Cabin in the City

Books, cats and midwestern charm.

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What I Read // November + December 2020

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I slowed down on my reading in the fall but made up for it in the final month of 2020. I read (and listened to) 50 books this year!

The Ancestor by Danielle Trussoni • ⭐️⭐️⭐️

There’s nothing I like better than this setup: A normal woman living her life finds out that she’s the heir to some great fortune or manor home or legacy. I am a sucker for this! Which I why I picked up The Ancestor.

It was not your standard gothic tale or ghost story, and that was kind of refreshing. Parts were a little silly to me, but I was definitely along for the ride here.

The Alibi Girl by C.J. Skuse • ⭐️⭐️

A disappointing read. I found the protagonist to be weird, whiny and too childlike (even though she was supposed to be relatively naive). It was just blah.

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones • ⭐️⭐️

I started this book mid-October thinking it would be a nice read for the spookiest time of year. It took me until nearly the end of November to finish. I just could not get into it. I felt like I didn’t know the key characters very well, I was confused constantly and just couldn’t settle into the plot.

After Me Comes the Flood by Sarah Perry • ⭐️⭐️

I bought this audiobook on a lark because a) it was on sale and b) it was described as “gothic.”

The idea here was really intriguing. A man has car trouble, goes up to a home for help and is greeted like the people were expecting him. And he stays. What an unsettling start!

But this book didn’t go anywhere. At the end, I was asking myself, so what was the point?

The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

OK, I loved this book. I downloaded this audiobook to listen to while cross-stitching some Christmas gifts and it was absolute perfection.

Did I know who would end up with who within the first ten minutes? Sure. But the ride there was really enjoyable and festive and not even that corny.

I won’t give a stitch of this one away because I want you to really enjoy it while you snuggle up with a blanket, a craft and a cup of hot chocolate.

Christmas in London by Anita Hughes • ⭐️⭐️

Inspired by The Twelve Dates of Christmas, I downloaded this audiobook. Readers, let me tell you: This one was downright implausible.

A random baker is plucked from obscurity based off one pan of cinnamon rolls, gets flown to London to star in a Christmas cooking special all without any TV experience? Oh, and she’s also the worst? As in “Oh I thought instead of going to that important rehearsal, I’d go sightseeing! I’ve never been to London! I’m adorable!” NO.

Also… as someone that works in food media, I can tell you that being a good baker does not make you a good on-camera personality. Also, all those Christmas shows are filmed in the summer—not on Christmas Day. COME ON.

One Day in December by Josie Silver • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

OK, after one good cozy holiday read and one awful one, I hit my stride again. It took me a while to acclimate to this book (it was a little cheesy at first), but once I did, I really liked it.

It was a nice read to coast into the holiday season. Add it to your list for next year! That’s what I did—I downloaded the book in January 2019 and just held onto it for a good while.

The Haunting of Brynn Wilder by Wendy Webb • ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was my last read of 2020—my 50th book! I’m a big fan of Wendy Webb. Her books are all set on the Great Lakes and are all spooky and cozy.

This wasn’t my favorite of hers (those would be her first four books), but it was still a nice read to curl up with as it snowed. Plus, the setting in this novel is based on Bayfield, Wisconsin, one of my favorite places. It was nice to take a trip there in this book.

As always, you can keep up with what I’m working on over on Goodreads!

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Small Goals // December 2020

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Welcome to the most festive, stressful, busy month of the year. I’m ready for it! But first let’s check in on November.

  1. Finish custom hoops. Done! I had two hoops to tackle and I did it!
  2. Photograph hoops. Umm… Sorta? I decided that doing virtual craft fairs wasn’t for me, however, I started doing some Instagram sales. So I’ve been snapping pics as I go along.
  3. Make cinnamon rolls. Done.
  4. Start holiday cross stitch projects. Yes! I downloaded several patterns from Stitchrovia and did a huge floss buy. I even finished a massive project this month.
  5. Get our hi-fi up and running. Ughhh. Bummer news here: The hi-fi was unfixable. 70 years was a pretty good run, I suppose, but I’m still sad that we can’t cue this turntable up for the holidays. To ease our pain, Michael and I bought a small record player from Victrola. I’m going to count this as completed because we did take it to the shop.

