Collaboration

I’d like to think I’m an opportunist. But sometimes when an opportunity presents itself, I feel like a deer in headlights- just staring at the good thing until it runs me over. Thankfully, in the spring of 2021, when a golden opportunity showed up in my inbox, I only hesitated briefly. I got an Instagram message from an influencer in Minneapolis (I’ve followed for a long time) asking if we’d like to collaborate on a project for her dining room. First I froze. Then the action I took was to screen-shot the message and send it to everyone I know (duh). I kind of wondered if it was a scam- surely our tiny shop wouldn’t be noticed by someone as cool as her? Holding my breath, I sent her my email address and phone number. She replied with her info, and my excitement built as we planned our first meeting. When Andrew and I walked, masked (this was 2021 after all), up her front steps, I still had my doubts, ‘Dang, what if this is baloney and it wasn’t really her and we’re showing up somewhere weird or scary..??’

Lo and behold, THEE Lea Johnson of Creekwood Hill greeted us at the door. She wanted us- Traditional Cabinetry of Brainerd, Minnesota- to work with her on a banquette and little cupboard in her dining room. We measured onsite and had a few virtual meetings- including one with Calico Corners, who did the gorgeous upholstery on the bench. Lea and her husband Michael even came all the way north to Brainerd and sat at my dining table talking over plans. The project evolved until it reached perfection, and Andrew & Co. installed the gem in Lea’s brilliantly transformed dining room.

Thus began a process and a friendship that has evolved into an easy text asking about a connection or a tip.

Photo by Sage E. Imagery

Life lesson: when the headlights of opportunity come your way, jump in the darn car. It could be the beginning of something bigger than you think, but don’t be scared. Be inspired.

Meeting Lea’s four footed girl, Remi, was icing on the dream cake. If you’re familiar with the Creekwood Hill Instagram feed, you know Remi is a fixture there, often donning a costume, always melting hearts.

Shaking Quaker

The office discussion today- where did the term/style Shaker come from in reference to furniture? Megan suggested it originated with the Christian religious group, Quakers. SHE WAS THISCLOSE. It was in fact a group that broke away from the Quakers to form a more charismatic sect, known as the Shaking Quakers.

I digress. What is Shaker furniture?

A snippet from our friends at Wikipedia:

“Shaker furniture is a distinctive style of furniture developed by the… Shakers, a religious sect that had guiding principles of simplicity, utility and honesty. Their beliefs were reflected in the well-made furniture of minimalist designs.”

While we use the term ‘Shaker’ for a specific style (most often square profile), we honor simplicity, utility, and honesty in everything we build- with an emphasis on beauty and creativity.

Liz’s Kitchen Improvement Tip in Redfin

The kitchen is the heart of the home, a place for entertaining, making memories, and cooking meals for you and your loved ones. As one of the most used rooms in a home, the kitchen plays a crucial role in day-to-day life – from the first cup of coffee in the morning to creating a dish that brings everyone together at the end of the day. It’s no wonder why a modernized kitchen is a must-have for homeowners. No matter where you live, perhaps Minneapolis, MN or Brainerd, MN remodeling a kitchen will not only improve lifestyle and convenience for current homeowners, it will also add value and appeal to homebuyers if you’re looking to sell in the near future.

—Redfin asked us along with other kitchen experts to share our best tips and tricks for a kitchen remodel. From better design and appearance, to additional space, improved technology, and increased functionality – check it out!

Remodeling a Kitchen: Increase Home Value and Help Sell Your Home for More

A Year in the Life...

As I shared last January, we Toftnesses named 2020 the year to do hard things (…oops). And that declaration was invoked more often than I could’ve imagined.

Between Shepherd and the pandemic, 2020 changed the trajectory of our family.

Recap of Jan-Mar ‘20: the kids started public school after being homeschooled their whole lives. It was beautiful. Then roughly 2 months after they started, everyone was sent home. Once home we had a couple weeks of rogue learning in which Moe Willems made (temporary and abstract) artists out of every one of us- including Andrew! After 2 weeks of official Distance Learning, Shepherd Jonny Goshen was born.

Three months after Shepherd came, I went on a 33-mile sojourn on the Superior Hiking Trail- honestly everyone needs that grueling, gritty, gloriously spiritual encounter. It strengthened me, body and soul, for what would happen the next weekend.

Andrew and I went for a quick mt. bike ride in Cuyuna one fateful Sunday afternoon in August, when I rounded a corner too low, too fast and fell, bouncing my body off the red dirt. I left the woods on a stretcher and was sent to a level one trauma center in St. Paul with a lateral compression pelvic fracture (broke the ol’ pelvis in 3 places). When I saw my doctor for a two-week check he gave strict orders: no weight at all on my left leg for at least 10 weeks. Andrew had just read Isaiah 40:28-29 which talks about the Creator of the ends of the earth not growing tired or weary, giving strength to the weary and increasing the power of the weak. That pushed me through the mental struggle, along with the self-sacrifice of all who cared for us. We had people babysitting Shepherd and me every day, bringing food, doing laundry. There were letters and gifts and cards and gift cards in the mail from friends and strangers. It was overwhelming in the best way.

