Books, cats and midwestern charm.
Lately I’ve found myself trying to channel American Horror Story: Coven Jessica Lange. In attitude mostly. I’ve had a rough go of it lately – family drama, ugh – and to get through it all, I found myself asking what would Jessica Lange do? It turned out that getting in touch with my inner Fiona Goode (Supreme of all Supremes) helped me work through some tough spots. And I found that while I was trying to act the part of head witch, I wanted to look the part as well.
This summer, I planted a raspberry bush in our yard and, man, was I excited. I envisioned going out in the morning and picking handfuls of berries and making jams, sauces, desserts, the whole bit. My vision was lacking in the reality department, though. Turns out that a single, year-old raspberry bush isn’t going to produce more than a couple berries a day.
This weekend, though I did get to fulfill my dreams of picking all the berries I could ever need. Michael and I headed up to his family’s place near the Wisconsin Dells for a quick getaway. While hiking the trails on their property, we came across bramble after bramble of wild blackberry bushes – a tremendous treat. We spent the afternoon loading up a box of these tiny, sweet berries to take home where I had a plan in store.
The grand plan: muffins. It’s nothing fancy, but these berries were small and sweet – just about the size of blueberries – that they seemed destined to end up in a muffin tin. So I took these berries to share with my mom and we whipped up a quick batch.
Here’s what you’ll need:
I love a good muffin recipe because they are easy-peasy. I just mixed all the ingredients (with the exception of the berries) together until just combined. Then I gently stirred in the berries and the lime zest and called it a day. The lime zest I think makes these pop a bit, but if you don’t have lime on hand, no biggie! You can toss in a little vanilla and cinnamon (about a teaspoon of each) to add a nice, comforting flavor.
TIP: If you have larger berries, especially the storebought variety, yout might want to give them a quick dusting with flour. This will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of your muffins.
When you’re all set with the muffins, dish them into muffin tins and sprinkle the top with a little coarse or granulated sugar. It gives it a little bit of a crunch. Toss these in the oven at 400°F for 18-20 minutes.
And that’s all she wrote for this one, folks! Now get out there while the wild blackberry picking is still good! If you’re in southern or central Wisconsin, you might be able to nab a few. Lucky northerners might have another week or two.
I’ve owned my house for a little less than two years, which means that for the past two years, I’ve lived with my lackluster bedroom. Once I signed on the dotted line, I had big plans for this space. Oh man – I was going to make it look so cool and relaxing with lots of neutrals and then make it all pop with a statement wall. Or not.
The neutrals that I thought would make this place look airy and soothing, just ended up making the place look drab. And that statement wall? Well, maybe that would have been cool if I picked the right shade of emerald or jade instead of what I like to call dinosaur green. When you stir this together with a plethora of furniture, clothes that need donating (but never make it to Goodwill) and ill-planned layout, you get sort of a wreck. So after two years, I’m saying goodbye to this half-baked plan and moving forward with a mini-bedroom makeover. Here’s what I have planned to improve the space.
High contrast
Besides the lot of neutrals being so blah, they also faded in with the woodwork – literally. I think a good remedy for this is to go high contrast. That means picking a rug that doesn’t blend into the floor and upping my paint game.
More art!
The walls in this room are embarrassingly bare. Michael and I started to layout a gallery wall, but we soon realized we needed more frames and then just stopped. This time I’m following through.
Paint
First time around, I didn’t do a great job, despite my best efforts. The old walls absorbed the paint like a sponge and after three coats, I couldn’t deal – I washed my brushes and called it good. This time I’m recruiting my dad for a little help and making sure that I do the job right.
And I haven’t forgotten the important part – color! I’m still a fan of a green, only this time a darker, more sophisticated shade, like a hunter green. A deep shade like this is probably too overwhelming for the entire space, so I’m thinking of painting the bottom half of the wall in this moodier shade and then the top in the same snowy white (only a better coat). I said I wanted contrast, and I think this could be the ticket.