4/5. I feel good about my progress this month. In addition to the above, I rearranged our living room and den (with a new workspace for me!) and cleaned our carpets. The house is the same, but it does feel fresher and ready for the holidays.

As for Christmas, I know it’s going to be very, very different this year. Time will tell exactly what it’ll look like, but I’m very much OK with spending my free time crafting, baking and doing all the slow projects that tend to fall through the cracks with a busy holiday schedule.

  1. Mail our holiday cards during the first half of December. We always send cards, but this year we plan to send more than ever. We’re also making it a goal to get them out ASAP.
  2. Do most of my Christmas shopping with small and local businesses. As much as I’d like to shop small for 100% of my Christmas gifts, I know that’s not absolutely realistic. I’m hoping to do about 75% with some of my favorite local makers and small shops. I’ve got a pretty good start!
  3. Make homemade ornaments. I ordered an ornament kit from Hello Bargello and I can’t wait to dive in!
  4. Tackle a Christmas sewing project. I snagged a lot of holiday fabric this summer anticipating a big Christmas. Christmas won’t be so big this year, but I still want to make use of some of the material I bought.
  5. Get prescription sunglasses. A non-holiday goal! Since quarantining, I’ve worn my contacts maybe five times. So I decided that I’m going to be a glasses person 100% of the time for the time being—including when it’s sunny.

That’s all for me! I hope you have a nice holiday season! STAY SAFE.

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30 Days of Thanks 2020 // Week 4

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It’s the final installment of this year’s 30 Days of Thanks. Thank you for following along! This series has reminded me that I have a lot of things to be thankful for close to home.

Earth

I just pulled these carrots this past week. It’s the very last of what our garden had to offer and they made it to our Thanksgiving table. Thankful for this last small harvest.

Memories

I’ve got a lot of good memories to think back. Having these experiences makes getting through the pandemic a bit easier. I’m particularly thankful that Michael and I got to take a short trip this year while we could really enjoy it.

Color

90% of the common areas in our home are covered in this avocado green carpet, and I love it. It’s dated, sure, but I still love it! It’s bold, it’s crazy and it’s just right. A lot of visitors ask when we’re going to tear it up. Never! Or at least not until I have to.

This weird, ugly rug brings me joy and I’m thankful to have a one-of-a-kind home.

Love

There’s no one else I’d want to quarantine with besides this man right here. We’ve kept each other happy and comfortable all year, and that feels good.

Wisdom

My dad has a lot of mantras that he doles out. Sometimes they’re funny, sometimes they’re true and sometimes they’re even useful. One of them that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately is “If you work hard enough for long enough, someone will take notice.” And I’m trying to keep that in mind lately.

So I’m thankful for these bits of wisdom. A few others are not as helpful but I still say them: You gotta work the angles. Cash is king. Criiiiiie (kind of like “cripes” but without the “pes”). Also my mom is full of pracitcal wisdom but not the bite-sized kind.

Family

I’m missing my family a lot this year, but I’m so, so thankful that everyone has managed to stay healthy.

Above is three generations: My aunt Debby, my mom, my great-aunt Pat, me and my aunt Mary.

Progress

This fall has been a hard one. Seeing COVID numbers soar in Wisconsin is perpetually discouraging. However, I’m really thankful to hear about all the progress being made on a few vaccines.

Time

Time means something a little different once you’re presented with much more of it inside. I’m trying to savor all this extra time at home. Being home with more free time has allowed me to bake more bread, read more books, tackle more craft projects and make 200+ masks.

Curiosity

I cook a lot. I definitely cooked at least five days a week prior to the pandemic, and now I’m in the kitchen even more. That means I got tired of my same old tricks pretty quickly.

So I decided to dive a bit more deeply into cooking this year. I got really into some recipes from Wild Honey & Rye, started making a lot more from scratch (like the naan above) and just generally became a bit more curious in the kitchen. While I’ll always love baking best, I’m happy to have some more time to tackle bigger cooking projects.

