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September 15, 2020 by Lisa Leave a Comment

What I’m Rewatching This Fall

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: Fall, Spooky Stuff

via @sabrinanetflix

I’ve said it a thousand times, but this is my favorite time of year. I love to settle in to cooler days with comfy clothes, blankets and a cup of hot chocolate. It feels indulgent and homey—even in the midst of a pandemic.

While I’m enjoying reading more books than ever and keeping up with crafts, I’m planning on rewatching some fall favorites. Yes, I know that the internet is teeming with plenty of shows I’ve never seen before, some of which I’d probably love, but we’re in the golden age of the rewatch.

Rewatching favorite shows is soothing and a great shortcut to self-care. Here are the shows I’ll be unwinding with over the next few months. If you haven’t seen them, start now! If you have, give them another go!

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

via @sabrinanetflix

It seems like episodes of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina drop in the springtime. I diligently save them for the fall. Because I’ve got more sitting around time than ever, I’m planning on rewatching some episodes before enjoying the latest.

Where to watch: Netflix

Schitt’s Creek

via @schittscreek

OK, I wouldn’t say that Schitt’s Creek is a fall show, but the last season is dropping on Netflix this October. It’s a great time to relive the best Moira Rose moments in anticipation of season six.

Where to watch: Netflix

Twin Peaks

via @twinpeakspostcards

To me, Twin Peaks is the perfect fall show. The Pacific-Northwest setting, the Great Northern’s lodge-like feel, small-town diners, Audrey Horne’s wardrobe—it’s all autumnal perfection. Also is Agent Dale Cooper the perfect man?

Where to watch: Netflix or Hulu

What We Do in the Shadows

via @theshadowsfx

Funny and spooky? Yes, please! What We Do in the Shadows follows the lives of suburban vampires and I cackle just thinking of some of the episodes. Hearing Nandor the Relentless explain his title (“They would call me Nandor the relentless because I would never relent”) gets me every time.

Where to watch: Hulu or FX

• • •

There are so many good scary shows out there, though. I don’t have time for them all, but here are a few more of my favorites:

  • Bates Motel on Netflix
  • Castle Rock on Hulu
  • Hannibal on Netflix
  • The Haunting of Hill House on Netflix
  • Murder Maps on Netflix
  • Scream Queens (just the first season) on Hulu

And if you’re not ready to give into fall (why not!), I suggest Alta Mar on Netflix. A Spanish murder mystery show set on a ship in the 1950s. Very summer but also moody.

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September 8, 2020 by Lisa Leave a Comment

Stitchy Woman // Fall + Halloween Cross Stitch Plans

Filed Under: Make Tagged With: Crafts, Cross Stitch, Embroidery, Fall, Halloween, Spooky Stuff

via The Witchy Stitcher

While staying home, I haven’t been doing a lot of embroidery. Since in-person craft fairs are on hold, I decided to put my stitching business on hold (a few commissioned projects aside).

But I haven’t put the needle down! In fact, I’ve been working on cross stitch more and more while quarantining. I’ve finished up this cute Schrute Farms piece and made some major headway on this St. Basil’s project.

Since I’ve really been making some good progress on this slow form of stitching, I figured I could slate in a few seasonal projects for my favorite time of year: spooky season!

I downloaded a handful of patterns to keep me busy all through fall, and I’m organizing a virtual Stitchy Woman Club at work. Having Hocus Pocus or The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on in the background isn’t mandatory but strongly encouraged.

via The Witchy Stitcher

Here are the patterns I picked up:

  • Killin’ It Grim Reaper from The Witchy Stitcher
  • Vintage Happy Halloween from The Witchy Stitcher
  • Baba Yaga from The Witchy Stitcher (I love Baba Yaga)
  • Vampires Don’t Do Dishes (a What We Do in the Shadows reference) from Heirloom Factory

I’m so excited to get moving and grooving on these with a few spooky shows on in the background. Happy haunting, everyone!

