The term 'log cabin' often evokes romantic images of deliberate solitude, communion with nature and escape from the speed and trappings of the common modern life. If you're ready to create your own wilderness home, and your sense of adventure and appreciation of craft are as ardent as your dreams, you might even envision employing your own hands and efforts to build a private sanctuary.

Maybe you need a small space to stay in while you build a complete country home, or, perhaps, you're ready to dive right in with a cottage in the woods. In either case there's a wide variety of available resources and kits to help you on your way.

Steve Maxwell, Mother Earth News magazine contributing editor, provides his detailed instructions for building your own cabin in 'Build This Cozy Cabin' from Mother Earth News. Steve's instructions yield a well-built and attractive 14-by-20-foot cabin for under $4,000, including the rough floors, frame and a shingled roof. (The exterior siding, doors and windows are not factored into this estimate.)

If you're interested in building the cabin yourself, but prefer to work from professional plans and save time with pre-cut materials, cabin kits are a popular option that's been available since the early 20th century. Cabin kits offer frame, log and panel construction options and usually include the materials for the floor, roof, interior wall studs and exterior walls, as well as construction manuals, trim, fasteners, doors and windows. You should be aware that they generally don't include electrical or plumbing packages, foundations or insulation, and shipping charges aren't usually included in the listed cost. It's important to thoroughly review the literature for each company you consider and be sure to ask lots of questions before purchasing a cabin kit.

You can find log cabin kits at:

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• Appalachian Log Homes
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• Conestoga Log Cabins
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• Country Log Cabins
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• Merrimac Log Homes
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• Northeastern Log Homes.