my holiday home 2011

8/3/2019 My Holiday Home 2011

1/15

Myoliday HomeNovember 2011

JOURNAL

W E D N E S D A Y

REVIEW

F O R E S T P A R K

Dressing recipe with a sweet surprise FRANK CHLUMSKY, PAGE B10

Deck the halls

with lotus podsA HANDMADE HOLIDAY, PAGE B4

Gift ideas for your hostPAGE B6


2/15

B2 November 16, 2011 WEDNESDAY JOURNAL | FOREST PARK REVIEW | LANDMARKMyolidayHome

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WEDNESDAY JOURNAL | FOREST PARK REVIEW | LANDMARK November 16, 2011 B3

StaffEditor Brad SpencerShoppingSarah Corbin

Editorial Design Manager Rebecca Lomax

Editorial DesignersAlaina Buzas,Mark Tatara

Manager of Internet and TechnologyGraham Johnston

Online Editor Sandi Pedersen

Staff PhotographerJ. Geil

Advertising Production Manager Philip Soell

Advertising Design ManagerAndrew Mead

Advertising Designers Elisha-Rio Apilado, Debbie

Becker, Evan OBrien

Display Advertising Manager Marc Stopeck

Display Advertising Sales Dawn Ferencak,Missy Laurell

Display Advertising Coordinator Carrie Bankes

Circulation Manager Kathy Hansen

Distribution Coordinator Alan Majeski

Circulation Associates Mike Braam

Publisher Dan Haley

VP/Director of Operations Andrew Johnston

Published by Wednesday Journal, Inc.,

141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302

(708) 524-8300 | OakPark.com

MyolidayHome

B4A handmadeholiday

B6Creatinga holidayambiance

B10

Stu ngwith a sweetsurprise

B12

Howto host

B14

Settingyour table

B15

Festiveholidayplanters

B6Dont forget

a gift for

the host!

INside

J. GEIL/Photo Editor | Buy this picture at WednesdayJournalOnline.MyCapture.com

ON THE COVER: Karen Gubitzs home is decorated with her ow n creations.

121 N. Marion St.Oak Park, IL 60301

708-848-4572

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Karen Gubitz and her husband Nick Si-nadinos have a history together that

is full of Oak Park landmarks. The

two met at Philanders, married at

the 19th Century Womens Club and

are the owners of an E.E. Roberts home in

the Ridgeland Historical District. While

Oak Park traditions are hallmarks of their

lives together, their holiday decorating is

anything but traditional, due in large part

to Karens calling as an artist.

About 20 years ago, Karens sister gave

her a gift of a weekend long basket-making

course.I realized that weekend that I had found

my passion for creating art in a three-

dimensional way, and I spent many years

learning more about the craft, she says. Ialso found that I wanted to share that pas-

sion with other women, which I am able to

do on weekend retreats at our home, Har-

vest Hill Prairie, in the country.

Karen is a member of the National

Basketry Organization and studied at the

School of the Art Institute in Chicago. As a

fiber artist, she utilizes techniques such as

knitting, crocheting and knotting to create

sculpture and other multi-dimensioned art

using natural materials, many of which

she hand gathers herself.

As national arts and crafts shows andlocal galleries are recognizing her work,

Karen and her husband have been steadily

rehabbing an old farm about 100 miles

west of Chicago. There, they have a largebarn that serves as Karens studio. Theyve

spent years restoring the native prairie

and planting trees. Next up, the couple

plans to create a natural dye garden as well

as a willow patch to provide more supplies

for Karens work.

Karen recently retired from her job as a

paralegal to focus fulltime on her art. The

timing coincides nicely with the upcoming

holiday season, and shes already steeped

in the creative process with multiple

works to decorate her home in grand style.

A friend asked her to consider openingher home to the Childrens Clinic Holi-

day Housewalk, and Karen was happy to

oblige.

Doing the housewalk is about sharing

what I do with people. I love to share the

things you can make with these materials,

and if I can do that to benefit this great

organization, it makes me happy.The couples home is strewn with materi-

als designated for specific holiday projects.