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October 23, 2018 by Lisa Leave a Comment

Apple Cider Jell-O Shots // Wisconsin-Style

Filed Under: Make Tagged With: Fall, Recipes

One of the greatest parts of working for Taste of Home is getting to try new recipes all the time. Almost every day there’s something new – a casserole, a dessert bar, a cheesecake – ready for the sampling. Once in a while, though, there’s something special.

A few months ago that was an apple cider Jell-O shot. Very unlike Taste of Home but so so good. The second I tried it, I knew I’d be making them come fall. I just needed to break them out for the right occasion. And when my sister-in-law texted me about her annual Halloween party, I knew I found it.

So I pulled up the recipe on the website and I read it through. Seemed simple enough (I mean, it is Jell-O). But as I rummaged through my liquor cabinet, I realized I didn’t have enough vodka to make the batch. But the ingredients had me thinking that another liquor would do just fine, a very Wisconsin choice of liquor: brandy.

I mean apples, cinnamon, ginger, bitters? Those autumnal flavors are a natural match for brandy. So I went ahead and did it. And it turned out scary good.

You’ll need:

  • 4 packets unflavored gelatin
  • 1½ cups apple cider
  • 1½ cups brandy
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon powdered ginger
  • 2 teaspoons bitters + more for garnishing
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar

Making these is a cinch. Start by pouring your apple cider into a small saucepan or pot. Then sprinkle all four packets of gelatin on top. Let this hang out for five minutes.

Then stir in the sugar and turn on the heat – just to low. You’ll heat this until all the sugar has dissolved – about ten minutes. Then you can add in your brandy, bitters and ginger. I used ginger here because the original recipe called for ginger-infused vodka and I didn’t want to lose that little kick.

Then pour this into a 11×7 baking pan that’s spritzed with cooking spray. You can also use a 9×9 pan. Heck, an 8×8 pan would be fine too – just cut the squares a little smaller to compensate for the depth.

Let this sit uncovered in the fridge for at least two hours. Once it’s all set, you can scoop it out of your pan and place on a cutting board. I found it easiest to slice the Jello into four smaller sections and scoop them that way. From there you can cut into individual portions. I went for squares that were about 1½”x1½”. Right before serving, brush with more Angostura bitters and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (though, the bitters are optional here).

The results are really very fall tasting and a bit adult. I think the bitterness and spice cuts down on that super-sweetness that you normally get from a Jell-O shot, so that’s all good by me! I think these are great for a grown-up Halloween, but I could totally see them working for a Friendsgiving (or really casual family Thanksgiving), too.

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October 16, 2017 by Lisa Leave a Comment

Fall Feels + Spooky Sounds

Filed Under: Cabin, Life Tagged With: Fall, Music, Spooky Stuff

So far this fall has not been giving me the cool, breezy weather I’ve been craving. How can I don my favorite flannel shirt and boots if it’s 70º outside? How can I be expected to enjoy apple picking if I’m sweating at the orchard? But I decided that if Mother Nature isn’t going to provide fall feelings, I’d make them instead.

That’s when I dragged my Halloween decorations out and put some Fleetwood Mac on the hi-fi. It was finally fall.

I realized flipping through our record collection , that most of our albums made me feel nostalgic and cozy. I mean, we have a ton of Christmas albums and those are instant warm fuzzy-makers. But so many other albums made me think of windy fall days, hot drinks and just being inside my weird little cabin. (From fall and into the holidays is when my house feels most itself.)

Here are my favorite fall albums currently in my collection.

Rumours by Fleetwood Mac 

A classic! As a child I loved Fleetwood Mac and would jam out to “Don’t Stop” whenever it came on the radio. Everyone knows Rumours, but I don’t care. Just listen to “Never Going Back Again” and tell me it isn’t the prettiest.

Unicorn by T. Rex

Michael shared this album with me years ago, and I instantly loved it. It’s psychedelic, hippie ren faire goodness. Plus with songs about black cats, owls, wizards and alchemists, it’s a Halloween no-brainer. This one is probably a tough sell for most people, but I highly recommend the track “Cat Black” for starters.

