Cabin in the City

Books, cats and midwestern charm.

On Grief and Joy

03.05.25 | Life

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Small Goals // March 2020

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February went by so quickly (thank goodness). Here’s what I managed to tackle (and not tackle).

  1. Host the first Crafterhours of 2020. Done. It was a really nice time.
  2. Make 25 new hoops. I’m a maniac. I made 41.
  3. Go to La Reve. We went, and it was really lovely.
  4. Take as much as possible to Goodwill. Check. Glad to see all that stuff out of the basement!
  5. Tidy up surfaces in our bedroom. In all honesty, I didn’t even try to do this.

4/5. I’m pretty happy with this even though it’s not 100%. I managed to take care of all the things that needed doing (and went above and beyond with stitching). Not to mention I also hit the gym regularly. I managed to make February really work.

But, if I’m being totally honest, February kicked my butt. That means for March, I want to make unwinding a real priority. I really could use it.

via GIPHY

  1. Do a puzzle. Just call me Winston. This is my treat to me after a stressful few weeks.
  2. Make my first wedding hoop of 2020. I know I said I wanted to relax, but I can handle this one commission.
  3. Read two books. Since a lot of my free time has been dedicated to crafting lately, I’ve fallen behind on reading. I’ve loaded up my Kindle with a few good reads and can’t wait to get into it.
  4. Go dry for a bit. I’m not a major drinker, but I do like a glass of wine after a stressful day. I’d like to go without for a while (maybe a few weeks) just to break the habit.
  5. Hit up the gym 10 times. Booooorrriiinnngggg. But it’ll feel good.

Boring goals, I know, but dang, after a hard month all the slow going stuff will feel amazing.

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The Best Way to Valentine’s Day (IMO)

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I’m going to out myself here as a Valentine’s Day fan. Attached or single, I’ve always been a Valentine’s person: I love wearing all the pink, red and purple I can find, I’m all about candy and I like showing people that I love them with silly cards and gifts.

I am not a fan, however, of traditional Valentine’s Day dates. Going out to dinner on February 14 is just about the last thing I’d want to do. That’s why Michael and I circumvent the whole thing.

Instead, we do Valentine’s Day breakfast. There aren’t a lot of people, it’s slow-paced, it’s charming and it’s low pressure. We’re geniuses, I know.

But Valentine’s Day breakfast is a great idea if you can swing it and you have somewhere special to go. For Michael and me it’s La Reve, a charming little French cafe, in Wauwatosa.

We get there early, order good coffee, all the breakfast things we want—yes, that means a regular breakfast and a chocolate croissant. We relax, enjoy the atmosphere, people watch and—before we leave—order more desserts to take home.

Sure, our major celebrations are done before noon, but that’s fine by me. That’s more time to spend unwinding and enjoying small gifts. And at night we still open a bottle of champagne.

Also, I had to show off the gift I made Michael this year. This hilarious and sweet Baby Yoda hoop. You can get the pattern from Made by Caitlin Shop on Etsy.

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Small Goals // February 2020

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It’s always hard getting back on the horse in January with goals, but I think I managed pretty well. Check it out!

  1. Hit the gym eight times. I did it!
  2. Finish a book. Done. I actually finished two.
  3. Get everything returned. Done. This is actually such a huge relief.
  4. New curtains? New bedding? Done. I got some plain white curtains. I’m kind of a maximalist, but I have to admit going basic here looks really clean and soothing. Also giving myself a pat on the back because I touched up the paint around our windows, too, which also makes things look nicer.
  5. Spend a day not going anywhere. I did this twice. Snowy days are good for something. I watched the entire second season of You, put together a puzzle and generally was lazy. These days felt great.

5/5. I’m happy to have checked off all my goals (yes, even though one of them was to do nothing). But now the dust has settled on the new year and I think it’s time to ramp up my goals for February.

This month, I’ll be selling at my first craft fair since Black Friday weekend. It’s time to get back into production mode. I’m not sure if this is the sort of workflow I want to have (though it’s worked in the past), so this month will be a good test. And it’s also a good month to stay busy (gotta stave off those seasonal affective feelings!).