A silly update
I won’t lie – I love having a TV in the bedroom. Yes, I know that pre-sleep screentime can mess with your rest and that tech-free bedrooms are supposed to be more relaxing, but I don’t care. Once in a while I like to catch up on my stories from the comfort of my own bed. And I’d like to do that with something a little more streamlined than the 90s-era box that sits on our dresser. Lucky for me, my dad is opting for a bigger screen, leaving his smaller flatscreen to me. Less bulk, more modern, same cozy Shark Tank viewing. That’s a win-win-win.
The finer points
By this I mean all the finishing touches. That means if I think matching nightstands will complete the space, I get them. Or if I think some baskets will keep the closets cleaner, I buy some baskets. Living in a perpetual state of oh it’s almost done is annoying. I committed to reworking this room, so that means seeing the process through to the end. So that means when it’s all done and dusted, every item on my to-do list is done.
Stay tuned, folks. I’m starting on this makeover NOW. I’ve already briefed my dad on the paint situation and nabbed some new art. It’s happening!
I’ll admit the idea of a staycation never really appealed to me. Staying home for an extended period of time on purpose? Not for me. It’s not that special vacation sort of relaxing – it’s more of the I-did-nothing-for-several-days-and-wasn’t-productive-and-am-not-refreshed sort of relaxing. But I realized that I was doing staycations all wrong.
To do them right, you don’t leave town, you just leave the house and all those chores behind. A few weekends ago, Michael and I had the perfect Milwaukee vacation at the Brewhouse Inn and Suites. We stayed there last year for our wedding (heart emoji) and had some beautiful photos taken there, but because it was our wedding day, we didn’t spend much time enjoying the hotel itself. We told ourselves we’d come back and really take the place in – and we finally did it!
To give you the gist: the Brewhouse is ameezing. Elegant? Check. Historic? Check. Impeccable, industrial chic design? Check. This place is everything.
What I love the most is that although it’s this beautiful hotel, its past as a brewery is still pretty obvious. And I don’t just mean that they just have artful brewery-inspired furnishings – which they do – but they also preserved some pieces from the brewery itself like the railings, tile and two-story stained glass window. Not to mention the giant copper brewing kettles.
Since this vacation was all about relaxing (and because Michael was wobbling around with a sprained knee), we decided that we’d stay put for the night. We walked to the attached Jackson’s Blue Ribbon Pub and had some Milwaukee-inspired drinks, ordered some room service and called it good.
When the rooms are as comfortable and the lounge areas so lush, it’s pretty difficult to leave. Good thing we vowed to come back soon.
The past few weeks, I’ve been staying busy with some wedding embroidery projects. It felt like every spare moment I was stitching away. But now that my next wedding isn’t for a few weeks, I have a bit of room in my creative calendar – a lot actually. So with that in mind and the long holiday weekend ahead, I decided to ditch the stitches and grab some fabric.
I’ve been sitting on a few good summer patterns for a while now, and I realized when it comes to these beauties, there’s no time like the present. It is July after all, so these springy dresses are already way overdue. Here’s what I got lined up for this weekend and beyond.
Butterick 6318
I can’t say no to an incredibly simple vintage reissue. It’s the perfect thing to whip up on a lazy Saturday afternoon. I had a hard time deciding on the fabric, since the black and white stripe looked so charming on the envelope, but decided not to risk those Beetlejuice vibes. I chose a pretty floral – can’t get enough florals lately.
Butterick 4790
I’ve been seeing this pattern for ages and ages, but never pulled the trigger. As much as I dug it, it always read “apron” to me. Until I saw Madison Steward on Instagram with this dress and saw the light. Turns out it’s not apron-y or housedress-y at all. It’s got some sort of elegant tea party vibe. I might have picked the old ladiest fabric out there, but I dig it.
Butterick 6354
I haven’t followed Gertie’s Blog for Better Sewing for long, but when I saw her pattern release post this spring, I knew I had to try one out. I picked up this sweet matching sarong separates pattern and her lemon sateen. This pattern is a bit more complicated than most things I sew, but I figured I’m up for the challenge. I’ve been sewing a long time – since I was 10 – so I think it’s time to add some more complex techniques to my repertoire. I’m most excited to start this pattern, but I think I’ll be warming up with the others first.
