribe to this blog to get e-mail updates on every post, you can subscribe to this blog on the Substack app, and/or you can can subscribe to our newsletter for less frequent updates that are summaries of what I have been up to.
I have no plans to be an ‘influencer’, or ‘YouTube Star’, but I would like it if you followed along here, and also over on our YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/@aventyrcc), where you can subscribe to be notified of our latest videos).
I love that I can offer you multiple ways to connect with us at your own speed and in your own style.
I specifically chose to start this project in the depth of Winter to help me get through the hardest part of the year. I hope it helps you too. Instead of feeling alone, I am hoping together we can build community here and share stories at a deeper level than other platforms allow. I am also motivated to do this personal project by you. You who were there for my small business when it started, when it was going, and when I closed it at the end of 2022 ~ and are still here supporting me. You who have biked up our driveway at the Spider Lake Crash Pad to welcome us to the ‘neighborhood’. You who have given us valuable information, and assistance, to keep the Spider Lake Crash Pad going. You who might want your own ‘Crash Pad’ someday. You who ride bike with me, virtually and/or in person and support my fitness journey. You who are an aging athlete and care what I have to say about my journey. You, who I haven’t even met yet but might find this story helpful or relatable.
Thanks for being here!
DeAnn
Spider Lake Crash Pad: Prologue