  1. Host the first Crafterhours of 2020. I took a hiatus from this idea for the holidays (and the post-holiday slump). Time to make this happen again and try to get into a groove.
  2. Make 25 new hoops. The Walker’s Point Makers Market is coming up on February 29. Time to get working on some new ideas (and a few classics).
  3. Go to La Reve. Last year, Michael and I enjoyed breakfast at LaReve in Wauwatosa for the first time. It was such a relaxing Valentine’s Day treat. I’m hoping for a repeat. Also, Valentine’s Day breakfast > Valentine’s Day dinner.
  4. Take as much as possible to Goodwill. During the hustle and bustle of the holidays (and recouping in January) a lot of our donation-ready stuff just got pushed to boxes in the basement. Time to give all that stuff a new home.
  5. Tidy up surfaces in our bedroom. Our bedroom doesn’t have the chair (you know, where catchall stuff and semi-clean laundry lives). Instead, it has the dresser and the bookshelf. All our odds and ends wind up cluttering up these surfaces and obscuring all the actually nice stuff we try to display there. Will this be the month I get a handle on it?

Wish me luck! Locals, hope to see you at the fair!

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Coming Soon // Walker’s Point Makers Market

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I am so excited to announce that a Walker’s Point Makers Market is here!

As you may know, I’ve been selling at Madison Makers Markets for a few years. These events are super fun because they’re part craft fair and part bar crawl (genius!). I always wished for a Milwaukee one and my wish has come true! Big thanks to Sara at I Heart Indie Markets!

You can find me and Kaminski Handicraft at Great Lakes Distillery. I’m thrilled because they’ve got some great stuff and a really awesome tasting room (and the tour is a good time, too).

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Small Goals // January 2020

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Welcome to 2020, folks! I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions (I know I can’t keep them), so I’ll just be sticking to these small goals for the coming year. But before we get into January aspirations, let’s see how December went.

  1. Break out the plastic canvas. All I did was think about this craft while I was stitching up a storm this past November, but by the time December hit, I just wasn’t in the mood. I fell back in love with cross-stitch instead.
  2. Make my chocolate babka. Done. We ate one Christmas morning and I brought the other loaf to my aunt Pat.
  3. Have a cozy, seasonal day home with Michael. Done! We decorated our trees and watched a few episodes of Nailed It: Holiday.
  4. Don a fancy Christmasy getup. YES! I got a hot pink dress and silver glitter boots from J.Crew. I felt awesome wearing this getup on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
  5. Make my “Spirits of Christmas” hoops. Swing and a miss two years running. I feel like I really needed an embroidery break, so I’m OK with leaving this as a WIP.

3/5. December wasn’t a five-for-five month for goals, but that’s fine by me. I spent the month doing what made me happy and satisfied. And I managed to do it all without having one of my trademark holiday meltdowns. What a win!

As for January, I’m not going to go too hard with goals. The past few months have been super busy, so a month of taking it slow and getting into normal habits is what I need.

  1. Hit the gym eight times. Classic New Year’s-style goal here! But going to the gym does make me feel good, and it’s the sort of thing that I can manage when my schedule is a bit more open. Kind of looking forward to this one!
  2. Finish a book. Last January I read something like three or four books. I’m not sure if I can top that, but I’d like to work through at least one novel this month. I am participating in the Goodreads Challenge again this year (you can follow me here).
  3. Get everything returned. I bought a lot of extras around the holidays—spare sizes for gifts, sale-priced linens and other odds and ends. I need to get all those things out of the house (and get those purchases off my credit card statement).
  4. New curtains? New bedding? This is such a small thing, but our curtains and bedding are almost the same design and it drives my eyes nuts. Swapping one out is an easy fix, right?
  5. Spend a day not going anywhere. Typically I squeeze a day or two like this in over the holiday break, but I didn’t make that happen this year. So this month I’m hoping to just wake up and stay in for an entire day.

These goals are a bit mellow (and boring), but I’m happy about that. A month of rest is exactly what I need.

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The Cherry on Top of 2019 // A Door County New Year’s Eve

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Typically, Michael and I celebrate a low-key New Year’s Eve. We put on our jammies, break out the board games, pop a bottle of bubbly and call it good. This year, though, we celebrated the end of a decade by traveling up to Door County, Wisconsin.

