May 2013 – Karla's Cottage

Disney Hollywood Studios

By Karla Nathan / May 30, 2013

When we planned the trip to Florida, we had some other ideas for the week than what we actually ended up doing. My husband had a chance to go on a bucket list, lifetime dream, golf trip to Scotland and it overlapped our existing family jaunt to Disney.

Luckily, we were using Southwest to get to Orlando and could shuffle his flights around. He was able to meet us in FL a day late, with no penalties.

And our hotel in Cocoa Beach wasn't too far from Orlando to return to fetch him at the airport the next evening. I was glad we'd settled on staying there, and not going to the Gulf coast like we'd thought about.That drive would've been too much out of the day.

The girls and I spent a fun day at the beach, but decided the next morning to head out to Orlando early and hang out at Disney Hollywood Studios before heading to the airport to pick him up. It wasn't in the budget, and it wasn't in the plans, but we decided Budget Smudget and went anyway.

Our Hippy Chick is a Star Wars fan and it was the theme of the weekend there. And I'd never been to that park, so was curious.

We saw that it had a Little Mermaid show, so that was the clincher. There was also a Disney Jr. show that included Sofia the First, which was really important to someone in our group.

I'm not sure if I'd recommend that park to everyone. It isn't any cheaper than the big parks there, and doesn't have as much to do. If you are buying a Park Hopper pass, it would be good to stop there and visit, but a ticket to just that one park is kind of pricey for what you get, at least compared to the other places to see at Disney.

Although, Sugarwings wouldn't say that. She loved it. It's smaller and less crowded, even with the Star Wars hullabaloo going on. She isn't into the rides as much anyway and is happy wandering around.

Trading character pins was something she got a real kick out of. Aunt Terry had sent her a dozen or so to get started and we found a princess lanyard to stick them on. She was ready to roll. And her eagle eye could spot a princess pin on a Disney employee from 20 feet. By the end of the weekend, her collection was pretty much all royalty.

It was a good activity for a little girl like her. She enjoyed the personal attention from the park employees she traded with and made a lot of friends by approaching them to offer her trades.

The one big ride there, at least that we found, was the movie tour. We got seats in the front of the train, and Sugarwings, of course, made instant best friends with the driver, Amber.

The ride started out lovely, with a greeting from Mary Poppins. But things went downhill fast when 1930s gangsters attacked the train and abducted Amber from the driver's seat. Then, a Bad Guy took over the steering wheel.

To make matters worse, he took us through outer space where an Alien popped down from the ceiling at our heads. Remember how ugly that guy Sigourney Weaver battled was? I don't think Sugarwings expected that after the trauma of losing Amber.

Soon, Amber was back and good as new and the Bad Guy was blown up by Indiana Jones or something like that. The rest of the ride included a visit to Oz, so our little Dorothy would have forgiven anything and rode it over and over.

As we started to leave, she ran back to hug Amber because she was so happy her friend was okay. I think it made Amber's day, she seemed genuinely touched. Sugarwings has that hugging skill that makes a lot of people feel special, and we got a lot of "awwwwws" that trip.

Beth’s project for Birdsong 3

bird song art event

By Karla Nathan / May 27, 2013

Before our Florida getaway, Beth and Karla came over to do a practice class for Beth's Birdsong project. She will be giving everyone a peat pot to foof and fill up with a few felty creatures. While she will be making kits with everything needed to create three pieces to pop onto sticks and into pots, she'll also have plenty of extras. Cause she is Beth and that is how she rolls.

This is the potful that I made.

Here are some hearts she made. She's providing patterns for hearts, birds, and flowers.

Here are a few that Karla and Beth made that day. They can be stuffed, not stuffed, filled with lavender, made up of felt or muslin or lace, and decked out with lots of nice trims.

I wish Lori was close by so we could have a play day, practice class to prep for Birdsong with her. I can't wait to get my hands on her kit!!

Gifts are still arriving for the door prizes too. Beth was way generous with this sampler apron she gave to us.

