Cabin in the City

Books, cats and midwestern charm.

Lisa

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Palm Springs Sampler

Filed Under: Make Tagged With:

Remember when I went on and on about how hard it was to make that Rowdy Roddy sampler? Well, some projects are just more difficult than others. Not this one, though. This one was a total breeze.

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My friend Kat, who you’ve seen on the blog before, eloped to Palm Springs last year. Since then, I knew I had to make her and her husband Jeff a little commemorative hoop – because that’s what I do now. Once I got their invitation to their belated reception, I knew it was on.

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Unlike some projects I’ve worked on, I knew exactly where I was going. No second-guessing color schemes or fonts or design. Kat and Jeff have such a clear and cool mid-century meets tiki meets sleek style about them, that there was no guessing involved. This one just poured out of me like a nice cool Hawaiian Eyes (which is Jeff’s best top secret cocktail).

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I won’t lie, this is my favorite wedding hoop so far.

 

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WIP Meltdown + Why It’s OK

Filed Under: Life, Make Tagged With: ,

Have you ever gone into full-on meltdown mode over the most insignificant thing? Of course you have. We all do, especially us sensitive spirits.

This winter, I remember having an unnecessary and incredibly stupid pity party over a bottle of grape juice. After marathon shoveling, all I wanted was some leftover sparking grape juice from the holidays. I grabbed the bottle and twisted – nothing. My cold, weak hands could not grip that bottle tight enough and could not twist that foil cap. I sat on the floor of my kitchen and just let out a big gahhhhhh whyyyyyyyyy like adults do.

The culprit.
The culprit.

This happens.

And it happened this past weekend as I looked at an embroidery project. The project was an odd one from the get-go: a coworker asked if I could stitch a quote from the 1988 thriller They Live for him. Definitely uncharted territory for me. It started out fine – solid fonts, a decent layout, punchy color scheme – and then, after a few days of puttering, I hated it. I’ll admit it – I cried. I sat in the ugly recliner and cried over a satin-stitched quote from They Live. I lost my shit and said to Michael something akin to the following: “It’s boring and lame and the orange is too red and the green looks like boogers and all of it looks like Christmas.” Because he’s sweet and admittedly doesn’t know about colors or embroidery, he assured me it looked nice.

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Still working on this one. Stitches to rip out, cat hair to lint roll, the works.

I’m not sure if that’s true, but sometimes you got to work through it.

I strive for perfection. But in this case, I had to take a step back and ask Is there such thing as perfection for this for me? And I had to think about it, and the answer is no. No, there’s not a world in which “I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass and I’m all out of bubble gum” is embroidered perfectly. There’s not because this sort of thing would never dawn on me. But, to the person that dreamed it up, the person that commissioned this project, someone that asked for this to be made because he could not do it himself nor would want to, a green and red-orange stitched quote about ass kicking might be just right.

• • • • •

P.S. By happenstance, this post published the day Rowdy Roddy Piper passed away. So rest in peace, Roddy. You were a righteous dude whose memory lives on through this tiny project.

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Mr. Mukki + How-To Kicker-Roo

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Happy times over at the cabin – we’ve got a new addition! Well, sort of. This handsome boy is Mukki, Michael’s cat. He’s a real gentleman and just about the sweetest boy around.

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He’s also a little more playful than some cats around here (that’d be my Zara), so we’ve got toys all over the place. But a feisty cat like this needs more than felt mice, so I decided to whip him up something a little more substantial: a kicker-roo. You don’t know what a kicker-roo is? Well, you’re in for a treat. Bonus: this project is super easy to make and your cat will love you.

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Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Fleece or faux fur fabric
  • Fiberfill
  • Catnip

To start, grab your fabrics. Go for something cat-friendly and fairly sturdy (to withstand all the claws and biting). I went with some fleece and low-nap faux fur that I had on hand.

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The construction of this is just like making a pillow… with a tail. That means you’ll want to identical pieces for the body (the pillow part) and a smaller strip for the tail. I cut two body pieces at 12″ by 5″ and the tail 8″ by 3″, but you can cut to any size you like.

With your pieces cut, you’ll make the tail: sew the two sides, clip the corners, turn right-side out. Easy as that.

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Then center this on the narrow end of one your other strip and pin it. Then give this a few good zips on the machine within the seam allowance (I just did the standard 5/8). Cats will want to tug on this part the most, so best to reinforce it now.

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With the tail in place, pin the body pieces right-sides together. Sew around the perimeter, leaving a gap for the stuffing where the tail is. Same as last time, clip the corners and turn right-side out.

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Now you’ll want to stuff your pillow – I mean kicker-roo. First, add a few pinches of dried catnip inside. Is it necessary? No, but it’s more fun for them. 🙂 Then just stuff your pillow with fiberfill. Don’t skimp on this part – you want it to be densely packed to stand up to lots of playtime. If you don’t have fiberfill on hand, feel free to use plastic bags – added bonus: cats love that crinkle.