Door County is every Wisconsinite’s favorite summer destination, but I love it just as much in the winter. A lot of shops and restaurants are closed for the season, but I like seeking out all the stalwarts that stay open even in the cold.

Where to Stay in Door County in Winter (and All the Time)

This time, like every time Michael and I go to Door County, we stayed in Sturgeon Bay.

This is a great place to stay in the winter because, unlike the rest of the peninsula, most everything stays open during the off-season. Also, there are a lot of nice places to camp out.

For this quick getaway, we checked into the Holiday Music Hotel. We stayed here years ago and had a blast. The ’50s styling of the place is so fun and, honestly, the price is right for an impromptu trip. Not to mention the place has some great vibes. It’s owned and operated by musicians and there are a lot of artsy events going on in and around the hotel. Plus, a two-block walk has you right on the main drag for all the food, drinks and quirky shops you could ever need.

The location came in really handy on this trip, especially.

A Snowy Night in Sturgeon Bay

We spent most of our first evening right in Sturgeon Bay since it was pretty snowy. We hit up Within Things, a shop I’ve been following for some time on Instagram. It was wonderfully weird. We also snagged a mushroom book at Novel Bay Booksellers.

But the real fun didn’t start until after dinner. After a long drive back from Sister Bay, we decided to lay low and grab a drink nearby at Cedar Crossing. It was a beautiful snowy walk there from our hotel. The bar area was so relaxing and very swanky. We were just planning on a drink until the bartender recommended we check out another stop. We’re spontaneous people, so we took the short walk.

That’s how we ended up at my new favorite: Cherry Lanes.

This place was a blast! I snagged a hot toddy while Michael sipped on a Moscow Mule, then we decided to grab ourselves a lane. Michael and I had never bowled together before, so we had to rectify that.

For $15, we got shoes and an hour of bowling (a steal). We got in four games. Michael says he was practicing his spin the whole time. I’m not sure I believe him, so I’ll just brag here that I won three games out of four.

Other Wintry Musts in Door County

A lot of the upper peninsula shuts its doors in the winter, but there’s still plenty to do for a short stay.

Waking up after a night at Cherry Lanes, we had one order of business: Bea’s Ho-Made. This place is a must when you’re visiting Door County, no matter the season. This place sells some great jams and preserves. My favorites, though, are the hot garlic-dill pickles and the plum sauce. Oh my gosh, the plum sauce! It’s a must for Chinese takeout. Michael recommends the Hungarian relish. I know a jam shop doesn’t seem like a hip destination, but trust me, it’s worth the visit.

But Bea’s wasn’t our only stop. We also swung by Door County Bakery for some Corsica sticks. I’ve never seen this bread anywhere else. They’re essentially breadsticks covered in sesame seeds and drenched in olive oil. I can’t explain why these are soo good, but they are irresistible to me. I ordered four.

And no matter the weather, Peninsula State Park is always on my Door County list. While we weren’t able to check out Eagle Bluff Lighthouse in the snow, we still got to enjoy the sights and walk around a bit. Standing on the shores of Lake Michigan is always soothing to me, even in the cold and snow.

Ringing in 2020

On New Year’s Eve, we headed over to the Nightingale Supper Club in Sturgeon Bay for a nice dinner. I was positively thrilled that we could sneak in a reservation.

Michael and I put on our NYE best (mine being my glitter boots and flamingo pink dress) and sat down to a three-course dinner—something we do very rarely. We indulged with some stuffed mushrooms, homemade soup and prime rib (my go-to supper club order). I finished off the meal with a Grasshopper. I mean, you have to, right?

After a big night out at Cherry Lanes, we decided to opt out of the NYE conflama, so we just settled in for a night at the Holiday with our classic routine: games and pajamas (and a little time playing the instruments in the lobby).

If the rest of 2020 is this good, I’ll be the luckiest gal out there.

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Seeing 2010 with 20/20

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A lot of folks are recapping the past decade and it’s interesting to see how far my friends and folks I admire have come in the past ten years. While I’m tempted to break down the decade by year, I thought I’d just reflect on where I was ten years ago, because 2010 was a hell of a year, and it really turned me into the person I am now.