In her living room, Karen will have three

In the moodfor ahandmade

holiday?Local artist decks the hallswith lotus pods and philodendron

By LACEY SIKORA

J. GEIL/Photo Editor | Buy this picture at WednesdayJournalOnline.MyCapture.com

NATURAL ART: Karen Gubitz decorates forthe holidays with her own designs, madeof natural materials. Her home will befeatured on the Childrens Clinic HolidayHousewalk.


5/15

WEDNESDAY JOURNAL | FOREST PARK REVIEW | LANDMARK November 16, 2011 B5MyolidayHome

Christmas trees, each its own form of

sculpture. One tree will be decorated

with gourds cut and dyed to resemble

trumpet flowers. Another tree will be

ornamented with lotus pods, beaded

and decorated with hawthorns fromhawthorn trees. The third tree will be

decorated with philodendron that are

dyed a rusty gold to look like flowers.

The trees will stand at different

heights, some of them on tree stumps

in order to give the room a woodland

feel. Right outside the living room,

visible through the windows, will be

three outdoor sculptures, also elevated

on tree stumps and lit to make them an

attraction from both the street and the

home.

The dining room, with its traditional

beamed ceiling, will have a green

theme, and Karen is making holiday

decorations in the colors of apple and

moss. The ceiling will light up with an

amazing woven sculpture hanging over

the table woven through with holiday

lights. The kitchen will have a cookie

theme, based on her familys tradition

of making cookies during the holidays.

The windows will be decorated with

wreaths made of dough.

On the stairwell, a grouping of holi-day houses invites careful inspection.

About the size of typical gingerbread

houses, Karen and her family created

these houses from all natural materi-

als. Cinnamon dough forms the bases,

and architectural details were created

from bark, pods, moss and seeds.

The outdoors will not be overlooked.

Well light the front porch with

Japanese lanterns, she says. Our

front yard will be filled with different

sizes of grapevine balls, all lighted up.

The large conifer outside the diningroom window will be filled with sculp-

tures that look like ball ornaments on a

Christmas tree.

For years, Karens holiday traditions

have involved working with natural

materials.

Ive always designed my Christmas

trees with a different theme every year.

I use morning glory vines to createsmaller trees that I place throughout

the house. I love working on the cin-

namon houses. These things are my

traditions.

Karen admits that the prospect of

the housewalk has kicked her holiday

decorating into high gear this year.

Im doing the same things I usu-

ally do, but more so this year because

I want to help the Childrens Clinic. I

want to give people a great experience

and help them see things in a way that

theyve never seen them before.

Im also having fun. Having just re-tired from my paralegal job, it is a joy

to do this fulltime. Days fly by, and its

such an exciting life.

Doing the housewalk

is about sharing what I do

with people. I love to share

the things you can make

with these materials, and

if I can do that to benefit

this great organization,

it makes me happy.

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MyolidayHomeB6 November 16, 2011 WEDNESDAY JOURNAL | FOREST PARK REVIEW | LANDMARK

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Bring something your

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WEDNESDAY JOURNAL | FOREST PARKREVIEW | LANDMARK November 16, 2011 B9B8 November 16, 2011 WEDNESDAY JOURNAL | FOREST PARKREVIEW | LANDMARKMyolidayHome MyolidayHome

The holidays are

about gatherings,

whether its

spontaneous drop-

ins by friends for a

glass of wine or a formal

sit down dinner. Help

your home exude warmth

and a touch of magic this

holiday season by using

a few of these decorating

tips:

1Bring in colors

that reflect the

season: winterberry red,

deep gold, yummy plum,

warm cream, lively

persimmon and moss green.

Include metallics

gold and silver

for festive

sparkle.

2Bring in

layering

pieces for warmth

and interest. Fold

cashmere or faux fur

throws over the arms

of sofas and chairs so

they are at the ready

to curl up in.

3Layer beds

with blankets

on top of duvets in

cashmere and wool.Update pillow shams

with ones made from quilted

cotton, faux fur, velvet, or

wool. Use flannel sheets for

added warmth and coziness.

Use decorative pillows

covered in burlap and

wrapped with a wide velvet

bow like the ones from D.

Stevens at Bramble.

4Display bowls of scented

bar soaps and hand

towels in rich golds and greens

in guest bathrooms.

5Replace window sheers

with lined velvet drapes

to block drafts and provide

luxurious texture.