Self-Love

This one’s a bit harder this year, if I’m being totally honest. But I’m trying my best to give myself some grace.

Now I’m going to ease into the holiday season. Still so much to be grateful for!

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30 Days of Thanks 2020 // Week 3

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Welcome back to another week of things to be thankful for. I hope you’re all enjoying a cozy November.

Change

2020 has changed everything, and while I’m not thankful for a global pandemic, I’m really grateful that I get to work from home full-time. It definitely fits my work style much better. I’m happy to have a job where working remotely is possible, and I’m hoping that this situation makes working outside of an office a possibility in the future.

Work

I really enjoy my job at Taste of Home. It’s so satisfying to take an idea from pitch to finished piece, and I love sharing baking tips and stories. You can see everything I’ve written for Taste of Home here (as if you need any more of me).

Laughter

How stupid is this costume? In costume or not, our cats are absolutely ridiculous. I love them so much. I’m pretty lucky that I get to have both of the best cats in the whole world.

Truth

The truth: I really do believe I have the two best cats in the world, and I am so so thankful for them.

These cats fill our house with energy and joy. They comfort us when we’re sick or sad. They make us laugh with all their strange habits. They drive us crazy when they cry for food even though the dish is absolutely full. I can’t put together a list of gratitude without mentioning them.

Art

My desk at work is full of inspiration. I’ve got prints from a lot of my favorite artists decorating my desk. Recently I rearranged my desk set up at home and I’ve got the perfect canvas for filling with art that I love. It’s a work in progress, but this Saint Nicks banner from Michelle Brusegaard was a no-brainer. And it’s not my only MBMB print! I’ve got two more decorating the halls of our house.

I’m thankful for artists whose interests are as niche as mine! Your work makes my house feel even more me.

Inspiration

This year, I’ve been feeling really inspired by cross-stitch. While I’ve cross-stitched on and off for ages, I’ve really caught the bug lately. It’s definitely the craft that’s inspiring me right now.

So thank you to all of the cross-stitch designers out there! I’ve downloaded a ton of patterns in the last few months and have enjoyed tackling them. I made three for Halloween alone!

Clothing

You know, I thought I enjoyed dressing up for the day, but I’m really really enjoying dressing down at home. Sure, I feel a bit like Mr. Rogers switching from my nighttime comfy clothes to my daytime comfy clothes, but that’s OK by me. I’m thankful that I get to be comfortable as we hunker down during this pandemic. Doing it in jeans or in a bra would be unbearable.

(Also shoutout to my mom who bought me this very nice Edgewood College sweatshirt that I can’t stop wearing.)

Enjoy your weekend, everyone. I hope you’re staying comfy, warm and safe.

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30 Days of Thanks 2020 // Week 2

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Welcome back to another week of my 30 Days of Thanks series. These posts are good way to reflect on the good parts of the year (though they may seem a bit fewer in 2020). I hope you take a little time to find something to be grateful for today, too. It’ll warm your heart.

Words

Living a slower life in 2020 has meant embracing things like snail mail and even busting out my 1970s typewriter. Writing letters and getting nice notes in the mail has been a real treat this year. I’m thankful to all my thoughtful friends and family for their kind, silly words.

Home

I’ve spent more time in my home this year than ever before. Despite hunkering down in 1,100 square-feet of space for nine months, I can say that I still feel happy and cozy here.

Even though it’s small, this house does so much for us. It serves as offices for Michael and me, a sewing space for me, a music studio for Michael and a jungle gym for the cats. We pack a lot into this space, but it just makes this house feel extra loved.

Friendship

I’ve got some great friends. I’ve got friends that send me the best astrology memes, friends that slay during online trivia nights, friends that like to talk about cats and friends that know great gossip. All of them make me laugh and lift me up. Thanks, pals!

Music

One of my goals for the month was to get our 1950s hi-fi repaired. Unfortunately, this just wasn’t possible. Instead, Michael and I treated ourselves to a new record player, and it’s brought me a lot of joy. I missed putting on music while doing the dishes or having a record spin while we putter around.