Tapestry by Carole King

This is such a mom album, a really great mom album. Filled with classics “You’ve Got a Friend” and “Where You Lead,” it really pairs well with gusty winds and falling leaves. Plus “So Far Away” fills me with that sort of melancholy nostalgia that fall can bring – in a good way.

His 20 Greatest Hits by Harry Belafonte

I love the movie Beetlejuice (obviously). You’ve got Alec Baldwin at his absolute dreamiest, Winona Ryder as style queen Lydia Deetz and an amazing soundtrack! I’m tempted to buy the actual album because the Danny Elfman score is top-notch (and it’s the perfect accompaniment for pumpkin carving), but half the fun is all the Harry Belafonte tracks. I mean don’t tell me you don’t think of this scene when you hear “Day-O!”

What are your favorite fall albums? I love hearing what puts people in that fall state of mind.

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October 2, 2017 by Lisa 5 Comments

Small Goals // October 2017

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: Fall, Halloween, Small Goals

Let’s start, like always, with my goals from last month.

  1. Find the perfect first-day outfit. Done! I signed up for Stitch Fix and got a handful of nice things. You can read more about my experience here.
  2. Clean up my wardrobe. Check. Got rid of a giant box of clothes plus two extra shopping bags full. I’m probably down 30+ items, and it feels great! I hope to go through this coming month and do a final sweep.
  3. Find a suitable 70th birthday gift for my dad. Done. I got my dad a fancy cribbage board and a custom deck of cards with his initials on the back. It wasn’t a knock out, in my opinion, but still a good gift.
  4. Paint the cabin’s shutters. Done.
  5. End the mattress shopping saga. Nope. I’m just as unsure as ever. I want my old bed back (but transformed into a larger size).

4/5. After reviewing these, goals, I realize how blah and wimpy they were! September is the start of fall – I should have incorporated more seasonal goals.

To make up for my lack of fall-related goals, I’m going full fall for October. I’m talking apples, pumpkins, scary movies, leaf crunching and the like.

  1. Create a great couple’s costume. After a successful go as Scully and Mulder last year, I’m sold on pop culture-inspired couple’s costumes. I’m pushing for Don Draper and Peggy Olson right now, but we have some time.
  2. Check out Old World Wisconsin’s Legends & Lore. Michael and I went to this event a few years back, and we totally loved it. I think it’s time to revisit and get our old timey spooky kicks.
  3. Make three (or more) apple recipes. Michael and I went apple picking with some friends of ours and brought home 20 pounds of Cortlands and Macintoshes. I’ve got to put those to good use (outside of snacking).
  4. Anything tarot. I am really enamored with the mystery of tarot cards, but I never seem to find the time to read them or learn more about them. No more hesitating! October is peak spooky season and prime time for spooky practices.
  5. Scary stuff. I’m big on ghosts, ghouls and anything creepy. It’s time to binge on old seasons of American Horror Story, Unsolved Mysteries (original Robert Stack episodes only!) and scary movies. (This is an easy one, but super important!)

I’m feeling good about these October goals: super achievable and super fun. What do you have lined up for this month?

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October 8, 2015 by Lisa Leave a Comment

Lazy Saturday: Nieman Orchards

Filed Under: Adventure, Lazy Saturday Tagged With: Fall, Wisconsin

Nieman_1

Our Fall + Funvember list is coming along pretty well. We checked off scary movies, a dinner party and Wine + Harvest Fest, and we’re working on Twin Peaks right now. But you know a good fall checklist isn’t any good without some standards, namely apple picking. So this past Saturday, Michael and I headed out to Nieman Orchards in Cedarburg.

Nieman_2

We’ve picked at Nieman’s something like five times now – it’s definitely in tradition territory. Every year is the same song and dance: ultra nice people, tons of apples, giant pumpkins and the best apple cider – they make it right there and leave out all that processing that takes out that fall flavor. Seriously, it’s good stuff (and it’s also on our list).

Nieman_4

And this time around, it truly was a lazy Saturday: got up, putzed around, went to the orchard, got home and changed into jammies for a few episodes of the aforementioned Twin Peaks. Essentially, it was the best kind of day.