6Place scented candles in

holiday scents like

cinnamon and fig along a

mantle and use a mirror behind

them so that the flames reflect

in the glass. Arrange votives or

pillars in varying sizes on a

silver tray on a table. Light

them before guests arrive for

holiday ambiance. Make

sure that your scented

candles dont compete with

the aromas from baking or

cooking though!

7If you dont care for

scented candles, try

beeswax candles wrapped

in birch. Arrange them

like a mini forest on a

table. If youre concerned

about flames,

use flameless

candles that are

battery

operated. As

with any candle:

never leave themunattended.

8Wrap

string

light on bendable

wire around

plants, banisters,

wreaths or

garlands. Drape

the garlands from mantles or bookcases

or wrap them around banisters and

pillars. Spread collections of whimsical

or vintage holiday figures throughout

the garland on a mantle.

LEXINIELSONOakPark.com

interiordesignblogger

20 tips for creating a holidayambiance in your home

9Make your own holiday garland

using photos and holiday cards

by hole-punching the card and then

stringing it with twine. Swag the

garland across windows, doorframes or

a mantle.

10Fill large bowls with ornaments

like the buskins from Virtu or

pine cones and place them on a console

table.

11Fill clear glass hurricanes

halfway with peppermint

candies or

dreidels. Use

sprigs of fir

or cinnamon

sticks in

slender vases.

Arrange floor

vases with

some

branches,

golden ginko

or plum maple

leaves, and

winterberries.

12Set up

toy train

sets or other

mechanical toys

or display

vintage childrens

holiday books like

Dylan ThomassA Childs Christmas in

Wales for little guests (and big ones too).

13Pick up small holiday

accessories like the twin silver-

painted lamps from Divine Consign in

Oak Park as a nice reflective backdrop

to candlelight.

14Follow Karen Morovas advice

from Careful Peach (also in Oak

Park) for homemade napkin rings: use

simple twine or string to tie around a

rolled napkin.

15Attach snowflake

ornaments with twine

from a chandelier over a dining

room table.

16Display little dishes of

homemade fudge or

peppermint candies: their sights and

smells will make anyone feel welcome.

17Hang wreaths with twine or silk

ribbons in the center of windows

like these felt wreaths from local

artisian Amy Struckmyer.

18Hang sleigh bells on front doorhandles.

19If youre lucky enough to have a

fireplace, have a fire roaring

before guests arrive. If its nonworking,

fill it with holly branches and

winterberries or a basket of ornaments.

20Have fun decorating and happy

holidays!

Lexi Nielson is a professional interior

designer who lives in Oak Park. Her

projects range from simple color

consultations to gut rehabs.

green.

o

t e

hol

sur

ca

th

co

b

i

l

t

n

s

Above, a felt wreath by AmyStruckmeyer. Le, silver-paintedlamps from Divine Consign.

.

nu

liliTop, D. Stevens pillow from Bramble. Below,buskins from Virtu

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Ihave to admit to a somewhat nagging feeling

that is upon me this year as I contemplate the

upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Do I stay

with 100 percent tradition or opt instead for

a wee bit of innovation?

Recurrent readers of this column know full

well that when it comes to any holiday, I am a

staunch, unabashed traditionalist.

Much like the proverbial, always-welcome,

regular who dines at his/her favorite

restaurant and always orders the same thing,

I could not even consider having anythingother than roast turkey, complete with all the

trimmings, on Thanksgiving.

But this year I am chewing over the notion

of one small change to the menu that may or

may not cause a riot within my own group of

family regulars. Dare I change the dressing?

As anyone who has purchased a box of Stove

Top stuffing knows, bread dressing can be an

enjoyable side dish that goes just as well with

other entrees, such as roast chicken or stuffed

pork chops.

And although I tend to eschew the conve-

nience that Kraft General Foods provides withtheir above named product, this from scratch

recipe is one that I have been toying with for

the past couple of months with

pleasing results.

The bread crumbs called for

in the recipe are made from

day old Challah, a brioche

style yeast bread with

the addition of eggs that

you should be able to find

at most bake shops. Any

other type of brioche can

be used.

For me, the mostintriguing component

of this recipe is the

addition of apple pie

filling, which lends an underlying,

clean touch of sweetness

that is most pleasing to

the palette.

And about that

nagging feeling? Im

still chewing. Have a

Happy Thanksgiving.

