Wandawega Blog Archive
Tonight’s the night! (Unfortunately, Frankie won’t get to spoon Charliegirl, though) because of the “NO DOGS allowed” rule at the Camp Wandawega x @thelandofnod sleepover tonight at @msichicago // but we still can’t wait! // how do we move a 24′ teepee, a vintage canned ham trailer, and a BSA tent campground with 20 trees into the MSI historic rotunda? … We haven’t really figured it out yet, but we’re gonna make it happen somehow (eek)
TOMORROW NIGHT. ONE NIGHT ONLY. we take over @msichicago with the amazeballs @landofnod for a summercamp sleepover with 800 friends. // #tooEXCITEDtoSLEEP // photo of Charliegirl by @richardoriginal.
SCORE! A treasure box of 5″x7″ antique glass negatives ‘daily life in a summercamp’ in the 1920’s. (‘Camp Quinibeck’ a girls retreat on Lake Fairlee, VT). It feels like Christmas – (we’ve been collecting these for a new project at camp- more on that coming soon) // ANYBODY KNOW where we can get a canoe like this?
An unlikely string of folks have called it their private quarters in the past 90 years: A swedish immigrant madame that went by “Little Orphan Annie”, A retired Polish gymnast-turned-chef they called Mr. Andrzejewski, The Latvian Priest referred to as “Father B”. In every room, we try to incorporate at least one thing that represents the different eras. NOTE: you can never use too many wall anchors when hanging a 90lb, 12-pt antler mount over your bed. : @cbobfoto (collab coming soon)
OPENING SOON? (We hope so) That fleeting mistress called Progress’ is finally staring to poke her head out on our HILLHOUSE PROJECT: (The little cabin on 4 lots attached to camp that we finally snagged after a 10-year pursuit). She has been an on-going source of inspiration & angst. As we peel back the layers on this modest cottage, weve found ourselves neck-deep in resurrection & new construction. Our favorite piece of advice? When a contractor handed us a book of matches instead of a bid and told us that wed be better off to LIGHT IT ON FIRE than to try to save it (Just 1 of the many challenges of being obsessed with saving old forgotten cottages) #committed / #CampSocialHouse #wandawegahillhouse
One of our sad little 90-year-old-camp crappers finally got a makeover weekend project before & after facelift on blog + today’s profile link // staying true to our “found free & flea” rule, just using stuff we had around camp (we dashed the sitting room dreams of these ’40’s barkcloth curtains – now stuck next to a toilet)
Weekend Crapper Facelift. (Our version of fancy).
Its still an old, tiny, worn little corner of the lodge. The hardware is beat up. The tile isn’t Anne Sacks, the wall paint doesn’t have a Farrow & Ball pedigree. The claw foot tub is the original Kohler (missing a clawfoot leg, so it’s propped up with a brick, but we love her anyway). If every week we try to tackle one little corner of camp, it makes us a little bit happier – and we’re hoping that the cumulative effort and effect make our visiting friends and extended family feel a little bit more welcome. It was built circa 1925, and hasn’t changed much since. So…
Getting the mascot prepped for the season (‘blowing out the cobs’) as my dad used to say. // TB @candidlykelsey