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To finish this project up, just stitch up the open end. You can do this by hand or make it easy on yourself and run it through the sewing machine. And with that, you’ve got your own homemade kicker-roo.

As soon as I trimmed the threads on this project, Mukki was all over it. I think he’s a pretty happy camper right now.

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He could hardly stay still he was too busy playing. And below is perfect form for kicker-roo kicking. What a sassy cat.

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If you give this silly thing a try, let me know what the kitties out there think!

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The Greatest Thing: Supper Clubs

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Let’s get this out in the open: I love supper clubs. Ever since I’ve been a kid, I’ve loved them. There’s something to be said about weird mid-century vibes, wood paneling and more kiddie cocktails than you can handle.

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But let’s back up for a second, because chances are that non-Midwesterners are a little lost here. Supper clubs are really just a specific type of restaurant that you’re likely to find in small towns and tourist spots. They’ve got a pretty limited menu – we’re talking prime rib, steaks, a Friday fish fry and maybe a lazy Susan of crudites. There’s also a standard roster of supper club drinks which are all my favorites: the brandy old fashioned sweet, Grasshoppers and Brandy Alexanders.

When Michael and I found out we were going to Door County for our honeymoon, I immediately declared that we had to go to the Greenwood. The Greenwood was one of my favorite places growing up. The French fried chicken was to die for and the kiddie cocktails always came with extra cherries. That’s what I’m talking about.

The first night of the ol’ honeymoon we donned our finest vacation garb and headed up to Fish Creek. I hadn’t been in a dozen years and I was desperately hoping it was as I remembered. And to my great pleasure, not a thing had changed. Murals of Door County landmarks still graced the walls, the tables engraved with maple leaf designs were still shining and it was just as dimly lit as I remembered – sheer supper club perfection.

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Because we are Wisconsinites through and through, we ordered brandy old fashioneds and followed our dinner up with Grasshoppers at the bar. And either because we are very adorable, the only people at the bar or the youngest people in the joint by 25 years, we got our picture posted on their Facebook page. Day maker for sure.

Now I know I haven’t done the topic justice, so I recommend Wisconsin Supper Clubs: An Old Fashioned Experience for those of you that know and love these places just as I do.

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Door County Days

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If you grew up in Wisconsin (or Illinois I suppose), chances are you’ve been to Door County. It’s just a vacation staple in these parts, and I spent many a summer in Ephraim sightseeing and eating all the candy I could get my hands on. That being said, I haven’t been up to the peninsula in ages and was starting to miss its maritime charm.

Lucky for me and Michael, my Aunt Debby and close family friend Jean swooped in with just about the best wedding gift a couple of lovebirds could ask for: a honeymoon trip up to Door County. I’m telling you it was just the ticket.

I can’t begin to tell you about the must-see sights and must-eat eats, but I’ll fill you in on a few.

Let’s start with our home base for this whole affair: Sturgeon Bay. Growing up, I only saw Sturgeon Bay as we passed through it, thinking it wasn’t really that Door County compared to the rest of the peninsula. Well, I was a fool because Sturgeon Bay is great.

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Our home for the trip was The Foxglove Inn. This place! How can I tell you how great it is? I can’t because its charm is beyond words, truly the stuff of dreams.

This little inn had it all. Beautiful rooms filled with the most opulent but comfortable accommodations, and the most lovely, thoughtful owners. They have the greatest eye for detail and I can’t tell you how much I love that. And did I mention they deliver a beautiful and and totally delicious breakfast every morning? Because they do, and it is to die for.

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Michael and I were also fortunate enough to catch the tail end of Steel Bridge Song Fest, a music festival led by the owners of the Holiday Music Motel, which is so cool in its own right. Michael and I stayed their for a short weekend years ago and that place is killer – but that’s another can of worms. We stopped by for a few tunes and loved it.

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But enough about Sturgeon Bay and its many charms. Onward and upward into the peninsula! On our full day, Michael and I decided to hike Peninsula State Park – or at least a small part of it. The park is giant and is filled with trails, a lighthouse, lookout points, beaches, a fire tower and so so much more.

Growing up, I had a real thing for lighthouses; I read everything I could about the Great Lakes variety and all the potential ghost stores that went with them. When I met Michael, I found out that he also had an interest in lighthouses (although not with the strange specificity), and we bonded – talk about a love connection. To get to the point, when we came up to Door County, we knew we had to get some lighthouse sightseeing in, and Eagle Bluff (which is inside the park) was the perfect place to start.

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There are ten other lighthouses scattered across Door County. We knew we couldn’t fit all of them in (or at least the ones open to the public), so I decided to get the most bang for our buck and drove Michael up to the very tip of the peninsula where I knew we could spot a two from the ferry dock at Gills Rock: Plum Island and Pilot Island Lighthouses.