FrankChlumsky,former executivechef of Philanders

restaurant in Oak

Park, teaches in Chicago at Kendall Colleges

School of Culinary Arts. In his 37-year career,

Frank has owned restaurants in Michigan City,

Ind., and in Lake Geneva, Wis. He has also been

executive chef at the Saddle & Cycle Club in

Chicago. Frank lives in Forest Park, where he

cooks for pleasure.

Dressing with a clean touch of sweetness

FRANKCHLUMSKY

.

he bread crumbs called for

the recipe are made from

ay old Challah, a brioche

style yeast bread with

the addition of eggs that

you should be able to find

at most bake shops. Any

other type of brioche can

e used.

For me, the mosttriguing component

his recipe is the

ddition of apple pie

, which lends an underlying,

touch of sweetness

most pleasing to

lette.

about that

ng feeling? Im

hewing. Have a

Thanksgiving.

nk Chlumsky,

r executivef Philanders

rant in Oak

. - ,

Frank has owned restaurants in Michigan City,

Ind., and in Lake Geneva, Wis. He has also been

executive chef at the Saddle & Cycle Club in

Chicago. Frank lives in Forest Park, where he

cooks for pleasure.

the

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cup onion, chopped ne

cup celery, chopped ne cup carrot, chopped ne

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 pound loaf stale (one day old)

Challah or other type of brioche

2 large eggs, beaten

1 cup turkey or chicken stock(or more as needed)

1-20 ounce can apple pie

lling such as Comstock or

Musselmans

4 ounces (1 stick) butter, melted

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon dried leaf sage

1 teaspoon salt

teaspoon black pepper

teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon sugar (optional,depending on sweetness of the

pie lling)

Preheat oven to 350

degrees.

Heat the vegetableoil in a medium size

skillet. Add the onions,

celery, and carrot and

sweat until soft and

translucent. Allow to

cool slightly.

Meanwhile, process

Challah in a food proces-

sor or blender to make

the bread crumbs. Place

the bread crumbs in a

large mixing bowl. Add

the onion, celery and

carrot mixture. Add the

apple pie filling, melted

butter, garlic, sage, black

pepper, poultry sea-

soning and sugar.

Add the beaten

eggs. Add

stock as

needed

and

mix

gently to combine all the

ingredients The dressing

should be moist nei-ther too dry nor too wet.

Loosely pack the

dressing in a greased

9x 13 standard sheet

pan. Cover with alumi-

num foil and bake at 350

degrees for 45 minutes to

1 hour until a toothpick

comes out clean when

inserted in the dressing.

Note: Bake the

dressing uncovered if

you want the top to be

crispy.

Challah Bread Dressing

e

r

oning

al,of the

,

butter, garlic, sage, black

pepper, poultry sea-

oning and sugar.

Add the beaten

eggs. Add

tock as

needed

and

mix

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11/15

B12 November 16, 2011 WEDNESDAY JOURNAL | FOREST PARK REVIEW | LANDMARK

How to host

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is our big dinner party

of the year. Hosting between 25-30

people poses logistics challenges

that, over the years, weve figured

out how to handle.

InvitationsThanksgiving requires coordination

among multiple families, and email is an

excellent way to send out announcementsand follow up. We prefer not to use web-

based invitation/

social planning

tools like E-vite

because they feel

a little imperson-

al, and email has

the advantage of

connecting mul-

tiple families with

one blast.

Tradition-

ally, every familybrings something

to the feast, so us-

ing reply all to

the initial email

invitation lets

everyone know

what everyone

else is contributing.

Because email can be archived, every-

one can always check back to confirm

times and other party information.

Pre-party preparationsPreparation minimizes party day

chaos. Though we dont hire servers, I

understand why this practice is trend-

ing. Its hard to enjoy friends and family

when youre making and serving food

and drinks so let someone else do it.

We save on servers by spending upfront

time preparing as much as possible, and

that preparation is important because

guests feel more welcome when youre not

huffing and puffing while they just stand

around.

Of course, before guests arrive, we

clean up (it seems impolite to subject

friends to a messy home). We rearrange

our regular living space so furniture

doesnt get in our way. We move some

furniture to the basement to maximize

usable space and make the space more

welcoming.