I feel like it’s not the brightest spot in my life, yet it’s a time I think about with some fondness. But I’m nothing if not nostalgic—even for bad times. Let’s just get into it.

Picture It… Madison, Wisconsin, 2010

Let me set the scene for you: In January 2010, I was returning to school after winter break. I was friendless, thanks to a huge falling out with all my college friends, and living alone (my roommate moved out after the aforementioned disaster). I was straight up not having a good time.

But I didn’t really process these emotions in any effective way. Instead, I just threw myself into the new semester, a new job and a new project, hoping that they’d fix how I was feeling.

Trying to Fix Problems with Pizza

The first thing I did was get a job at a pizza joint. This filled my evenings and weekends so I didn’t feel so painfully lonely (though I’d never tell you that’s how I was feeling at the time—I’m not even sure I knew that’s what I was feeling).

…and by Just Spending a Lot of Time Alone

I also threw myself into my classes this semester. I took film photography, drawing and journalism (and surely a few others I can’t recall).

Photography and drawing were the perfect classes for me at this time. I could sink a lot of time into a project and say it was for the sake of my art. I could walk into the darkroom on a Saturday morning and not leave until it was time to sling pizzas at night. It was perfect. I was alone, but I was productive—not sad or lonely or in a high-functioning depression (I was all of those things)!

The Unexpected Highlight

But outside of my college’s art wing, I was heading into my first (and truthfully only) journalism class. I remember this class more than any other. I remember how the professor wore a vest every day, where I sat by the door and the beguilingly handsome dude in the VANS sweatshirt that sat at the head of the table (that was Michael!).

I remember the day our first assignments were due. The professor asked for someone to volunteer their piece to critique on the projector. No one wanted to do this, but I was the kind of student who could not stand a lengthy silence, so I just volunteered my piece so we could get on with it.

I was stunned when the professor said it was good.

When I received good marks on my next assignment, I started to gain a bit of confidence. When my professor talked about reviving the school newspaper, I volunteered to copy edit.

Living On the Edge

On assignment trying to see Barack Obama speak in Madison. I didn’t end up seeing his speech (but I heard it well enough to write an article).

When the time came to kickstart the paper (On the Edge), there was only one other student who offered to help, and we became defacto editors-in-chief.

I was instantly hooked on the job. When I came back for the fall semester, I was more excited than ever about the paper. I had a new co-editor and was thrilled about our new staff writer (Michael!).

I loved spending time in our office. There was always a member of our staff there (OK, that person was me) and it was right in the thick of campus. I felt like hot shit as an editor (over-confident as always) and felt like I was reestablishing myself a bit socially (emphasis on “a bit”).

That semester, I felt like the best version of myself working on the paper. I loved calling the shots, working on the layout and seeing my work in print. And getting a shoutout (positive or negative) always pepped me up. I mean, if the dean of students isn’t throwing your paper at you calling a story lies, what kind of editor are you? (This happened and the story was fact.)

The Grand Finale (of 2010, at Least)

In December 2010, I graduated. It was one of the happiest moments of my life. I felt proud, accomplished and like I had a mission.

In the end, 2010 showed me where I wanted to go. Falling into that deep hole sucked. But pulling myself up with food (Pizza Brutta is the best pizza place in Wisconsin—try it), art and, most especially, writing saved me. And by the end of the year and the semester, I knew what I wanted after graduation and for my life ahead: to write.

2010 changed me—I had an inkling then, but I can say definitively that it really has. So here’s to 2020. May it be better than 2010, but perhaps just as clarifying and transformative.

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My 2019 Christmas Baking List

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I love Christmas and I love Christmas baking. I love how productive I feel after a long day in the kitchen making cookies and desserts for my family. (And I love how I can reward myself after a long day of baking with a Christmas movie and a glass of wine.)

This year I’ve got more bakes on my plate than ever. Here’s what I’ve baked (and will be baking in the next few days).

Cookies

My whole family bakes Christmas cookies, and we all have our specialties (shout out to my Aunt Mary who makes candy cane cookies for me every year!). This year I made a few old favorites and some new-to-me recipes.