Creativity

I can’t tell you how thankful I am to have a job where I get to flex my creative muscles writing and then I can log off and work another set of muscles stitching and sewing. It really is a joy!

Dreams

We’ve put a few things on hold this year, like a trip to Ireland to celebrate our fifth anniversary. And that’s OK. I’d rather hunker down at home and be safe. But we can still plan and dream for the future. So I’m thankful for that. Also very thankful that we squeezed in a little trip this past year to Door County.

Kindness

I could go on forever on this one, but I’m thankful for all the kindnesses that have been shown to me this past year. Even though life is really hard right now, so many people go out of their way to do a little something extra.

So to the owner of Studio Ric-Rak, thanks for swapping goods for masks! To my neighbor, thanks for keeping me in business with custom hoop orders! To the stranger seeing me struggle to carry a 30-pound mushroom kit with a coffee balanced on top, thanks for helping me to my car! To my coworkers, thanks for hyping me up before Instagram Lives. To my husband, thanks for making me tea whenever I ask, making sure I take my vitamins and bringing me cats when I need one to sit on my lap (among many other things).

I’ll be back again next Friday with more. Stay safe and thankful, everyone!

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30 Days of Thanks 2020 // Week 1

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The last few years, I’ve followed along with the @positivelypresent Gratitude Challenge. This Instagram challenge (that I co-opt into blog posts) is a good way to reflect upon the year and count blessings.

I think this year, it’s more important than ever to take stock of what good manages to flourish, even in the darkest of times.

Health

I’m very fortunate that I’ve managed to stay healthy during this pandemic—as have my loved ones. Even with an abundance of caution, this is a feat.

I am so, so thankful for this, I can hardly express it.

Seasons

Staying in most of the year, put me more in touch with the seasons. On my daily walks, I got to enjoy the slowly warming (and cooling) weather, and in the garden, we really appreciated harvesting early crops like lettuces, then summer squash and late-season harvests like beets and carrots.

Appreciating these small changes makes staying home a bit more bearable.

Optimism

via @joebiden

Waking up on Election Day, I was full of hope. I didn’t feel worried or anxious, I actually felt good. And while it took a few days to confirm this feeling, I am so happy to see a Biden-Harris win. This fills me with such hope for the future.

And while I know this change won’t be a cure-all, it’s a big step in the right direction. Looking forward to good things!

Strength

I think it’s safe to say that 2020 has put a strain on everyone. It’s really hard to get up and keep up every day, but I’m managing it and maybe even managing it well. I think this is a type of strength. I’m certain it comes from my mom who is incredibly strong, optimistic and resourceful. I think that I inherited about 10% of what she has, but that’s enough!

Nature

Michael and I are nature people. We both grew up with dads that appreciated the outdoors. I’m thankful to my Dad for encouraging me to pick up pinecones as a kid and taught me how to make a fire. I’m thankful to have a partner that enjoys the smell of the trees the way that I do (maybe even more so).

Fun

I’ll be real: Fun has been a little harder to come by in 2020, but I’m still managing to squeeze some in here and there.

I’m thankful for costume-clad Teams meetings and virtual presentation parties. I’m also thankful for quiet forms of fun like listening to audiobooks while doing a puzzle or downloading so many cross-stitch patterns.

I’ll be back next week with more gratitude. I encourage you to take inventory of your life and find a few small things to be thankful for these days. It can be hard, but counting blessings is never a bad thing.

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Small Goals // November 2020

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Hello, November! Here’s how I did in October re: goals.

  1. Get pumpkins. We did it! And carved them. And made seeds.
  2. Read something spooky. Done! I read a few spooky things.
  3. Clean up the den. Done! I’ve been sewing nonstop since springtime. I cleaned up my fabrics (mostly) and put away the machine. Now I have a real workspace for my 9-5 (meaning the kitchen table is also clean now!).
  4. Make rye bread. Done, but not satisfied! I used the recipe from Wild Honey & Rye—twice. The first time, I totally misread the recipe. The second time, well, I just didn’t care for how it turned out. It’s a work in progress, but I definitely gave this one a go.
  5. Do six video workouts. I was on track with this one, I swear (I did four videos by midmonth)! But I busted my foot and tore a ligament so I have to rest a few weeks.