Party dayWe always get up early on game day

to make sure everything is ready to run

smoothly by party time.Antipasto, a tray of olives and other

appetizers, is a fine Italian tradition that

pacifies appetites before the main event.

This platter of nibbles is also a subtle

way to honor the Italian explorer who ac-

cidentally discovered America. Thanks-

giving is meat-centric, so we go heavy on

veggie appetizers.

During the event, I definitely dont want

to run around filling wine glasses, so I

make sure guests know where to fetch

their drinks. I put beer and wine outside,

letting Mother Nature be my cooler. Close

to the beverages we position a bottle open-

er on a string tied to a brick, so the opener

is always going to be where its needed.

Norman Rockwells image of everyone

gathered around the table as the turkey is

carved may be symbolically significant,

but its operationally challenging. When

people sit down, theyre ready to eat and

probably dont want to sit patiently and

drool discreetly for 10-15 minutes of carv-

ing.

We finish cooking the turkey as most

guests are arriving. The bird is set out for

display, and I deputize a guest to start cut-

ting it up 10 minutes or so before dinner.We always use an electric knife because

it helps slice thinner, more eater-friendly

pieces.

Were not tyrants about passing food in

only one agreed-upon direction, though

clockwise is traditional; we pretty much

let everyone pass food any way they want.

This laissez-faire approach can be cha-

otic, and I sometimes dont get to taste

everything, but this loose system just

seems easier and more hospitable.

EntertainmentAfter everyone has eaten, we go to the

living room and the musically inclined

entertain us. We have guitars, tambou-

rines and other instruments, so anyone

can play along. Everyone is invited to

perform. However if, like me, youve prov-

en you have no musical talent, theres

always room for another enthusiastic

audience member.

This homemade

talent show

has proven

a beauti-

ful wayto bring

everyone

together

one more

time be-

fore we

close the

evening.

DAVIDHAMMOND

OakPark.com

food blogger

MyolidayHome

Courtesy DAVID HAMMOND

Its okay to be cozy at the table. Phil ompson, recruited to cut the turkey.

ce mem er.

homemade

show

oven

ti-

yg

ne

er

ore

e-

e

he

g.

9150 Broadway BrooKfield, ill. 60513

(708) 485-1515

gifts

glass

garden supplies

paints

Hardware

tools

BrooKfield Hardware 30 E. Burling ton Downtown Riverside(.7 Mi. East of Brookfield Zoo So. Gate) Am ple p arking East of Bldg.

708-442-4387

Fab ulous Purses Winter Scarves JewelrySoa ps & Lotions Frag rant Candle s Art Glass

Wedd ing Bands Irish Handloo ms Belleek CrystalPolish Potte ry Jerpo int Glass Card s & Fram es

Hours: Sun. 12-3pm; Mon.-Fri. 12-6pm; Saturday 10-4pm

We Book Tours to Ireland & England *Chamber MemberMargo Coveny Rodriguez

DG-5

4920

4

Coveny Lane


12/15


Casa de Puros 7410 Madison St. Forest Park, IL 60130

708.725.7180 www.casadepuroscigars.com

Room Rental Package3 hour room rental includes space for up to 20 people,

1 box of Ashton Cigars, 1 bottle of Scotch, and 1 tray of treats fromMarion Street Cheese Market

Details and pricing at 708.725.7180or casadepuroscigars.com

Sunday - Tursday 10am - 10pmFriday & Saturday 10am - 11pm


13/15

B14 November 16, 2011 WEDNESDAY JOURNAL | FOREST PARK REVIEW | LANDMARKWEDNESDAY JOURNAL | FOREST PARK REVIEW | LANDMARKMyolidayHome

tableFORYOURB y S A R A H C O R B I N

Warm your

home with

photos of familyand friends. Use

this gorgeous

two-sided frame

as a centerpiece

for your holiday

feast. Sizing

and prices vary.

La Grande Decor,

Brookeld

Albanos Deli10712 31st St.

Westchester

(708) 562-0262

albanosdeli.com

Aliottos1118 Chicago Ave.

Oak Park

(708) 763-0808

Bramble115 N. Oak Park Ave.

Oak Park

(708) 386-6800

www.bramble.biz

Brown Cow

Ice Cream7347 Madison St.