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The one way off in the distance is Pilot Island, and it’s creepy as hell. It used to be called Porte des Morts – yeah that’s right “death’s door.” The passage between the point of the peninsula and Washington Island is known as Death’s Door because it was historically difficult to navigate and was home to many a shipwreck. That’s one thing, but naming a lighthouse and island after death is even creepier to me. I like to imagine this place is haunted. It’s not hard to do with the dead trees and ominous old light out there.

But enough about that for now. I’ll add in a few lighthearted stops. First, a total Door County standard: Wilson’s. This 1950s ice cream parlor scoops cones high and dishes full. I’m not one to bail on my ice cream, but I couldn’t do it, boys and girls. I couldn’t make it to the bottom of my cone for the surprise jelly bean at the bottom. I’m a little embarrassed.

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I saved the best stop for last, though. It was pure serendipity that we came across my favorite childhood stop, a shop that was hardly ever open, but when it was – oh when it was! – it was home to all things cat. That’s right, the one and only Kitty Korner.

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I won’t lie to you – we spent a good amount on cat toys and catnip here. And that smile is 100 percent sincere.

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We Did It!

Filed Under: Life Tagged With:

I know just a few posts ago, I was all “I’m so nervous!” and for the past few months I’ve been all “This is stressful and weird!” but married life has changed me, boys and girls.

As soon as we completed our rehearsal the night before, I felt my anxiety dissipate and a sudden peacefulness take its place. This made for such a wonderful, beautiful and special wedding day.

Bobbie_weddingFriends, family and our talented photographer Bobbie of Roberta Ray Photography + Design all helped to create our perfect day. Such a fantastic way to continue our journey together, and we are all so thankful for the love and good vibes we’ve received.

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On Turning into My Dad + Why He’s the Best

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More often than not you’ll hear a woman say, “Oh geez I’m turning into my mother.” Well, I find that as I’m getting older, I’m turning into my dad – in so many ridiculous ways.

When I was a kid, my dad and I spent a lot of time watching reruns of Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack and eating Laffy Taffy. Now I watch reruns of Unsolved Mysteries with Douglas Farina (far inferior) and curse Walgreens for not having grape Laffy Taffy ropes. We’d go camping, and he’d teach me how to build the perfect campfire – teepee never log cabin-style. Now, I school Michael on how to make a bonfire the same way.

But beyond these silly coincidences and love for true crime and cheap candy, I’m realizing we’re more alike than I might have thought. We’re both on the quiet side, logic-base thinkers, great at telling bad jokes and lame stories. And then it goes deeper. I find myself beating a dead horse to death in conversation or laughing in that weird way or developing the dreaded “Kaminski twang.” And that’s when I’m realizing that I’m turning into my father, which is fine by me (so long as I don’t need my hip replaced next week too).

DadSo here’s to you, Dad. Here’s to the most generous, patient guy I know.

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It’s Here

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Today’s the day. Soon we’ll be saying our vows, cutting the cake and getting down to “Electric Love.”

I won’t lie to you – I’m nervous as hell – but I also know it’s going to be great.

cakeKeep up with us (and all the other couples using the hashtag) with #blueribbonwedding. I would have loved #theweddingthatmademilwaukeefamous, but that’s just too damn long.

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Heaven Help Me

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With only five days until the big shebang, you can bet stress levels and tensions are high over in this cabin. It’s been a marathon of meetings, crafts and mini-meltdowns for a while now and you bet there’s still more to come.

But it’s time to take a step back for a few minutes just bask in something I really enjoy and treasure: troves of old family photos.

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My dad’s parents, Florence and Matthew, circa 1945.

See, I had this great idea to take old wedding pictures from both our families, pop them into frames and use them as table numbers. It’s a good idea. You can take it after this weekend. So while place cards took a good eight hours, painting signs a good twelve, this project was simple and I got to see some A+ 1940s and 1950s wedding garb.

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My mom’s mother, Norma, with her little sister Rita circa 1950.

I live for these old photos, especially the formality of the 1940s (and earlier) shots. They are pure class.

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Michael’s grandparents Sylvia and Sylvester. Everything here is perfection.

So that’s all for now, folks. I’ve got a ceremony playlist to hammer out and another sign to paint.

 

 

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D’aww

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Last week, Michael and I took a break and headed to Grant Park for our engagement pictures. Yes, I know the wedding is only ten days away but Michael and I aren’t known for our modeling so we figured we could use all the practice we could get.

And let me tell you, Bobbie from Roberta Rae Photography + Design is AMAZING.

bobbieJust look at that. I mean she killed it. If you want to see more, check out her Facebook page. She has a few of us and dozens of other adorable couples and families.