4/5. Considering I’m hobbling around right now, I think I had a pretty good month. I also feel like I had a really full spooky season. Books, podcasts, movies, shows, online scary storytelling (highly recommend). I spent a full month (OK, almost two) immersed in all the spinetingling things I adore.

Now that October is done, though, I’m ready to lift the veil and just enjoy the cozy, comforting vibes of November. The holidays on the horizon do stress me a bit, but there’s a lot of really good things about the holidays that I can do from the comfort of my home.

  1. Finish custom hoops. I’ve got a custom hoop in the works. Time to get it finished so the recipient can enjoy it (and I can start on other projects).
  2. Photograph hoops. I know that virtual craft fairs are popping up for the holidays. Time to snap photos of what I’ve got made and see what I can do!
  3. Make cinnamon rolls. That’s Taste of Home’s Bakeable challenge for the month, and it’s perfect for November. Plus, I’ve got a bunch of new types of cinnamon from The Spice House and I’m excited to use them!
  4. Start holiday cross stitch projects. I’ve gotten really into cross-stitching lately. I downloaded a bunch of new patterns and I’m so excited to get into them!
  5. Get our hi-fi up and running. We have a 1950s Magnavox hi-fi and love it—when it works. Right now it’s out of commission, but I’m taking it to a local repair place to get a tune-up. I’m hoping to get it back this month and treat myself to a new record to re-christen it.

That’s all for me folks! I hope that you are all staying safe out there. Stay in as much as possible, keep your distance and stay busy! These goals help keep boredom and cabin fever at bay.

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What I Read // October 2020

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October is my favorite month of the year, so I wanted to soak up all the scary spooky vibes that I could. I had some good picks this month (and I’m working on a few more still!).

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a pretty short book, and a quick read like this was the perfect way to kick off spooky season. Even if you’ve seen the movie, I highly recommend picking this one up.

I sped through The Woman in Black in about three days and really enjoyed it. It had all the elements of scary stories I love: a dilapidated old mansion, a specter, a curse. Just go read it quick!

The Wonder by Emma Donoghue • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I started The Wonder a few years back but just had a hard time with the protagonist—she was unlikeable! But I rented the audiobook from the library and really settled into this story.

It was gloomy, atmospheric and mysterious which made for a great early October listen.

The Graveyard Apartment by Mariko Koike • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

While I love a good scary movie or show, it’s not too often that I read horror books. But this month I really wanted to dive into some spine-tingling reads.

The gist here is that a family moves into a new apartment next to a cemetery. It’s the perfect location for the family and they become friends with their neighbors. As great as this all seems, there’s something spooky going on there. Soon, tenants start moving out one by one until this family is living in this giant complex all alone.

The Graveyard Apartment really came through for me. In fact, after I finished this book, I had to take a break from scary stuff for a few days. That’s a hallmark of a good scary read!

The Secret Mother by Shalini Boland • ⭐️⭐️

The first chapter of this book was really intriguing. A woman comes home to find a little boy in her kitchen calling her “mum” like it ain’t no thing.

But the rest was pretty blah and I found the protagonist to be unlikable. Skip it.

Milwaukee Ghosts and Legends by Anna Lardinois • 👻👻👻👻

Let me say first that I am a huge fan of Anna Lardinois. She operates Gothic Milwaukee, the best spooky tour company around. I’ve gone on her ghost tours, spooky boat tour and have had the pleasure to run into her around town. She’s charming, smart and so fun to talk to.

Milwaukee Ghosts and Legends is just the sort of book you want to pick up this time of year. It’s full of short spooky stories from the Milwaukee area—some well known, some lesser-known.

I’ve read parts of this book before, but this October I read stories each night before bed and it was such a nice treat to settle in with a little local lore.

As always, you can keep up with what I’m working on over on Goodreads!