Forest Park(708) 366-7970

browncowicecream.com

Careful Peach1024 North Blvd.Oak Park(708) 383-3066

carefulpeach.com

Flavour CookingSchool7401 Madison St.Forest Park(708) 488-0808

avourcookingschool.com

Flybird719 Lake St.Oak Park

(708) 383-3330y-bird.net

Garland Flowers137 S. Oak Park Ave.Oak Park

(708) 848-2777garlandowers.net

Green Home

Eperts823 S. Oak Park Ave.Oak Park

(708) 660-1443ghexperts.com

Oak Park Vintage

Market1117 Chicago Ave.Oak Park

(708) 434-5493oakparkvintagemarket.com

Olive and Well133 N. Oak Park Ave.Oak Park(708) 848-4230

oliveandwell.com

La Grande Decor3748 Grand Blvd.

Brookeld(708) 485-2204lagrandedecor.com

Todd and Holland7311 Madison St.Forest Park(708) 488-1136

Where to shop

Set an eclectic table and

satisfy your linen addiction.

Bramble, Oak Park

Keep your table bright and

colorful, use renew-

able resources,

and really

go green.

Green Home

Experts,

Oak Park

Display your cheese plate with a

splash of fantastic color, served with

a splash of something else perhaps...

Flybird, Oak Park

Choose these careful critters for your

holiday theme. Your guest will go nuts

over it. Careful Peach, Oak Park

Fig salt and

pepper shakers

add a distinc-

tive look to your

holiday table.

Aliottos, Oak Park


14/15

WEDNESDAY JOURNAL | FOREST PARK REVIEW | LANDMARK November 16, 2011 B15

Highlight the

holidays with afestive planterBy LACEY SIKORA

Yvonne Steele has always loved gardening.

When the economy began to sputter a few

years ago, the Oak Park mom finally de-

cided that it was time to get her hands dirty

on behalf of someone other than her fam-

ily. She founded Smoke Tree Gardens to provide

garden, landscaping and planter services.While the holidays may bring an end to the out-

door entertaining season, things are just getting

started inside peoples homes. Steele helps clients de-

fine their entryways with holiday planters, appropri-

ate for indoor and outdoor use, and she often carries

over the design into interior holiday help as well.

Steele emphasizes that, in some ways, decorat-

ing for the holidays is no different than decorat-

ing any other time of the year.

For me, one thing always stays the same when

Im working with clients. From beginning to end,

its all specific to that client and her interests and

vision. I make sure my interior holiday decorat-

ing and planter designs follow the clients taste.

Steele creates planters for single-family homeown-

ers, apartments and condo buildings, as well as busi-nesses. During the holiday season, she likes to use

seasonally appropriate materials such as fir trees,

juniper berries, holly, branches and pine cones.

I use typical evergreens in an atypical way,

she explains. Its great to get inspiration from

the things that are thriving at this time of year. I

try to configure the wintertime natural materials

into designs that are both classic and modern.

Steele frequently uses other materials to high-

light what is natural in her arrangements. Glit-

ter, white paint and flocking are often her tools of

the trade. She has come to find that a lot of clients

are interested in using moss in indoor and out-door arrangements.

It brightens things up and gives a little natural

punch to the design.Many clients call on Steele throughout the year

to create planter designs for the front of their

homes that they change seasonally. She works

with clients own containers or can provide con-

tainers to suit a home or building. Circumstances

often dictate the scope of the project.

Some people may be selling their homes in the

winter and want me to provide a little something

extra on the front porch, she says. Others will

have me do the holiday decorations for their

whole house. It can be a busy time of year. Some

people dont have the time to do this themselves

or arent sure how to create a certain look, so Ican help out with that.

MyolidayHome

For more

information

Yvonne Steele of

Smoke Tree Gardens

www.smoketree

gardens.com

info@smoketree

gardens.com

708-833-1022

8641 W. Ogden AveLyons, IL

708-447-2111

Public Welcome

Staytoasty warmandhighanddry

thisWinterwith helpfrom your local plumbing

and boiler heat experts!

B16 M lid H


15/15


Your Community. Your Web site.

YourHoliday Shopping,Family Gathering,Event Scheduling,

Faith Celebrating,Home Prepping,Peace Offering,

Spiritually Re-Charging,Community ConnectingResource.

my holiday home 2011

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