And Sissy is donating this lovely pendant made from a shard of china. It brings back happy memories for me. My family and I had a craft day in Indiana once, and broke dishes together, then all soldered and made these necklaces. Sis enjoyed doing it so much, that she bought her own bench grinder.

Smashing dishes and sanding the edges using a big, powerful, tool is a task that gets out frustrations as well as creates something beautiful. So when the name of the power tool was misunderstood as "bitch grinder" that name stuck. And still makes me giggle.

If you'd like to be a sponsor for Birdsong 3, you still have time. Your link will be added to the list on the side bar till next year's new list for Birdsong 4 goes up. And you'll make the Peeps who attend our party do a lot of ooohing and ahhing!!

Cocoa Beach

family, Food and Drink, guncles, Sugarwings, Travel

By Karla Nathan / May 24, 2013

We had the best trip! I wish we had the whole family there, missing them was the only bad part of the week. The rest was just plain delightful.

The Guncles even drove down from Jacksonville to visit.

We were celebrating the Hippy Chick's graduation from nursing school, and the guys joined us for dinner on the pier in Cocoa Beach.

Guncle Randy surprised Sugarwings with a pink rose, which in her mind, instantly turned her into a fairy tale princess, and she had to go lay down on the floor with it on her chest, awaiting her prince to bring true love's kiss to wake her up. This reaction is pretty common with her, for many items. When biting into a carmel apple at Disney World, she collapsed in a dramatic swoon.

I'd never stayed at Cocoa Beach before. We chose to be there a few days before our Disney adventure since it was so nearby. And we were very happy with that choice, good restaurants, nice beaches, affordable hotel, and lots of big cruise ships to watch as they left Port Canaveral.

This little one grinned most of the trip.

And played nonstop.

Till one point where she just fell sound asleep right in the sand, and couldn't go on another moment. I don't think I'd ever seen her this worn out. She is quite the whirlwind of a kid.

But even the most energy packed person in the world can be done in by fun in the sun!

And boy, was there a LOT of fun.

Hiding instead of repairing damaged dry wall and a rosey outlook for springtime

antiques/junking, cottage, dogs, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), family, puppies!, redos, yorkies

By Karla Nathan / May 21, 2013

A bit ago, we redid a wall in the living room with ceiling tin. These were 8' strips, and were ideal for where I needed them, they seem to look nicer on a wall than the squares would have.

And after purchasing them, I happened to find the border at another shop and it is exactly what I needed! I'd planned on using wood trim and this is so much better. How lucky to find just the right amount of border.

The wall panels are from Nook and Cranny. When I drove around to the back of the shop to load the pieces, I happened to see the tin crown molding on the sidewalk in front of another store in the West Bottoms. I bought all the border, but there is a truckload of the wall panels left. ($40 each, but ask for a volume discount if you buy more than a couple)

The room didn't look bad before, I liked the faux finish. Until you got up close.

My old house settles, and the shape of a doorway kept popping through the drywall. Years ago, during a remodel, we'd covered up a hallway and this door shape would NOT go away no matter how many times I'd patched it.

I don't mind cracks, old houses have lots of them. But not door shaped!

(and yes, you are seeing nasty cobwebs in this photo, not just faux paint treatments and cracks in the wall)

SInce I have tins on the kitchen ceiling, I thought it would look good to also have the wall at the far end of the living room covered in them too. (this is before)

Luckily, I have a very handy son, who installed them for me. He ripped off the baseboard, and I squirted a ton of caulking back under the wall to help with drafts before he put up the tin.

We decided not to put up more baseboard over it, I like the look as it ended up without it.

The panels plus the crown were just the right size for the wall! My son wanted to cut the tins and line them up perfectly, but I told him not to. It went against his nature as a carpenter to not have the lines on the tin exact, but I like it as it is.

(the purple marks show the door outline we were covering up)

I promised him I would tell everyone that, because the lines bother him. Not me, I'm soooo happy with the whole project!! He had them up in a couple hours.