I hope you all have a safe and relaxing holiday weekend! While most of you will be heading up north or hitting the beach, I’ll be knee deep in pins and pattern pieces – and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
A lot of good stuff is happening around these parts. Michael and I just hit up the Brewhouse Inn & Suites, had our anniversary and are set to help a handful of loved ones celebrate their weddings in the upcoming weeks. To kick off wedding season, we headed all the way to Montego Bay, Jamaica to see our pals Joe and Mara tie the knot. It was, of course, beautiful.
Because I was wrapped up in those good vibes and a little bit teary (I can’t help it), I didn’t take a single snap of the ceremony. What a fool. I did, however, take a handful of shots of all the beautiful scenery and copious selfies of Michael and myself.
We’d never been anywhere tropical before, so we were super stoked to see what Jamaica had in store. Turns out lush mountains, palm trees galore and the clearest water I’ve seen in my life. I think I spent the first hour of the trip saying, “Can you even believe this?” That was only after I kept singing, “I’ve got two tickets to paradise! Pack your bags weleavethedayaftertomorrow!” like a regular Michael Scott. Again, I can’t help it.
The trip was such a wonderful and decadent treat. Staying at an all-inclusive resort was definitely a splurge, but never once reaching for a credit card or keeping track of money was pretty darn convenient. And we can’t say that unlimited rum punch and a swim-up bar hurt either. 😉 It was really the perfect way to spend a wedding weekend with some pals.
A year ago, Michael and I got married. It’s truly hard to believe we’ve taken another turn around the sun together, but I’m so thrilled that we have.
Our wedding day was pure magic, and although it’s hard to believe it’s so far in the past, it’s so much fun looking back on. We had everything we could have ever wanted: a beautiful ceremony, a polka band, my favorite cake and an evening of dancing to the very best Motown has to offer. I am so happy and so fortunate that we were able to celebrate our union in such a heartfelt, silly and wonderful way. And I count myself even luckier for having married Michael. It’s a true joy to know that I’ll have this caring, sweet man by my side for many years to come.
Here’s to more happy years and more happy polkas!
Ever been in a creative rut? I’ve been there lately, and it is no fun at all. But being stuck is all a part of the cycle, so you may as well try to work through it.
Not sure if you’re there? Well, let me know if any of these scenarios sound like you. Projects that typically go quickly or are easy-breezy and ultra-fun seem to take for-ev-er. Starting a new project sounds about as appealing as deep cleaning the basement. Works in progress are going super wrong and you’re getting frustrated rethreading that bobbin for the tenth time. Or, quite simply, you just feel like you’re all out of ideas (and Netflix isn’t helping the case). It’s totally OK. We’ve all been there. Here are my tips to get the ball moving again.
I find that when I’m in a rut, it’s sometimes best to scrap (or just put aside) all those WIPs. Maybe you’ve found yourself stuck because you’ve been looking at the same pattern for too long or trying to perfect the same recipe. Start new. That might just give you the clean slate you need.
I recently tried to start fresh with a new project and I found that pressuring myself to create an original embroidery design was sinking me further into a rut. Instead of forcing myself to sketch out a handful of new designs, I decided to go for something simpler: a counted cross stitch that I didn’t have to create myself. Trying a simpler and smaller version of your favorite craft sometimes gives you that satisfaction of completing a project and the confidence to move onto something new.
Maybe your go-to craft isn’t doing it for you right now. That’s totally normal! Set aside whatever it is you do for a while and pick up a new project. Take a stroll through your favorite craft store and see what peaks your interest. This new project just might get your creative juices flowing again or become a new favorite hobby. Win-win!
Similarly, you could pick up an old project. Whether it’s an old WIP that’s this close to done or a long-forgotten DIY, these old loves might inspire you to get working. I recently picked up an old dress pattern to get me moving again. It’s a simple one – which is perfect for getting me out of a slump – and just the right piece to push me into spring.
