Today we’d like to introduce you to Gina Jeffries.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up spending my summer weekends on Lake Huron. My family had a camper in Port Sanilac and as kids, my sisters and I would spend our time swimming, building sandcastles, and having bonfires under the stars. I think my love for Northern Michigan and weekend getaways began then.
Cabin architecture became a passion for me after a 2015 trip to Iceland. We drove around Iceland’s famous Ring Road, and I saw tiny Scandinavian lodges nestled among rolling green hills. I started to document them by taking photos. I knew Michigan had a thriving cabin community, and I could bring my new hobby home with me. I began renting cabins in Michigan on Airbnb and taking photos of them.
A few years later in 2018, I decided to create Moody Cabin Girl. I already had the social media thing down because my sister Holly and I run a successful Metro Detroit foodie page called Girls Gone Hungry. I utilized everything I learned from that venture to build the MCG blog and Instagram page.
Today, Holly and I still run both Girls Gone Hungry and Moody Cabin Girl, but we also have our own social media management company. In 2020 we started Marilyn & Olive Media. We run the social media accounts of a variety of Metro Detroit businesses.
Something else to note: while I run Girls Gone Hungry and Marily & Olive with my sister Holly Valente, Moody Cabin Girl is my endeavor. Holly does help out a lot and is featured on many trips though.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think as the brand grows, the hardest part has been the juggling schedules. My 9-5, Marilyn and Olive Media, takes up a lot of time and energy, but so does taking several days to drive around Michigan and document cabins for Moody. I’ve learned to set boundaries with how many cabin projects I’m willing to take on in a given month.
Posting content for the world to see puts anyone in a vulnerable position. Photography and writing are both subject to criticism. When you put things online, you’re going to get feedback both good and bad. I see comments filled with both love and hate.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in cabin content. I take photos of cabin architecture and post them on my Instagram page and website. For the most part, I stick to cabins in Michigan and the Midwest. Michigan is unique because we have the Great Lakes and tons of forested areas. We have plenty of small beach towns filled with ice cream parlors and bakeries. Life moves slower in these small towns. There is something so special about heading Up North after a long work and taking the time to slow down at the cabin. That’s the theme I hope I capture with Moody Cabin Girl.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Covid really skyrocketed community interest in Cabincore. People were cooped up and wanted to get out, but they also wanted to be safe. With cabins, they could drive a few hours to a secluded Airbnb and have the whole place to themselves. They didn’t have to worry about running into people in lobbies like you would at a hotel. It’s been a while since 2020 and the world has opened back up, but many people still prefer this time of vacationing right now.
Plus, cabins are timeless.
Online, we see all these beautiful cabin images on social media. Think of the iconic dusk cabin photo; an a-frame sits on a lot covered in pine trees. Its windows are radiating that vibrant orange light that glows when the sun begins to set. A bonfire burns in the foreground. Maybe you can see the back of a person at the fire. It’s so easy to put yourself into that photo. You can imagine you are sitting at that warm fire without a worry in the world.
Cabins symbolize an escape from the city and a break from our work-week anxiety. A reconnection with nature. Because of this, I don’t foresee interest in cabins going away any time soon.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.moodycabingirl.com
- Instagram: moodycabingirl
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Moodycabingirl/
- Other: https://www.marilynandolivemedia.com/
Image Credits
Aaron Smith