Then at my 12 week visit I was told I was a starfish (their recovery after trauma is bionic, like they actually grow new legs) and was given the ‘all clear’ to do anything I wanted. Just like that.

Looking back on the last 1.5 years (Sept 2019-present) we have undergone challenges that led to changes for our family, and as hard things continued to present themselves, our theme evolved into “What’s one thing I can do to improve my [hard] situation?” Sometimes improving your situation means physically moving, sometimes it means mentally moving. And sometimes it means leaning on someone else’s strength when you’re weary.

I hope to share more here about life in the shop and our process- we’ve seriously got some incredible things in the hopper- but just wanted to pop in and give you this personal update.

“Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure.”

This Week

Two of the most exciting phases of a project— the beginning and the end— are happening here at the shop. We’re nearing completion on a master bath and a kitchen, while starting on two new kitchens. The excitement of starting fuels us as we steadily plod toward the glorious finish: a happy homeowner and the satisfaction of a job well done.

It’s really fun working with clients who have unique vision, presenting challenges and pushing our boarders. The process is not only a creative endeavor, but one of mathematics and engineering, drawing out the talent and skill of each person on our team.

Minus the closure bolts and glass, but plus everything else— wire brushed, charcoal painted, brass handled arched doors.

This is a tricky sneak peek- our hardware room is small, so getting the proper distance from subject isn’t easy. But! how much do you love these bits of vanity cabinetry? Seriously. I get so eager at the end it’s hard to be patient.

New Beginnings

Hi it’s Liz, the newest member of the Traditional Cabinetry team. I’m not new to the company— you may know me as the wife of Andrew, the guy who started TC with a dream and a hope 13 years ago— but I have a new role in it.

After being at home/home schooling as long as Andrew has been spinning saws here, I’ve handed over my children’s education to the professionals at our local public schools. We had our first baby, Oliver, the same month and year that Traditional Cabinetry was established. We have 4 children (Oliver, Georgianna, Margot, Winston), with a 5th coming in April. It seemed like a super great time for a career change. ;) My new job at TC is office manager/design assistant/sander/taper/PR/Social Media..person. It’s weird going from one position that you’re an expert at/virtually the only one qualified for (home schooling and managing my home), to the greenest member of an established team. Our family’s theme for 2020 is “Do hard things”, and I’ve had to apply that mantra daily as I learn new skills (hopefully). I realize this slogan isn’t novel, there have been books written and resolutions made with these exact banner words for a few years now (though people have been doing hard things since the beginning of time. Naming all the animals, Adam?), but for our family we’re needing the phrase in a new way as we each go out into the world every day, making new friends and new choices. There are new experiences to navigate, new relationships to foster, and new problems to untangle.

I hope to keep a weekly log here (or at least more consistent than an every-five-years log), writing notes about our business and our team and our trade. Here’s to new beginnings!

Projects

So much has happened since the last blog update!...considering it's been an entire year, that's not super surprising I guess.

The children are growing.

The guys at TC are busy bees working away on two kitchens right now, along with a couple smaller projects.

But the biggest news right now- we're hiring!  The expansion of Traditional Cabinetry is exciting, as it holds great promise.  Andrew and I spend hours talking about the possibilities for growth and direction, often the ideas are outrageous in themselves, but when reigned in and honed, the opportunities for creative development are like a thousand diamonds, waiting to be gathered and arranged.

We're also hoping to do some website updating- it's been sitting dormant for far too long!  Gotta shake things up a little.  

'Operation Finish Our Own House Finally After 6 Years' is steaming ahead, with a goal for completion by August 30th.  I didn't know I was -ahem- mature enough to be so excited over such domestic accomplishments as the installation of baseboard trim.    

Thanks for reading, hopefully my fingers can hit up these keys more often!

Our home living room bookcase/entertainment center, with a close up of the drawer handles.  Aren't they sweet?

A sliding door was added to an upstairs bedroom, also at the Toftness home.

The blog

It's me, Liz, wife of Andrew the cabinet maker.  I've been assigned the title Head Blogger...which is why the 'blog' icon on traditional-cabinetry.com has brought you nowhere for the past year of its existence.  

When I'm not writing (ha!), I'm managing a household made up of a husband, 4 kids, and a dog named Hector.  I love to encourage creativity through example and brain storming.   

Let's start with the role each member of the family plays in the workings of TC, then next time we'll move on to the actual interesting stuff, such as employees and their fine craftsmanship.

Oldest son: Oliver.  He's 7 years old, and full of ideas and distractions to keep the boss on his toes.

Then there's 4 year old Georgianna.  Her position is general care and morale booster.

Margot, age 2.5, would consider herself the boss of the world.

Winston, 7 mos., is more of a silent partner at this point.  He hasn't made his talent known, but we've got high hopes for him, too. 

Five years ago we moved into an old farm house.  After stripping it down to the studs, we've been putting it back together a little at a time.  This house is 80+ years old, so it lacked closets, had a strange bedroom configuration upstairs, there was only one bathroom, half the basement had a dirt floor, and of course the kitchen was about 5 decades past its prime.

I will be posting pictures of some of our projects around the house, along with some of TC's current projects.  Also stay tuned for an introduction of the crew Andrew has working for him!

Liz