The lines that might bother me are the ones between each panel. They need to be caulked and sealed so they aren't as prominent.

But I haven't made up my mind about painting yet. I did paint over the rust on the crown, but only because it was too regular and stripey looking. Random rust makes me happy, but this was not that kind.

For now, I figure I'll leave the chippiness as is, I can always paint later. But I do think I need to caulk the seams….

The dogs always think each photo is about them.

So, I indulged the little hams and let them pose.

They love to be in pictures.

For springtime, I hung some rose pattern bark cloth drapes and wrapped the sofa cushion in another bark cloth piece. It has come untucked on the edges a bit. I guess that is the sort of thing you should straighten before a photo, huh?

My living room stays cream and white most of the year, and I love that combo, it makes seasonal changes so simple. A few pillows, a couple curtain panels and a switcheroo of some knick knacks and I've got a new look for a new season.

And the dogs love the BARK cloth.

Brier Rose

bird song art event, Travel

By Karla Nathan / May 19, 2013

Elaine at Brier Rose has sent these beautiful, hand made half dolls for sponsor gifts to all of our Birdsong Peeps!!!!!!!!

I swear, the sponsors have been just Delightful (Sugarwing's and I call everything delightful, but these sponsors certainly deserve the term)

I've been blown away by the sweetness that has come in the mail. I'll have more goodie bag treats to show you after my trip.

Yep, I said trip. On the road again! Seems like I've been hopskipping from one place to another since 2013 started. Hawaii, Florida, California, and now Florida again. When I was in CA, what seems like a couple days ago, I went to Disney with Terry who is a Disney expert. She lives in Utah, but has season passes to both parks.

She gave me quite the grand tour of the park, and lots of tips for what to do with Sugarwings when I take her. We are headed to the beach and then to Disney World in FL to celebrate the Hippy Chick's graduation from nursing school (with honors and president of the senior class, if that doesn't deserve a trip to Disney, what does??)

While I'm away, please forgive me for not being so prompt with emails, but I will have my iPad with me and if you order one of my tutes, I'll get the codes to you by the next day. The newest one is this bird cage/cloche wire concoction.

When I get back, I'll be in full on zoom speed to finish up details and get Birdsong ready. I'd hoped to make food ahead of time to freeze, but my family had a flu bug and I'm such a germaphobe that I was afraid to bake anything, just in case I might have some flu clinging to me somehow.

Projects from An Enchanted Affaire

Snow White, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / May 16, 2013

My friend, Lesa Daily, makes the cutest birds! Her class at Enchanted was something I'd been anxiously awaiting, and it was every bit as wonderful as I'd known it would be.

Don't her little birdies just peep with personality? These are some from her vendor night table. I fell hard for that first one, it's a beauty.

Lesa's kits were cute as a bug too. The rose is a brooch made from coffee filters and I've enjoyed wearing it on my white denim jacket for a pop of spring color.

Her class was a birdy crown, but I made mine in two pieces. I wanted the crown to be out at the holidays, but the blue bird was to be year round.

There he is on my shoulder. Isn't there a song about that?? Zippity Do Dah Zippity Yay… somehow that is not quite right. But I'll be humming it all day anyway.

I could get hooked on making these lil guys.

Mine is foofed up with lots of tulle that I'd brought along. And a wreath of flowers on it's neck.

My pal, Natalie had a fun class too. Her pendant was one of my inspirations for the Birdsong necklace we will be making. Hers is the one in the instructions, mine is the one lying on top.

And here is how I'm doing our Birdsong piece.

And oh my, this was a fun class too! Julie Nutting
had us painting a background then crafting a paper doll from strips of torn paper. I used my own wallpaper and changed it up a bit by adding a mirror behind our Snow White.

Mine lost some of the whimsical charm of the original when I painted a face on her. But I still like it. And had a blast during the class. All three classes were delightful! (that is my new favorite word, Sugarwings and I have been using it nonstop).