  • Cream cheese pillows: These are a favorite of mine, my Aunt Debby and the crowd at the Cookie Takedown. Michael loves to think of new names for these, like cookie calzones and cookie pierogi. They’re apt for sure.
  • Pioneer molasses cookies: These are an old, old favorite with my family. I’m so happy that Michael loves them as much as I do!
  • Italian rainbow cookies: I sampled these at Taste of Home‘s cookie give away and loved them. I decided to make them myself. I’ll say that these were a major hassle, but I’m glad I gave them a go!
  • Cornflake wreaths: These cookies are so easy to make and always a hit (with me at least). I like to add a little almond extract to the mix for more flavor.
  • Mandelbrot: I am in love with Midwest Made by Shauna Sever. I made her mandelbrot recipe (they’re similar to biscotti, but not quite as hard) and they’ve gotten rave reviews so far!
  • Apricot kolaczky: I make kolaczky most Christmases. This year I used a recipe out of Midwest Made. It’s a good one!

Christmas Desserts and Breads

  • Chocolate babka: I obviously had to make my superstar recipe for the holidays.
  • French silk pie: This is one of my favorite desserts. I figure it’s time I learn how to make it from scratch and then share it with the fam for Christmas dessert (and I’m aiming to try the recipe in Midwest Made).
  • White fruitcake: Yes, another Midwest Made recipe! I’ve made this white fruitcake recipe in the past but I wanted to switch it up this year. And yes, my family like fruitcake. Weirdos, I know!
  • Cranberry tart: I made this tart last year and it deserves a repeat performance. It’s so simple to make, but I think it looks pretty fancy—especially dusted with a little powdered sugar.

Writing out this whole list really makes me realize how much baking I’m doing this holiday! Whew!

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Taking a Break from Stitching by… Still Stitching?

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via Etsy // Cross Stitch by Anary

This November was a great month for Kaminski Handicraft. I had record-breaking sales at Cream City Creatives and a good show at Madison Makers Market. Results like these make all the time spent with needle in hand worth it.

But the second I was done with those shows, I knew I wanted to take a break until at least after the holidays.

Let me tell you, those first few days lazily watching The Crown without distraction felt amazing. But after a few weeks, I started to get antsy. I like to do. So I put together a puzzle (another grandma hobby). It was great, but I felt like one was enough. And I felt like just sitting wasn’t enough.

So I picked up cross-stitching.

Taking a break from stitching by still stitching? I know. It doesn’t make any sense. But it feels great! I downloaded a few patterns from Etsy (if you’re not doing this yet, do it now) and started stitching one afternoon with a friend.

And I can’t stop.

I made a few gifts (I’ll keep those under wraps for now) and made some good headway on this pattern from Cross Stitch by Anary. I also snagged this pattern on sale from Ritacuna (I’m on a bit of a Russia kick right now—just watched Anastasia and The Last Czars; also reading The Last Days of the Romanov Dancers).

It’s really soothing to have a pattern to follow and zone out a bit while watching The Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show and some holiday episodes of Bob’s Burgers. I think I found my off-season couch craft.

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A Heartwarming Christmas Story

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I’ve written about my favorite Christmas albums in the past. I’m a big fan of records from Elvis, Sharon Jones and She & Him. I’m also the biggest fan of It’s My Favorite Time of Year—a CD sold at the cash registers at Boston Store (and Carson’s) back in like 1996.

I truly thought my mom and I were the only people who liked this CD so much. I mean, who else would remember a regional department store-branded Christmas CD from 25 years ago?

Well, someone else did.

This summer I got an email from a woman asking me about this CD. She found my blog post and told me all about how she and her family loved this CD when she was younger, but unfortunately, it got lost and she’d been trying to find a copy ever since.

So through the magic of the internet, I sent this lovely gal (with amazing taste) all the songs. It felt good to know that someone else would be enjoying them this season.

And then this sweet girl sent me truly the most heartwarming thank you note I’ve ever received. Like ever. I teared up. It was really touching.

So, if you’re reading this It’s My Favorite Time of Year fan, know once again that you warmed my heart and lifted my spirits. I hope you and your family have a happy holiday (and same to the rest of you readers).