Nieman_3

You know what the real kicker was for Saturday? What made it just about perfect? Annual Garfield photos. Michael and I used to love us some Garfield, and this little cutout just kills us.

Nieman_5

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September 22, 2015 by Lisa Leave a Comment

Fall + Funvember List [+ Printable]

Filed Under: Adventure Tagged With: Fall

It’s mid-September now, which means you can’t throw a pumpkin spice latte without hitting someone saying, “I just love fall.” And you can count me in on that. I’m a big fan myself for all the basic reasons you’d expect: boots, flannel, apple cider, etc.

List_1

To maximize on everything fall has to offer, Michael and I compile a bucket list for the season, but we’d never call it that. It’s the official Fall + Funvember List. Yeah. Funvember. This started the first year we dated; November happened to be full of fun stuff – Michael’s birthday, Thanksgiving, a handful of concerts – so we dubbed it Funvember. You can tell we’re both writers, eh?

We’ve been keeping up with this tradition for going on five years now. Every year we have our standards, like pumpkin carving and apple picking, along with a few unique items. Last year it was a surprise Spoon concert (thanks to a ticket giveaway from 88.9 Radio Milwaukee). Now, I know that most of you won’t be going to the Wisconsin Dells Deer Park or to Cedarburg’s Wine + Harvest Fest, but I figured I’d share our list anyways.

List_2

And if you want a more general (but still fun and worthwhile!) version of my list, just click here to download. Happy fall! 🙂

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October 22, 2014 by Lisa Leave a Comment

Lazy Saturday: Apple Picking

Filed Under: Adventure, Lazy Saturday Tagged With: Fall, Wisconsin

Every year my boyfriend fiancé Michael and I make a list of all the fun things we want to do in fall. This year we’ve got a Spoon show crossed off, watching American Horror Story in the works, and of course a few fall standards like apple picking and pumpkin carving. This year, like last year and the year before (I like my traditions), we went picking at Nieman Markets in Cedarburg.

Lazy Saturday: Apple Picking

Like every year, we had a great time running around the orchard snapping pictures and picking all sorts of apples. I climbed a particularly gnarly tree too thinking it would make for fun pictures, but I got stuck like a cat. Let’s pretend that didn’t happen and you can just look at this rustic old barn instead. Oooh!

Lazy Saturday: Apple Picking

After getting stuck, losing a lens cap, and lugging two bags of apple out of the orchard, we snagged a gallon of fresh-pressed apple cider and picked a few pumpkins to make it an exceptionally seasonal outing. And before we left, I convinced Michael to do my favorite thing: pose with Garfield. Success!

Lazy Saturday: Apple Picking

Hope your weekend was as fun (and Garfield-filled)!

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October 8, 2014 by Lisa Leave a Comment

Lazy Saturday: Menomonee River Parkway

Filed Under: Adventure, Lazy Saturday Tagged With: Biking, Fall, MKE

I’m not a very good biker. I’m also not a very prepared blogger. Saturday I woke up early to bike to my local farmers market knowing perfectly well that the parkway was gorgeous this time of year, but I neglected to bring my camera. So humor me and my iPhone snaps.

Menomonee River ParkwayFor me, there’s no beating the Menomonee River Parkway for a lazy Saturday bike ride: it takes me exactly where I want to go and it looks great doing it. You’ve got almost five miles of pristine bike paths, the beautiful scenery of Hart Park, and the river weaving through the whole thing. And to make it better, you’ve got awesome architectural details like this drawbridge (not an actual drawbridge) that lead to the Hoyt Park beer garden.

Menomonee River

And for good measure, here’s one of my trusty Townie bike. I’ve never been big into biking (or any exercise for that matter), but this baby makes taking a ride oh so easy, meaning: it’s beautiful and, most importantly, it’s comfortable. Let me tell you that totally sold me.

Townie bikeThis is my favorite, but I could be swayed. What are you favorite Milwaukee trails?

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Looking back on one of the best days (and two of t Looking back on one of the best days (and two of the late greats who made it possible). Cheers to nine years and to plenty of joyful ones to come. 💙
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