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What I Read // September 2020

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I’ll be real here: I spent all of September trying not to go overboard on scary stories so I had something to look forward to for the spookiest month of the year. Here’s what I read and listened to this month:

Vintage by Susan Gloss • ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Once in a while, a fluff book is nice. Vintage was definitely pure fluff and an easy listen. Did I see the end coming from the very start? Yes. Did I still listen? Also yes.

The book, about a vintage shop owner, is set in Madison, Wisconsin, and the author would not let you forget it. For someone that lived in Madison once upon a time, this was sort of heartwarming (hearing Pinkus McBride given a shoutout was sweet), but it was overkill. I felt like I was being hit over the head with charming details about a city that loves to remind you how charming it is.

The Woman in the Mirror by Rebecca James • ⭐️⭐️

This Gothic-ish book was really promising in theory, but wasn’t super satisfying.

I’d elaborate, but I don’t need to spend any more time on this book. Next!

The Girl with the Golden Scissors by Julia Drosten • ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love a good bit of historical fiction, especially if it includes any of the following: is set in Europe, involves a hobby I enjoy or is about an independent lady.

The Girl with the Golden Scissors had all three and it was a good read. It’s a story about an orphan moving up in the world, first as a student, then as a maid and then as a seamstress and entrepreneur. I love that sort of arc. I didn’t love how part of the book ended up set during World War I (I just don’t love wartime fiction), but still enjoyed this read.

The Perfect Couple by Lisa Hall • ⭐️⭐️

This book was fine. After reading a lot of historical fiction (some of which I’m still working on), I wanted a domestic thriller without a lot of Gothic trimmings.

The Perfect Couple fit that just fine. I waffle between two and three stars because the characters were so annoying, but I also was compelled to keep listening. Honestly, this is what I’d consider a good airport read. Nothing more or less.

The Last Mrs. Parrish • ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another suspenseful domestic story. The Last Mrs. Parrish is definitely a beach read (or listen in my case).

I was poised to give this book a lower rating until halfway through the book shifted perspectives from one woman to another. It switched up the whole novel, not necessarily in an unexpected way but satisfying. This reminded me of a B.A. Paris novel, but a bit more plausible.

Save this one for when you finally get to go on vacation again. You’ll like it.

As always, you can keep up with what I’m working on over on Goodreads!

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Small Goals // October 2020

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It’s officially my favorite month of the year! But before we dive into October, let’s do a quick check-up on September.

  1. Get my typewriters up and running. Done! If you need new ribbons for a vintage typewriter, I highly, highly recommend Colombo Collection on Etsy. The shop owner was a huge help and even found digital manuals for my very old machines. Over the top service!
  2. Start on some Halloween projects. Yes! I’ve really been enjoying cross-stitching lately and all these patterns were just right for getting in the spooky spirit.
  3. Bake apfelkuchen. Done. This was a really good recipe. So good, in fact, that I made it twice this month.
  4. Tackle a sewing project. I made a batch of Halloween masks and gave a new mask pattern I drafted a try. Plus, I’m putting the finishing touches on a fabric protest sign for Black Lives Are Sacred MKE.
  5. Do two workout videos a week. I did a few but didn’t meet my goal.

4/5. Not a bad month for goals. As always, exercise goals are the hardest for me to meet, but I am trying.

Now time for October! As a lover of all things spooky and magical, it’s fun to really be in sync with the season. I’m not going to set too many aggressive goals for myself so I have enough time to pack in all the scary movies, spooky podcasts and creepy shows I’ve been saving.

  1. Get pumpkins. We’ve skipped pumpkin carving the last few years, but Michael and I agreed that it’s time we get back into it!
  2. Read something spooky. This time last year, I finally read The Witches of New York. It’s time to pick up something similar.
  3. Clean up the den. My sewing area is scary right now, and it’s really getting in the way of Halloween decorating.
  4. Make rye bread. Finding rye flour was tough! But my shipment from King Arthur Baking is finally here. Can’t wait to give it a whirl.
  5. Do six video workouts. I’m just trying to keep myself accountable here (even though it’s very, very boring).

Alright, folks! I’m off to watch Twin Peaks and finish up some cross stitching!