Carol Spinski was the photographer for the event and she provided us with hundreds of free photos to download! I snagged a few of my faves and will share a few with here.

The rest of these photos are all done by Carol.

Spring cleaning in the garden

bird song art event, flowers

By Karla Nathan / May 13, 2013

Having an arty weekend at your home is a good incentive to get some yard work done! When we had some trees removed this winter, the sunshiney areas in my courtyard tripled and I've had a chance to add some roses to the area.

We've never had enough sun back there before to grow much other than ground cover and begonias. So, this week, I planted some knockout roses and a few miniature roses. Knockouts are so easy to take care (you don't have to do anything much more than watering as needed) I can't get enough of them. And they always go on sale at Home Depot for $10 around Mother's Day.

I'd hoped to replace a drooping deck this year, but we ran out of time. (I don't even want to talk about budget, we'll just say there was no time to do it).

The boards are warped and some stick up. My temporary solution was an outdoor rug under the tables. I found one on sale at Kohls for $85, which is much quicker and cheaper than ripping out a deck and replacing it. I saved soooo much money on the deck issue, that I splurged and bought a colorful new umbrella from World Market too ($99) and a couple cement birds from TJMaxx ($6 each). I really should have taken the photo with the cushions on the chairs (sky blues) and the umbrella open (blue, pink, orange, green paisleys on cream).

Don't you just love it when bloggers basically say, "here is a crappy picture, please use your imagination, I promise it really looks better than the photo"?

I've been rearranging the tables and chairs too, and now have two groupings that I like, one on the gravel and one on the drooping deck.

In my dream world, the whole area is redone in paver stones, with moss and thyme peeking between the stones, and there is a fountain trickling in the center of it all.

In real life, I have second hand furniture held together with wire and a deck that trips people in one area and a pile of gravel in another.

But instead of dilapidated, I chose to call it charming. And when the court yard is filled with my friends at Birdsong, it will be so cozy and fun! (as long as no one trips on that dang, droopy deck)

Bird collage pendants

bird song art event, fairies, family, jewelry, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / May 10, 2013

I did it! Not only did I finally figure out what my second class was going to be for Birdsong, I got lots of samples made and packed every single kit up and have them tucked away ready to go when my peeps arrive!

Beth, Mary, and Karla came over on Tuesday to participate in a practice class, here are a couple of their pieces. The book they are lying on is filled with little bird images and was published in the 1800s. I've used these old birdies in the kits, so of course, no two will be alike. In case someone gets a bird they don't care for, there are plenty of extras to chose from so the artist can find just the right little creature to put on her collage.

This is the actual pendant we will be working on, it's a large one, so we have space to play with the collage.

Now, I just need to get the bird cage kits packed up for my other class. All of the elements are prepped and ready, I just need to get them wrapped up.

If you would like to make a bird cage/wire cloche, I have spent weeks working out the best way to make them and have made a tutorial with step by step illustrated instructions, along with downloadable images to make fairies to keep in the cages once you get them made.

I've come up with a way to make the cages that I've not seen anywhere else. My son helped me come up with some great ideas that simplifies the process and keeps the wires from springing out every which way and driving you crazy.

He really deserves a lot of the credit, the boy is great with wire, and is a talented jewelry maker. This bracelet that we collaborated on will be featured in Jewelry Affaire. I'm thrilled to be doing an article with my son!

And greatly appreciate his input on the birdcage problems I was having.

A Book of Enchantments

Books, Hand painted, jewelry, parties, Snow White, vintage paper/collage art, wallpaper, We're having a party, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / May 8, 2013

The weekend in CA at An Enchanted Affaire was filled with fun and friendship-from so many nice people…

People like Charlotte, who I've known a long time through blogs…

And my husband's sister, Terry, who came along to her first big art weekend…

And goofy gals who I am lucky to meet up with again at various getaways like this…

And tables full of new people to get to know.