Sometimes the solution is just time. Maybe what you love is putting you in a sticky spot because you overdid it. Don’t force it. Give yourself permission to take a break. Sometimes after a marathon sew or days of baking the solution is just catching up on a favorite show or a walk outside. No shame in that game. You’re still a maker and you’re still awesome!
I hope these tips are helpful to all you makers out there that might be struggling. I’m working my way out of a rut right now with a few patterns from Plastic Little Covers and regular Malcolm in the Middle marathons. It’s definitely helping!
Our wedding ceremony was by all accounts beautiful. We chose music that spoke to us, readings that touched us, exchanged heartfelt vows and, with the help of our officiant, created a very personal feel. At the closing, however, there was no “I now present for the first time as husband and wife: Mr. and Mrs. Michael Stock.”
That piece of the puzzle was deliberately missing by our own device. It was left out because I chose not to become a Stock but to remain a Kaminski. This decision, out of all my supposedly radical wedding decisions, was the one that was met with the most resistance.
Stock is simpler than Kaminski. What if you have children? Don’t you want to share a name? It’s just easier to have a single family name. Wouldn’t it be nice to to be “the Stocks?” Did you think about hyphenating? Don’t you want to be married? I heard it all, but I stood my ground. Don’t tell me what to do.
And then I argued with myself. You have your father’s name don’t you? Every woman in your family took their husbands’ names. Names are just arbitrary assignations. What about your hypothetical future children? Lots of feminists take their husbands’ names. And I had to quash those arguments too – they were all just reiterations of the same garbage.
I kept Kaminski because that’s the name I want.
I want my name because I don’t feel it’s necessary to take on a new identity – even if it’s just symbolic, even if it supposedly unifies us – after marriage. I want my name because Michael was never asked if he was going to change his. I want my name because I didn’t want to deal with the hassle of updating everything from my passport to my auto insurance to my punch card at the pet store. I want my name because although I’m married to Michael, I am still part of my messy Michalek-Kowalewski-Kaminski family.
Despite being confident in my choice, writing this post is still emotional in some ways. Is Michael disappointed? Is his family offended? Am I not a good wife? And I have to fight those feelings because not taking Michael’s last name doesn’t mean I don’t love him or our familes. Not taking his name only means that I’m not buying into some outdated, patriarchal, hierarchical baloney.
And it took me years to master the cursive K. I don’t want that going to waste.
It’s been a while, folks, but I figured I’d give you a little update about what’s going on in the old cabin. Some great news: the hi-fi is working! I love this piece so much, and it brings me an absurd amount of joy to see it spinning, especially given its history.
When I moved in, this little Magnavox stereo was being used as a nightstand. My mom and I shuffled it out to the living room and gave it a whirl (probably for the first time in 40 years). She ran a touch slow, but I’ll tell you the first few weeks I stayed in the house (sans internet and television) having it to play the Godspell soundtrack was my saving grace. It was a pretty emotional time, so filling up the house with “You Are the Light of the World” and “Day by Day” really gave it (and me) some life.
But after a few months, the slow turntable was getting worse, and playing David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” at half speed was pretty spooky. Because she’s the greatest, my aunt took the hi-fi in for repairs as a birthday gift. It took two months for the repairman to sort the thing out, during which we found out that this 60-year-old hi-fi is pretty rare. He also discovered that no matter how hard he tried, that old turntable wouldn’t keep spinning at that 33 1/3 rpm-s that you need. In the end, he dropped in a new turntable; better a new functioning one than an aggravatingly slow original. It made me a little sad to see the original one go, but I have to tell myself that a new, fully-functional table is better than some groggy, never-quite-right original.
Having this record player fixed has been such a huge treat. It’s pretty much the peice de résistance of the living room, and now I can play my Cat Stevens albums to my heart’s content, and when our friends come over, we invite them to peruse our small but well-loved collection and crank the tunes.
It’s the little things, kits.
And I wanted to add that the clever title came from my mom. She remembers a stereo shop called Hi-Fi Fo-Fum growing up (she also remembers pretending this record player was a piano when she was little – talk about a good memory).
