Wandawega Blog Archive

slide for the AFTER >>>.(Quarantine barn find project)My little brother Sam texted me this 1st shot a few months ago from a shed he was standing in, knee deep in bat crap and cobwebs.SAM: You wont believe what I found- I think you need this for WandawegaME: You can’t be serious. Dont show David, he’ll Want it. We wouldnt know where to start ( I like to think we arent afraid of projects – but this looked to be too far gone). Flash forward what feels like a blink: Sam just texted me these progress photos yesterday.Now I know why he got it for free– it had no interior, and almost nothing to work with but the body- it’s a 1958 Morris Minor 1000 Traveller. ..Hes been busy and with some social distancing baton passing buddies pitching in ( Jack helping on woodwork, Kevin on paint). Hes already rebuilt it from ground up.He and his youngest daughter Samantha have this crazy idea of making it an Ice cream selling wagon at our hometown fair..Sam’s always loved a lost cause project – and usually has a half dozen in the works at any given time. But theres something to be said for elbow grease & sheer will power, especially when youre stuck at home with only time. It’s inspiring to see all the dream projects people have been taking on and sharing since the stay at home order was put into effect, but even more inspiring when people can show us how to see past the ugliness of a current situation -& instead to see a bright little future underneath.Samantha is still 11, so Sam is gonna have to drive her ice cream wagon to the fair. If the fair doesn’t happen this year, he wants to park it on main street of our rural hometown. But when it’s time, she’s going to be ready &we want to be the first in line to buy one of her cones.It seems like now is the most ill advised time to start dreaming of opening a small business..But I for one am thankful for those crazy dreamers who help us see farther out past this dark time. .(&now wishing Id said yes to this beautiful little wagon.) .*sam and Samantha arent done yet- well post the rest of the ‘afters’ soon. (last few shots are the old ads / inspiration)

April 14, 2020 • Published by Tereasa Surratt

The Quarantine Distraction Project Series No.10: (Is it weird to dream about flyswatters?) .. We always pick up the oldies when we can find them at barn sales.They used to be free advertising giveaways in the 40s for bait shops and liquor stores.The real old school ones were made with real metal screens.Had hand sewn thick canvas edging.They had heavy-duty wire arms.Wooden handles with hanger holes.They would have kitschy names like KANT-MISS & GOT-YA .Weve never found a new version that comes close to the old ones I remember my grandpa had out at the barn.So were customizing our own to get as close as we can. Cause, #StayAtHome Projects In Quaratine.Every camp house (and outhouse, rabbit house, storage house, boat house) is gonna get one of these cutting-edge tech pest control devices installed in it. Then were making another run of 50 in case their are any other weirdos out there also dreaming about fly swatters-(Hope to get a virtual version of our onsite camp store up at some point.). The model showing off our first SHOO-FLY prototype is EarleFor color: hes leaning towards someplace between John Deere Green and International Harvester Yellow- .But he is still undecided for the hanger: leather boot lacetwine or braided cord?Earles taking suggestions.If you are bored in quarantine, zoom in on our packaging on the last few shots. This copy was lifted From a WWII fly killer advertisement back when they where really serious about swatting flies.. More at #wandawegacustoms

April 10, 2020 • Published by Tereasa Surratt

Frankie took me on a walk at 6 am through the fog. (Camp sure does look different at this hour in this season in this cloud that has settled upon us.). . But now we see the sun peeking its head out again, as it always does eventually.

April 9, 2020 • Published by Tereasa Surratt

Home Quarantine project No. 10 (In our continued mission to find and make microdoses of happy through distraction projects)-We are recreating little products by finding the small businesses who still fabricate them the old school way.Does anybody else remember these from grandmas fridge?Hard to find the 60s era molded ones anymore. (Most out there are printed shiny, flat and modern slick). So we were excited to find that this little shop still not only makes them the old school way, but still spray paints them by hand (that perfect shade of National Park Brown, sea foam green, weird 70s beige)Custom Made in Union, Missouri from the only manufacturer of molded magnets in the US that can still make them in house. .David is less excited about this, because we had to order enough for a small army so well still be handing these out until were all raisins. .Thank you, @classicmagnets! When you support them you #SupportSmallBusiness… . ( last shot: some of our research aka; hoarding) .we arent open yet to sell these, so were going to give them away along with a few other products from this throwback collection – deets to comeMore at #WandawegaCustoms

April 8, 2020 • Published by Tereasa Surratt

CLOSED…For now.Since we’ve been getting so many inquiries from folks looking for a remote location to shelter in place, we wanted to let yall know that were currently closed in support of Wisconsin’s Stay at Home order. (While hotels in Wisconsin are still allowed to remain open, out of an abundance of caution for everyone’s safety, we’ve opted to not to take in guests while the order is in effect). ..During this downtime, we remain committed to continuing full employment for our small staff so they can continue to support their families. (And we are counting our blessings the David & I have other jobs that allow us to keep working so we can keep others working.) ..In its 95-plus years, this small business has weathered devistating setbacks, from the stock market crash of ’29 and the Great Depression, to World War II and the Great Recession. .While this pandemic will be tough for Americans and especially small businesses, one way or another, were optimistic that well all get through this and come out on the other side with a new resilience, perspective and determination.As dad would say : Its time to bootstrap, kid. .So Well be ready to hit the ground running once our gates open back up. .And when we do, we look forward to welcoming back the community that built us.#WellBeBack#StayHomeSaveLives ….Shot 1: @bobcoscarelli

April 5, 2020 • Published by Tereasa Surratt

Take comfort in the little things at home..@nathanmichael reminded us to do this with his pics from his stay here, before the lockdown. .Showing us how to take notice of, and appreciate the little corners, lost objects and moments. .And yes, a shot of tequila in the middle of the afternoon is pretty comforting, Nathan

April 4, 2020 • Published by Tereasa Surratt

Starting a hunker down plans list, (since its sounding like well be here for a while) .. Create some sort of makeshift office annex in the treehouse.Row across the lake. (Going to at least attempt to ward off that quarantine 15)Blow the cobwebs out of the Travelall & take her off-road on camps back acres. .Bring Frankie, coffee thermos, flask of Baileys, WiFi hotspot and do zoom meetings from the Aframe..90 miles away from the Chicago homestead should cover us off for social distancing front..#stayhomesavelives @evantsheehan

April 1, 2020 • Published by Tereasa Surratt