Teaching at one of these is the best way to meet people, I was flitting from one end of the room to the other, pausing to talk to everyone at the tables.

Here is part of my table. I took classes as well as teaching this time, and asked to have "newbies" sit with me if they wanted. It was fun to get to know some different people. At most events, I sit with my same friends every time (and really LOVE that) but I realized that I'd met them all at these kind of places and I should open myself up to meeting some more new friends.

Good idea!!

This is another one from the class I taught. Being up and moving around during class made for a good time to get photos of everyone at work. Normally, during class, I'm so involved with the project, I don't get to see what everyone else is doing.

Hopefully, the ladies enjoyed the class. The first half of it was pretty much busy work, tons of gluing paper to card stock to create the background of the book.

After making the pages, we crafted the cover and assembled the book.

It looked like most people at least got that much done, not many were able to start decorating, though.

But I provided an overflowing kit full of goodies, so they had plenty to play with later when they were ready to start embellishing.

If I teach this again, I think it would be better in an all day class, so we can do the decorating of the interior of the book too.

There were lots of examples for interiors, and many ladies took photos inside of my own books for later on when they finish theirs.

Here are some completed covers by the students.

Here is another.

When they started working, I'd told them that it was absolutely impossible for any two of them to have the same book when they finished, even if they tried their durndest.

With vintage supplies, and a big page of collage images to chose from, the completed books were bound to be filled with variety!

Since my book was titled, " A Book of Enchantments" I decided that I needed a few enchantment spells to add to it. So, I wrote 4 little poems about finding joy, happy dreams, a true prince, and hope. They are printed on vellum and are part of the embellishment package.

(by the way, I made extra kits, if you want to buy one for $65, there are a few left. Many ladies bought a second while there, so I think that means they liked them)

EDIT: my email is down, if you could leave a comment or contact me on FB, I'll check those to see if anyone is ordering kits. They are selling, but there is still a few left.

Kim had asked all the teachers to provide a prize for the drawings, so I brought this assemblage.

It was won by my pal, Natalie, another teacher.

I LOVED HER CLASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I used a smokey quartz and ruby on my own creation.

I'll leave you with a few more photos from my class, and still have some more pictures of the event to show you later.

My Snow White Weekend

paintings, parties, Snow White, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / May 6, 2013

Kim's big bash was so much fun! And everywhere I turned, there was some form of my artwork.

First of all, the giant mural filled a whole wall at the back of the room-

but also Kim had blown up images from the background of the smaller painting I'd done that she was using for the event button. (this is one that I kept for myself, Kim sold the rest. She also gave me the large poster from the lobby)

This one was my favorite one.

She hung banners from the ceiling, for a very royal feel. Here is the room set up for vendor night before everyone arrived.

For my vendor table, I made tags from the images on my mural. I like them so much that I'll use them for Birdsong too.

My Snow White painting was plastered on everything from the chocolate lollipops, the itinerary, to a lot of swap projects or tags. I was a little overwhelmed by her. But it was a good kind of overwhelmed.

Kim never misses a detail, and our work tables were beyond beautiful. Everyone got a bevelled glass "casket" with a velvet heart, and a matching crowned frame. All were extra good quality items, and pieces I will treasure forever, not just little party favors.

And look at the centerpieces!!!! Gosh, they were something. What a pretty view we had while working.

My Snow was on the back of every chair, in a frame we were each to keep. Along with a goodie bag stuffed with treats. The bag itself was a heavy canvas, yet again, another Kim trademark. Her gifts are high quality items that will last and so nice that you'll be glad they did. No cheesy, cheapy things that are just for show for the day.

And look at how lush the fabrics are the she drapes the room in.

The weekend truly was enchanting. I'm so impressed with Kim's talent and eye for beauty, plus her gracious style of hostessing.

Thanks for another memorable weekend, Kim!

(and I'm soooo looking forward to next year, the theme of Downton Abby will be delightful- that is if all the characters are not killed off by then)